Gone too soon
Alan Amato, gay activist Bob Dugal, disability activist John Prine, singer/songwriter
Obituaries pages 10, 27
W E D N E S D A Y
April 15, 2020 Vol. 40, No. 38 ONE DOLLAR @oakpark @wednesdayjournal
JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest
$1 million, hopefully $2 million, for Trinity tuition relief Families face COVID-19 woes, school taps reserves and seeks donors By MARIA MAXHAM Staff Reporter
In the face of financial challenges facing the families of its students during the COVID-19 pandemic, Trinity High School said it is taking $1 million from its cash reserves, and hoping donors will match another $1 million, to be used for needs-based tuition relief for the 2020-2021 school year. The school said it has set money aside con-
scientiously for decades to prepare for an emergency and that this was an emergency. In an April 13 statement, the school said it had received approval of its board of directors and the Sponsors Council of the Sinsinawa Dominican Schools to earmark a portion of the school’s Strategic Reserve Fund to support Trinity families impacted
by the COVID-19 pandemic and the resulting economic crisis with a one-time tuition assistance grant for the 2020-21 school year. President Laura Curley said in a statement that the school is glad to be in a position to help in such a manner. See TRINITY on page 14
Commercial bakery workers cry foul By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter
Workers at two suburban food production plants — the Hostess Bakery at 2035 N. Narragansett Ave. in Chicago’s Galewood neighborhood and the Bimbo Bakeries USA plant at 1540 S. 54th Ave. in Cicero — say they are in fear of contracting COVID-19, because their employers will not implement appropriate safety measures. Employees who work at both plants shared letters drafted by management confirming that the Hostess See BAKERIES on page 15
ALTERNATE TRANSIT: A cyclist comes south on Oak Park Avenue from the major road construction on Lake Street. Story on page 14.
ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
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Be strong.
April is Alcohol-Awareness Month
Parents: Don’t give in to pressure to provide alcohol to teens.
78% of 8-12th graders report that their family has clear rules about alcohol & drug use. You can start now. (68% 12th graders, & 80%10th graders)
For more information and to discover local resources: www.OakParkTownship.org/PYD This campaign is supported by the Strategic Prevention FrameworkPartnerships for Success Catalogue of Federal Domestic Assistance No. 93.243 funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration through a grant administered by the Illinois Department of Human Services. Supporting youth in Oak Park and River Forest Townships.
Oak Park & River Forest Townships
@Positive Youth Development
Dear Oak Park Residents and Surrounding Community, This year we are giving back to you with an amazing one time offer (in celebration of our 25th anniversary)! Perfect for children, teens, and adults!
Language and Music Summer Camp! Spanish Immersion no Spanish experience necessary. Our Summer Camp’s waitlist has been eliminated, with all the space we have at the new Mansion!
Special 2020 Offer!
Preschool Group (ages 2-4) Kindergarten through 2nd Grade Group (ages 5-8)
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$199 for the first month! Private Lessons in ANY subject we offer!
3rd-5th grade group (ages 9-11)
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Monday through Friday 9:30am-2:30pm, choose your weeks $250 per week. Before and after care available. Two-week minimum, 8-week recommendation for language acquisition.
Don’t forget to ask about our other programs and offerings: • Before and Afterschool “Homework Cafe” at The International Mansion • Language and Fine Arts Preschool and Elementary School (Homeschool-style in School) • Our Recording Studio • Translations and Interpretations
The Language and Music School At International Mansion
509 N. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 info@internationalmansion.com • (708) 524-5252 • InternationalMansion.com
Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
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Pastor makes Pilgrim Church debut on Easter via YouTube Connects spirituality to justice and mercy By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter
A pastor giving his first sermon to a new congregation on YouTube is a bit like a newly married couple postponing their honeymoon in Paris because of COVID-19 and making the best of it by watching a Rick Steves travel show about France. That social distancing, however, did not seem to dampen the excitement felt by the members of Pilgrim Congregational Church, 460 Lake St., as they anticipated the Easter Sunday bow by their new senior pastor, Rev. Colin Knapp. On the one hand Knapp used the word “bewildering” to describe on Good Friday how he pictured what giving his first sermon to a camera in an empty sanctuary on Easter Sunday would be like. “I’ve never done anything like that before,” he said, “and I think that’s true for most people.” On the other hand, he said, “I’m really excited to be in Oak Park and to be in such a lovely congregation and I’m excited to connect with the wider community.” Aware of the truth of McLuhan’s contention that “the medium is the message,” Knapp used the virtual nature of YouTube as well as the current public health crisis as the context for proclaiming to his virtual congregation the Easter message that “even in moments when we are perplexed and confused and uncomfortable that God is still with us and that God is still bringing about new life even in the midst of awful conditions.” Debbie Kent is the moderator (president) of the congre-
Photo provided
Rev Colin Knapp of Pilgrim Congregational gation and was the chair of the Senior Pastor Search Committee. She has been intimately involved in how Pilgrim has handled the period between senior pastors. “We all came together during this transition period,” she said, “and we have had a lot of discussions about who we are and where we want to go.”
In a press release she sent out at the beginning of April, she quoted Knapp as a way of explaining why she believes he is a good fit for Pilgrim at this time. She wrote, “This is what drives me today — helping people put their faith, which is often mysterious and unexplainable, into hands-on action,” Knapp said. “It’s that process of realizing the critical connection between our spirituality and our sense of justice and mercy.” Rev. Gloria Cox, a Pilgrim member for 25 years and the congregation’s associate pastor for young people for the past five years, used the metaphor of roots and fruits to explain why she believes Knapp is a good fit. She said that Pilgrim in particular and the denomination to which it belongs (United Church of Christ) generally “has been very action oriented [fruits] but we take spirituality [roots] almost as a given. I think that in order for us to grow to the next level we need to water those roots so they can bear more fruit, and that’s why I think Colin is the perfect person to help us do that.” Knapp also believes that his extremely diverse resume was one reason why the congregation was attracted to him. Growing up in a non-church going family, he came to faith at a church camp at the age of 16. Before coming to Pilgrim he has served in a Vineyard Church in Hyde Park, a rural Methodist Church in North Carolina, LaSalle Street in Chicago — which he referred to as a “a very progressive emergent post-evangelical congregation — and Glencoe Union Church, an interdenominational congregation located on Chicago’s North Shore. He laughed and said, “I can talk Christian to a lot of different types of people.” Knapp and his wife Molly have an 18-month-son named Jude. They live, at least for the time being, in Chicago.
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BIGAprilWEEK 15 - 22
Earth Day – 50 Years The Plastic Crisis Wednesday, April 22, 11 a.m. to Noon, Zoom Join four different speakers for a teach-In followed by Q&A. Brought by Go Plastic Free. Dial in to 312-626-6799, or enter Meeting ID: 164 646 195, Password: 016189. Questions: 708-848-9266.
Adding Natives to Edible Gardens Sunday, April 19, 3 to 6 p.m. In this webinar, learn how to combine native and edible plants to bring more beauty and health to your yard. Free. Brought by Deep Roots Project. Register: deep-roots-project.org/workshops-and-events
Opportunity Knocks Making Oak Park Conservatory Plant Sale Public online sale April 16 through 26 the Best of It
Virtual Mini Film Fest View a selection of films brought by One Earth Film Festival and the City of Chicago. Monday, April 20 - Happening: A Clean Energy Revolution Tuesday, April 21 - The Human Element Thursday, April 23 - Wasted! The Story of Food Waste Friday, April 24 - Why We Cycle Saturday, April 25 - Young Filmmakers Contest Honorable Mention Winners Sunday, April 26 - The Biggest Little Farm Events include additional programming, such as live Q&As on Zoom with filmmakers. Free; $8, suggested donation per person. Register: oneearthfilmfest.org/ earth-day-virtual-mini-film-fest
Friday, April 17, noon, through Monday, April 20, 9 p.m. Opportunity Knock’s (OK) gala was cancelled. Instead, help out virtually — bid on auction items, buy raffle tickets, or donate directly. Featured items include a catered dinner, signed Blackhawk Jonathan Toews jersey, Caribbean getaway and more. OK supports people with intellectual and developmental disabilities as they live, work, learn, grow and connect within their community. More: one.bidpal.net/okgala2020/welcome. Sign in from there or text: Okgala2020 to 243725.
After 30 years of in-person sales, this annual sale has moved online with curbside pickup. View the catalog and find ordering link: pdop.org/events/plant-sale. Questions: operations@fopcon.org
Read, Watch, Listen: What’s Next Wednesday, April 15, 3:30 to 4 p.m., Zoom Have a conversation with Oak Park Public Library librarians about what they are reading watching and listening to at home. Register: oppl.evanced.info/signup/ EventDetails?EventId=50094
Senior Services Nutrition Program Oak Park and River Forest seniors ages 60+ who relied on hot lunches at Oak Park Township Senior Services can pick up bulk meals to take home. Use the Senior Services back door. Friday, April 17, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., A five-pack of shelf-stable meals. Monday, April 20, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., A five-pack of frozen meals. Friday, April 24, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., A ten-pack of shelf-stable meals. $1.50 suggested donation per meal. For questions or to arrange delivery: 708-383-8060. Dine out coupons for delivery from local restaurants can also be purchased. 130 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park. More: oakparktownship.org/senior-services/#meal-programs. For food pickups, enter the alley through Pleasant St. by St. Edmund Church; remain in vehicle and wait for a staff person to bring out the food.
OPRF art students receive honors and scholarship offers The Illinois High School Art Exhibition (IHSAE), held at the Bridgeport Art Center, Chicago, last month, resulted in recognition and scholarship opportunities for several OPRF art students. IHSAE’s mission is to “celebrate students’ artistic achievement, promote mastery and ingenuity in learning, and facilitate post-secondary opportunities.” More than 100 Illinois high schools participated this year according to Lindy Novotny, OPRF visual arts teacher and department chair. Novotny said the art department has increased its
Cece Crumlish
efforts to help students interested in continuing with art after high school, which includes “touring colleges across the country to develop the best guidance for our students when it comes to portfolio development and scholarship acquisition.” OPRF earned the Certificate of Recognition this year at IHSAE for receiving more than $1 million in scholarship offers for Senior Portfolios with a total of $2,533,432.
Eliana Gerace
“These awards are one indication that these efforts are paying off,” Novotny said. Students who received top honors for their art were Nina Catrambone (ceramics), Cece Crumlish (painting), Natalie Serratos (film), Sam Schenkelberg (graphic design), Sadie Halvorsen (drawing) and Eliana Gerace (metalworking). Others who received recognition are Lanie Hibel, Sydney Hunnewell, Sarah Kelly, Ryan Pont, Anajali Pride, Priya Rawal, Chris Rice, Grace Richards,
Charlotte True
Sophie Shaw, Daniel Smith, Anna Sordilla, Charlotte True and Hunter Hogan. OPRF students were selected for the National K-12 Ceramic Exhibition. Pieces are showcased at the National Council on Education for the Ceramic Arts (NCECA) conference, which was scheduled to be held March 25 – 28 this year. It was canceled, so works are available to view online. Three OPRF students had their ceramic works selected by NCECA - Nina Catrambone, Charlotte True and Luca Anderson.
Luca Anderson
Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
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ART BEAT
‘The Most Fun We Ever Had’ in development at HBO Laura Dern, Amy Adams sign on as producers By MICHELLE DYBAL Contributing Reporter
C
laire Lombardo’s The Most Fun We Ever Had debuted on the New York Times bestseller list — an impressive start for this first-time novelist who started life in Oak Park. That book, which launched last June here at Ernest Hemingway’s Birthplace Museum, caught the eye of some Hollywood bigwigs. Laura Dern and Amy Adams are signed on to be executive producers of an HBO series based on Lombardo’s book. “I’m absolutely thrilled with how this venture has unfolded thus far, and with the fact that the project is in the capable hands of so many smart and talented women,” Lombardo said. “To see The Most Fun We Ever Had find new life beyond the page is incredibly exciting.” The 500-page work follows the Sorenson
family and is partly set in Oak Park. Lombardo can’t say if the series will be set here, but she is the one penning the script, under supervision from seasoned writer/producer Anya Epstein. “This is my first time writing for television and it’s been a real delight, almost like learning a new language,” Lombardo said. “To be able to venture down new technical avenues of writing has been fascinating…” Lombardo, who can write from anywhere, currently resides in Pennsylvania, but is sheltering in place in Minneapolis, where she was visiting when “things started to get serious” with COVID-19. At this point, there is no potential date for the show to debut, or actors chosen for the parts. “My writer-brain doesn’t look at my characters in terms of actors, so it’s my new favorite game to play with readers and book clubs, to pick their brains about who they see playing so-and-so.” Stay tuned to see how the happy Sorenson parents and their four “radically different daughters” translate to the screen.
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Library’s Oak Park Creates offers variety
There’s no time like the present to start a new book. And with the Oak Park Public Library’s program, Oak Park Creates, there is a varied collection of local authors’ works to choose from. “Anyone with direct ties to Oak Park can submit their creative work for possible inclusion, and anyone with a library card in the SWAN library network can check out items from the Oak Park Creates collection,” said Kathleen Spale, manager of access services and coordinator of Oak Park Creates. Books Spale see as highlights in the collection are Jacob Grant’s picture books, Dorothy Grigg’s novel, and Sandy Sameshima’s recently released photo essay on sexual abuse survivors. All three creators currently reside in Oak Park. Grant’s Scaredy Kate, about a girl terrified by her aunt’s big bulldog, is available as an eBook on Hoopla with a library card. Grigg’s “old-school love story” Sisters in Spirit can be accessed through the library’s Biblioboard (library.biblioboard.com/welcome). Surviving our Secrets by Sameshima is only available as a physical book. Some other current residents who have
traditionally published books in the collection are Mike Moreci (graphic novels), Mike Grosso (kids’ fiction), Amy Struckmeyer (crafts) and Eric Friedman (philanthropy). Previous residents include Susan Subak (city planning, history), Daniela Olszewska (poetry) and Jessica Monahan (magical realism fiction). Current residents who have self-published books in Oak Park Creates include Wes Payton (social satire), Pam Pomilee (design/fashion), Richard Kordesh (parenting), Darren Musial (mystery), Mark Rosenfelder (science fiction), Bret Juliano (comic book), Dan Frank (action/adventure, thriller) and Lee Barry (pop culture philosophy). Some of these works are available as eBooks and can be accessed through Hoopla or Biblioboard. No physical books can be obtained now with libraries closed, but when open, a carousel of shelves holds most of the more than 240-item collection on the second floor of the Main Library. Oak Park Creates also includes music and films. More: oppl.org/read-listen-watch/ oak-park-creates.
Michelle Dybal
We will be opening on April 23rd for pick up! Give us a call!
George’s
Restaurant & Pancake House
Your Hosts: George, John & Dennis 145 S. Oak Park Ave. Oak Park
Phone 708.848.4949
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How Oak Park’s health department was saved
even years ago, almost to the day, when Anan AbuTaleb became Oak Park’s village president — the shift to the mayor title would come later — the village was in tough financial shape. Cash was very tight, there was a structural deficit, the economy was only slowly recovering from the collapse of 2008, all the buildings were short. Abu-Taleb had been elected by a serious margin with a mandate for change. Right now, all the current focus is on COVID-19 and the rightful perception that Oak Park is fortunate to be one of five governments in Cook County with its own certified public health department. But I remembered that well up the list of changes the new village president was itching for was taking the axe to the health department. The gist: Other towns our size don’t have health departments. It costs a lot of money. We’ll just sign on with the Cook County health department and they can do whatever it is that health departments do. On Monday morning I shared my
memory with the mayor and he said, good-naturedly, “One thing I’ve learned is that newspapers don’t forget things.” Well thanks for that compliment. What’s interesting isn’t that he wanted to cut the department but that the village didn’t. And now he’s grateful it didn’t happen. “It’s really important to approach a new job with fresh eyes, to challenge the status quo,” said Abu-Taleb. “But it’s also important to listen, to see the evidence and to evolve your thinking. We went through the evaluation process with a goal of making everything more efficient. It paid off.” In that process, he acknowledged, the village cut costs in the health department by about $200,000, effectively halving the shortfall between revenues the department brings in with fees and permits and grants and what it was costing. There are certainly people in local government who saw that as a cleaver not a surgical reduction. But the health department is still here, still led by Mike Charley, and in recent days substantially buttressed by staff realign-
DAN HALEY
ments from other departments and the callback of a retired nurse. Abu-Taleb said Oak Park is way ahead because it has a health department. Trustee Susan Buchanan, a doctor with a public health career at the University of Illinois Chicago, agrees. These days she is spending two days a week at her clinic at UIC dealing with the immediate health issues of university employees. “We’re getting hundreds of phone calls. So we’re triaging those people.” And there are many walk-ins. “We’re a small clinic, close quarters, tons of volunteers. So, yes, I feel at risk,” she says. The university has adequate PPE but not nearly enough tests to administer. “We’re still only testing people who are symptomatic.” Calling the response “at the highest levels of the federal government a travesty,” Buchanan says this pandemic was fully predicted. “That’s why we have a public health system in our government. It came out of earlier crises at the beginning of the last century — cholera, polio,” she said. But funding for public health is always cut once the immediate memory of pain recedes. She describes Oak Park as having “a small” health department but says, “It
looks like the Oak Park Health Department is doing a great job.” She points to the timely reports on local COVID-19 testing and effective contact tracing. “We are lucky in Oak Park because we get more attention to those details like inspecting grocery stores.” Buchanan doesn’t buy May 1 as a date to begin reopening the country. In terms of the future of the local health department, she said, “We need to think about this when this pandemic is over. Public health should be an essential service like housing and education.” And just to keep you up at night, Buchanan said the next threat to our health will result from climate change and the arrival of “more tropical diseases further north.” Think malaria. Both Buchanan and Abu-Taleb offer thanks to Oak Parkers who are staying home. “I appreciate, from the bottom of my heart, the compliance. I know it is so much more difficult when you have kids at home. We can always recover economic losses and jobs. But not lives. We will come out of this healthier, stronger and kinder,” says Abu-Taleb.
College Connections aids OPRF seniors
As OPRF seniors live out their final chapter of high school from home, counselors at the school have created a program for upperclassmen still deciding where they want to attend college next fall. “College Connections” is designed to set up OPRF alumni with seniors who can’t make on-campus visits due to the global outbreak of COVID-19. Right now, there are over 1,100 former Huskies who have volunteered their time for those still searching for their college landing spot. “If school was operating on its regular schedule, this would be the time when students would be flooding [the counselor’s] offices,” said OPRF counselor Kris Johnson, who helped create the program with her colleague Meghan Cahill. “Usually, I offer seniors the chance to connect with an alum who goes to the school they want to attend. It helps hearing from someone who grew up in the same community since they can provide seniors context to whether [a particular school] is a right fit for them.” The process for seniors to get connected with alumni is simple. Students email a list of colleges they are interested in to collegeconnections@oprfhs.org. The program follows up by sending the students the contact info of alumni who attend or have attended the colleges the student wants more information on. The range of volunteers goes as far back to the class of 1967 to college students who recently attended OPRF.
“The goal is to have a volunteer from every school that these students have applied to,” said Cahill. “We are definitely making progress on that end but it is still early on and we have more detective work to do.” While the program is still developing, it has already made a huge difference for some seniors. Sydney Odesanya had her eye on Howard University since she was a sophomore at OPRF. She was admitted by the university (located in Washington D.C.) but felt ambivalent about committing to a school without being able to see it for herself. However, after linking up with volunteers from the “College Connections,” Odesanya feels more comfortable attending Howard. “[On a scale of 1-10,] my confidence level was at a 6 before this program,” said Odesanya. “Now I am at a 9. It’s nice talking with people who went through the same experience you did at OPRF. I bought my [Howard] hoodie so I think I am going to commit soon.” Outside of helping those who couldn’t plan on-campus visits due to COVID-19, College Connections is a valuable resource for students who couldn’t afford travel costs before the pandemic. For Ibrahim Mokhtar, a sophomore at University of Southern California and 2018 OPRF grad, the program exposing the privilege behind accessibility to distant academic institutions hit home for him.
“To be honest with you, this is something that I wish was around when I was looking for schools as a senior,” said Mokhtar. “I never got to tour colleges. There are juniors [in high school] who plan visits to all of their reach schools and non-reach schools to get a sense of the campus. I never got that opportunity. I instantly related to what these students are going through now since they are all in the same position.” The ability to travel (or not travel) is both a short- and long-term concern for some students looking to commit to schools outside of the Midwest. As the rest of the world tries to navigate the pandemic day by day, there is uncertainty surrounding what the fall semester will look like for college students next year. Questions around the safety of attending schools that are farther from home and switching environments in time of crisis are now considerations students and their families will have to figure out in the next couple months. While there are academic institutions that are pushing their May deadlines back to June and July, Cahill confirmed that there are some schools that aren’t deviating from their deadlines. On the other end, there is the issue of students who committed to schools through the early decision process. College Connections is there for those students, too. “We have already had a couple students email us saying, ‘I have already committed
to this school but is it OK for me to access this service,” said Johnson. “Of course, they can. I am sure we have some kids who accepted early decision who have families that are rethinking this as they deal with the financial impact of this situation.” For senior Evelyn Drews, who is considering attending USC, Notre Dame University, and Emory College, the decision process is still ongoing and proximity hasn’t had too much impact on her college outlook. She is more concerned about not being able to see the schools in-person (she had one visit scheduled for April 4 that was canceled). Since virtual tours haven’t been beneficial for her during this process, YouTube videos and vlogs created by USC students have helped Drews get a feel for the campus. However, she suggested those struggling to make a decision should use College Connections. “Honestly, I haven’t really thought a lot about [being far away from home during the pandemic],” said Drews. “Right now, I am worried about not being able to see the campus and getting a feel for the culture. You can’t really get that without being at a school you haven’t been to. I found the program to be helpful since I had to cancel my visit.” If you are interested in the program, you can email collegeconnections@oprfhs.org or visit https://www.oprfhs.org/studentservices/college-career-information.
James Kay
Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
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County commissioner joins push for COVID-19 reforms Brandon Johnson says reforms necessary in pandemic response By MICHAEL ROMAIN Staff Reporter
As the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases and fatalities increase in Illinois, the state’s entrenched racial divide has been brought into stark relief. In Illinois, Africans-Americans are roughly 14 percent of the population, but they comprise around 28 percent confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 and account for around 43 percent of confirmed COVID19-related deaths, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health. First District Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson, whose district includes parts of Oak Park, recently joined a group of activists and elected officials who are pressuring local and state officials to support measures that they say are less radical now that the country faces a pandemic and a recession. “It’s very clear that this pandemic has exposed what is wrong with our society,” John-
son said. “Many of the families that are suffering in this pandemic have been living in crisis mode for generations.” Johnson said the package of reforms, collectively called Right to Recovery legislation, is a series of progressive proposals that have been on the table at various levels of government for years, but that have not gotten much traction. The pandemic, however, has illustrated their importance. The proposals, according to a memo released by the Right to Recovery coalition in March, include 20 days of paid emergency leave for all workers who need it; a “moratorium on evictions, foreclosures, rent and mortgage collections, housing for homeless and lease extensions for tenants, if needed”; and weekly payments of $750 “to all families with school children and all workers facing furloughs, layoff and reduction in hours”; among other measures. The proposals also include the release of inmates in Cook County Jail who are locked up on money bonds and the immediate release of individuals who are 50 and older, or who are a high-risk for contracting COVID-19. “It’s interesting that there’s such a harsh critique over finding necessary resources to invest in communities that have been disinvested in for generations and decades,”
Photo provided
First District Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson is working for reform. Johnson said. “What we see is the idea of government being socially responsible is not as far-fetched an idea as people want to make it out to be. “The last depression in this country that people can refer to, outside of 2008 — the Great Depression — had 30 percent unemployment among white men. Our country
called that a national crisis. Nobody pulled themselves up by their bootstraps. The government invested in them.” Read a full list of Right to Recovery legislation and watch the coalition’s press conferences at: actionnetwork.org/campaigns/ right-to-recovery.
CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com
The mixed blessing of delivery services for local restaurants GrubHub and others skim up to 30 percent of tab for delivery By MELISSA ELSMO and JAMES KAY Oak Park Eats Editor and Staff Reporter
Even prior to shelter-in-place orders forcing restaurants to shutter their once-bustling dining rooms, food delivery had become a vital part of the restaurant industry. Thirdparty delivery services like Grub Hub, DoorDash, and Caviar make it appear as though outsourcing delivery is a quick fix for restaurants looking to up their delivery game. The reality, however, is more complicated. The COVID-19 pandemic has turned the industry topsyturvy and owners are scrambling to establish off-premises delivery programs. Critics are concerned fees associated with third-party partners are too high and inflexible allowing companies to profit from pandemic panic in the restaurant industry. In addition to charging 20-30 percent per order, gig-economy partners like Grubub charge restaurants an up-front fee to establish service -- and that fee goes up or down based on customer behavior. At this critical time, however, platforms like GrubHub and DoorDash are offering local restaurants a lifeline when they need it most and avoiding their use can also harm independent establishments who don’t have the capability to deliver otherwise. Outside of the national level, local restaurants have strong opinions on third party delivery platforms in our community and what it means for the future of their restaurants:
Papaspiros prefers direct delivery Papaspiros, 728 Lake St., is known for its Greek cuisine. Like every restaurant, it is fighting to stay afloat. While it has used GrubHub’s services for a couple years now, Papaspiros hinted that it prefers customers go through its website to order to avoid the massive commission fee GrubHub takes from restaurants. “Yes, we prefer that people order directly,” said owner Spiro Papageorge. “We only have one delivery [driver] who works for us, but he has another job so it’s like we are married [toGrubHub]. We are trying to minimize the costs of having [a third-party delivery service] because it is not worth having a GrubHub deliver and take one third of the cost.” The delivery driver that the restaurant utilizes only works four days a week, meaning Papaspiros has to use GrubHub for deliveries when that employee isn’t dropping off food. Papageorge said his establishment is looking for another delivery person to limit the costs that third- party services deduct. Before the global outbreak of COVID-19, Papaspiros also made profits off catering. Since shelter-in-place protocols were placed, the restaurant has seen a rise in catering requests which helps make up for some of the delivery costs. According to Papageorge, their catering orders have doubled since last year. “We are known for our catering and that is what is saving us right now,” said Papageorge. “We thank everyone for their support.”
Kettlestrings
“This situation is far from ideal,” said Wil Greenwald, coowner of Kettlestrings Tavern. “But it’s better to be open for business than closed.” Things are going well at Kettlestrings Tavern, 800 S. Oak Park Ave., considering the corner bar opened the very weekend restaurant dining rooms were forced to close. Its owners were quick to turn to GrubHub and DoorDash to expand the reach of their young restaurant in the community. “We didn’t have the infrastructure or staff in place to handle deliveries on our own,” said Greenwald. “Three of our employees walk to work and don’t have cars so this was a seamless solution for us.” Kettlestrings offers curbside pick-up, but all deliveries go through GrubHub or DoorDash. Greenwald said there are up-front and percentage fees per order and small marketing fees associated with the service. Greenwald confirmed fees vary by how customers place an order and, for Kettlestrings customers looking to place an order for delivery, going to the restaurant website to access the apps does increase their profit margin on the order. “We know people may not be able to leave their homes because of their kids or busy schedules so DoorDash and GrubHub are helping us meet the needs of our customers,” said Greenwald. “In the past month, we have filled more than a hundred orders through the apps, and I know that is far more business than we would have done without them.” Greenwald indicated this is a temporary solution that works for Kettlestrings in the short run. He was quick to say his tavern would develop its own delivery program if See DELIVERIES on page 8
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Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM
Meals 2 Medics links chefs, delivery logistics for good Forest Park event space uses commercial kitchen By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor
As the COVID-19 crisis began unfolding, Tom and Sheila Kunkel, owners of Urban Pioneer Group (UPG) in Forest Park, knew the state-wide shelter-in-place mandate would take its toll on their event business. Cancellations have left their well-appointed Forest Park event space vacant and their certified commercial kitchen unused. Quick to pivot, the Kunkels began considering ways to use their kitchen to make a difference during the coronavirus outbreak. As health care professionals began turning to vending machines at mealtime, UPG took inspiration from Spanish chef and humanitarian, José Andrés. Andrés’ World Central Kitchen inspired the concept of “food first responders.” In that spirit the minds behind UPG introduced Meals 2 Medics — a sustainable community-based organization dedicated to providing nutrientdense meals and snacks to frontline medical workers and other heroes in the Chicagoland area. “The number of people we are feeding is doubling weekly and we are getting smarter every day,” said Tom Kunkel. “This week we worked in quantities of 500 and next week we are prepared to work in quantities of 1,000, but we’ve got a system now where one person can turn out 250 sandwiches in an hour.” The Meals2Medics team currently provides meals twice a week to medical professionals across 10 hospitals. All workers in the Meals2Medics kitchen employ proper social distancing practices while prepping and packag-
DELIVERIES
Restaurants experimenting from page 7 the need for delivered fare continued indefinitely.
No apps for One Lake Brewing A little orange car turned delivery vehicle is frequently featured on One Lake Brewing’s social media timeline. The electric Fiat is eco-friendly and owned by brewery co-owner Kristin Alfonsi. She serves as One Lake’s delivery driver and says people smile as soon as she pulls up in the electric car. The restaurant, 1 Lake St. in Oak Park, is under a year old and did not have a robust carry-out business prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. Rather than outsource delivery, Alfonsi said it was more important to rely
Photo provided
GENEROSITY: The Meals2Medics crew packs up food to deliver to hospital workers on the front lines of the COVID-19 pandemic. ing meals; all cooks work at separate stations and wear gloves, masks and aprons. The tight team of 10 thinks creatively to develop menus from donated ingredients, but also keeps production as streamlined as possible. Packaging side dishes and snacks in clear eight-ounce containers allows hospital workers to see what they are getting. Offering smaller portions of a diverse array of foods allows Meals2Medics to sustain healthcare professionals throughout a 12hour shift. “These people never stop moving.” said Kunkel of healthcare workers. “Our menu allows one worker to grab some yogurt with granola in the morning, a container of grapes or strawberries later in the day and a more substantial sandwich or salad when
they have more time.” Sheila Kunkel and Kelly Fleming, a north Oak Park resident, have taken over coordinating hospital deliveries and marketing the service in the community. Meanwhile, Claudia and Maria Liendo of CLaS Chicago, a mobile bar service have taken over management of the Meals2Medics kitchen. Polly Coleman, owner of Chef ’s on the Go Go, volunteered to bring her culinary skills to the table. “I have always donated and volunteered,” said Coleman. “My business is closed, but rather than sit at home I still want to utilize every skill I have.” Coleman operates her year-old catering business out of The Hatchery on Chicago’s West Side, but she has years of experience
on One Lake staff and owners to develop a contact-free delivery service. Minimizing variables and keeping control of their deliveries ensures they are safely bringing burgers, wings, beer and wine to homes in the community. Alfonsi acknowledged One Lake’s decision to handle deliveries in-house allows the business to keep more of their hard-earned money, but finances were not the primary factor in making the decision. “We knew the apps took a substantial cut, so it wasn’t even an option for us,” said Alfonsi. “I volunteered [to drive delivery] right away, and we felt it was important to thank customers personally.” Alfonsi enjoys being out in the community and has gotten to know more families as she delivers to repeat customers. “I have had lots of emotions during this process from scared, anxious, happy, but mostly tons of gratitude,” said Alfonsi. “People are pulling for us to keep the lights
on and [want to] be up on our rooftop this summer.”
Al’s Grill For over 40 years, Al’s Grill, 1100 Madison St., established itself as a diner with a unique family atmosphere. Just two months ago Al’s Grill started using DoorDash as a resource for delivery. “[A couple months ago] we decided to try it,” said Al’s Grill general manager Petro Mourtokokis. “For a family owned business like us where we try to keep our prices down, the percentage that [third-party delivery services] take hurts. But we have been able to justify the loss due to the amount of orders we’ve had through DoorDash.” Right now, Al’s Grill only uses DoorDash. The reason that Mourtokokis chose to try it out over other services is due to the volume of orders that were requested before Al’s Grill partnered with DoorDash.
in banquet and hotel cooking. Coleman is unflappable in the face of volume cooking and on-the-spot menu development — based on available ingredients Coleman will craft fajita chicken salad and buffalo chicken salad with blue cheese slaw for health care workers next week. Kunkel said he is aware of the multiple efforts going on locally to get meals to hospital workers and has been impressed with the creative ways people have been showing support for frontline workers during the COVID-19 epidemic. He is quick to point out his team is creating a replicable model that could be utilized under multiple circumstances. “This isn’t a one and done for us,” said Tom Kunkel. “All the work and learning we are doing now is teeing us up to provide this service during any type of critical event in the future.”
How you, and your kids, can help Meals2Medics accepts monetary donations from the community as well. All donations go directly to feeding Chicagoland’s frontline healthcare providers. Visit Meals2Medics.com to contribute to the cause. Meals2Medics is sponsored by Urban Pioneer Group, Pete’s Market, Farmington Foods, GT’s Living Foods, Turano Baking Co., Girl Scouts, CLaS Chicago, Chef ’s on the Go Go, Berkshire Hathaway-Gillian Group and Counter Coffee. Cards4Medics. Now your children can write cards to our frontline healthcare workers thanking them for their bravery, and they’ll be delivered alongside ongoing fresh food deliveries. Cards can be dropped off at Urban Pioneer Group’s event space located at 7503 Madison St. in Forest Park.
“Even if you aren’t partnered with [a third-party delivery service] and you have a popular restaurant, people can still place an order for us from DoorDash, Uber Eats, or whatever they use,” said Mourtokokis. “The difference is that we aren’t connected with them so we don’t get the order directly. The driver or a place like DoorDash is the one to place the order.” Mourtokokis said DoorDash is taking the same commission cut that it was receiving before shelter-in-place protocols were placed. However, from April 4 to 10, the diner received 132 orders which is more than what it was receiving on a weekly basis before the pandemic disrupted the restaurant industry. Even through these difficult circumstances, Mourtokokis is confident the business will overcome this moment of crisis. “We are going to be here,” he said. “That I can promise everyone. We are going to be here.”
Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM
In pandemic, youth interventionists help kids cope
Program anticipates more youths will need support for anxiety and depression By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter
Pandemic panic is afflicting more than just the adult population. With the COVID19-necessitated closures of local public schools, the township government’s Youth Interventionist Program has seen an increase in the need for it to provide mental health services among students. “We’ve seen a lot more spikes in anxiety and depression,” said Megan Traficano, Oak Park Township youth services director. The Youth Interventionist Program provides counseling and support services for River Forest and Oak Park youths and their families. The program serves kids ages six to 18, kindergarteners up to high school seniors. Unable to meet in person, sessions now take place virtually, on the phone or through video meeting services. “We are also checking in with everyone’s families once a week and do phone sessions as needed with them,” Traficano said.
Just as the pandemic has changed the daily routines of those in the work force, kids have seen their lives change drastically in a very short period of time. “They are losing a lot of things,” said Traficano. “All extra curriculars and sports are cancelled, graduation is up in the air, routines are shattered by not being able to see friends and family.” COVID-19 itself has caused youths to experience heightened states of unease and stress. “There is anxiety around getting sick, or their family, especially those who have family members in the vulnerable age range, becoming sick” said Traficano. “Of course, even dealing with the fear of death of loved ones.” The virus has disrupted the process of attending school, perhaps the biggest routine the under 18 age set has. And school closures impact more than just the way kids now have to learn. “For some youth, school was a safe space, where they did not have to worry about home life,” Traficano said. “Others already may have struggled with anxiety and depression or other mental health issues and this crisis just intensified it.” COVID-19 prevents youths from engaging in normal spring activities. No playing on playgrounds or kicking around a soc-
cer ball. The village closed all public fields, courts and playgrounds to prevent further spread of the disease. For teenagers, the COVID-19 crisis has also deprived them of certain American rites of passage – events they had looked forward to probably for years. “Eighth graders and seniors in high school are losing possible graduations and dances and all these important big life events and celebrations,” said Traficano. “We’re seeing a lot of depression around that.” Out of all the children the program serves, kids in high school seem to be having the hardest time psychologically, said Traficano. Four former clients – all of them in high school –have since returned to the Youth Interventionist Program for further support. “We’re reopening [their cases] on a temporary basis, just to get them over this crisis, help reinforce those coping skills and life skills that they learned while they were in our program and support them through this,” Traficano said. The Youth Interventionist Program is also taking on new clients and accepting referrals. In fewer than two weeks, the program received a total of five referrals. The program has also started offering temporary services to help youth through the pandemic.
“Maybe we just do a telehealth session with them once a week for a month, for two months to get through this crisis and then hook them back up with their support person once everything reopens,” said Traficano. The resilience and adaptability of youth, Traficano believes, is important to remember, even if particular individuals need a little extra support. “It’s OK to need help every once in a while, and we all need to remember that, youth and adults alike,” she said. Currently, the program has a caseload of 37 individuals, but Traficano expects that number to rise once reality sets in that schools likely won’t reopen before summer break – an extended state of forced separation from friends and classmates. While necessary for public health, that isolation can be lonesome, despite advances in technology-based communication. “Youth are lucky that there are so many virtual and technological options to stay in touch,” Traficano said. “What’s interesting though is for a generation who has grown up with cell phones, computers, and technology at their fingertips, they are missing and craving the face-to-face interactions with friends and family.”
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Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
For west suburban residents who knew him best, John Prine was first a decent man, then a masterful songwriter
OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM
Remembering ‘Uncle John’
Prine’s pre-fame years were informed by other west suburbs, too. Prine delivered mail in Westchester. He had an apartment in Melrose Park. He frequented Val’s halla Records in Oak Park, where he visited for the final time last year while promoting his newest album, “The Tree of Forgiveness.” “He loved Russell’s Barbecue in ElmBy MICHAEL ROMAIN wood Park,” said Sorkin, who taught elStaff Reporter ementary school for two decades in Forest Park schools and lived in the village before Rolling Stone magazine once called John moving to River Forest. “We used to go over Prine — who died on April 7 at the age of 73 there and get the Russell’s sauce and cook due to complications from COVID-19 — the chicken in my grandma’s backyard.” “Mark Twain of American Songwriting.” Journalist Bill Dwyer, an Oak Park naBob Dylan once said Prine’s “stuff is pure tive, wrote recently that unlike the famed Proustian existentialism. Midwestern novelist and Oak Park native Ernest mindtrips to the nth degree. And he writes Hemingway — another writer praised for beautiful songs.” his narrative economy and simplicity — Anne E. Prine Sorkin, a longtime River Prine “realized there were the haves and Forest resident and former educator, simthe have nots in this world, those who did ply called him “Uncle John.” things to others, and those who had those “I recognize his gifts and talents, and things done to them. He saw the human toll have always enjoyed his music, but I adof the inherent pecking order of this world mired and loved him even more for family that so often restricted personal choicfile things,” said Sorkin during an interview es and ultimately foreclosed on people’s on April 10. “He had a really good heart and JOHN IN OAK PARK: John Prine at Val’s halla Records in Oak Park in 2019. It was Prine’s dreams. from the time I was a really young kid, I rec- last visit to Oak Park. “Hemingway crafted interesting, enterognized that.” taining stories masterfully written, but he Sorkin, the daughter of Prine’s oldest classic Prine: unpretentious (responding to Dylan’s “Prousgenerally lacked any empathy or concern brother Dave Prine, said that she grew up next to her grand- tian existentialism” compliment, Prine once said: “I can’t for the humanity of others,” Dwyer wrote. “He celebrated parents’ Maywood house, which was a block south of Pro- even pronounce that”), blazingly simple and focused not on masculinity and dominance, romance and faraway places viso East High School, where she, her father and her three himself, but on the interior lives of the less powerful and the populated with privileged, monied people absorbed with uncles attended. marginalized. their wants and needs.” “I enjoyed being with John and I was so proud of all of my There’s the injured Korean War vet “with a Purple Heart Prine’s muses were places like Maywood and Paradise, a uncles,” she said. “My dad is the oldest of the four brothers and a monkey on his back” who becomes addicted to drugs. “backwards old” coal-mining town in Muhlenberg County, and still lives in Maywood. I was next door with my grand- The vet’s children, who notice “There’s a hole in daddy’s Kentucky, “where my parents were born,” Prine sings in ma probably more than I was at home. My Uncle Bill, the arm where all the money goes.” The old retired couple who “Paradise.” youngest of the brothers, was seven years older, so he was do nothing all day, but perhaps think about the son they lost Prine’s father, Bill, grew up in Paradise before moving to more like a big brother to me.” in Korea — “Don’t know what for; guess it doesn’t matter Maywood to find work as a tool and die maker at American Sorkin said she was no more than “seven or eight” when anymore.” Can Company. Bill drilled his native land deep into his sons, Uncle John, still working as a mailman, would play his songs One night in 1970, a young Chicago Sun-Times writer hap- which explains John’s “ghost of a Kentucky accent,” as Ebfor his family before they caught the attention of the world. pened to pass by the Fifth Peg, a folk club in Chicago, where ert described it. “I remember vividly when he played ‘Angel from Mont- Prine, back then just a 23-year-old mailman and aspiring “One time, I went to school and they asked us all to find gomery’ for the first time in my grandparents’ living room,” musician, was playing. The writer wasn’t the newspaper’s out where our roots were,” Prine told Rolling Stone in 2017. Sorkin recalled. music critic, but he wrote a review, anyway. “It’s goin’ around the class, and the kids were going, ‘I’m The song is from his 1971 self-titled debut album and is “Prine’s lyrics work with poetic economy to sketch a char- Swedish-German’ or ‘I’m English-Irish.’ They get to me and acter in just a few words,” wrote Roger Ebert. “In ‘Angel I said, ‘Pure Kentuckian.’” from Montgomery,’ for example, he tells of a few minutes in Each year, there’s a family reunion in the Prines’ native the thoughts of a woman who is doing the housework and Kentucky and every night during those reunions, “there’s a thinking of her husband: ‘How the hell can a person go to jam session, because we have a lot of musical people in the work in the morning, come back in the evening, and have family,” Sorkin said. “We’d have good food and good music. nothing to say?’” We’d always sing ‘Paradise.’” That was the very first review of Prine’s music and, along That song, Sorkin said, was “very special and dear to my with the strong support of country singer Kris Kristoffer- family.” She said she believes her Uncle John wrote the song son, would help launch the Maywood native’s career. for his father. Lois Baumann, the founder of the nonprofit Maywood Throughout the song, Prine pleads for his father to take Fine Arts in Maywood, was a year behind Prine at Provi- him to Paradise, but it’s too late, his father tells him. The so East High School, where the budding songwriter was a coal company “came with the world’s largest shovel” and member of the gymnastics team. Prine’s fame never went to “tortured the timber and stripped all the land” and “dug for his head and he regularly returned to his hometown years their coal till the land was forsaken,” then they “wrote it all after making it big, Baumann said. down as the progress of man.” “In 2000, we needed a roof on the MFA building at 25 N. But the young Prine is insistent, still pleading with his 5th Avenue and we appealed to him, because we didn’t have father to “take me back to Muhlenberg County, Down by Photo courtesy Robert Reid a dime and that building needed a roof,” Baumann recalled. the Green River where Paradise lay … When I die let my “That’s when he came out and did his first concert for us. ashes float down the Green River, Let my soul roll on up to PRINE IN PARADISE: Robert Reid, a longtime John Prine The next concert was in 2010, when our dance studio burned the Rochester dam, I’ll be halfway to Heaven with Paradise fan, posted this collection of Prine concert tickets and down. He was such a good guy and he’s been a friend to May- waitin’, Just five miles away from wherever I am.” album covers on Facebook . CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com wood for a long time.”
Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM
W H A T ’ S C L O S E D ? W H A T ’ S W H A T ’ S C H A N G E D ?
N O T ?
Your quick look at Covid-19’s impact Infant Welfare closes dental practice Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society (IWS) closed the pediatric dental practice at its IWS Children’s Clinic, 320 Lake St., for the foreseeable future, following COVID-19-related mandates from the American Dental Association and the Illinois State Dental Society. Peggy LaFleur, IWS executive director, sent an April 8 email announcing the decision. The dental practice accounts for 60 percent of the clinic’s patient volume, according to LaFleur. Dental practices are considered essential under Governor J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home order, but dentists can only perform emergency procedures. The order precludes dentists from performing necessary routine activities, including cleanings, cavity fillings and other routine activities. “Although we cannot see patients in the clinic, they are not abandoned,” LaFleur’s letter reads. She expects an influx of patients upon re-
opening the dental clinic, stating in her letter, “When we reopen our practice, our new normal will include many more patients with extensive needs and this will lead to increased demand for both our general and pediatric dentists.”
Annual Dominican lecture via Zoom Well, it beats cancellation. Dominican University has announced that the annual Follett Lecture will take place as scheduled on Monday, April 20. But this year the lecture will be presented via Zoom. Bernard Reilly, the 2019-202 Follett Chair in Library and Information Science at Dominican, will speak on “Money, Technology, Politics and the Future of Memory Institutions.” In other words, how the growing privatization of knowledge and the spread of authoritarian regimes around the world are jeopardizing longstanding norms for information access. You can register at dom.edu/follett-lecture.
Wright Plus. Now Sept. 12. Really Wright Plus that harbinger of spring will now be a harbinger of fall. We hope. The annual event sponsored by the Frank Lloyd Wright Trust has been a fixture every May for 46 years. The COVID-19 pandemic led to an optimistic reset to June 27. Well, now the trust has reset it again to Sept. 12. What could go wrong?
Conservatory’s plant sale goes curbside You’ll still get your plants. You’ll still be supporting the Oak Park Conservatory. But thanks to COVID-19 you won’t be wandering and mingling and picking out your spring buds this year. The Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory urge (well require) planters to pre-order online as of April 16. You can pick a time slot to drive buy and volunteers will deliver your plants to your car. Everything changes in a pandemic.
Stacey Sheridan
Oak Park’s third likely COVID-19 death Another four residents test positive By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter
Oak Park Public Health Director Mike Charley announced that an Oak Park woman in her 90s has died – becoming the village’s third fatality likely caused COVID-19, according to an announcement issued April 13. The Cook County Medical Examiner will determine the official cause of death. The village of Oak Park reported its first likely COVID-19-related fatality April 1
when a man in his 60s died after previously testing positive for the virus. The second likely fatality was announced April 9; in that case, the victim was a man in his 50s. Along with the third likely fatality, another four Oak Park residents have received positive COVID-19 test results, according to the April 13 village announcement. Oak Park now has a total of 104 cases. The announcement included that two cases previously attributed to Oak Park turned out not to be residents. The newest four cases range in age from 20s to 80s. Privacy laws prohibit the village from releasing further information regarding the individuals.
According to the announcement, “Anyone who has had close, direct contact with any individual who tests positive for COVID-19 is notified by the local public health authority as part of standard patient tracking and case follow-up procedures.” River Forest has a total of 11 cases while Forest Park has 42 as of April 13, according to the Cook County Department of Public Health. The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases is likely to increase by the time Wednesday Journal has printed. Please check www.oakpark.com (or www.riverforest.com) for further case updates.
