Wednesday Journal 050323

of Oak Park and River Forest

D200 board opts for no referendum

Unanimous decision on nancing OPRF’s Project 2

By BOB SKOLNIK

Contributing Reporter

“No new taxes.”

That was the explanation given by Tom Cofsky, president of the school board at Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200, as the school board voted unanimously Thursday evening, April 27, on a funding plan for Imagine Project 2 that does not require a referendum vote.

Solemnly Sworn

Project 2 is the school’s nearly $102 million plan to demolish and rebuild the southeast portion of the OPRF building on Scoville Avenue. Instead of asking voters in a referendum for permission to sell bonds to bor row the money to pay for a portion of the project the school board accepted the administration’s recommendation to pay for Project 2 by issuing 20-year debt certificates, a type of unsecured loan that is paid back out the school’s general operating levy, as well as using cash reserves and charitable donations. Unlike debt certificates, building bonds are paid of f from a separate levy that would be a separate line item on a property tax bill.

See NO REFERENDUM on pa ge 14

MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH

WE ALL HAVE MENTAL HEALTH

Whether you are struggling with a temporary challenge or if you are living with a chronic condition, your mental health is just as important as your physical health.

50%

More than 50% of Americans will be diagnosed with a mental illness or disorder at some point in their lifetime

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

GROWING CRISIS AMONG YOUTH

America’s youth mental health crisis has been worsened by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Persistent feelings of sadness or hopelessness INCREASED

69% between 2009 and 2021 for U.S. high school students

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

INVESTING IN OUR FUTURE

The Community Mental Health Board of Oak Park Township (CMHB) and the River Forest Township Mental Health Committee invest in a continuum of mental health care that is responsive to our unique and evolving community needs. Together, we provided over $1.5M last year to help local organizations and schools offer prevention, early intervention, treatment, and quality-of-life services to Oak Park and River Forest residents. Our grants resulted in:

COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH BOARD OF OAK PARK TOWNSHIP

• Over 4,400 Oak Park residents accessing services

• Nearly 10,000 units of mental health treatment for Oak Park residents

• Over 200 educational presentations on mental health to Oak Park residents

• Over 1,000 Oak Park high school students trained in suicide prevention

In fiscal year 2023, CMHB provided over $1.4M in funding for mental health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental disability services. To learn more about our work in this area, visit oakparktownship.org/CMHB.

RIVER FOREST TOWNSHIP MENTAL HEALTH COMMITTEE

• Over 18,000 hours of services provided to River Forest residents

• Over 70 hours of educational presentations on mental health to River Forest residents

• Over 250 River Forest high school students trained in suicide prevention

In fiscal year 2023, RFT provided over $170,000 in funding for mental health, substance use, and intellectual/developmental disability services. To learn more about our work in this area, visit www.riverforesttownship.org/mhservices.asp.

HEPH Foundation sets their goal on equity

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

The HEPH Foundation wants you, and 10 percent of the community, to be involved in mobilizing STEM programs throughout Oak Park and sur rounding neighborhoods as it launches “The Ten Percent Drive,” a fundraising ef fort with the goal of raising $3 million.

Founded by Sheila and Steve Conner as a response to their son expressing frustration with math and science, the HEPH Foundation eng ages students in STEM lear ning by creating programs to draw attention and keep students lear ning. From its ince ption, the foundation has provided programs to local schools, including Oak Park and River Forest High School, and throughout the Chicagoland area through in-school, afterschool, and even pop-up events

A par tner with the Oak Park community since the star t, the foundation was the recipient of a $1.2 million grant from the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation in 2021, which is dedicated to mobilizing resources to provide a racially just society and equitable outcomes for Oak Park residents.

“The Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation is pleased to steward support for the impor tant work HEPH Foundation is doing to develop accessible and inclusive STEM programs in area schools,” said Tony Mar tine z, the foundation’s president and CEO “Steve and Sheila are passionate educators, inspiring and empowering them with tools to succeed in science and technology-based careers. The HEPH Foundation’s approach has demonstrated the potential to create greater oppor tunities for underserved populations and build a brighter educational future for all.”