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Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
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River Forest Village Board adopts annual budget
Projections don’t take into account possible impact of pandemic By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter
The Fiscal Year 2021 budget adopted by the River Forest Village Board on April 13 calls for expenditures higher than revenues by over $800,000 but does not take into consideration the impact the COVID-19 epidemic will have on the village economy. The fiscal year starts May 1 and ends April 30, 2021. Village officials said the difference of $845,888 between expenditures and revenues will be covered primarily by fund reserves. Expenditures are estimated at $31,554,092, down slightly from FY2020, and revenues for are estimated at $30,708,204, up slightly from the previous fiscal year. Village Administrator Eric Palm noted the COVID-19 epidemic developed as village staff members were finalizing the budget document. “The timing of this year’s budget comes at an unprecedented time,” he said in a memo of the board. “To say we are operating in a
different environment would filling the vacant deputy police be an understatement.” position or the recently apPalm said offering any proved fulltime building inspecchanges to the budget is “imtor position. possible,” explaining that sufHe also said village staff are ficient data and information is not going to “run out of the gate not available. and start spending money” May “In the immediate term, we 1 and will “wait and see” before have the ability to absorb any making purchases or undertakdownturn to our revenues, ing projects with capital imshould that happen,” he said. provement funds. “Even after approval of this “We’re ready for it,” Palm budget, the village staff will said. “We won’t have to make ERIC PAL be holding off on non-critical draconian cuts like other muVillage administrator operational spending until we nicipalities.” have a better handle on any In the budget’s largest fund, changes the epidemic has crethe general fund, expendiated in our budget. tures for FY2021 are estimated “The village is fortunate to be operating at $16,768,441, down from $17,094,069 last with adequate fund reserves. This is true of year. Revenues for FY2021 are estimated all our major operating funds including the at $16,344,193, down from $16,449,796 for general fund and the water/sewer fund. Our FY2020. The $424,248 difference will be covcapital equipment replacement fund is fully ered by $430,800 in nonrecurring expendifunded. These fund reserves are in place for tures and transfers. this exact moment and situation.” The decrease in general fund revenues is During his presentation on the budget primarily due to a $305,567 decrease in “othApril 13, Palm said the village could see a er” revenues, which include license and perreduction in expenditures of up to $750,000 mit fees, charges for services, fines, interest without affecting services in part by postpon- and miscellaneous revenues. ing or cancelling $500,000 in capital equipOther revenues were budgeted at $5,752,560 ment replacement fund projects and by not for FY2021 and $6,058,127 for FY2020. Palm
“In the immediate term, we have the ability to absorb any downturn to our revenues should that happen.”
Violating stay-at-home order in River Forest could result in fine River Forest residents who do not voluntarily comply with the state’s stayat-home order related to the COVID-19 pandemic could be ticketed for such violations following action by the village board on April 13. Trustees voted unanimously to approve an ordinance ratifying an executive order by Village President Cathy Adduci that makes failure to voluntarily comply with Governor J.B. Pritzker’s stay-at-home executive order a nuisance violation.
Village Administrator Eric Palm explained that a nuisance violation, also known as a “petty offense,” is punishable only by a fine and is not a criminal charge. He also noted that nuisance violations are sent to the village’s adjudication system and not the Circuit Court of Cook County to be decided. In other action related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the board also approved an ordinance that changes Historic Preservation Commission procedures by suspending the public hearing requirement
for applications to demolish accessory structures, such as garages, on significant structures. Jonathan Pape, assistant to the village administrator, explained that an application for such an action has been submitted. The ordinance change will allow a subcommittee of two commission members to review the application rather than require the applicant to wait for a commission meeting and public hearing to be safely held.
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Robert J. Lifka
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said the reduction is tied to the $600,000 in fees developers of the Chicago and Harlem project paid last year, a one-time occurrence that is not expected to occur this year. General fund budget figures for property tax revenue and sales tax revenue are higher for FY2021 but those for state sales tax revenue and non-home rule sales tax revenue are lower. Property tax revenue is budgeted at $6,702,507 for FY2021, up from $6,482,433 last year; income tax revenue, $1,173,060 for FY2021, up from $1,125,579 for; state sales tax revenue, $1,870,834 for FY2021, down from $1,910,630; and non-home rule sales tax revenue, $845,232 for FY2021, down from $873,027 last year. The largest general fund expenditure, for salaries and benefits, is budgeted at $12,624,941, up from $12,024,915 last year. Although Palm said the budget document is “truly a team effort,” he singled out Rosey McAdams, finance director, and Lisa Scheiner, assistant village administrator, for their efforts. He also thanked all department heads, their deputies and staff as well as Keke Boyer, assistant finance director; Jonathan Pape, assistant to the village administrator; and Sara Phyfer, management analyst.
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Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
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Public works still at work
Department hires assistant director By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter
The Oak Park Public Works Department is continuing to provide services to the village during the pandemic by operating in a shift formation with staff separated into five key areas based on job requirements. A new assistant director has also been named. “We have three shifts working two days in a row. Each shift is made up of approximately 20 or so of our staff members,” said Public Works Director John Wielebnicki during an April 6 virtual village board meeting. The five key areas are customer service, operations, police services, engineering and administration. The public works call center makes up customer service. “Each shift is handling all of the emergencies and regular maintenance duty during that shift period,” Wielebnicki said. According to Wielebnicki, maintaining operations makes up a large portion of the work the department has been doing since the COVID-19 crisis prompted the closures of public buildings and the necessity of social-distancing. “We’re designed so that we don’t have any crossover to any of our other shifts,” he said. “In fact, we’re minimizing any of the other interaction between the key areas that we have.” The water system remains a high priority. The village has committed to not turning off the supply to residents who cannot pay their bills during this time. “Our pumping station operators are separated, so they are
physically not in the same room at the same time,” he noted. “That seems to be working well.” Attendance has been good. Supervisors and most of the department’s engineers continue working from home when not in the office. Wielebnicki said the number of calls the department receives has risen slightly. “There seems to be a little bit more than our typical calls,” he said. “We’re averaging just over 100 calls a day with the exception of the day or day after the shelter-in-place order started [when] we had 250 calls.” Most of the calls come from people with questions related to typical services — refuse pickup, parking and building permits. The department also hired Rob Sproule as assistant public works director. Sproule was already the village’s forestry superintendent. Wielebnicki said the process to bring Sproule on as assistant director started prior the crisis. “Rob has just hit the ground running, doing an awesome job. We’re on different shifts and he’s been extremely supportive of me and the rest of the staff in taking the lead. I do appreciate the village board’s foresight in allowing that budget to happen.” Public works also handles some of the village’s cleaning services. Village buildings, though closed to the public, still undergo cleaning to keep employees safe from COVID-19. “We’re on call for any types of cleaning requirements,” Wielebnicki said. Cleaning requirements include any public vehicles used by village employees that may have come into contact in some way with COVID-19 or those affected by it. While the need to limit personal contact has made carrying out many regular village services difficult, the situation has actually had an unexpected positive impact on the Lake
Street improvement project. “On the construction side, believe it or not, this is actually a really good time for us,” Wielebnicki said. The large number of people working from home and the closure of many businesses has allowed construction crews to carry out work faster than originally scheduled. The full closure of the intersection at Oak Park Avenue and Lake Street has cut down the time to upgrade and replace utilities and sewers considerably. Wielebnicki said the village is continuing to look for ways to further speed up construction of the three-part project, including the streetscaping portion, which began only a few days ago. “We have to bring the state of Illinois into that discussion because the streetscaping portion is federally funded,” he said. “I remind residents and invite them to visit the BetterLakeStreet.com website” for details or to sign up for email updates.
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Sponsored Content
RF Developer Sedgwick Properties Makes Application to Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA) for Site Cleanup
A
RF located at the intersection of Lake and Lathrop in River Forest, a brand-new condominium development led by Sedgwick Properties, makes significant headway in the greatly anticipated and long overdue remediation process to ensure the site meets state environmental standards.
s many residents are aware, the land located at the corner of Lake and Lathrop has long been troubled with environmental concerns dating back to the 1990’s when soil contamination was first discovered as a result of a history of drycleaning facilities located on the premises. While this is a very necessary and worthwhile effort to ensure the safety of the community, it is not for the faint of heart as the process is lengthy, complex, costly and hindered by all sorts of red tape. Sedgwick Properties welcomed this challenge and continues the charge to ensure the site meets state environmental standards. In order to meet testing standards and best protect residents, Sedgwick first and foremost needed to take down the buildings currently located on premise, and level the site. When the initial work scope for this was evaluated, an opportunity arose to participate in a recycling program during the building removal process. While this ultimately would increase the time
required to complete the building removal, it was clear it was the right choice as it would result in a more environmentally conscientious development. Although a bit more tedious, the building was carefully taken down so that the majority of the structure was able to be reused in other projects. Upon completion of the building’s removal in their entirety, Pioneer Engineering, Sedgwick’s environmental consultant, was able to initiate the required site testing and cleanup process. In order to determine the exact scope of the remediation required, extensive site testing was conducted. This testing resulted in Pioneer preparing and submitting a very detailed site investigation, remediation objectives report and remedial action plan to the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). Sedgwick now awaits the approval of this submittal by the IEPA as it is absolutely required in achieving a “No Further Remediation” (NFR) determination, meaning
the site is “clean” and construction of the project can commence. In parallel, Sedgwick is also pursuing remedial benefits from the Illinois Drycleaners Trust Fund (IDTF), as the contamination resulting from the dry-cleaning business formerly located on the premise qualifies the project to be eligible to receive these benefits. In a combined effort with the former drycleaning business, Sedgwick has obtained the appropriate authorization, and Pioneer has submitted the remediation budget for approval to the IDTF. Upon IDTF and IEPA approval, the on-site remediation process can be completed. The condominium homes at RF will have unmatched access to the outdoors, providing condo owners with outdoor space that rivals that of a single-family home, without the maintenance. Each condominium will include a large, covered terrace that runs the length of the combined living and dining room,
providing almost double the entertaining space during most of the year. In addition, a limited number of buyers will have an opportunity for expanded outdoor living spaces. The second floor and penthouse homes will offer more outdoor space that homeowners can customize to suit their lifestyles. On the premium second floor terrace level, owners will have 1,000 square feet of south-facing, uncovered space. The penthouses will include private elevator access to their roof rights, directly above the units. Jameson Sotheby’s International Realty is leading the sales of the project, Preconstruction pricing from $599,900 to $1,449,900. Call 312-335-5354 or visit www. RF-LakeStreet.com for more information. Due to the Covid-19 Shelter-In-Place Order, the Sales Center at 7579 Lake Street is open for individual appointments only. Meanwhile, the RF Development team wishes good health to all during these challenging times.
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Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM
TRINITY
Tuition relief from page 1
Utility conflicts delay intersection reopening
Oak Park Avenue and Lake Street will stay closed another week By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter
Unforeseen utility conflicts have prolonged work at the closed Oak Park Avenue and Lake Street intersection, delaying its reopening by a week. “AT&T had additional, unidentified duct packages that were in conflict with the proposed sewer,” said Jim Prescott of Prescott Group, the firm handling project communications. Crews had to wait to place the new sewer until AT&T removed the duct packages. “AT&T had to break out their ducts and conduit, pull slack into their cables, and then our crews could place the sewer as planned,” Prescott said. “It’s one of those unanticipated work-arounds that happen
below grade and take a little more time.” The utility conflicts, only minor bumps in the road, did not majorly impact the intersection’s construction schedule, according to Prescott. “We’re still on track to finish work in the intersection in half the time as originally scheduled,” he said. While work on the intersection continues, crews also started the first phase of the streetscaping portion of Oak Park’s Lake Street reconstruction project — starting on Lake Street between Harlem and Avenue, which has been closed to all vehicular traffic and parking. That stretch will remain closed until August. However, sidewalks remain open for pedestrians. The village has designated Marion Street, Forest Avenue, North Boulevard, South Boulevard and Chicago Avenue as detours. Streetscaping includes street resurfacing, sidewalk and curb replacement, and landscaping, as well as putting in new lights, traffic signals, trees and street furniture.
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“We have been fortunate that for more than a century Trinity High School and the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa have been such conscientious fiscal stewards,” wrote Curley. “Once the idea was raised, there really wasn’t much debate — it was the right thing to do. Trinity is family, and family helps one another when times are tough.” The high school, an International Baccalaureate, all-girls school, has existed for over 100 years and has survived other crises, as mentioned in the release. “For more than 102-years the Trinity High School family has weathered world wars, the Great Depression and countless other challenges,” said the statement. “In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, Trinity will follow the example of the strong women who began the school more than a century ago.” According to Curley in an email, Trinity High School has never used funds from the Strategic Reserve Fund before. “Funds have been conscientiously set aside over the last couple of decades,” Curley said. “The long-term intent was to be able to sustain the mission of Trinity should an event ever present the need. Sadly, this pandemic has created the need for so many in the Trinity community, and their need exists where the institution’s does not. We thank the good Lord Trinity is able to help.” Curley said assistance will be granted to families based on need. “Trinity will do our best to help as many of the families in need to the greatest extent that we can. This is why we are also hoping to inspire gifts to the Blazer Relief Fund from friends, neighbors, foundations and corporations,” she said. The #BlazerReliefFund has been established with the goal to raise an additional $1 million to match their institutional support. This would ensure that assis-
tance could be offered to as many students as possible. Trinity is welcoming inquiries from foundations, corporations and individuals who want to contribute. Those interested should contact Shena McNamara Keith, vice president of institutional advancement, at skeith@trinityhs.org or 708-453-9374 or go to www.trinityhs.org/ covidrelief. In a statement released to Trinity families and to the community officials wrote, “The school will continue to educate women, take care of their students, and continue building a community grounded in strength, knowledge and faith.” And Curley reiterated these sentiments in an email to Wednesday Journal. She said the school had started preparing for eLearning since August 2019 thinking it would be used in times of inclement weather. Faculty and staff were prepared, then, to begin distance teaching and learning with students. As a result, Curley said they were free to “look at other aspects of the Trinity experience, and to the future.” “When I think of all that’s transpired over the past month, I know the faculty and staff have been working hard to support the students,” said Curley. But equally as important is that “it isn’t just the institution looking out for these young ladies. It’s them looking out for each other, and it’s alumnae, parents, teachers and neighbors who are all here supporting the school.” “It’s through example and a tradition of caring that the students are finding ways to support each other. “The adults who make up this community have been looking out for Trinity, our students, and each other for so long that it’s just a natural thing to do,” Curley said. “We’re just trying to keep that up as we continue our mission to educate students to be leaders and self-directed toward responsible participation in the global community in order to impact society, church and family in the twenty-first century.”
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Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
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BAKERIES
Workers worried from page 1 and Bimbo plants each have at least one confirmed positive case of COVID-19. Workers at both plants, however, said that they believe there are more cases that the companies are not publicizing. “It’s a lot of problems at that plant,” a Hostess employee, who insisted on anonymity out of fear of retaliation, said of the bakery. “They’re not keeping the bathrooms or the break rooms clean, we’re not social distancing, people are allowed to walk around with no uniform. We don’t have enough gloves and masks.” The worker said managers have told employees that they have ordered masks, but they are currently on back order. A Hostess representative could not be reached for comment. The worker said they took two weeks’ vacation because of the conditions at the Hostess plant and fear returning to work. The worker also explained that Hostess employees have been told that if they don’t return to work, they will not receive unemployment benefits, and that workers who are still on the job get $100 Walmart gift cards each month — the company’s version of hazard pay. Dennean Paul, a sanitation worker at
Bimbo, said the company had promised an additional $2 an hour as hazard pay, but “something went wrong and they didn’t give it to us.” In an email statement, a Bimbo spokesperson said the company is following all Centers for Disease Control guidelines and “have implemented additional measures to ensure associate safety” at the Cicero plant, including “increasing social distancing practices like staggering breaks, creating one-chair tables in the break rooms and marking the floor in areas where associates often congregate, like time clocks, to remind them to keep a 6-foot distance.” Bimbo said it is also requiring “all associates in our Cicero bakery to wear face masks which have been provided by the company” and is increasing the “frequency of our sanitation processes and provided additional tools to our sanitation teams.” Paul, whose job is to sanitize the production line, acknowledged that the company has staggered breaks and marked floors. In addition, she said, social distancing is practiced in “public areas, where our front door is, and where HR and vendors and guests come in, but once you get into the plant, there is no social distancing, because we have to work close to each other. Sometimes, we’re working shoulder-toshoulder.” Paul said that “we have gloves, but no masks,” adding that only supervisors and managers have face masks, and most of their offices are at the front of the building, not in the plant.” She also said that although
management “was checking temperatures for two days, then stopped.” Bimbo’s spokesperson said the company checks the temperature “of any person before they begin work” and does not permit them to return to work “if they have a temperature of 100 or above.” Paul, who is quoted and named in an article published by a local online media outlet in Cicero, said she fears that management will retaliate. She said that one worker who spoke to the news outlet has already been terminated. “He said, ‘I’m getting fired for freedom of speech,’” Paul said. Steve Robinson, the president of the Northwest Austin Council, a West Side social service organization, said he and other employees, including members of Black Workers Matter — a labor advocacy organization started by West Side workers and that includes employees at the Bimbo and Hostess plants — have in recent weeks approached management at the plants to discuss the problems. “We want them to at least enforce social distancing, create a temperature checkpoint and get masks — at least pay people to buy their own,” Robinson said. “We also reached out to say, ‘If you want workers to stay loyal, at least offer them hazard pay.’ These things are kind of getting swept under the rug. What are people going to do with $100 gift cards if they’re sick?”
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Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
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C R I M E
* If you have questions about this event, please email Don Offermann at doffermann@forestparkbank.com
Oak Park cops open death investigation at Fair Oaks home
CHANGE OF DATE: This event was originally scheduled for May 2 but had to be rescheduled because of the coronavirus pandemic.
SHRED IT and forget it!
SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2020 FROM 8:00 AM TO 12:00 NOON Forest Park Bank is sponsoring a FREE sensitive document shredding
event in its Madison Street parking lot. Roy Strom Shredding Solution Services personnel will shred your sensitive documents with a truck-mounted shredder while you watch.
You may bring up to two 12˝x12˝x18˝ boxes of documents to be shredded at no charge. Forest Park Bank personnel and Forest Park Police Department personnel will be at the event to discuss identity security issues including ways to protect your identity and what to do if you become a victim of identity theft or financial scams. Begin purging your files now of sensitive documents you no longer need and have them ready for shredding on July 25. You don’t have to remove staples from documents to be shredded, but you will have to remove documents from notebooks or binders with metal fasteners.
Jerusalem Cafe
Award winning and Voted best Middle Eastern restaurant in west suburbs. We are open for business and continue to take orders for pick up and delivery. We are taking steps to follow the latest CDC guidance to help minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus for our staff and guests.
Oak Park police continue to investigate the deaths of two residents of a home on the 500 block of Fair Oaks. Police Chief LaDon Reynolds said Tuesday afternoon that officers responded to the home Monday evening to conduct a welfare check after receiving a request from friends of the residents. He confirmed that they are Thomas Johnson and Leslie Ann Jones. The two were partners in a Chicago law firm which carried their names. According to bios posted on the firm’s web page, Jones specialized in federal litigation and had taught at Northwestern’s law school. Johnson, over a 40-year career, worked as a hearing officer for the Chicago Police Board. He also worked on reform of voter registration and electoral system reforms. While the bodies have now been transported to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office, Oak Park police await a cause of death to be determined. “So right now we are conducting a death investigation. We are gathering information. It is early stag-
es,” said Reynolds. Reynolds said, “this type of incident is troublesome and saddens us.” Reynolds said police were wrapping up contacts with next of kin on Tuesday afternoon. According to David Powers, Oak Park spokesman, information gathered at the scene by police indicated “suspicious circumstances.” The entire block was cordoned off with police tape and there was a heavy police presence at the scene, which is still considered an active investigation site. “The West Suburban Major Crimes Task Force, which combines the expertise and resources of several police departments, has been brought into the investigation,” said Powers. Police have not given any details about what happened to neighbors, according to a resident who lives in that block. However, police have asked residents when they last saw their neighbors. —Stacey Sheridan
Art-minded thief takes paint, instruments
estimate a loss of $500. ■ Someone entered the foyer of an apartment complex, opened a delivered package and took out the floor cleaner in the 300 block of South Maple Avenue between 10:12 a.m. and 12:49 p.m., April 11.
Multiple instruments and paintings were taken during a residential burglary that occurred in the 100 block of North Euclid Avenue between midnight April 7 and midnight April 8. Police believe a key may have been used to enter the residence. According to police, the unknown intruder took 10 paintings, 25 to 30 record albums, one box of watercolor paint tubes, a Lanikai tenor ukulele and a Taylor Mini GS acoustic guitar. The intruder also took a yellow rug, fur blanket, wallet, Apple AirPods, Bose earbuds and five houseplants. Police estimate a loss of $1,500.
Motor vehicle theft ■A
1030 Lake St. Oak Park, IL 60301 (708) 848-7734 11:00 am – 9 pm JerusalemCafe-OakPark.com
light blue 2004 Toyota Camry left unlocked and running was taken from the 900 block of South Grove Avenue at 12:54 p.m., April 8. The estimated loss is $4,000. ■ The vehicle was recovered by Sauk Village police at 7:20 p.m., April 9 in the 2100 block of East 223 Place, Sauk Village. No apprehensions were made.
Theft ■ A catalytic converter was removed from a parked 2007 Toyota Prius parked in the 300 block of South Maple Avenue between 10 a.m., March 22 and 7 p.m., April 1. Police
Burglary ■ Someone
entered an unlocked parked vehicle, ransacked its interior and took cash in the 800 block of South Euclid Avenue between 7 p.m., April 6 and 8:15 a.m., April 7. The estimated loss is $20. ■ Someone entered an unlocked vehicle with a damaged door, then removed three credit cards and a black Nike sweatshirt in the 200 block of Home Avenue between 9 p.m., April 8 and 8:48 a.m., April 9. The estimated loss is $50. These items, obtained from the Oak Park Police Department, came from reports April 6-13 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest. Compiled by Stacey Sheridan
Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM
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A Spring Faith & Worship Guide presented by Community of Congregations In this time of distancing, where many are feeling isolated, anxious, fearful and alone, the Community of Congregations offers these resources of faith to all of our neighbors. We hope in these pages, you will find opportunities to find connection, be nourished in spirit, and renewed in hope. We thank the team at the Wednesday Journal for their partnership in providing this piece. Through it all, let us remain “Together for Good.”
Community of Congregations Service of Comfort and Memory Thursday, April 30, 2020 • 7:30 p.m. Multifaith Liturgy and Prayer to honor the memories and hold the grief over all who have died of any cause during this period of distance and isolation. Zoom Meeting ID 863-707-515 or Join URL: https://uuma.zoom.us/j/863707515 To receive our emails and possibly a password for the worship service, please contact us at oprfcoc@gmail.com
ASCENSION CATHOLIC CHURCH
808 S. East Avenue Oak Park, IL 60304 708-848-2703
DOMINICAN UNIVERSITY MISSION AND MINISTRY
7900 W Division River Forest, Il 60305 Events.dom.edu/siena-center
EUCLID AVENUE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
405 South Euclid Avenue Oak Park, 60302 708-84- 7360
FAIR OAKS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
744 Fair Oaks Ave. Oak Park, IL 60302 708-308-5126
Ascensionoakpark.com
Dom.edu/campus-life/universitiy-ministry
Euclidavenueumc.org
Fairoakspres.org
CLERGY: Rev. James Hurlbert, Pastor
CLERGY: Dr. John DeCostanza, Director of University Ministry, jdecostanza@dom.edu
CLERGY: Dr. Marti Scott, Rev. CJ Hawking, Rev. Lau Torres, & Rebekah Ward, Minister of Children, Family and Youth
CLERGY: Revs. Hailey Braden Lynch and Ben Lynch
ONLINE SERVICES: Weekday Mass on Monday, Wednesday and Friday – posted to YouTube by 9:00 am YOUTUBE: Youtube.com/channel/uc1a71cwe63rs6lyckxpth_g FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/AscensionOakPark CURRENT RESOURCES: Ascensionoakpark.com/apps/pages/coronavirusupdates ONLINE GATHERINGS: We offer Masses, scriptural reflections, and music on our website, Facebook page, YouTube channel, and via email communication. We invite you to join us! Ascension Parish in Oak Park is a Catholic community called to proclaim, to reflect on, and to live the Gospel. Our desire to follow Jesus inspires us to continue the rich tradition of our faith by supporting education for children and adults, celebrating the liturgical life of the community, and serving those in need within our Parish and beyond. Following the example of Jesus, we value the diversity of gifts in all people and all are welcome. During this pandemic, we invite you to explore our website and our You Tube channel for Masses, Scriptural reflections, and music as we pray together for healing and hope.