The grant has allowed the Oak Park couple to lay down a strong foundation to provide services on a larger scale, something they were not able to during the COVID pandemic, despite their best ef forts.

“We didn’t have the capacity to meet the demand, we had folks here in our town, but we also had all over Chicagoland, we had folks coming from CPS, and we just could not do it,” Steve Conner said.

Prior to the grant, the foundation was able to take on approximately 120 students but since its allocation, Steve Conner said they can now provide programs to multiple schools at once, allowing for choice in programming, letting students “follow their hear t.”

“The grant went towards building the capacity, so now we are ready, but being ready is one thing, now it’s impor tant to keep it going to actually provide the value going forward,” said Steve Conner. “The grant has allowed us to take all that we have lear ned in the five years that we have been building and working with the community and making it accessible to more people.”

The grant was used to develop new programs, find instructors, and flesh out materials but moving into the next ste p and being able to meet a student’s needs while par ticipating in STEM programs, the foundation needs additional funding.

The HEPH Foundation is currently in the process of raising an additional $3 million in the next two years. The fundraising ef forts, dubbed “The Ten Percent Drive,” is a way to get at least 10 percent of people involved in STEM programs, helping drive interest into the growing field.

“In order to create a mindset shift in any community, you need 10 percent,” said Steve Conner “If you get 10 percent of them, you can shift anything. We want to get kids, the lear ners, super excited about STEM, we want them to become critical, super empowered critical thinkers. If we grab a hold of 10 percent of them and get them involved in our program… we can help them invent the future.”

The urgency behind their drive is the fast-moving world of technology and the advances made every day, which Steve Conner said moves at an “exponential rate.” With this mindset, Steve Conner hopes to be able to encourage students to dive in and

harvest their skills to keep up with changing times.

In order to be able to properly provide programs to schools, it is crucial for the foundation to be able to have adequate funding as oftentimes they provide requested programs and services and are not paid until the end of the programs

“You have to be a little bit of a float for schools because their budget and the way they work doesn’t necessarily coincide with the business cycle,” Steve Conner said. “I don’t think people are aware of that.”

“We have to be deeply resourced to fill the need,” Sheila Conner added.

Helping students develop a passion for STEM goes beyond providing a program for a few weeks, as the pair wants to ensure they give students the best experience possible and provide them with all the tools they need to succeed. The idea of providing for the whole child is one that the Conner’s believe makes a dif ference in the way students show up to lear n.

Steve Conner recalls one school outside of Oak Park, which wanted to bring a STEM program to their students but did not have a math teacher to teach it. The HEPH Foundation found someone to assist but the students still lacked transportation and showed up to a competition in their own clothes while other teams donned uniforms.

“How can they really honestly participate?” asked Steve Conner “Lear ning STEM is not just about lear ning these things, it’s about taking care of the whole child, the social and emotional component.”

As they move through the next two years and “The Ten Percent Drive,” they hope to be able to find additional community partners who align with the goal of equity and inclusion throughout all bodies of students in STEM. Along with always acce pting donations through their website, https:// www.he phfoundation.org, the foundation will be hosting an online fundraising event near Halloween time and are looking for volunteers to help make it happen. As par t of “The Ten Percent Drive,” the Conners encourage anyone who wants to be involved in fur thering students’ growth in STEM to reach out and be part of the movement towards the future.

‘The Ten Percent Drive’ hopes to fundraise $3M for STEM programs

Sheila and Steve Conner

“In order to create a mindset shif t in any community, you need 10 percent. If you get 10 percent of them, you can shif t anything.”