Dr. Rachel Hart Winter, Director of the Siena Center, rhartwinter@dom.edu Dr. Claire Noonan, Vice President for Mission and Ministry, cnoonan@dom.edu ONLINE SERVICES: Preaching and reflections from DU community members will be posted weekly on social media YOUTUBE: Dominican Ministry FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/DUministry/ INSTAGRAM: @DUMinistry Dominican University is a diverse, relationship-centered community, rooted in Sinsinawa Dominican values of caritas (love) and veritas (truth). In these challenging days, we affirm and nurture compassion and concern for the common good. We provide resources for connection, care, spiritual and emotional nourishment, service and advocacy from which our University community might draw and into which all may contribute. We are a community of faith-filled hope who know that we will be together again. In the meantime, we remain in relationship, reach out in compassion, share faith, and even find opportunities for celebration in a spirit of Dominican joy.
ONLINE SERVICES: All services, including the Children’s word, are posted on the Facebook page. Watch at your convenience. FACEBOOK: Euclid Avenue United Methodist Church, Facebook.com/Euclid-Avenue-United-Methodist-Church-118984938124234 CURRENT RESOURCES: Euclidavenueumc.org COVID-19 SERVICES: We have counselling and support in English and Spanish and you can apply for help to the Good Samaritan fund by emailing the pastor, at revscott@euclidavenueumc.org. We join in spirit with the Statement of Faith of the United Church of Canada: In life, in death, in life beyond death, God is with us. We are not alone. Thanks be to God. Though we are socially distant, let’s stay spiritually connected. (adapted from Gov. Cuomo)
ONLINE SERVICES: Sundays at 10:00 a.m. streaming live in the Fair Oaks Presbyterian Church facebook group at Facebook.com/ groups/FairOaksPres/ FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/groups/FairOaksPres/ We have felt surprisingly connected as a community during this time of social distancing. We feel connected through the nightly clap out honoring our healthcare professionals and essential workers, we feel connected through our partnerships with local caring ministries, and we feel connected each week when we gather on Facebook for live worship. Fair Oaks will be posting pictures, videos and live streaming services, and we will be sharing encouragement, hope and information in the facebook group. We invite you to join us.
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Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH OF OAK PARK
820 Ontario Street Oak Park, IL 60302 708-848-4070 Fbcoakpark.org
OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM
Saturday, as well as at-home delivery for the elderly and people with disabilities. For more information: Gobeyondhunger.org/need-help We are so proud of Oak Park for taking social distancing so seriously. We are here to support you and offer spiritual support as you stay home and stay safe. Parents of young children in particular will find resources to help you keep your children engaged, spiritually sustained, and full of joy.
FIRST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
schools, the loss was more about community connections than a structure. We continue as community in this wilderness, which Covid-19 amplifies. Worship is now virtual via YouTube and Facebook. Members connect remotely; several are making masks. Support for area social service agencies continue. The wilderness ends soon, with the return to our building. Our openness to change and ambiguity has increased. We’ve weathered the journey with open doors, open minds, open hearts, open hands.
GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH
CLERGY: Dr. David John Hailey, Senior Pastor YOU TUBE: Youtube.com/channel/UCyKY5h6Fco_dh_8jiv4m7kA FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/First-BaptistChurch-140306939343363 ONLINE SERVICES: Sunday morning 10:30 a.m. on YouTube Live, Facebook Live
Firstumcoakpark.org/
ONLINE GATHERINGS: Discussion Groups, Prayer Meetings, Bible Study
CLERGY: Rev. Dr. Katherine Thomas Paisley
FIRST UNITED CHURCH OF OAK PARK
ONLINE SERVICES: Video Worship posted on Facebook and website. FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/FUMCOakPark/ CURRENT RESOURCES: Interested persons can be connected to a circle of caring for support and prayers. We celebrate new life! We are all facing challenges: new ways of doing things, new ways of being with each other and in the world, new ways of thinking about life. The losses are undeniable: previously held assumptions and patterns are gone -- but new opportunities have emerged. We’ve learned how to better connect from a distance. We have learned how to hold important values and people close. And we’re living out love in new ways: caring circles, Zoom coffees, weekly check ins. Resurrection and new life are bursting out – come celebrate new life with us!
GOOD SHEPHERD LUTHERAN CHURCH 828 Lake Street Oak Park, IL 60302 708-386-5215
924 Lake Street Oak Park, IL 60301 708-386-8036 GraceOakPark.org CLERGY: The Rev. Dr. John G. Rumple ONLINE SERVICES: Sunday 10:30 a.m. on Zoom, Wednesday 10:00 a.m. on Facebook at Facebook.com/GraceOakPark/ FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/GraceOakPark/ CURRENT RESOURCES: Graceoakpark.org COVID-19 SERVICES: Graceoakpark.org/covid-19-updates.html At this time, the members of Grace Episcopal Church join the wider Oak Park community in solidarity and prayer as we respond to the COVID-19 virus. Realizing that for God every challenge can be an opportunity, we have adapted our services and studies enabling us to gather online (see our webpage for details). If you seek connection and spiritual community, you are welcome to join us for worship on Sunday, or for Bible study or Morning Prayer during the week. For pastoral care, please call Father John at our church office.
GRACE LUTHERAN CHURCH AND SCHOOL
Firstunitedoakpark.com CLERGY: John Edgerton, Lydia Mulkey, Alicia Reese ONLINE SERVICES: 11:00 am Sundays on YouTube Channel First United Church of Oak Park YOUTUBE: First United Church of Oak Park FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/firstunitedoakpark CURRENT RESOURCES: Firstunitedoakpark. com/#calendar-link ONLINE GATHERINGS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC: Daily Spiritual resources, including children’s story hour, pastoral office hours via Zoom, online prayer stations, online prayer shawl ministry, Zoom sing alongs COVID-19 SERVICES: We host Beyond Hunger out of our building, which provides groceries to those in need. Please note, distribution is by “drive thru” method in keeping with social distancing. Distributions on Wednesdays and
GREATER ST. JOHN BIBLE CHURCH
324 N Oak Park Ave. Oak Park, IL 60302 708-383-4983
CURRENT RESOURCES: Fbcoakpark.org
Amid this global pandemic, we’re all suffering the tremendous loss of normalcy. First Baptist’s congregation grieves the inability to gather physically during this time. Thankfully, Scripture reminds us the church is not a building. Therefore, First Baptist invites you to visit our church website for worship services, discussion groups, Bible studies, and prayer meetings. Wherever you are in your journey of faith, rest assured you’re a beloved child of God and are special in God’s eyes. With open arms we welcome you because we are a church for someone like you. Take care of yourself, and remember you’re loved.
During these unprecedented days, Grace Lutheran Church and School continues to be Together in Christ, a community of connection and care. This is true even when we are physically separated from one another. As we celebrate the season of Easter, we pray for a spirit of resurrection and rebirth for everyone. Grace stands and prays in solidarity with and for our all of our neighbors, whatever their faith. May the grace of God guide us all throughout this time, bringing us safely to the other side. We will no doubt be wiser and more compassionate when we get there.
611 Randolph Street Oak Park, IL 60302 708-848-4741 Goodshepherdlc.org
7300 Division Street River Forest, IL 60305 708-366-6900
CLERGY: The Rev. Kathy Nolte
GraceRiverForest.org
ONLINE SERVICES: Sundays, 9:00 a.m. on YouTube channel
CLERGY: David R. Lyle, Senior Pastor
YOUTUBE: Youtube.com/channel/UCbUMFN7WZIm-XmHOjHGkveA FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/goodshepherdlc/ Walking a Wilderness Journey Together: In September 2018 Good Shepherd left our building when a fire made it unusable. Nestled in a neighborhood, centrally located between
ONLINE SERVICES: Sundays at 8:30am on YouTube YOUTUBE: Youtube.com/channel/UCT4b6YnSqFjpTkxDkePyleg FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/graceriverforest/ COVID-19 RESOURCES: Graceriverforest.org/covid-19-response
1256 N. Waller Ave. Chicago, IL 60651 773-378-3300 Gsjbchurch.org CLERGY: Rev. Ira J. Acree ONLINE SERVICES: Sundays, 10:00 a.m. on Website, Facebook and YouTube YOUTUBE: Greater St. John Bible Church Youtube.com/channel/UC0Tt7038y4r-daPpMVK5oTg FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/Greater-St-JohnBible-Church-98298650921/ CURRENT RESOURCES: greaterstjohn@gsjbchurch.org ONLINE GATHERINGS: Sunday Morning Worship @10:00am, Life Development Bible Study, Wednesdays, @7:15pm, Morning Glory Sunday school, Thurdays @7:00pm COVID-19 SERVICES: Prayerline 773-378-3300 We pray that you are healthy and well. Many of us are concerned about our own health or the health of our loved ones as the Covid-19 virus continues to spread in our country. Please know that, like always, your faith community is here to support your emotional, spiritual, and physical needs to the extent that we are able to. We are prepared to help with delivery of food or groceries as well as connecting with you should you become ill and need support. Should you need anything you can reach out to us by email or phone. Worry and fear are not from the heart of God. 1 John 4 reminds us that perfect love casts out all fear, so we pray God’s perfect love upon the hearts of all those who are burdened with fear of this virus.
Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM
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A Spring Faith & Worship Guide OAK PARK TEMPLE B’NAI ABRAHAM ZION
PILGRIM CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH UCC
RIVER FOREST UNITED METHODIST CHURCH AND URBAN VILLAGE CHURCH
460 Lake Street Oak Park, IL 60302 708-848-5860
1235 N. Harlem Oak Park, IL 60302 708-386-3937 Oakparktemple.org CLERGY: Rabbi Max Weiss, Cantor Julie Yugend-Green, Rabbi Daniel Kirzane, Emeritus Rabbi Gary Gerson ONLINE SERVICES: Daily opportunities on Zoom. Services are password protected but people can email and request access. We also stream services to Facebook. FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/oakparktemple/ Even as we practice “social distancing,” there are many opportunities to remain connected. We use the videoconference program Zoom to host daily opportunities for people of all ages to learn, connect, and relax together. As always, we will do everything we can to make it easy for you to access all our programming. For login instructions, please email admin@ oakparktemple.org for additional help and instructions.
ONLINE SERVICES: 11:00am Sunday at Ppilgrimoakpark.org/sundaysonline YOUTUBE : Youtube.com/channel/UCZP9zIvDSRMQCaCr-S73onw FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/PILGRIMOakParkIL/
545 S East Ave Oak Park, IL 60304 708-386-5613 stchristophersoakpark.org CLERGY: The Reverends Eric Biddy, Abbi Heimach-Snipes, Ann Gaston, and Sue Youngblood
pilgrimoakpark.org CLERGY: Rev. Colin Knapp, Senior Pastor
ST. CHRISTOPHER’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH
7970 Lake Street River Forest, IL 60305 708-771-3668
ONLINE SERVICES: Sundays at 9:30 (family service) and 10:30 FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/stchristophersoakpark
rfumc.me/ urbanvillagechurch.org/
ONLINE GATHERINGS: send us a FB message for education and outreach opportunities
CLERGY: Rev. Christian Coon
We always try to keep especially the most vulnerable among us prominent in our prayers-the poor, the sick, the lonely. These days have made these prayers more poignant. You are always welcome to join us in prayer. The easiest way to find us is probably through Facebook, though we are also posting recordings of our services on our website. We hope that you’ll join us to be consoled and to be challenged, to be reminded of the still strong beauty of the world and to be encouraged to make the world more beautiful and just.
CURRENT RESOURCES: Pilgrimoakpark.org/prayer-requests
ONLINE SERVICES: 10:30 a.m, Sunday at https://bit.ly/UVCWorship
ONLINE GATHERINGS: Pilgrimoakpark.org/events
FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/RiverForestUMC and https://www.facebook.com/uvchurch
At this time of heartrending dislocation, Pilgrim Congregational Church, UCC, stands with persons of all faiths-- and with those not part of any faith community. Together we can work to limit the spread of disease and to build a more equitable world. We invite you to join us, now as we gather virtually or, when it’s possible, in person. In whatever way we are together, we welcome you to experience Pilgrim’s caring and supportive spirit and its passion for peace and justice. You can access online worship and other events at pilgrimoakpark.org; you can request prayers at pilgrimoakpark.org/prayer-requests.
COVID-19 RESOURCES: Urbanvillagechurch. org/community/ ONLINE GATHERINGS: Live online prayer reflections throughout the week at Facebook. com/uvchurch Howard Thurman was a civil-rights icon committed to justice and prayer. In a powerful writing entitled “God is Present,” he notes that feeling anxiety is very real, but that in the midst of anxiety he also feels a ground of calm: “This calm is the manifestation in life of the active, dynamic Presence of God.” We at River Forest UMC and Urban Village Church hope and pray that, in the midst of these anxious times, you feel this Presence, this ground of calm. We are here for our communities now and will be when we come together again.
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Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
ST. EDMUND CATHOLIC PARISH
OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM
FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/stgilesparishoakpark
THIRD UNITARIAN CHURCH
ONLINE GATHERINGS: posted on Stgilesparish.org Dear Friends,
188 S. Oak Park Avenue Oak Park, IL 60302 708-848-4417 stedmund.org CLERGY: Fr. John McGivern, Deacon Tom Dwyer ONLINE SERVICES: Saturdays at 5:30 p.m. on YouTube YOUTUBE: St. Edmund Parish Oak Park Youtube.com/channel/UCX2uzGcd3ep4gt2BGdG0kbw
Easter has come once again with a message of hope: that new life comes to us after every cross we bear! With the circumstances surrounding our Easter season this year, many may feel that we got stuck on Good Friday. Let us carry Easter in our hearts, no matter what the challenges are before us. One in faith in Jesus Christ, may we be together in living this truth: Easter is what ultimately awaits us down the road from every hurt, every cross, every obstacle. All we need to do is follow our Lord where he leads, and all of us walk together. Happy Easter! Fr. Carl Morello, Pastor, St. Giles Parish
TEMPLE HAR ZION
ST.GILES PARISH – OAK PARK
thirdunitarianchurch.org/
1040 N. Harlem Avenue River Forest, IL 60305 708-366-9000 harzion.org CLERGY: Rabbi Adir Glick and Cantor Stewart Figa ONLINE SERVICES: Weekdays, 8:00 am Minyan, Fridays, 6:30 pm - Kabbalat Shabbat; Saturdays, 10:00 am Shabbat Services, Sundays 9:30 am Minyan via Zoom
ONLINE SERVICES: 11:30 a.m. Sundays via Zoom FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/ThirdChurch/ CURRENT RESOURCES: thirdunitarianchurch. org/sundays, select “Response to Pandemic”
unitytemple.org
“Another world is not only possible, she is on her way. On a quiet day, I can hear her breathing.” ~ Arundhuti Roy
ONLINE SERVICES: Daily Mindful Reflection Gatherings 8:30am, Daily Stories and Activities for All Ages on our YouTube Page
Join us as we explore what so many learning from this pandemic, and how we are called to help with healing and rebirth. Our hearts and prayers are with all who are experiencing grief and loss. As a community, we commit to helping one another through these challenging times.
YOUTUBE: Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation Youtube.com/channel/UCGOgqUgLq_LnMZq_-z6YtFA
Contact us at: thirdunitarianchurch.org/sundays, “Response to Pandemic”
UNITED LUTHERAN CHURCH
stgilesparish.org CLERGY: Fr. Carl Morello, Pastor; Fr. Tom Unz, In Residence; Fr. Ed Salmon, In Residence ONLINE SERVICES: Varies; Regular Weekend Service posted by 4pm on Saturday on YouTube and Facebook YOUTUBE: St Giles Parish Oak Park IL Youtube. com/channel/UCiKKNbTvoFPP5JhKkSDP1PQ
Affiliated with the United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism, Temple Har Zion is a dynamic congregation committed to a profound spiritual life. We are a welcoming, diverse, and caring community that is inclusive of interfaith families.
FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/UTUUC CURRENT RESOURCES: At unitytemple.org link to our weekly e-newsletter, the e-Beacon ONLINE GATHERINGS: Mindful Reflection Community 7-9, Virtual Sunday Coffee Hour, Daily Stories and Activities for All Ages posted on our YouTube Page, Tell Me Something Good at Mondays at noon, Check-in and reflection Tuesdays at 2pm and Thursdays at 3pm COVID-19 SERVICES: Temporary housing for a member of our community that needs to quarantine away from their family and cannot do so at home.
CURRENT RESOURCES: harzion.org COVID-19 SERVICES: All of our programming is now offered virtually, Please call the office if you have any questions.
Unity Temple: 875 Lake St, Oak Park IL 60301 Unity Temple Community Center: 1019 South Blvd, Oak Park IL 60302 708-848-6225
April 12 - Service with Rev. Colleen Vahey A New World is Emerging. . .
FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/WSTHZ/
1025 Columbian Ave. Oak Park, IL 60302 708-383-3430
UNITY TEMPLE UNITARIAN UNIVERSALIST CONGREGATION
CLERGY: Rev. Colleen Vahey
Join us Sundays, 11:30am at thirdunitarianchurch.org
FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/St-Edmund-Parish-111658415539639 St. Edmund Parish, Oak Park’s downtown Catholic parish, is a welcoming community! Young or old, rich or poor, gay or straight, we welcome you to join us for worship and the opportunities we provide to help those who are vulnerable or otherwise in need. During this challenging and frightening time, be assured of our prayers for everyone in the community. Together, we will weather this storm called COVID-19, and with God’s grace, will be reunited one with another. God bless you all.
301 N. Mayfield Ave. Chicago, IL 60644 (2 blocks east of Austin Blvd.; 2 blocks south of Lake St.) 773-626-9385
and fellowship with each other. Embracing our faith tradition, we believe that we are saved by God’s grace. Our response to that redeeming gift is to share the message of God’s love through our hands and feet and voice in the world. We welcome all people, regardless of race, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, relationship status, family structure, physical or mental health, legal status, or socioeconomic status.
409 Greenfield Street Oak Park, Illinois 60302 708-386-1576 unitedlutheranchurch.org CLERGY: Pastor Dennis Bushkofsky ONLINE SERVICES: Sunday mornings at 9:30 a.m via Zoom or telephone FACEBOOK: Facebook.com/unitedlutheranoakpark United Lutheran Church welcomes you to participate in our worship, service to others,
Community of Congregations Service of Comfort and Memory Thursday, April 30, 2020 • 7:30 p.m. Multifaith Liturgy and Prayer to honor the memories and hold the grief over all who have died of any cause during this period of distance and isolation. Zoom Meeting ID 863-707-515 or Join URL: https://uuma.zoom.us/j/863707515 To receive our emails and possibly a password for the worship service, please contact us at oprfcoc@gmail.com
The ministers and members of Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation hold our wider community in our hearts during this time of resisting COVID-19. Our faith encourages engagement across differences of belief, race, class, and other identities that divide us. We learn from one another’s life experience. Through worship, religious education, music, small groups, and faith in action, we cultivate a community where we reflect on how to be faithful to our values as we seek to transform lives and help build the Beloved Community. For more information or to talk to a minister, please contact us at office@unitytemple.org.
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M. Call Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at 613-3310 ktrainor@wjinc.com
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Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
VIEWPOINTS
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What you can do for Earth Day 50 p. 24
Who do we want to be?
ho do we want to be during the COVID-19 pandemic? I am in awe of the sacrifice and acts of kindness many have shown during this challenge. I have also had some interesting discussions online regarding community expectations and behaviors during the stay-at-home order. These discussions were about educational expectations and youth adherence to the order. All of the discussions have caused me to ponder our capacity for real empathy — the kind that manifests itself in our actions. With children at home, some parents working from home, others risking their well-being as essential workers and many without work, it is clear that households are struggling. It is important in times like this to acknowledge that things cannot and will not be as they were. Students cannot replicate the length and depth of the school day in an online environment. Teachers cannot teach for the length of time or in the way they would in person. Parents cannot replace teachers. And children, youth and adults shouldn’t socialize outside of their residential families without abiding by social-distancing guidelines — not if we hope to save lives. But for all of these things to be acknowledged requires a certain level of empathy; and unfortunately, I’m not seeing it in some much-needed areas. Multiple, lengthy Facebook threads are filled with complaints about too much school work, not enough school work, too much online time, not enough online time, the awfulness of grading pass/fail and the trauma that will ensue from letter grades. According to social media, everyone is failing — administrators, teachers, parents and students. We should all be doing the best we can; but the best will not mean that things continue on as they were or that folks will have all of the answers right away. A world pandemic cannot help but change every aspect of day-to-day life. Many of those in charge of helping figure how to keep our education systems functioning are themselves dealing with children at home, illness, loss and their own health vulnerabilities. This does not mean that we relieve them of their responsibilities or allow the traditionally marginalized to absorb the brunt of the struggle. We have a responsibility to exercise our critical thinking abilities and not wallow in the zone of fear; if for no other reason than the fact that it just isn’t productive and has the potential to be damaging. I’ve asked in the past that we increase our capacity to show grace to each other, and now is just the time. But I must say that I see folks posting about the need for grace in ways different from my interpretation. Grace, to me, is not intended to soothe the conscience or excuse folks from bad or irresponsible behavior. It is intended to be the reflection of empathy: “the action of
LINDA FRANCIS
See FRANCIS on page 24
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Why I’m grateful for my classmates every day
hen people told me my senior year was going to be over in the blink of an eye, I never would have predicted it would end like this. Thursday, March 12 was a pivotal day for OPRF High School students. We were sent an email from the administration that school had been canceled due to COVID-19 and that we would have to initiate eLearning for an extended period of time. I did not think much of it at the time. In fact, I’m sure we all saw it coming. However, before my mind could predict it, I intuitively knew this would have a lasting effect on all of us. The same night, my mother and I hovered over my computer awaiting an admissions update from my dream school. To my surprise I was accepted, and like any other second-semester senior, I was ready to just enjoy the rest of my senior year. However, it’s hard looking forward to a future when you’ve been robbed of the present. I was terrified of the idea of not being able to live out my last few months as a high school student. I speak on behalf of the entire senior class when I say this. Prom, Graduation, and so much more will be compromised due to the virus. Students feel a sense of unfairness, we work so hard just to find out that we can’t enjoy the best part of high school, a final hurrah. I think it is safe to say that we have truly learned the value of appreciating something once it’s gone. In all honesty, it’s the small things we miss because school is sometimes the only place where we are
ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
together. Of course we miss our friends, but also our at-school acquaintances who get us through the day. We want to reach out to them but are too afraid to admit we might not have a class with them again. Believe it or not, we miss our teachers and coaches too. After all, not being able to go to school is one thing, it’s another to be stuck inside all day long. Our counselors have told us to meditate and stick to a routine in order to maintain our sanity, but our feelings of loss are beyond our comprehension. I haven’t been meditating; if anything, I’ve had the urge to scream into a pillow every time I read the headlines of the Washington Post. We’ve realized just how hard it is to act gracefully during this time. Yes, we understand that self-quarantining is for the best and that these are First World problems that we’re talking about here. Nevertheless, we are still entitled to feel these emotions of anger and grief. It’s not the boredom that is hard, it’s the unavoidable feelings of loneliness that creep in through our windows and under our bedroom doors as the days start to blend together. It’s true what scientists say: it feels against human nature to isolate ourselves amidst a crisis. For one, knowing that I’m not alone in missing out on senior year has brought me comfort. In fact, the Class of 2020 has really united, and I feel more connected to them just by how much we’ve been there for each other. We are committed to making
MARGARET KORINEK One View
See KORINEK on page 24
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Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
O U R
V I E W P O I N T S
V I E W S
Trinity’s generous plan
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rinity High School has been setting aside money over two decades, placing it into a Strategic Reserve Fund for a potentially mission-altering emergency. Well, the emergency has arrived in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has left the families of a good many Trinity students in financial straits. Now the school’s leadership — board, administration and the sponsoring order of nuns — have decided to tap the Strategic Reserve for $1 million to be used on a needs basis for tuition relief come fall. Rightly, the school will also turn to its families, its alums, its benefactors with a goal of raising an additional $1 million to underwrite tuition next year. “For more than 102 years the Trinity High School family has weathered world wars, the Great Depression and countless other challenges,” the school wrote in a message to its families and supporters. With this act of prudent generosity, Trinity will weather this storm, too.
Remarkable lives
On page one today we highlight the deaths of three remarkable men. All dead too soon, two of them from COVID-19. John Prine, the songwriter, had his roots deep in Maywood, but his ties to Oak Park and River Forest were also important. It was just a year ago that we reported on his visit to Val’s halla record store on Harrison Street to mark his long affection for the one and only Val Camilletti. Our Michael Romain writes his local obit, quoting Prine’s niece in River Forest talking about Uncle John. It is a lovely piece and we recommend it to you. It runs on page 10. We also remember today two other singular Oak Parkers who had profound impact in this town on vital issues where they worked to erase our blind spots and tamp our fears. Alan Amato was 68 when he died last week of a bad heart. He was one of the early advocates for gay rights in Oak Park, part of a band of men and women who in the 1990s joined together to form the Oak Park Lesbian and Gay Association (OPLAGA). And, yes, there was “a gay agenda.” It involved political change, active outreach and service to every nonprofit in Oak Park and, seemingly when gathered up, having more fun than any other group we knew. Amato headed a public policy committee that successfully pushed a referendum to create a Domestic Partnership Registry in Oak Park. It was a radical success narrowly won and it was Amato, together with Lynne Clark, pictured celebrating on the Journal’s front page under our best headline ever: BIG GAY DAY. And then there’s Bob Dugal. He was 58 when he died April 9 at West Sub from COVID-19. In a wheelchair and dealing with the encroachments of Friederich’s Ataxia, a progressive attack on muscles and nerves, Dugal and his siblings knew he was vulnerable to the pandemic and took all precautions. It was not enough, ultimately. Bob Dugal was the human face, the smiling face, the determined face of rights for the disabled in Oak Park. He founded the Oak Park Committee on the Disabled and was the force that led our elementary schools to acknowledge their 10 buildings of barriers, who led the way on curb cuts that we now all take for granted, who convinced so many restaurants and businesses that he would be their champion if they got him in the door. He also was a co-chair for A Day in Our Village, active in the Democratic Party of Oak Park in the Phil Rock era and, living in the family’s spectacular Wright home on Forest Avenue, an early tourism advocate. He was the complete package. As his sister Kathy told us Monday, “He was a good man with a good heart.” And you can read the obituaries for two other remarkable lives, Wayne Lucht and Jane Clark, on page 28.
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The caregiving revolution
i-jen Poo, executive director of the National Domestic Workers Alliance and co-director of Caring Across Generations, is the author of The Age of Dignity and co-host (with Alicia Garza) of the podcast “Sunstorm.” She is also a MacArthur Foundation “genius grant” recipient and last, but certainly not least, an Oak Park resident. On Jan. 31, she was interviewed by Krista Tippett at Unity Temple in Oak Park for the popular NPR radio show, “On Being.” The interview was broadcast on April 5 and can be listened to at onbeing.org. If you do, you’ll hear Poo’s fellow Oak Parkers applauding in the background. “I should note,” Tippett said at the outset, “that we went into production on this before ‘coronavirus’ was a word we all knew. But the many dimensions of the crisis now upon us have revealed Ai-jen Poo and her world of wisdom and action as teachers and leaders for our life together in the present and beyond it.” What made the interview feel so timely is that the pandemic has made all of us (well, most of us) hyperfocused on the notion of caregiving. “If you think about it,” Poo said, “this work of caring for our children as nannies, or our aging parents as homecare workers, is some of the most profound and important work in our lives. And yet, it’s some of the most invisible and undervalued work; millions of women do this as a profession, but it’s not even considered a profession. It’s referred to as ‘help.’” She considers it “among the greatest ironies in our culture that the people we’re counting on to take care of us can’t take care of themselves and their own families doing this work. … The average annual income for a home care worker is $15,000 per year,” she said. “I can’t think of any community that I’ve ever lived in where you can survive on $15,000 a year.” In 2010, the National Domestic Workers Alliance she founded, along with Hand in Hand, an affiliated group of people who employ domestic workers, successfully advocated for the Domestic Workers Bill of Rights in New York state, first in the nation history. Eight additional states, along with the cities of Seattle and Philadelphia followed suit. “With baby boomers turning 70 at a rate of 10,000 people per day and living longer than ever before because of advances in health care, we need more care as a country than ever before,” Poo says. “Some economists predict that, between childcare jobs and eldercare jobs combined, this will be the largest single occupation in our whole workforce soon.” Labor organizing, she says, has, till now, primarily been focused on changing minds — with data and strong arguments. And she is very effective at it, judging by her interview that night at Unity Temple. But she wants to go further. She wants to change hearts. And that requires vision, a different kind of power, the one Dr. King prescribed, the power of love. Poo believes it could transform this country, and the pandemic has created a climate where we may be ripe for this caring revolution. Former first lady Rosalynn Carter once said, “There are only four kinds of people in the world:
those who have been caregivers, those who are currently caregivers, those who will be caregivers, and those who need caregiving.” “I love that quote,” Poo said. “We always start our meetings asking people to turn to the person sitting next to them and share a story about someone who’s cared for them and the value of that relationship in their life. And every time, without fail, the room starts buzzing, and people don’t want to stop talking. It immediately connects us all in the room. It’s so powerful.” But powerful enough to transform an entire country? “Somewhere you wrote,” Tippett said, ‘A caring America is entirely in reach.’ And I have to say that I read that on a bad news day — and most days are bad news days right now — and that feels like a stretch. Although sitting here with you, it feels closer. When you talk about ‘unleashing the caring majority,’ that feels real to me.” “A hundred million of us today are directly affected by the need for care on a very practical level,” Poo replied. “That is an unstoppable force for change, a hundred million people here. Unstoppable. … I’ve been an activist for more than 25 years, and I’ve never seen the level of civic participation and energy and just a hunger to connect and to be a part of the solution than I see now.” Unleashing the caring majority. An unstoppable force for change. I love the sound of that. Think about it. “I think about the love,” Poo said, “the capacity for human connection, for generosity of spirit, no matter what you have or don’t have. We have, right now, within each of us, every single thing we need to be part of creating a beautiful future. We have been living in a time of such scarcity and austerity and zero sum. Everything about our politics is zero sum. That is not what we were meant for as human beings. Our inclination is to be connected and to care. The era of zero sum is coming to an end. And our future is one of abundance.” Zero sum means I win-you lose. Either/or. Can the caregiver revolution change that to Both/and? So many of us feel exhausted or burnt out in our lives, Poo said. Then we fall in love with someone and suddenly we have time and energy to spare. Ample power lies within. Maybe coronavirus and COVID-19 will kill off the era of zero sum. But is the era of caregiving at hand? “As you look around the world,” Tippett asked, “what makes you despair, and where are you finding hope?” “What makes me despair,” Poo said, “is when I think about how many cards are stacked against us — a huge amount of written and unwritten rules have disempowered domestic workers and so many other people. It’s cultural, it’s legal, it’s programmatic. “What gives me hope is that I’ve actually seen, time and time again, through organizing and coming together and telling our stories and doing the work, we have made the impossible possible. And I know, I believe, that we will win.” What do you think? On the far side of this pandemic, can we turn this zero-sum country into a caregiving superpower? Maybe we’ll find out on Nov. 3.
KEN
TRAINOR
V I E W P O I N T S S H R U B T O W N
by Marc Stopeck
Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
W E D N E S D A Y
JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest
Editor and Publisher Dan Haley Senior Editor Bob Uphues Associate Publisher Dawn Ferencak Staff Reporters Michael Romain, Stacey Sheridan, Maria Maxham Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor Sports/Staff reporter James Kay Columnists Marc Blesoff, Jack Crowe, Doug Deuchler, John Hubbuch, May Kay O’Grady, Kwame Salter, John Stanger, Stan West, Linda Francis Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Editorial Designers Mark Moroney Business Manager Joyce Minich Advertising Design Manager Andrew Mead Advertising Designers Debbie Becker, Mark Moroney Revenue & Advertising Director Dawn Ferencak
Small business owners need predictability I try to be an optimistic person but as a small business owner in Oak Park, I have a lot to be fearful of right now. The combination of COVID-19’s effect on the economy, coupled with the uncertainty of Assessor [Fritz] Kaegi’s new property tax assessments makes me scared for the future of my business. Property taxes for commercial and industrial buildings are already high here, and I am worried they will become unsustainable with Assessor Kaegi shifting the burden on commercial and industrial owners. We pay 250 percent more than residential properties and I have stretched every dollar to keep my doors open. I know this reality was the case for many small businesses in Cook County even before coronavirus’ impact on our economy — now it is even worse. While the trajectory of coronavirus will remain uncertain for some time, property tax assessments can and should become more predictable. When I moved my business, Edible Arrangements, to Oak Park, I took a chance on Cook County and thought I was moving to a good location. I did not know what I was getting myself into in terms of property taxes and
Advertising Sales Marc Stopeck Sales & Development Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner
felt like I got a master’s degree in tax law just from trying to appeal. The assessment methods and appeals process are not transparent and finding legal representation to correct these mistakes is time and money I don’t have. While I have personally not seen any mercy from the assessor’s appeals process yet, the Board of Review appears to be consistently reducing these excessive assessments, which indicates to me that his formula for assessments is not as accurate as he claims. If assessor Kaegi does to Oak Park what he did to small businesses in Evanston, my business is done. People are hurting right now and our economy is suffering. Now is not the time to put more burden on small businesses. Now is not the time to create more uncertainty. We all need to do our part to help small businesses stay afloat. I know this is a grave concern for governments at every level, but change begins at the local level and I call on assessor Kaegi to create more predictability in these uncertain times.
Linda Ekendahl Oak Park
Front Desk Carolyn Henning, Maria Murzyn
About Viewpoints Our mission is to lead educated conversation about the people, government, schools, businesses and culture of Oak Park and River Forest. As we share the consensus of Wednesday Journal’s editorial board on local matters, we hope our voice will help focus your thinking and, when need be, fire you to action. In a healthy conversation about community concerns, your voice is also vital. We welcome your views, on any topic of community interest, as essays and as letters to the editor. Noted here are our stipulations for filing. Please understand our verification process and circumstances that would lead us not to print a letter or essay. We will call to check that what we received with your signature is something you sent. If we can’t make that verification, we will not print what was sent. When, in addition to opinion, a letter or essay includes information presented as fact, we will check the reference. If we cannot confirm a detail, we may not print the letter or essay. If you have questions, email Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at ktrainor@wjinc.com.
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Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
What you can do for Earth Day 50 April 22 marks the 50th anniversary of Earth Day, a significant worldwide holiday to celebrate our green-and-blue planet and take local actions in our community. The Greater West Side — Oak Park, Austin, and River Forest — had planned multiple celebrations to honor and celebrate this important milestone, and we are now encouraging all to participate in new ways — virtually and in the real world. Like today, 50 years ago in 1970 we faced a time of crisis: rivers caught fire, iconic species were perishing, and air was unbreathable in some cities. Activists, students, scientists, and families came together in a clarion call for our Earth. The results were palpable — establishment of the Environmental Protection Agency and the Clean Air and Water acts, and the protection of endangered species. These bold actions helped protect the water, air, soil, and biodiversity that is essential to the health of our community. Environmental justice campaigns around the world made additional progress. Today we have enormous challenges from a warming climate and rampant loss of animals and plants around the globe. Rising greenhouse gas emissions from fossil fuels have put our communities, critical infrastructure, and remarkable creatures of all kinds on the brink. Already we see the impacts of more extreme natural disasters, interruptions in seasons and food systems, and waves of desperate migration. Despite our campaigns to address these challenges and observe Earth Day, we are in some ways paralyzed now. Sheltering in place, along with billions of others around the world, we cannot take to the streets as they did in 1970. We already have our fill of anxiety and horror at the fearful spread of the novel coronavirus and the terrible absence of a coherent national response. We see how this scourge — like environmental damage — disproportionately affects low-income communities and communities of color with devastating results. We experience how lack of leadership at the federal level aggravates our circumstances, as it has with climate change.
At the same time, we also see commitment and courage in our health-care workers and those essential workers who are keeping our food systems and other critical structures moving. Local leaders are making brave decisions to save lives even at real personal cost. Neighborhoods are finding spontaneous and creative ways to buoy spirits and help each other. And a rising crop of community organizers are taking effective action, inspired to do something powerful in the face of calamity. These are the qualities we will need to weather the crisis of this pandemic. They are what will help us face our climate emergency and safeguard natural systems that support all life on our planet. COVID-19 has shown that our Greater West Side community has these qualities in abundance. We ask you to take those sparks of resourcefulness and creativity and join us on Earth Day. ■ Place a blue and green Earth on your window, sidewalk, or porch. ■ Be inspired by a One Earth Film Fest/City of Chicago virtual film screening, bit.ly/OneEarthVirtualFilmFest2020. ■ Take part in other virtual events on the ChicagoEarthDay50.org calendar. ■ Connect with the solace of nature and the energy of the sustainability movement on social media with #EarthDay50 and #ChicagoNature. ■ Sign the Chicago Agreement on Climate and Community. bit.ly/ChicagoAgreement. ■ Pledge to take action yourself, and demand that our leaders do, too. For now, we’ll thank you by waving to you at a distance. On the other side, together, we’ll take to the streets to celebrate our community, honor the Earth, and fight the looming challenges to come. With the sparks that we’ve seen in recent weeks, we have confidence that we can prevail.
Amy Rosenthal, Ana Garcia Doyle, Laura Derks, Cindy Gray Schneider, Dick Alton, and Carmen Scott-Boria
FRANCIS
Growing into community? from page 21 understanding, being aware of, being sensitive to, and vicariously experiencing the feelings, thoughts, and experience of another of either the past or present without having the feelings, thoughts, and experience fully communicated in an objectively explicit manner.” Empathy is owed to the medical workers who put their lives on the line each day, not knowing if or how doing so will affect their health or that of their families. Empathy is owed to the front line workers who are not paid for the risks they take to allow us to stay at home. Some grace is appropriate for the teachers trying to create lesson plans, learn new technology, and teach in a new way, all while trying to take care of their own children and loved ones. These folks hold in common the fact
that their actions are the result of some form of sacrifice on their part that helps others. I recognize that this is difficult, particularly for young people, who miss socializing with friends and loved ones. I empathize with the difficulty. But I cannot find grace in those who do not heed the safety requests. Socializing in groups outside of household members and not adhering to the 6-foot distancing, belittles the sacrifice being made by others and only extends the time that this will last. Those who are concerned only with shaming or judgment
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Hubbuch’s messages are not helpful Thank you for publishing my comment about Mr. Hubbuch’s March 25th opinion piece in which he recommended increasing alcohol and marijuana consumption and for giving it such a prominent headline. It’s definitely one among many messages that need to keep being communicated. I was saddened to see that it followed yet another reference to alcohol by Mr. Hubbuch, though [Yearning for a different kind of virus, John Hubbuch, Viewpoints, April 8]. Let’s see, what was it this time? — oh yeah, sitting in the basement listening to music, watching TV and drinking Don Julio tequila. That’s an all-too-common scenario, irrespective of the drug of choice. And then this pronouncement, whether in jest or not, that he won’t wear a mask in public. Really? I don’t know what kind of editorial oversight the Wednesday Journal exercises over its Op/Ed authors, but neither of these are messages that should get any play, let alone prominence.
Ron Elling
Oak Park
Be respectful of our parks
I spend a lot of time in the parks and I have noticed there is lots of garbage. If we don’t take care of our parks, they won’t be as pretty and people won’t use them. I think there are things we can do to solve this problem. First, we should put more garbage cans around, especially where people gather. An example is Stevenson Skate Park. Second, we should put up signs that say “Don’t litter.” And finally, people should be respectful and not litter. If we do all of these things our parks would look prettier.
The Greater West Side are focused solely on the individual and not the greater good. The pandemic is an opportunity to model for our children and teach them the value of sacrifice in the larger community. This is different from the typical kinds of volunteer efforts that make us feel good. The ultimate goal is not to reinforce our self-perception as “good people” or alleviate feelings of guilt. The goal is to come together as a community to protect our most vulnerable, which in turn will protect us all. We need folks to leave that place of fear and self-preservation and learn — in order to help our children learn the value of self-sacrifice so we can grow into the community we aspire to be. We can all do better. This will not last forever. Who do you want to be during the COVID-19 pandemic? Linda T. Francis, director of Success of All Youth, an initiative of the Oak ParkRiver Forest Community Foundation, shares her personal views, which do not represent the Community Foundation.
Lucas Binning
Eighth-grader at Percy Julian Middle School
KORINEK from page 21 new memories, just maybe not as we expected. Through Zoom and Facetime, we acknowledge the great technology of our time. It has allowed us to start discussing ideas to reschedule important events like prom and more. We’ve realized that our senior year is not taking a traditional route. However, that has fueled us with the potential of making our alternative plans even more special. What can the students of Oak Park take away from this? Education is a right, but the community that it comes with is a privilege. I hold much more gratitude for my senior class now than I ever did before. Over the past few weeks, we have done our best to remain a community despite our recent setback. I hold so much more pride in my classmates because we have chosen to get through it together. Margaret Korinek is a student at Oak Park and River Forest High School.
V I E W P O I N T S
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Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
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Globalism, Nationalism, and the Pandemic
s the seven billion inhabitants of Planet Earth try to understand and come to grips with the ubiquitous coronavirus pandemic, fundamental changes in social and political behaviors are taking hold. Conventional wisdom has taken an enormous hit. How we used to think about problem-solving is passé. It feels like the medical delivery systems and infrastructures that we have taken for granted are proving to be inadequate in the face of this invisible, yet, lethal scourge. More critically, how we think about each other is fast shifting. After the deaths caused by the virus, the next biggest casualty is trust. Politicians all over the globe are confused, befuddled and scared. Suddenly, these so-called leaders are faced with a challenge that they cannot deny, delay or destroy. They stand before their citizens with charts/graphs that do little more than track body counts now and into the future. Their rhetoric has gone from bombastic blathering intended to reassure the people to somber, almost defeatist, daily messages that create more fear and insecurity. Coronavirus is the reset button that will accelerate a profound reassessment of how
human beings everywhere live, work and interact with each other daily. We have been pushed into a new reality. This new reality has revealed that the current global political leadership class is sorely lacking individuals with a world view. The current crop of world leaders still believes that nation-states with rigid borders are necessary and can protect us from our foes — real or imagined. Ergo, we are currently witnessing a revival in Nationalism across the globe. In my estimation, Nationalism is best defined as “us despite others.” And while these modernday populists crow about protecting their borders and their citizens and growing their economies, the world has become the “global village” — a term that Marshall McLuhan coined in the 1960s. Thanks to technological advances, time and distance have shrunk, allowing human beings to see, talk to and trade with each other in minutes and hours versus weeks and months. Globalism has taken root. Na-
tion-state borders and domestic political structures are minor inconveniences to this class of global wheeler-dealers. National governments are viewed by them as conduits to facilitate the global movement of money. Globalism, like it or not, has blurred the lines between national pride and economic survival. As a result, nation-states must depend on global partners to remain economically viable. Unlike past eras, the world today is truly interdependent. Armies and weapons of mass destruction exist as means to hold each other mutual hostages. Military strength is more effective as a threat than as a strategy. Even when employed using conventional weapons, war is a lose-lose proposition. Deploying an army does not guarantee anything other than death, destruction and continued hostilities. Ideologies like capitalism, socialism and communism used to drive conflict between nations. Today, money trumps ideology. In a sense, we have outsourced our manufacturing
KWAME SALTER
Here’s a way to use reusable grocery bags
CROP Walk 2020: Virtual walk, actual needs
capabilities and lives for cheap and available goods manufactured in China. The coronavirus pandemic has brought into sharp relief the dangers of making another country the sole source provider of critical medical and technological equipment. In the U.S., this pandemic has surfaced real contradictions and offered up some valuable lessons. In the United States we must take stock and inventory of not only our wealth and natural resources but also our relationships with each other and with the world. So in the spirit of offering actionable solutions, I humbly submit the following suggestions: 1. Immediately, suspend the political sanctions on our so-called enemies so that these resources can be used to fight, curtail and put in check this scourge. 2. Repurpose and highlight the role of the UN’s World Health Organization (WHO) as the clearinghouse and coordinator of global “best practices” being employed to fight this pandemic. 3. Treat the virus as a global threat that respects no borders, ethnicity or socioeconomic position. Finally, pray.
Store employees need to wear masks
Communities around the world have made a lot of progress over the past few years to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags. So when Gov. Pritzker and others announced new guidelines that shoppers no longer could use reusable bags, we were concerned. We wondered if there were a way that we could continue to use reusable bags, while not exposing cashiers, baggers, and other shoppers to any coronavirus that might be on the reusable bags. Here’s what we came up with (others may have come up with similar or even better ideas): While shopping, we leave our reusable bags in the car. When we checkout, we tell the cashier and the bagger, “No bags please; just put the groceries in the cart.” After the cashier rings up each item, the bagger puts each item back into the shopping cart, without a bag. After we pay, we push the shopping cart out to the car, load the groceries into our reusable bags, and drive home. When we unload the groceries at home, we wipe them with disinfectant, then we put the bags themselves into the laundry, or just give them a 20-second hand-washing. In addition to preventing the use of plastic bags, another subtle advantage is that we’ve never had cleaner bags to carry around in the trunk of our car. Both Jewel and Whole Foods management have approved this practice.
Last year, Hunger Walkathon West raised just under $73,000 of which 25 percent was distributed to 10 local agencies: Beyond Hunger in Oak Park, Forest Park Food Pantry, Pine Ave. and St. Martin de Porres food pantries in Chicago, Proviso and First Baptist Church pantries in Melrose Park, Vision of Restoration food pantry and Quinn Center of St. Eulalia hunger ministries in Maywood, Cluster Tutoring, and Housing Forward. All these agencies are feeling the pinch during the COVID-19 pandemic and need all of our support even more than before. The 75 percent that goes to CWS-Global will help our brothers and sisters in 55 countries around the world who are no less in need. This year the walk will be virtual but the needs are actual. Please help us to meet these needs by making a donation of $25, $50, $100 or more as you are able. You can make a big difference. Visit our personal page where you can make a secure online donation or you may send a check, made payable to CWS/CROP, to: The Despotes 7757 Van Buren St., Unit 516 Forest Park, IL 60130 Your gift can help save a life. Thank you for your support. Please visit our personal page: https://www.crophungerwalk.org/oakparkil/Member/MyPage/3780379/ Joanne-Ted-Despotes
Before the COVID-19 epidemic, we’d almost never shopped at Carnival Grocery. It seemed like a fine store, but places like Pete’s Fresh and Jewel are simply closer to us. However, because the folks at Carnival will collect an order for you, and provide curbside carryout and delivery if necessary, we decided to order some groceries from them. When we picked up our groceries at the store, we were pleased that the cashier was wearing a mask, just as we were. Masks, though they may not offer full protection to the wearer, are a way of preserving the health of others. After stopping at Carnival, we went shopping at another store for a relatively expensive (over $600) item. None of the salespeople in the store were wearing masks. Failure to wear a mask, in a job with lots of customer contact, is not only antisocial but unhygienic. Though the store had what I wanted, I left without buying anything. A few days later, I called the store and asked, “Are your employees wearing masks yet?” The man who answered replied “No,” and his voice betrayed irritation. For my health’s sake (and I am in a compromised group), I’ve decided not to do business with that store until at least the end of this epidemic, though perhaps never again. Some might argue that masks are hard to come by, but even a bandana across the nose and mouth is better than nothing. When a store’s employees are not wearing masks, the message sent is that the store simply doesn’t care much about their customers except as a source of revenue. If that’s their attitude, OK, but they’re not getting my business until they wise up and put on the damn masks.
Oak Park
Forest Park
Oak Park
Art and Sher Watts Spooner
Ted & Joanne Despotes
David Hammond
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V I E W P O I N T S
Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
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Staying sober while staying home
ello, I’m Molly and I’m a recovering addict and alcoholic.” Until recently, I would voice these words almost daily to a room full of people. We were gathered for the same reason: to recover from the disease of addiction. identifying as an addict has never been more important to me. The pandemic has introduced unprecedented challenges for people in sobriety. It’s especially important now to offer support for those wishing to get or stay sober. Here are some tools I have found useful. But let’s also recognize that the hard-earned insights gained in our battle with this disease can also help others. Practice Social Distancing, not Social Isolation - Three years ago, before I became sober, if someone had ordered me to stay inside my house doing nothing, I would have happily obliged. That’s because addiction thrives on isolation. For us, it is more important than ever to stay socially connected. Call friends
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and family members, meet for video chats, and take walks with a family member or housemate. Look into a 12-step program - Founded by Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), the 12-Step program has been the most successful approach in helping people get and stay sober. Many groups are conducting virtual meetings via Zoom for AA, Marijuana Anonymous (MA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), and other addiction-recovery programs. You’ll find a link to a list of Chicagoland AA meetings below. Fight Cravings with Alternative Activities - If sobriety’s arch-villain is isolation, then its evil sidekick is boredom. In these conditions, thoughts of using or drinking can easily turn into cravings difficult to resist. Have a list of things to do instead. Take a walk, do a puzzle, take a shower, call a friend, cook or bake something — anything to get your mind off using.
Practice Gratitude, It Changes Everything - When it seems that everything is going poorly, it is even more important to remember things that are going right. Take some time to appreciate the little things — or the big things — for which you are thankful. It is easy for me to get swept up in how challenging sobriety can be, but then I remember: Thank goodness I am sober and clear-headed. Otherwise, it would be so much more difficult to cope effectively with all this turmoil. Feel All Your Feelings Exactly as They Are - In active addiction, I used drugs to numb uncomfortable emotions — emotions I deemed unacceptable. In sobriety, I learned we cannot numb emotions because when we do, we also numb joy, love and excitement. Yesterday I went for a drive. It was beautiful out; I blasted some happy music, rolled my windows down and danced along to the melody. It was a glorious moment I
MOLLY
FELDHEIM One View
would have missed had I been too busy getting high. Uncomfortable emotions will continue to arise from time to time. When they do, validate them and let them be. Just watch them pass by. We all have a role in supporting each other through this crisis. If you, like me, have struggled with addiction, remember that you already possess a deep well of self-knowledge and strength to guide you in these difficult days. While others learn to support you, you can actually teach them how to live more fully in the moment, in joy and gratitude. Molly Feldheim is a therapist at Thrive Counseling Center in Oak Park. Thrive Counseling Services is offering phone-based counseling and medication management to address our community’s needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. Our Crisis Intervention Services are still available by dialing 708-383-7500. Our Front Desk team is ready to assist you as well, Monday-Friday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., with requests for referrals or new services and to reschedule or cancel an appointment. Just call 708-383-7500.
Calling all Huskies … past, present and future
think it’s fair to say that most of us miss sports, at least a little. We miss playing sports. We miss coaching sports. We miss having our kids play sports. We miss watching college sports (think March Madness!) and even professional sports. We miss catching a baseball game on the radio in the car. I actually miss the baseball field dirt on my car floor mats — kind of. I miss playing catch with my kids down the street at the local baseball field. I really miss Wrigley and hearing Pat and Ron calling the Cubs games. There are undoubtedly more important things than sports today as the world grapples with a brutal health pandemic that is taking lives swiftly, too soon and unjustly. However, sports allow for distractions, not only in pandemics but also during “normal” times. Sports in high school foster friendships, school spirit, community, and provide the foundation for healthy lifestyles later in life. Things will get back to a new normal eventually and when they do, we should make sure that the new normal looks the best it can for OPRF High School. The Imagine OPRF High School project is a herculean effort by our board, administration and volunteer community members. All of these folks put in a ton of time and effort and take precious time away from their own families to help, and thus they all deserve our thanks. However, one of the outcomes of the project is that half of the tennis courts will be
used for a construction staging area to house trailers and truck parking. That leaves only four courts, surrounded by trailers, which then does not allow the Tennis program to host any home matches for approximately two years. Additionally, it will move practices off campus and possibly discourage kids to get involved in the sport altogether. The Tennis program has two seasons: boys play in the spring and girls play in the fall. The current plan has the trailers sitting on the courts for both of those seasons for almost two years with no options provided to move the equipment to fields that might not be in-season as they move through the construction process. Tennis has traditionally been a no-cut sport and has hundreds of students come out for the teams. A no-cut high school sport is rare in today’s amped-up youth sports world. To place trailers in this area, while possibly convenient, does not put the student first but places the needs of the construction company ahead of our own student athletes. Our OPRF community talks a big game about placing students first and looking into possible disproportionate impacts of policies — we actually hire folks to look into such impacts. We say it should apply to all decisions, and athletics and extracurricular activities are a big part of the OPRF experience. Think back to your own youth and recall some of your
best memories — sports, playing games on your home turf, clubs, bands and hanging out with your friends on campus after such events may come to mind. A courageous student athlete spoke up at an open OPRF Imagine community update meeting to see if the school would at least reconsider and look at the plan to see if other staging areas could be used, or at least rotated. This would allow the tennis team not to be disproportionately impacted over the duration of the project. She was told in a recorded public meeting “I’m not going to lie, it stinks for you guys.” Additionally, a large group of tennis families presented the same argument and respectfully asked, at a board meeting, if the school would at least consider a more equitable solution. Not hearing anything to date, I asked the school last week and the response I received was that they will be sticking to the original plan. I pressed pretty hard via email, some might think too hard, for some clarity on the process after such requests are made. The communication not only went silent but the school suggested OPRF has said what they were going to say on the topic and no more. So I am hoping our community can come together and help. You don’t have to like tennis to have an opinion on this one. You actually don’t have to like sports that much to help. This could relate to
ROSS
LISSUZZO One View
any club, music program or extracurricular activity at the school who might someday want to ask for a better solution to help the longevity of their program. No one is suggesting that the Imagine process purposely set out to negatively impact any particular group of students, or that Tennis is more or less important than any other activity. However, here we are and what are we going to do about it now? So if you are the slightest bit bored at home and are in front of a screen (not sure why that would be the case?!) and you care to get involved in the OPRF community, here is your chance and it’s easy. If you would like to see our school at least explore different solutions for staging trailers than the tennis courts exclusively for two years, please feel free to copy and paste the email addresses below and the message and send it to the board, the Imagine team lead, and the superintendent. For those who are better with social media, have at it. BoE@oprfhs.org, ksullivan@oprfhs. org, JPruittAdams@oprfhs.org. Dear OPRF High School: Please ask the construction company to provide a few more staging options for the construction trailers and parking. Subsequently, have the school review them again, and present the findings to the community in hopes we can find a better solution with less impact to any one team or club. Thanks and Go Huskies! Ross Lissuzzo is an Oak Park resident.
Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM
V I E W P O I N T S
For a life well-lived
Dear Alan Amato, Today is Easter, and we’re posting your Obituary and GoFundMe page. Sigh. First, about Easter: You were Catholic but didn’t take it too seriously. Our stories of altar boy memories would always end up in uproarious laughter (more because of you than me). You almost burned down the sacristy! But as I reflect on Easter, I’m struck by my own Grandma who always said things happen in threes. Well my dear friend, two NYC friends/acquaintances died from COVID-19, and then I got the call about your own hospitalization. I worried and wondered, and learned it was your heart. That Italian heart — the one which led you to so much activism on behalf of so many. The heart that inspired my own activism. The heart that helped shape me in the ways of community organizing — real, true, rambunctious, activism. Your heart inspired me — but not like Thelma & Louise. You were often both at the same damn time! I was more pragmatic, but you would and did prod me out of my comfort zone — often enough where I had the courage to go places I didn’t think I could go. Alan, you are now gone. You used up your heart on me and others! No more chats, Facebook sharing, campaigns to share. And oh did we share campaigns! From the small to the mighty. Federal, state, local, referendums. You were there and I was always nervous — running for myself (or others) like we were all going to lose. You’d take a sip from that drink and say, “Hon, you have to calm down. It’s going to be all right.” And 90 percent of the time you were right. Finally, when I think of the Tan Travel trip to Paris, I will always remember the day we broke away. No museums. No group photos. No long walks. We plunked down at a cafe a few blocks from the hotel and didn’t move. For over six hours! We drank way too much wine but had the time of our life. I think we solved 1 or 2 world problems that day. So, thanks for everything you did for me, the community, and so many others. You will be missed. Even though you could aggravate me from time to time, that aggravation led me along the way. And for that, I can say: Thank you for a life well-lived.
Ray Johnson
Former Oak Park village trustee
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O B I T U A R I E S
Alan Amato, 68
Instrumental in passing Oak Park’s domestic registry Alan Amato, 68, of Berwyn, formerly of Oak Park, died on April 8, 2020 from heart failure. Born on Feb. 7, 1952 he grew up in Chicago’s Little Italy at Taylor and Halsted streets. Passionate about social justice and activism, he was active in the Oak Park Lesbian and Gay Association (now OPALGA+). As chair of the group’s public policy committee, he was instrumental in passage of Oak ALAN AMATO Park’s landmark Domestic Partnership Registry, the first of its kind in Illinois and one of the few in the nation. He loved to travel and enjoyed good food, wine and playing cards. He attended the University of Illinois Chicago. In his early professional career, he worked as a community organizer with Catholic Charities. He sold cemetery plots for St. Adalbert Catholic Cemetery in Niles for a few years. From 1994 to ’98, he was a partner and manager of the Pride Agenda bookstore in Oak Park and later was employed for many years at Tan Travel in Oak Park. Before retiring, he worked at the Art Institute of Chicago in the bookstore and the gift shop. As part of his involvement in local politics, he co-chaired the 2007 campaign to elect Oak Park village trustee candidates selected by the Village Manager Association. He collaborated with LGB residents in Berwyn to form BUNGALO (Berwyn United Gay and Lesbian Organization) and also volunteered with the Illinois Gay and Lesbian Task Force, which shared office space with OPALGA. Alan was preceded in death by his parents, Alphonse and Marie “Emily” (Pezzuto) Amato, and his twin brothers Charles and Felix. He was also preceded by his beloved dog Alice B. Toklas and his adoring cats Alfie and Pierre. He is survived by his cousins Denise Polerecky, Mary McEnerney, Mary Pezzuto, Judy Jones, Mary Marino and Phil Amato. A private graveside service will be held at Queen of Heaven Cemetery. A celebration of his life will be held as soon as people can safely congregate once again. Alan had no immediate family. Relatives are making the arrangements for cremation and burial. A group of his long-term friends invite you to help offset the associated costs, including a memorial celebration to be held at a later date: https://www. gofundme.com/f/Alan-Amato-Burial-andMemorial-Fund.
Robert Dugal, 58 Fought the good fight for disability rights
Robert G. Dugal, a lifelong resident of Oak Park died from COVID-19 at West Suburban Hospital on April 9, 2020. Born on June 1, 1961 in Evergreen Park to the late William J. Dugal Jr. and Jacqueline “Jackie” Barclay Brady Dugal, Bob attended Holmes School and attended Oak Park and River Forest High School where he was a member of the OPRF wrestling team. He graduated in 1979 and attended Purdue UniverFREE-WHEELING: Bob Dugal in 1994, raising sity in West Lafayette, Indiana, earning a bachawareness, having fun elor’s degree in business management in 1984. Bob suffered from Friederich’s Ataxia, a proHe was always, it seemed, in good spirits, and gressively debilitating disease that attacks the he enjoyed a good laugh. muscles and nerves. Two of his siblings previ“He fought the good fight,” Kathy said. “It ously died from the disease. He was confined didn’t get him down. When it did, he picked himto a wheelchair for his entire adult life. But it self up and kept going. He was stubborn and his didn’t slow him down. stubbornness really helped him.” He was very active in the village, as a life As his condition progressed, he gradually member of the Democratic Party of Oak Park, bowed out of activism, but he would still get out a member of Senator Philip Rock election committee, and a state legislative aide. He was a of the house as often as he could, even if just to member of the Oak Park Cultural Tourism sit on the porch. When news of the coronavirus first appeared Committee, a founding member of the Progress in January, Kathy, who works for the Cook CounCenter for Independent Living, co-chair of Day ty Department of Public Health in Our Village, and member of the was all over it. They disinfected the Friederich’s Ataxia Foundation. He house and tried to protect him, but conducted an ADA compliance surCOVID-19 claimed him anyway. vey in all of the elementary schools “If anything good can come of in Oak Park, and coached girls softthis,” she said, “it will be if people ball and soccer teams. He founded take this disease more seriously.” the Oak Park Committee on the DisA small group of 10 gathered at abled and was a longtime member the cemetery on Tuesday for private of the committee. interment, Rev. John McGivern, “He was a good man with a good pastor of St. Edmund Church, preheart,” said his sister Kathy. He ROBERT DUGAL siding. “Bob would like that,” Kathy cared, she said, about the Frank said. Fr. McGivern came by in Lloyd Wright house they grew up in, the village of Oak Park, and especially the February at Bob’s request to bless him on Ash rights of the disabled. Wednesday — and to share a laugh. “He would plant flowers with my mom, help “He loved to laugh,” Kathy said. “Even on bad my dad with home repairs; he loved giving tick- days I could get him to laugh. ets to people who parked in handicapped park“I’m going to miss him a lot.” ing spaces illegally.” Bob Dugal is survived by his siblings; Jack Bob oversaw the curb cut program starting (Karen) Dugal, James (Nancy and the late back in the early 1990s, which transformed vil- Cheryl) Dugal M.D., Mary Ellen Dugal Dwyer, lage intersections for the wheelchair-bound. Kathleen (Robyn Guest) Dugal, and Patricia When we interviewed him in November of 1994, (Timothy) Klein. He was the fun, caring uncle he was a one-man apostle for the Americans of Brian M.D., Michael, Jennifer N.P., and Kevin with Disabilities Act, organizing one-day chal- Dugal, William IV (Rebecca) Dugal M.D., and lenges that raised awareness about the difficul- James II (Rebecca) Dugal, Patrick (Melissa Caties of navigating the local business districts. hill) Dwyer, and Timothy Dwyer, and Kimberly He was happy to provide his expertise for free, Klein (Jack) Garavaglia and Katylin Klein R.N.; telling one merchant that the disabled vote with grand-uncle of Tyler Dwyer; and cousin and their pocketbooks, so accessibility was good nephew of many. He was preceded in death by business. “When it’s fully accessible,” Dugal his brother Fr. Bill Dugal. told him, “let me know. I’ll tell everybody.” The family extends heartfelt thanks to Kelsie “Educating the public,” we wrote then, “is Hudson, who was a true brother to Bob, for his an ongoing process, but Bob Dugal does it with kindness and care over the past eight years. Bob good humor. He shrugs off most of the indignicould not have had the quality of life he had, ties, such as the tendency of people to talk to his without him. And to Kathleen Kephart for helpcompanion instead of directly to him. People ing to care for Bob during the last seven months. know Dugal around town because he gets out a Private interment was held at Queen of Heavlot. Some, he says, are terrified because of what en Cemetery. In lieu of flowers please make dohe represents, but he wants them to relax. He’s nations to the Friedreich’s Ataxia Foundation. there to help, not burden them. All he asks is More OBITUARIES on page 28 that they return the favor.”
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Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
O B I T U A R I E S
Wayne Lucht, 94
quickly became part of the Concordia and Grace Lutheran Church and School family. He took various leadership roles at Concordia, including a stint as Dean of Men. But his focus was always on teaching. Loved by his students, his greatest joy was in the Wayne E. Lucht, PhD., 94, of Oak Park, died classroom with them. on April 6, 2020. Born on Dec. 13, 1925, Dr. After retirement, he became editor of Lucht was Professor Emeritus of psychol- the journal Lutheran Education for over a ogy at Concordia University, Chicago where decade. In earlier years, he had served as he taught for over 32 years. A graduate of church organist for the small congregation Concordia High School he reof First St. John’s in Chicago. ceived his undergraduate degree Feeling the growing need to in education from Concordia serve that community, he and Teachers College, River Forest Phyllis joined the congregain 1948, where he was class presition of St. Paul, Austin in Chident and editor of The Spectator, cago and became loved and loyal the student newspaper. members there, where he served He earned his master’s in eduas organist and she led Bible cation in 1960 from Southern study. In their final years followMethodist University in Dallas, ing retirement, they returned to Texas and his doctorate in psytheir church home at Grace Luchology from the University of theran, River Forest. WAYNE LUCHT Iowa in 1963. His steadfastness, integrity During the Second World War, and kindness were reflected Wayne was thrust into early “supply teach- throughout his life. He generously shared ing” positions even before his graduation. his faith with all. As a father and as a friend, After fulfilling his student teaching require- he encouraged self-confidence to celebrate ment at Grace Lutheran School in River For- life’s unique gifts in all who knew him, demest under the late Carl Halter, he took a posi- onstrating how to be a non-judging observer. tion at a small Lutheran School in Hayward, They provided, not only for their children, California, boarding with the pastor and his but for all who dropped by, a home that was wife there. safe, relaxed and engaging, a place where He went on to become the sole teacher in each was allowed to be the best versions of a small one-room rural school in Wentzville, themselves. His was a life well lived. Missouri where he taught grades 1-6. Wayne Lucht was the husband of the late In 1948, the congregation of Zion Lutheran Phyllis (nee Gieschen); the father of Mark, Church in Dallas decided to found the first Peter, David (Stefanie Graves), Kathryn, and Lutheran elementary school in that city. Andrea Lucht (Ralph) DiFebo; grandfather Looking for a talented educator to take the of Lela (Erik Kjell) and Jonah (Jennah) position of teacher and principal and to Lucht; great-grandfather of Canyon, Huck start the school there, the church members and Liam Lucht and Livia Kjell; brother of reached out to Carl Halter, who recommend- the late Melvin (Ruth) and Wilbert Lucht; ed Lucht. brother-in-law of John (the late Sue) and the The next year he married Phyllis Gie- late Thomas (the late Roselyn) Gieschen; schen, whom he had met at Concordia. She and uncle and great-uncle of many. joined him in Dallas where they began their A memorial service will be planned for a family of five. They moved to Iowa City, Iowa later date. in 1961 to pursue his doctorate. Despite ofMemorial gifts in Wayne’s honor may be fers at Emory University in Atlanta and directed to: Grace Lutheran Church http:// the University of California Berkeley, he www.graceriverforest.org or St. Paul Austin followed the call to his alma mater in River Lutheran Church https://www.stpaulaustin. Forest as associate professor in Educational com. Psychology. Arrangements were handled by Drechsler, The family settled in Oak Park in 1963 and Brown & Williams Funeral Home.
Concordia University professor emeritus
Robert P. Gamboney Funeral Director I am there for you in your time of need. All services handled with dignity and personalized care.
Cell: 708.420.5108 • Res: 708.848.5667 I am affiliated with Peterson-Bassi Chapels at 6938 W. North Ave, as well as other chapels throughout Chicagoland.
Jane Clark, 95
OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM
River Forest. Her commitment to the welfare of others went hand-in-hand with her tireless work, along with John, raising nine children. Planning and preparing three meals a day, seven days a week for 11 people — often 12 Jane Clark, 95, most recently of Park or more because she set a welcoming table Place in Elmhurst, died on Easter Sunday, — was a challenge she relished. Her nine April 12, 2020. A lifelong resident of River children inherited her passion for gracious Forest and Oak Park, she was born on Aug. dining and inventive recipes. As adults, 19, 1924, to James and Elizabeth (Eagen) they all became dedicated cooks themselves Daley of River Forest. (using more spices than their She attended St. Luke Cathomom ever used). lic School and Trinity High She maintained lifelong School in River Forest, and friendships with women she graduated with a degree in somet in grade school, high school cial work from St. Mary’s Coland college. The Daley family lege in South Bend, Indiana. reunion was hosted for several In 1949, she married John decades on the grounds of RoClark, also of River Forest. sary College/Dominican UniverThey’d met when they were 6 sity (the Sinsinawa connection years old, after the Clark family again). An active tennis player JANE CLARK moved across the street from when she was young, she rethe Daley family on Lathrop newed her passion for the game Avenue in River Forest. They were married as her children grew older, and she played for 57 years, until John died in 2006. every summer until she was 90. Their guiding lights were family, faith, Jane is survived by her children, Thom friends, and social justice. Jane had a spe- (Jean), Mary Joan (Daniel) Murray, Jim cial affinity with the Dominican Sisters of (Anne), Stephen (Cynthia), Sally (John) Sinsinawa, who taught her at St. Luke, en- Arden, Teresa (Tom) Naughton, Paul, Matt tertained her at Camp WeHaKee for Girls in (Melissa), and Daniel (Sarah); her grandWisconsin, and welcomed her sister Anne children, Susan, Peter, Tommy, Michael, into their community. John, Hannah, James, Geoffrey, Molly, Sean, The Clarks were longtime members of Daniel, Mary, Emily, Samuel, Grace, Patrick, St. Luke. She was active in the school and Maggie, Elizabeth, Robbie, and the late Rechurch, especially in the Peace and Justice becca, Jennifer, Joseph, Peter, Theresa and Committee and became one of the parish’s Margaret; her great-grandchildren, Teafirst women Eucharistic ministers in the gan; Kian, James, Margaret, Peter, Stuart, 1970s, helping to establish the lay-led Minis- Esme, Benjamin, Margaret; and her sisters, try of Care, a role she fulfilled with dedica- Gert, Claire, and Joan (her sisters Margaret, tion into her 90s. Elizabeth, Patricia, and Anne preceded her Over the decades, she was an active mem- in death). ber of several social justice and churchBecause of the coronavirus pandemic, serrelated groups, including CANA, the vices will be private. A public celebration of Christian Family Movement, the Catholic her life will be held later this year. The famInterracial Council, Catholic Council on ily extends their gratitude for the wonderful Working Life, National Council of Laity, care that Jane received at Park Place, ElmCall to Action, Oak Park-River Forest Citi- hurst, in the last months of her life. zens Committee for Human Rights, Sarah’s In lieu of flowers, please send donations Inn, Deborah’s Place, and United Power for to the Dominican Sisters of Sinsinawa, Peace and Justice. The Clarks were also Sinsinawa, WI, www.sinsinawa.org; Miseriinvolved in the early days of the organi- cordia Home, Chicago, www.misericordia. zations now known as Housing Forward com; or St. Luke Parish, River Forest, www. and Beyond Hunger and hosted meetings stlukeparish.org. For funeral info, call for many of these groups in their home in Drechsler, Brown & Williams, 708-383-3191.
Devoted to family, faith & social justice
Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM
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ILOVE LOCAL April 11-18, 2020 Support Our Local Businesses BUY Carryout, Delivery, Giftcards, Virtual Classes, etc... Maintain Memberships, Schedule future appointments & more
we can do this together.
oprfchamber.org
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Now is the time to support local business! For a list of local restaurants offering Pick-up and Delivery options go to: OakPark.com/News/Articles/4-2-2020/It’s-Time-to-Order-In/
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Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
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FOOD SERVICE WORKER – TEMPORARY FT SUMMER The Hephzibah Children’s Association Summer Day Care program is accepting applications for a Food Service Worker to be a full time seasonal employee in our program that runs from June 8th through August 14th. The days and hours are Monday through Friday, from 7:30 am to 2:30 pm.
Computer Science Teacher (Chicago, IL) Dsgn, write & use lesson plans; teach Comp Sci to middle school &/or high school students; implmt appropriate instructional & learning strategies, activities, materials & eqpmt; prep students for comp sci/technology rltd competitions & standardized tests; coord school technology fairs &/or extracurricular activities as assigned; produce formal & informal testing; provide input on book, eqpmt & material selection; gather, manage & maintain all reports, records & other docs reqd. Master’s deg in Comp Sci, or Comp Engg + at least substitute teaching license in Illinois State req. M-F, 40 hrs/wk. Send resume (only by mail) to Michael KURAN, Chicago Math and Science Academy, 7212 N Clark St, Chicago, IL 60626.
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SUMMER PART TIME SEASONAL HELP The Hephzibah Children’s Association Summer Day Care Program is accepting applications for the following part time seasonal opportunity in our summer program that runs from June 8th through August 14th. Youth Development Specialist – Greeter: Two-hour shifts Monday through Friday from either 7:30-9:30 am or 4:00-6:00 pm. Provide care and supervision of the children. Responsibilities include supervising indoor and outdoor free play, greeting and welcoming parents and children and serving snack. Requirements include H.S. diploma or equivalent and experience working with children. Contact: Amy O’Rourke – Director of Day Care at: aorourke@hephzibahhome.org Equal Opportunity Employer.
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The Forest Park Public Library has set up a phone line to assist Forest Park. Give us a call to talk with library staff. We can help you get a virtual library card, assist with library resources, connect you with job/ business resources, and much more. Call 708-366-7171 Monday – Friday 11 am – 5 pm Or leave a message at any time. More info at fppl.org.
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OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT DOWNTOWN OAK PARK SUBLEASE We are looking to sublease our beautiful, spa-like ofďŹ ce. Our ofďŹ ce is already set up and is available for sublease in downtown Oak Park. This ofďŹ ce is perfect for a physician, anesthetist, masseuse, and/or acupuncturist. Space is available immediately. Please contact us for pricing and to schedule a tour of the ofďŹ ce. Ask for NikI. 708-613-4417 Nikimoreno33@gmail.com THERAPY OFFICES FOR RENT Therapy ofďŹ ces for rent in north Oak Park. Rehabbed building. Nicely furnished. Flexible leasing. Free parking. Free wiďŹ ; Secure building; Friendly colleagues providing referrals. Shared waiting room; optional Conference. Call or email with questions. Shown on Sundays. Lee 708.383.0729 drlmadden@ameritech.net SELLING YOUR HOME BY OWNER? Call Us For Advertising Rates! 708/613-3333
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PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING Attention: Parents of Home-Schooled Students On Monday, May 11, 2020 at 9 am, Forest Park Schools District 91 will conduct a meeting via Zoom.us. The purpose of the meeting will be to discuss the district’s plans for providing special education services to students with disabilities who attend private schools and home schools within the district for the 2020-21 school year. If you are the parent of a homeschooled student who has been or may be identified with a disability and you reside within the boundaries of Forest Park Schools District 91, you are urged to attend. You can join the meeting by emailing Michelle Hopper at mhopper1@ fpsd91.org for the Zoom link. If you have further questions pertaining to this meeting, please contact Michelle Hopper, Director of Special Education, at (708) 366-5742 or at mhopper1@fpsd91.org. Published in Forest Park Review 4/15/2020
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PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
NOTICE TO BIDDERS AND INVITATION FOR BIDS VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD 2020 SIDEWALK IMPROVEMENTS PROJECT RECEIPT OF BIDS The Village of Brookfield will receive sealed proposals for the 2020 Sidewalk Improvements Project until 11:00 A.M. Central Time, Wednesday, April 29, 2020, at the Office of the Village Manager. Bids will be opened and read in the Edward Barcall Hall in the Municipal Building, located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois, on Wednesday, April 29, 2020, at 11:00 A.M., Central Time. The Project includes the removal and replacement of approximately 9,700 square feet of sidewalk and other related work. CONTRACT DOCUMENTS Specifications and bid forms may be obtained from the Edwin Hancock Engineering Company at 9933 Roosevelt Road, Westchester, Illinois 60154, upon payment of a non-refundable charge of Thirty Dollars ($30.00) per set of bidding documents. No bidding documents will be issued after 4:30 P.M. on Friday, April 24, 2020. Bid proposals must be submitted on the forms provided. Submission of a bid shall be conclusive assurance and warranty that the bidder has examined the plans, the site of the work and the local conditions affecting the contract and understands all of the requirements for performance of the work. The bidder will be responsible for all errors in its proposal resulting from failure or neglect to conduct an in-depth examination. The Village of Brookfield will, in no case be responsible for any costs, expenses, losses or changes in anticipated profits resulting from such failure or neglect of the bidder. The bidder shall not take advantage of any error or omission in the plans or proposal. Sealed envelopes or packages containing bids shall be addressed to the Village Manager and plainly marked “Village of Brookfield - 2020 Sidewalk Improvements Project” on the outside of the envelope.
QUESTIONS, CHANGES, CLARIFICATION Any questions that arise must be made in writing and shall be directed by electronic mail to the Timothy C. Wiberg, Village Manager, Village of Brookfield at twiberg@brookfieldil. gov. The written questions, along with the Village’s response, shall be circulated to all known potential bidders without identifying the party submitting the questions. The cutoff for receipt of additional questions shall be 12:00 Noon, Central Time on Monday, April 27, 2020, in order to facilitate preparation of any addenda. No inquiry received after that time will be given consideration. Replies and/or addenda will be mailed and faxed to all known potential contractors by 4:00 P.M., Central Time on April 28, 2020. Receipt of any addenda must be acknowledged in writing as part of the Bidder’s Proposal. Bidders shall be responsible for ensuring that they have received any and all addenda. The Village of Brookfield shall not assume responsibility for the receipt by the Bidder of any addenda. BID SECURITY Each proposal shall be accompanied by a proposal guaranty in the form of a bid bond, executed by a corporate surety company, a bank cashier’s check or a certified check payable to the “Village of Brookfield” for not less than five percent (5%) of the amount of the proposal. The proposal guaranty checks of all, except the two responsive, responsible proposers which the Village determines in its sole discretion to be the proposers with whom the Village desires to commence negotiations for a contract, will be returned after the proposals have been checked and tabulated. The proposal guaranty checks of the two responsive, responsible proposers will be returned after the contract and the contract bond of
the successful proposer have been properly executed and approved. Bid bonds will not be returned. RIGHT TO REJECT BIDS The Village of Brookfield reserves the right to waive technicalities and to reject any and all proposals for any reason deemed in the best interest of the Village of Brookfield. AWARD OF CONTRACT Unless all bids are rejected, the contract award will be made to the lowest responsive responsible bidder that the Village of Brookfield in its sole discretion determines to be in the best interest of the Village. In determining who the lowest responsive, responsible bidder is, the Village of Brookfield will consider all factors that it, in its discretion, deems relevant in determining who the lowest responsive responsible bidder is. LEGAL REQUIREMENTS The general prevailing rate of wages in Cook County, Illinois, for each craft or type of worker or mechanic needed to execute the contract or perform the work, also the general prevailing rate for legal holiday and overtime work, as ascertained by the Illinois Department of Labor, shall be paid for each craft or type of worker needed to execute the contract or to perform the work. Work performed under this contract shall be in accordance with Illinois Prevailing Wage Act (Illinois Compiled Statutes, Ch. 820, Act 130, Sections 1-12), Employment of Illinois Workers on Public Works Act (Illinois Compiled Statutes, Ch. 30, Act 570, Sections 1-7), Drug Free Workplace Act (Illinois Compiled Statutes, Ch. 30, Act 580, Sections 1-11). Village of Brookfield, Illinois _____________________________ Timothy C. Wiberg, Village Manager
Published in Landmark 4/15/2020
NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Driver Ed Fee Increase The Board of Education of Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 will hold a virtual public hearing on Thursday, April 23, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. The purpose of said hearing will be to receive written public comments on a proposed driver education fee increase and to allow the District to charge a maximum driver education fee of $250 for the 2020-2021 school year. To submit a comment for the Driver Ed Fee Increase, go to: https://forms. gle/1uG2W5Bemwyw3yGRA. Comments should be submitted by 5:30 p.m. on April 23, 2020 in order to have them read at the Board meeting. To join the webinar Board Meeting, go to: https://zoom.us/j/130997818 or telephone in U.S.: 1-312-6266799 and enter Webinar ID: 130997-818. Published in Wednesday Journal 4/15/2020
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PUBLIC NOTICES NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING Driver Ed Fee Waiver The Board of Education of Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 will hold a virtual public hearing on Thursday, April 23, 2020, at 7:30 p.m. The purpose of said hearing will be to receive written public comments on a renewal of a proposed waiver application to allow the District to charge a maximum driver education fee of $250 and for a percentage of District personnel salaries and/or benefits to be included in the calculation of this fee. To submit a comment for the Driver Ed Fee Waiver, go to: https://forms.gle/ mYPtoZJyFPRJVf2J6. Comments should be submitted by 5:30 p.m. on April 23, 2020 in order to have them read at the Board meeting To join the webinar Board Meeting, go to: https://zoom.us/j/130997818 or telephone in U.S.: 1-312-626-6799 and enter Webinar ID: 130-997-818. Published in Wednesday Journal 4/15/2020
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION SELENE FINANCE LP Plaintiff, -v.LARSENIA HORTON, NEIL SMITH, ASSURANCE RESTORATION & CONSTRUCTION, INC., PRAIRIE HOUSES OWNERS ASSOCIATION, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NONRECORD CLAIMANTS Defendants 18 CH 12736 14 DIVISION STREET, # 14 OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 16, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on May 20, 2020, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker Drive, CHICAGO, IL, 60606, sell at
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
REAL ESTATE FOR SALE
a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 14 DIVISION STREET, # 14, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-05-127-0480000 The real estate is improved with a brown brick, three story townhouse with an attached one car garage. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/ or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4).
If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL, 60602. Tel No. (312) 346-9088. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago IL, 60602 312-346-9088 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 267501 Attorney ARDC No. 61256 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 18 CH 12736 TJSC#: 39-8007 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose. Case # 18 CH 12736 I3149364
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Place an ad on Wednesday Classified’s Local Online Job Board. Go to RiverForest.com/classified today! Contact Mary Ellen Nelligan for more information. (708) 613-3342 classifieds@RiverForest.com
32
Wednesday Journal, April 15, 2020
OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM
Enjoy our FREE Online Workout at www.TENandFiT.com Greetings from Your Tennis and Fitness Centre Fitness Department! We hope this finds you doing well and staying healthy, as you experience this period of shelter in place. Thank you for your patience. Everyone appreciates your role in supporting a more positive outcome to a difficult situation. We miss you, our entire community at-large, and the vibrant atmosphere created by all. Although we have faith in getting back to some level of normalcy, although, it may not be soon enough for your active needs. To help you stay fit weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;d like to share trainer-led exercise demonstrations as they are made available to us.
Ellen Petrick presents Strength Workout - Kickboxing New! Strength Workout - Foam Roller
Tennis Pro Tip Our Head Tennis Pro:
John Morlidge
The Yoga Centre Presents Meg Barber - Parivrtta Trikonasana Meg Barber - Samavritti Breath Practice Meg Barber - 1 Hour Yang Yoga Hatha - Teresa Heit-Murray
Visit Facebook.com/TenandFitOakPark and Facebook.com/TheYogaCentreOakPark for more info!
We know that you will enjoy these class offerings. More to come!
301 Lake St., Oak Park (708) 386-2175
Stay Healthy at www.TENandFiT.com
266 Lake Street, Oak Park (708) 524-YOGA
Property transfers p. B10
April 15, 2020
Homes
Powered by the Oak Park Area Association of Realtors
Kitchen Talk (not Walk)
A kitchen featured on the 2018 Kitchen Walk. New Moms had to cancel the Kitchen Walk fundraiser this year but will be giving donors access to a video of local kitchen designers’ pro-tips on April 25 in exchange to a donation to New Moms.
New Moms fundraiser goes online on April 25 By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter
The Kitchen Walk is usually one of the biggest fundraisers of the years for local charity New Moms, and it is the kick-off to the spring housewalk season. In a typical year, New Moms staffers and volunteers work for months to open up 10 Oak Park and River Forest kitchens to the
public for one day of tours. This year is anything but typical and local spring housewalks have been cancelled or postponed. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the organizers of the Kitchen Walk knew the walk couldn’t go on as planned, and they decided to make lemonade out of lemons. Bonnie Andorka, New Moms’ donor relations and events manager, says that in midMarch it became abundantly clear that the walk could not take place on April 25, but the path forward took a while to discern. Organizers considered postponing the walk until a later date, but they realized the future wasn’t clear enough to put a date on
Photo courtesy of Mark Wright Photography
the calendar. New Moms, an organization that employs a two-generation approach to helping young parents with family support, job training and housing, also relies on the roughly $60,000 that the Kitchen Walk brings in every year, so they couldn’t simply abandon the spring fundraiser. Rather than turn the walk into a virtual tour of the 10 already selected kitchens for 2020, Andorka and team created the first-ever Kitchen Talk. The homes selected for the Kitchen Walk 2020 will be featured in 2021. For the Kitchen Talk fundraiser, New Moms is asking friends of the Kitchen Walk and New Moms supporters to make a donation to
New Moms that will go to provide needed supports for moms and their children. Those making a donation will receive access on April 25 to a video created exclusively for New Moms, featuring a handful of local designers offering pro tips about kitchen design. The emailed video will be paired with a discount code for Bright Endeavors candles, the artfully created candles produced in New Moms’ paid job training program. Andorka notes that the past few years, kitchens on the Kitchen Walk have included a pro tip from local designers, printed on See KITCHEN WALK on page B3
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April 15, 2020 ■ Wednesday Journal/Forest Park Review
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COMING SOON!
714 Ashland Ave, River Forest 5 BR/2.1 BA, Ideally located and picture perfect, This home features updated spaces and charming details throughout its 4 levels of living space ............................................. $789,000 Shea Kiessling | 708-710-5952 Shea@cbexchange.com
1206 Forest Ave, Oak Park 4 BR/3.1 BA, Super spacious home with huge addition and bonus room above garage. Owned by an interior designer, it’s beautifully finished with everything on your wish list and more. Virtual Tours Available.................................... $865,000 Sue Canepa | 312-557-0848 Suecanepahomes@gmail.com
514 Linden Ave, Oak Park, 6 BR/3.2 BA, Prime Location! This big, beautiful estate home is waiting for you. Check out the photos & floor plans online. .................................................................................. $850,000 Sara Faust | 708-772-7910 Sara.Faust@cbexchange.com
142 S. Cuyler Ave, Unit 3, Oak Park 2 BR/1 BA, Sun-drenched third floor unit in fabulous Oak Park location, chock full of designer upgrades and vintage touches. In-unit W/D plus individual HVAC. ............. $179,000
1108 Rossell Ave, Oak Park 5 BR/2.1 BA, A wonderful place to call home! English Tudor offers light-filled, spacious rooms and loads of charm. .......... .................................................................................. $565,000
7509 Madison Street, Unit 3C 2 BR/2 BA, Amazing location for this loft condo in an intimate building with in-unit washer/dryer and balcony. .................................................................$235,000
Monica Klinke | 708-612-3031 Monica.Klinke@cbechange.com
Kirstin Gloor | 708-351-8977 Kirstin.Gloor@cbexchange.com
Lisa Andreoli and Meredith Conn 708-557-9546 or 708-743-6973 TeamGo2Girls@gmail.com
555 Edgewood Place, River Forest New Price! 4 BR/2.2 BA Stately Tudor on an oversized lot. Over 3,600 sq ft, 2 wood burning fireplaces and hardwood floors throughout. ..................................................... $989,000
Andrea “Bonnie” Routen | 708-544-8440 Andrea.bonnie@cbexchange.com
Margie Bidinger | 708-257-7617 Margie.bidinger@cbexchange.com
Nancy Leavy | 708-209-0070 Nancy.leavy@cbexchange.com
Patty Melgar Hooks | 708-261-2796 patty.melgarhooks@cbexchange.com
Stephanie Eiger | 708-557-0779 Stephanie.Eiger@cbexchange.com
Lewis Jones | 574-527-1743 lewis.jones@cbexchange.com
Sandi Graves | 708-752-6540 sgraves@cbexchange.com
COLDWELLBANKERHOMES.COM Oak Park 114 N. Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park | 708.524.1100 The property information herein is derived from various sources that may include, but not be limited to, county records and the Multiple Listing Service, and it may include approximations. Although the information is believed to be accurate, it is not warranted and you should not rely upon it without personal verification. Real estate agents affiliated with Coldwell Banker Realty are independent contractor sales associates, not employees. ©2020 Coldwell Banker Realty. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Realty fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Owned by a subsidiary of NRT LLC. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Realty LLC.
B2 View more at OakPark.com/Real-Estate ■ April 15, 2020
KITCHEN WALK Designers pivot from page B1 cards throughout the kitchens. “People have really been loving the design pro tips, so we decided to make that the focus of our fundraiser,” Andorka said. Local designers, who Andorka says walk regulars will recognize from their work on previous walks. The designers will create videos of their tips, and New Moms will bring all of the videos together for one longer video that it will email to donors on April 25. Andorka says the designers already are coming through. One designer created a video in a kitchen she is currently working on. Her clients moved out during a renovation, so she was able to safely create a video in her kitchen project in progress. Oak Park-based designer Denise Hauser, whose designs have been featured on numerous walks, is also at work on a video. Hauser notes the video concept is a great way to reach out to supporters. “People really come to the walk to see beautiful spaces, but they also love to get pointers and ideas for what they can do in their own homes,” Hauser said. “Sometimes they like to see a more approachable space.” One of Hauser’s designs was slated to be on the 2020 walk. That project will be held over for 2021, and she notes that it will appeal to local homeowners. “In Oak Park and River Forest, we are al-
ways challenged by space,” Hauser said. “These older kitchens weren’t meant to be what we use them for today. They were just servants’ quarters in the back of the house.” Part of her video will address retaining an older home’s architectural integrity while modernizing spaces like the kitchen for utility. One way she likes to do that is by bringing some of the interior architectural details from the rest of the house into the kitchen area. Hauser will also address a few trends in kitchen design that she saw on her visits to markets and design shows prior to virus shutdowns. “One big trend is that minimalistic design is transitioning to maximalist design,” Hauser said. Along those same lines, she says color is coming back in a big way. “I went to the Architectural Digest show and saw turquoise and coral ranges,” Hauser said. “Color was everywhere. We’re seeing more patterns replacing the clean lines of the past.” She says one enduring trend is the importance of creating community in your kitchen. While our lives might revolve more and more around technology, she says people are looking to connect with others in their kitchens. Most of her projects entail creating a point of connection, like a big island or a place in the kitchen where families can gather. At the end of the day, that sense of community is what New Moms is hoping to build in its mission to help young mothers create homes for their families and in the
Photo provided
A kitchen designed by Rebekah Zaveloff of KitchenLab Interiors. Professional video tips on kitchen design that can be accessed on April 25 with a donation to New Moms. community through fundraisers like the Kitchen Talk. “We are so grateful for our sponsors like Maria Cullerton of Gagliardo Realty, Network it Easy, MKB Architects and Forest Park National Bank & Trust who stuck with us,” Andorka said. “So many of our designers have been so generous and kind. We’re pivoting and trying to think creatively, and their support is so meaningful.” Donations and access to the Kitchen Talk can be found at newmoms.org/donate-tokitchen-talk-for-exclusive-designer-pro-tips. A donation of $45 covers the cost of one
Kitchen Talk ticket. A $100 donation provides two move-in kits for families, while a donation of $187.25 provides rent assistance to families struggling to pay rent. A $250 donation helps New Moms maintain a stable budget. Andorka says that the community response in the first day after the email blast announcing Kitchen Talk have been heartening, and she hopes people will continue to sign up and support New Moms. “We have such a loyal following for our Kitchen Walk,” Andorka said. “It’s really great to see people jump in and support us in this new format.”
We’re here for you. The Navigation Group has had the honor of serving the Oak Park community for over 25 years. Now, more than ever, our community needs all of our outpouring help. With the help of Compass Cares, we are able to give back to the communities that have supported us. Compass Cares empowers agents to support meaningful causes with each transaction right where it counts most: at home.
Steve Nasralla
Joelle Venzera
Adriana Laura Cook
Real Estate Broker
Real Estate Broker
Real Estate Broker
708.466.5164
708.297.1879
312.497.2044
The Navigation Group is a team of Real Estate agents affiliated with Compass. Compass is a licensed Real Estate broker and abides by federal, state and local Equal Housing Opportunity laws. If your property is currently listed with another broker, this mailer is not solicitation for business. 1643 N Milwaukee Ave, Chicago, IL.
April 15, 2020 ■ Wednesday Journal/Forest Park Review
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189 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 (708) 386-1400
HomesInTheVillage.com
Featured Listings for This Week Oak Park $517,000 Multi Unit Laurie x186
Forest Park $495,000 4BR, 3.1BA Laurie x186
Oak Park $428,800 4BR, 2BA Kyra x145
Oak Park $299,000 3BR, 1.1BA Patti x124
Oak Park $293,000 3BR, 2BA Jane x118
Berwyn $269,900 3BR, 2BA Maria x117
Oak Park $174,000 1BR, 1BA Harry x116
Oak Park $166,900 2BR, 1BA Jane x118
Berwyn $229,000 2BR, 1BA Maria x117
Oak Park $143,500 1BR, 1BA Kris x101
Oak Park $149,800 2BR, 1.1BA Kyra x145
Erika Villegas,
Oak Park $115,000 1BR, 1BA Elissa x192
Properties of The Week
838 Fair Oaks Ave Oak Park 5BR, 3.2BA....$574,900 Marion x111
5251 S Kildare Chicago 4BR, 2BA.....$289,000 Marion x111
Managing Broker/Owner
Mike Becker
Laurie Christofano
Marion Digre
Morgan Digre
Ed Goodwin
Leticia Cruz
Jane McClelland
Sharon O’Mara
Elissa Palermo
Kyra Pych
Maria Rodriguez
Linda Rooney
Kris Sagan
Patti Sprafka-Wagner
Harry Walsh
B4 View more at OakPark.com/Real-Estate ■ April 15, 2020
WE’RE BY YOUR SIDE 712 W Buena Ave | Chicago $1,395,000 Steve Green
630 N East Ave | Oak Park $1,099,00 Catherine Simon-Vobornik
703 N East Ave | Oak Park $1,080,000 Patricia McGowan
1201 N Kenilworth | Oak Park $895,000 Keller Group Chicago
1000 Fair Oaks | Oak Park $850,000 Lloyd Behrenbruch
725 Belleforte Ave | Oak Park $799,000 Anne Ferri & Lynn Scheir
1201 N Ridgeland | Oak Park $580,000 Sandra Dita Lopez
1115 Rossell Ave | Oak Park $560,000 Saretta Joyner
547 N Ridgeland | Oak Park $505,000 Catherine Simon-Vobornik
1115 Home Ave | Oak Park $479,900 Patricia McGowan
828 Woodbine | Oak Park $475,000 Liz Eder
303 Gale Ave | River Forest $460,000 Bethanny Alexander
1207 Rossell Ave | Oak Park $449,000 Catherine Simon-Vobornik
814 Wenonah Ave | Oak Park $444,000 Sandra Dita Lopez
843 N Euclid Ave | Oak Park $439,000 Ed Bellock
318 S Cuyler Ave | Oak Park $425,000 Keller Group Chicago
1228 Scoville Ave | Berwyn $420,000 Edward Tovar
3720 East Ave | Berwyn $339,000 Steve Green
622 Grove Ln | Forest Park $320,000 Swati Saxena
1118 Washington 1A | Oak Park| $295,000 Hughes Home Team
Baird & Warner Oak Park/River Forest | 1037 Chicago Ave. Oak Park, IL 60302 | 708.697.5900 | oakpark.bairdwarner.com Source: BrokerMetrics® LLC, 1/1/2019 - 12/ 31/2019Detached and Attached only. Chicagoland PMSA
April 15, 2020 ■ Wednesday Journal/Forest Park Review
B5
FOREST PARK
2 BR, 2.1 BA ..................................$312,000 Michael O’Neill & Bridget O’Neill 708-267-8995 or 312-337-0200
OAK PARK
OAK PARK
OAK PARK
Beautiful unit in one of Oak Park’s most popular condominium buildings. Go to 151Kenilworth.com
This amazing newer construction townhome is in the heart of beautiful Central Oak Park! Go to 318Pennsylvania.com
2 BR, 2 BA ..................................................................................................................... $180,000
4 BR, 2.2 BA ..................................$700,000
Steve Scheuring • 708-369-8043
4 BR, 3.1 BA .................................................................................................................. $599,000 Steve Scheuring • 708-369-8043
Greer Haseman • 708-606-8896
OAK PARK
5 BR, 4 BA .....................................$759,000 Kathy & Tony Iwersen 708-772-8040 or 708-772-8041
OAK PARK
OAK PARK
Stylish Victorian with many recent updates!
4 BR, 2.1 BA .................................................................................................................. $639,000 Kathy & Tony Iwersen 708-772-8040 or 708-772-8041
OAK PARK
5 BR, 3.1 BA ...............................$1,167,500 Kathy & Tony Iwersen 708-772-8040 or 708-772-8041
Spectacular estate home in central Oak Park designed by Tallmage & Watson.
6 BR, 5.2 BA .................................................................................................................. $930,000 Steve Scheuring • 708-369-8043
Want to see your listings in Distinctive Properties? Contact Marc Stopeck at 708.613.3330 or marc@oakpark.com B6 View more at OakPark.com/Real-Estate ■ April 15, 2020
OAK PARK
6 BR, 5.1 BA ...............................$1,195,000 Greer Haseman • 708-606-8896
PLAINFIELD
4 BR, 3.1 BA ..................................$355,000 Michael O’Neill & Bridget O’Neill 708-267-8995 or 312-337-0200
OAK PARK
RIVER FOREST
Casually elegant estate home fully renovated by architect/owner with massive kitchen/great room.
Classic, well built brick Colonial with a newly renovated chefs kitchen!
6 BR, 2.5 BA ............................................................................................................... $1,250,000
4 BR, 3.1 BA .................................................................................................................. $797,000
RIVER FOREST
RIVER FOREST
Stunning French Provincial with incredible kitchen! Go to 1202William.com
Exceptionally designed, efficient and custom built house in a very walkable location!
Kevin Wood • 773-382-4310
Kathy & Tony Iwersen • 708-772-8040 or 708-772-8041
RIVER FOREST
6 BR, 5.1 BA ...............................$1,219,000 Kathy & Tony Iwersen 708-772-8040 or 708-772-8041
RIVER FOREST
7 BR, 6.1 BA ...............................$1,650,000 Kathy & Tony Iwersen 708-772-8040 or 708-772-8041
4 BR, 4.2 BA .................................................................................................................. $925,000 Steve Scheuring • 708-369-8043
5 BR, 4.1 BA ............................................................................................................... $1,650,000 Greer Haseman • 708-606-8896
Want to see your listings in Distinctive Properties? Contact Marc Stopeck at 708.613.3330 or marc@oakpark.com April 15, 2020 ■ Wednesday Journal/Forest Park Review
B7
JUST LISTED
JUST LISTED
1311 MONROE, RIVER FOREST $949,000 :: 4 BED :: 4.1 BATH
JUST CLOSED
UNDER CONTRACT
935 BONNIE BRAE, RIVER FOREST $995,000 :: 5 BED :: 3.2 BATH
JUST LISTED NEW PRICE
722 IOWA, OAK PARK $870,000 :: 5 BED :: 3.1 BATH
1023 ASHLAND, RIVER FOREST $1,299,000 :: 5 BED :: 3.2 BATH
UNDER CONTRACT
837 N MARION, OAK PARK $550,000 :: 3 BED :: 2.1 BATH
1/2-ACRE LOT
135 S SCOVILLE, OAK PARK $639,000 :: 4 BED :: 2.5 BATH
1023 PARK, RIVER FOREST $1,650,000 :: 7 BED :: 6.5 BATH
1122 FOREST, RIVER FOREST $1,219,000 :: 6 BED :: 5.5 BATH
Updated & stylish Victorian. Close to train.
Beautiful English Tudor. Exquisite home.
Gorgeous kitchen/family room. Beautiful 1/2-acre lot.
823 N ELMWOOD, OAK PARK $509,000 :: 3 BED :: 1.1 BATH
UNDER CONTRACT
931 N MARION, OAK PARK $699,000 :: 4 BED :: 3.1 BATH
ELIZABETH AUGUST • @PROPERTIES
ge Licensing ulation, 3940
ESTATE SECTION
773.610.8000 • elizabethaugust@atproperties.com
RYAN PARKS, MBA • @PROPERTIES
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
NEW PRICE
400 FOREST, OAK PARK $1,167,500 :: 5 BED :: 3.5 BATH
900 FRANKLIN, RIVER FOREST $797,000 :: 4 BED :: 3.5 BATH
1023 WENONAH, OAK PARK $759,000 :: 5 BED :: 4 BATH
Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District. Beautiful 1-acre lot.
Brick Colonial home. New kitchen & baths.
Unique Victorian in Lincoln School District. Renovated kitchen & baths.
773.387.3010 • ryanparks@atproperties.com • ryanparksrealestate.com
KATHY & TONY IWERSEN
MICHAEL MURRAY 773.230.6787 michael.murray@rate.com NmlS iD:223808. State liceNSe NumberS: il - 031.0008094 - mb.0005932. NmlS (NatioNwiDe mortgage liceNSiNg SyStem) iD 2611. il - reSiDeNtial mortgage liceNSee - illiNoiS DepartmeNt of fiNaNcial & profeSSioNal regulatioN, 3940 N raveNSwooD *MRED, LLC, based on closed sales data, 1/1/2019-12/31/2019 . **Career sales from MRED, LLC (04/02 - 12/19). †Buyers represented by Elizabeth August and/or Ryan Parks.
708.772.8040 708.772.8041 tonyiwersen@atproperties.com
House Hunting? Find a Realtor. Find a home. Get a list of Open Houses. Every week, every day in
B8 View more at OakPark.com/Real-Estate ■ April 15, 2020
Success
LIVE Online Open House Tours
(suk’sess) noun. A favorable result, the gaining of wealth or fame, a successful thing.
Tom Carraher redefines the essence of real estate service.
See houses and ask questions in real time
The achievement of success has most often been neglected by those who would compromise and settle for second-best.
Sunday, April 19, 2020 ADDRESS
LISTING PRICE
OFFICE
ONLINE LOCATION
TIME
1201 N Ridgeland Ave, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $580,000 ......................... Baird & Warner Oak Park River Forest......................Facebook.com/BuyinBerwyn . . . . . . .Thurs 4/16 • 4:30-5pm
...unless you select the uncompromising real estate services of Tom Carraher. The successful choice in real estate.
1180 S Elmwood Ave, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $250,000 ...............................................BHHS Chicago ......................................Facebook.com/theATMteam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sun • 1pm 1215 Park Dr, Melrose Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $449,000 ...............................................BHHS Chicago ..................................................................................................................................... Facebook.com/Donna-Serpico-at-Berkshire-Hathaway-HomeServices-Chicago-604383346648069/. . . . . . Sun • 12pm 7722 Westwood Dr, Elmwood Park . . . . . . . . . . . . $399,777 ...............................................BHHS Chicago ............................Facebook.com/jonreithproperties/ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sun • 12pm
Call Tom Carraher at 708-822-0540 to achieve all of your real estate goals.
1116 Hayes Ave, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $439,000 ...............................................BHHS Chicago ........................................ Facebook.com/teamkohut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sun • 12pm 1116 Hayes Ave, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $439,000 ...............................................BHHS Chicago ...............................................Instagram: CoryKohut . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sun • 12:30 pm 839 N. Lombard Ave, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $315,000 ...............................................BHHS Chicago ........................................ Facebook.com/teamkohut . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sun • 1pm 839 N. Lombard Ave, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $315,000 ...............................................BHHS Chicago ...............................................Instagram: CoryKohut . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Sun • 1:30 pm 7660 Wilcox St, Forest Park . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $599,980 ...............................................BHHS Chicago .........................................facebook.com/thegbteam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sun • 1pm
Tom Carraher
This Directory brought to you by
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mrgloans.com
Providing financing for homes in Oak Park and surrounding communities since 1989. Conventional, FHA, and Jumbo mortgages Free Pre-approvals
7544 W. North Avenue Elmwood Park, IL 708.452.5151
Mortgage Resource Group is an Illinois Residential Mortgage Licensee. NMLS # 207793 License # 1031
7375W. West NorthAve. Avenue 7375 North River Forest, Illinois 60305 River Forest 708.771.8040 708.771.8040
http://tomcarraher.realtor.com
April 15, 2020 ■ Wednesday Journal/Forest Park Review
B9
P R O P E R T Y
Oak Park home sells for $998,500
T R A N S F E R S
The following property transfers were reported by the Cook County Recorder of Deeds in January 2020. Where addresses appear incomplete, for instance where a unit number appears missing, that information was not provided by the recorder of deeds.
OAK PARK ADDRESS
PRICE
SELLER
BUYER
304 Clinton Ave 601 S Maple Ave 929 Fair Oaks Ave 831 S Harvey Ave 423 N Kenilworth Ave 226 Home Ave 240 Chicago Ave 231 S Grove Ave 1038 Wisconsin Ave 718 N Elmwood Ave 834 Gunderson Ave 513 Madison St 714 N Lombard Ave 408 N Lombard Ave 235 S Marion St 1172 S Ridgeland Ave 1032 Pleasant St 637 Clarence Ave 826 Wenonah Ave 614 Belleforte Ave 815 Hayes Ave 719 N Oak Park Ave 100 Bishop Quarter Ln 100 Bishop Quarter Ln 107 S Euclid Ave 400 N Maple Ave 728 S Euclid Ave 1223 Edmer Ave 946 N Lombard Ave 625 Gunderson Ave 1142 Wesley Ave 1120 W Thomas St 105 933 N Oak Park Ave 1032 S Highland Ave 616 S Highland Ave 1135 Schneider Ave A4 1135 Schneider Ave B3 1108 N Harvey Ave 228 S Maple Ave 1158 S Maple Ave 415 S East Ave 169 N Grove Ave 5B 110 S Humphrey Ave 116 N Austin Blvd 1161 818 Erie Ct 3E 1140 S Oak Park Ave
$998,500 $980,000 $925,000 $920,000 $840,000 $787,500 $680,000 $610,000 $605,000 $560,000 $555,000 $552,000 $535,000 $510,000 $500,000 $499,000 $480,000 $460,000 $440,000 $425,500 $425,000 $406,000 $400,000 $400,000 $399,000 $390,000 $386,000 $375,000 $370,000 $350,000 $322,000 $320,000 $300,000 $300,000 $299,000 $280,000 $265,000 $255,000 $253,500 $252,500 $250,000 $248,500 $238,000 $221,000 $209,500 $201,500
Baronger Dev Llc U&i Rental Llc Whitlock Sarah T 831 S Harvey Llc Gold Lawrence L Tr Papier Alan Ao Universal Llc Seuffert Edward Se Const Dev Llc Master Series Morrow James D Van Trease Shawna L Gilchrist David W Tr 714 N Lombard Llc Lamb Simon Wallace Sally A Tr Wicklow Dev Grp Llc Jsg Rontano Prop Llc Zeegar Llc Jacobson Jeffrey Milos Rebecca Tr Thompson Mary Ellen Vogel Ralph K Tr Cartus Fin Corp Dahl Jeffrey Van Liedekerke Robert J Ameriprise Natl Trust Bk Tr Kuner Richard A Tr Graefe Anthony S Powers Kelly L Huber Jerome P Bartzen Nicholas Newton Keith O Schutter Richard J Tr Liles Curtis Hooker Joan Tr Mccarthy Andrew Blicharz Sebastian M Hitzler Joseph Extr Rega Daniel Adm Mcgrath Jefrrey E Tr Tyszko Jason A Tr Us Bk Us Bk Citigroup Mtg Loan Trust 2015-Rp2 Brown Lee Merry Amici Prop Grp Llc
Huang Wayne Rush Oak Pa5Rk Hospital Inc Powell Jordan Mccall Jeffery L Seals Fakih S Keenan Matt Ke Cs Holdings One Llc Palma Ann C Baric Abby C Berta Joshua R Stewart Claire Silverstein David A Tr Hartog Brian K Den Bartzen Nicholoas Z Carr Michael P Trust Bates Megan Aranda Maria Niemuth Ryan Thompson David Allen Iv Meyer Diane L Worringer Eric R Siebeneck Luke B Budd Karen Cartus Fin Corp Worrall David Desmarais-Leder Jacque Dai Chunfang Hartsfield David Kenneth Peyton Matthew Jason Du Joyce Carrillo Alexander T Brock Candice Zawissza Andrew D Oshaughnessy Kathleen M Fermi-Crawford Brando Howard April Perugini Frank Balzer Michael Sundar Bethany Fisher Lockwood Trevor C Henke Gillian Dure Lisa International Dev Grp Llc Vaughn Demetria D Fox Nora Dyoco Kimberly A
B10 View more at OakPark.com/Real-Estate â&#x2013; April 15, 2020
304 Clinton Ave., Oak Park
OAK PARK ADDRESS
PRICE
SELLER
BUYER
922 North Blvd 804 922 North Blvd 808 922 North Blvd 805 922 North Blvd 701 922 North Blvd P63 922 North Blvd 708 922 North Blvd MANY 922 North Blvd 501 922 North Blvd 801 1131 S Elmwood Ave 922 North Blvd 605 922 North Blvd 305 922 North Blvd 204 922 North Blvd P32 922 North Blvd 505 922 North Blvd 504 922 North Blvd 508 922 North Blvd 408 922 North Blvd 601 922 North Blvd 604 1126 N Taylor Ave 1227 N Lombard Ave 922 North Blvd 401 922 North Blvd 405 922 North Blvd 308 922 North Blvd 404 922 North Blvd 208 922 North Blvd 201 922 North Blvd 301 922 North Blvd 304 922 North Blvd 205
$196,000 $188,000 $185,000 $184,500 $182,500 $182,500 $181,500 $180,500 $180,000 $180,000 $179,500 $178,500 $177,500 $176,000 $175,550 $175,500 $175,500 $175,500 $175,000 $175,000 $175,000 $175,000 $174,500 $174,000 $173,000 $173,000 $172,500 $172,500 $172,000 $172,000 $171,500
Bohlander Christopher W Galloway Curtis E Roberts John Cantalupi Donna M Tr Koneru Veerabhadra Rao Jovan Constantine J Feldman Laura J Lyles Jean C Gibbons Robert J Tr Crawford Allan Brinkman Paul G Turner Daphne P Family Credit Counseling Serv Inc Godinez Jose L Jr Battista Daniel A Gilley Sheri D Gestautas Daiva A Jardaneh Ali Brinkman Paul G Fowler Lorris R Taylor Antoine Adm Green Marcia L Basaric Dusko Family Credit Counseling Serv Curren Marilyn C Marbella Fidencio Johanson Clayton S Tr Rogic Jelena Mccahill William F X Hernandez Rafael Grocholska Jolanta
Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd L P Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd L P Goldman Inv 922 Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd L P Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Pl Goldman Inv 622 N Blvd Lp 52Nd Ave Llc Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd L P Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd L P Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd L P Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Hayward Wayne West S Remdl Llc Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 Goldman Inv 992 N Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 B Blvd L P Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp
P R O P E R T Y
T R A N S F E R S
OAK PARK
FOREST PARK
ADDRESS
PRICE
SELLER
BUYER
644 Lake St 2W 228 N Oak Park Ave 1BB 922 North Blvd 807 922 North Blvd 803 922 North Blvd 706 922 North Blvd 406 922 North Blvd 606 922 North Blvd 507 922 North Blvd 702 922 North Blvd P19 922 North Blvd 307 922 North Blvd 502 922 North Blvd 207 922 North Blvd 806 922 North Blvd MANY 922 North Blvd 802 922 North Blvd 202 922 North Blvd P37 922 North Blvd 607 922 North Blvd 403 926 Wesley Ave 9263 1182 S Taylor Ave 922 North Blvd 602 922 North Blvd 306 922 North Blvd 506 922 North Blvd 407 922 North Blvd 603 922 North Blvd 206 938 North Blvd 207 1020 W Washington Blvd 3C 922 North Blvd 302 922 North Blvd 503 922 North Blvd 303 922 North Blvd 203 210 N Oak Park Ave 1GG 1107 Washington Blvd 71E 337 S Maple Ave 21 537 N Marion St 922 North Blvd P24 1040 Ontario St 2H 309 Harrison St 929 S Oak Park Ave MANY 439 S Taylor St 1A 158 N Humphrey Ave
$161,000 $145,000 $144,500 $143,000 $142,500 $142,000 $141,500 $141,000 $140,500 $140,500 $139,500 $139,000 $138,500 $138,500 $138,000 $136,500 $136,500 $136,000 $135,000 $135,000 $135,000 $135,000 $134,500 $134,500 $134,500 $134,000 $133,500 $133,500 $133,000 $133,000 $132,500 $132,500 $131,000 $130,500 $130,000 $88,000 $85,000 $84,000 $2,500 Unknown Unknown Unknown Oak Park Oak Park
Duffy Daniel J Li Maria Reid Amber C Mohammad Abdel R Nomura Cory R Tr Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Winkelman Molly A Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd L P Morris Dominic Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Rifis Jennifer B Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Goodman Deborah C Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp First Midwest Bk Tr 0000000008908 Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd L P Mcmahon Sean Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Niedziela Philip Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Bonner Darryl D Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Nelson Elizabeth A Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Swanson Andrew T Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd L P Hesson Abdulah M Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Bangash Suleman Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Millennium Trust Co Llc Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Mattucci Jennifer B Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Veselack Mark R Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd L P Smith Andrew Godman Inv 922N Blvd L P Gaines Michelle Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Lahera Gingi R Kennedy Natalia Micole Saalfeld Carl H Grandview Cap Llc Oconnell Renee Tr Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Edwards Sharon D Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp S&t Llc Goldman Inv 922 Blvd Lp Payne Elizabeth Ann Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Carlson Suzette R Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Reed Linda Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Overholt Jeffrey A Pagan Robert Jessie Theresa M Sanchez Roberto C Dure Lisa Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Fleming Marianne Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Gillespie Hattie Curington Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd L P Invest-Mints Llc-Series 922 N Blvd Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Setchell Kathleen M Morgan Jacqueline Marr David J Reposh Gregory Pokrajac Laura M Emile Keram Wagener Adam J Wagener Adam J Sutherland Alfred A Sr Tr Goldman Inv 922 N Blvd Lp Judicial Sales Corp U S Bk Trust Sarahs Inn Moroney Homes Llc Judicial Sales Corp Flagstar Bk Unknown Nationstar Mtg Llc Unknown Judicial Sales Corp
1427 Jackson Ave 26 Franklin Ave 620 Lathrop Ave 920 Bonnie Brae Pl 700 Ashland Ave 142 Keystone Ave 126 Park Ave 414 Clinton Pl 604 510 Bonnie Brae Pl F3
$905,000 $620,000 $532,000 $530,000 $500,000 $405,000 $245,500 $190,000 $87,500
ADDRESS
PRICE
SELLER
BUYER
1020 Des Plaines Ave 7651 Monroe St 107 Marengo Ave 937 Circle Ave 1234 Elgin Ave 1318 Circle Ave 1010 Lathrop Ave 109 Marengo Ave 1512 Elgin Ave 816 Hannah Ave 1076 Des Plaines Ave 1527 Harlem Ave 7400 Harrison St 7248 Dixon St 7248B 140 Marengo Ave 603 7320 Dixon St 303 211 Elgin Ave 4L 1300 Circle Ave 1010 Lathrop Ave 944 Lathrop Ave 824 Beloit Ave 315 Marengo Ave 6C 300 Circle Ave 4J 7449 Washington St 408 215 Marengo Ave 6F 314 Lathrop Ave 606 7637 Jackson Blvd 7637GS 1029 Des Plaines Ave D306 1034 Lathrop Ave 839 Harlem Ave
$6,135,000 $375,000 $342,000 $341,000 $330,000 $325,000 $230,000 $230,000 $219,000 $217,000 $202,000 $200,000 $180,000 $168,500 $163,000 $160,000 $158,500 $150,000 $143,000 $135,000 $130,000 $117,000 $113,500 $85,500 $80,000 $75,000 $70,000 $55,000 Unknown Unknown
Linden House Llc Waldron Mark A Bigwood Michael C Chabot Jeffrey Talaber Frank Matticks Veronica First Intergrity Grp Inc Dms Prop Mgmt Llc Bauman Jacinda A Lockwood Sabrina Marie Amir Inv Llc Rcr Partnership Chicago Title Land Trust Co Radziszewski Peter Anderson Marcia J Tr Hoth Neil J Tr Reller Kathleen M Messina Nancy Tr Chicago Title Land Trust Co Tr Peterson Kent A Mtglq Inv L P Sparks Jerry D Adm Sharp Kevin James Thompson Calvine Federal Natl Mtg Assn Goelitz Erica Lynch Ramiro Meserschnidt Anna M Federal Home Loan Mtg Corp Intercounty Judicial Sales Corp
Cameo Concepts Ii Forest Pk Llc Two Doors Down Llc Franzen Annette Barnes Claire E 3236-42 N Keeler Llc Foreman Sean Costa Frank Nowak Michael R Hogan Katherine Mcguinness Patricia Dawson Ambour A 1527 S Harlem Llc Keen Stephanie Carrera Anna D Ochocinski Thomas Hunter Mason J Arvis Christina N Villa Sergio Sanchez First Integrity Grp Inc Peterson Ross Shepherd Sales Inc Lopez Christian Sanchez Gray Kiowa Flowers Nina Smith Basrawi Ahmad Woods Raymond Cervenka Amy E Miceli Louie Dida Re Inc Umb Bk Tr
RIVER FOREST Hjh Homes Inc Vollrath Forrest F Augustyn James D Arado Judith L Tr Meek James J Connelly John Wells Fargo Bk Tr Pedemonte Ana Tr Karwowski Christine W
Kouadio Rozel Audric Ferro Mario J Mccarthy Andrew Burns Thomas M Elsen Michael S Weiner Stewart C Koulbanski Eugeni Pitman Selena Boyd Luna Tania
April 15, 2020 â&#x2013; Wednesday Journal/Forest Park Review
B11
1338 FRANKLIN AVENUE, RIVER FOREST
1338FRANKLINAVENUE.INFO
223 GALE AVENUE, RIVER FOREST
223GALE.INFO
You will love this stately Lannon Stone Georgian that is move-in ready. Lo-
Completely updated to accommodate the way families live today, 223 Gale
cated across from Willard Park and close proximity to school. $1,000,000
is a beautiful home that exudes comfortable elegance.
LISA PASQUESI
PATTY REILLY-MURPHY
•
708.848.0200
•
lisapasquesi@atproperties.com
•
312.316.2564
•
$990,000
prm@atproperties.com
1011 SOUTH BOULEVARD
135 S SCOVILLE AVENUE, OAK PARK
135SOUTHSCOVILLE.INFO
941 LINDEN AVENUE, OAK PARK
941LINDEN.INFO
Welcome to this stylish Victorian located in central Oak Park. So many
Gorgeous over-sized brick bungalow with great floorplan in ideal north
recent updates!
Oak Park location.
$639,000
TONY & KATHY IWERSEN • 708.772.8040 • kathyiwersen@atproperties.com
RYAN PARKS
•
$559,000 773.387.3010
•
ryanparks@atproperties.com
Stop looking, start finding® atproperties.com
B12 View more at OakPark.com/Real-Estate ■ April 15, 2020