STEVE CONNER HEPH co -founder

Folk Music Series Performance: The Roots of Chicago Blues

Thursday, May 4, 7-8 p.m., Oak Park Public Librar y Chicago Blues Hall of Fame induc tee Donna Herula will sing and play acoustic blues slide guitar, joined by Marc Edelstein on upright bass and Tony Wittrock on acoustic guitar/mandolin. They will per form songs of the Deep South that developed into Chicago Blues. Presented in part by the generous suppor t of the Friends of the Oak Park Public Library. Register now at oppl.org/calendar. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

Speaking for Ear th: Poetr y on Climate Crisis

Tuesday, May 9, 5-6 p.m., Oak Park Public Librar y Poet Hila Ratzabi will read from her debut book of environmental poetr y, There Are Still Woods, and lead a discussion and creative writing exercise on how we can respond to the climate crisis. A representative from the Oak Park O ce of Sustainability and Resilience will share updates on local e or ts to respond to the climate crisis and invite the community to get involved. Register now at oppl org/calendar. 834 Lake St., Oak Park

Winifred Haun & Dancers

Friday, May 5, 7 p.m.; Saturday, May 6, 5:30 p.m., Unity Temple Restoration Foundation

This dance troupe will glide to the music of Barr y Bennett, per forming live. $25-40 (UTRF members receive $5 o ), 875 Lake St., Oak Park.

BIG WEEK

May 3-10

Free Comic Book Day

Saturday, May 6, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., One Stop Comics

Here’s a low- cost way to beef up that expanding comic book collec tion. Also be sure to buy some of the great comics that the store has on sale. 111 S. Ridgeland, Oak Park.

The ca se for reparations

Sunday, May 7 and 21, 9:45 a.m., First United Church of Oak Park

The Adult Education team at First United Church will host two presentations on the reparations experience in Evanston, the rst city in the countr y to implement such a program. This is a topic that should be of interest to a broad swath of residents in Oak Park and surrounding neighborhoods. Professor Kari Lydersen of Northwestern University’s journalism school has followed this stor y closely and covered it in a comprehensive piece in The New Republic. We also hope to include one or more of the Evanston leaders of the initiative, such as Robin Rue Simmons, the former city council member who launched the initiative. May 7: Planning - Researching and acknowledging the harm caused May 14: Implementation - Revitalizing, preser ving and stabilizing Black/African-American, owner- occupied homes

Stars At Any Age

Monday, May 8, 1:15-2:15 p.m., Nineteenth Centur y Charitable Association

Talented young pianists Freya Pang, Claire Rong, and Christian Gerald Esteban will be joined by concert pianist Dr. Natasha Stojanovska. Free, but a suggested donation of $15 is appreciated. 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park.

Sounds Good Choir Concer t

Saturday, May 6, 4 p.m., Pilgrim Church

Free concer t featuring a variety of selections, including the “Ukranian River Song.” Conduc ted by Linda Crabtree Powell, accompanied by Richard Sladek. 460 Lake St., Oak Park.

Music To Save The World: Shem Center Gala Concer t

Sunday, May 7, 2 p.m., St. Catherine of Siena Church

This concer t features the music of autist Jean Bacom-Detmer, organist Michael Surratt and pianist Je rey Wagner. This is the rst fundraising gala in three years due to the pandemic. Register and donate here: https://shemcenter.org/music-tosave -the -world-may-7-2023/. 38 N. Austin Blvd., Oak Park

Illinois Libraries Present: Drawing Comics With Jarrett J. Krosoczka

Saturday, May 6, 10-11 a.m., vir tually through Illinois Libraries Present

Celebrate Free Comic Book Day with New York Times bestselling author and illustrator Jarrett J. Krosoczka. This live, vir tual drawing workshop is sure to inspire the inner ar tist in ever yone. So sharpen your pencils, bring out the paper, and join us for this can’t-miss event. Register now at bit.ly/DrawwithJarrettKrosoczka.

Midnight music rocks, rouses Oak Park, Austin residents

Hundreds of calls made to police on both sides of the boulevard

By STACEY SHERIDAN Senior Reporter

Oak Park’s police department received between 350 and 400 calls across the village, reporting excessively loud music starting late Thursday night and into the early hours of Friday. Callers described the noise as “a drumming bass sound” that awakened them from their slumber and prevented them from falling back asleep.

The calls started flooding in at 11:55 p.m., April 27, finally slowing down about two hours later. Calls for the same complaint ranged from as far north as the 900 block of North Ridgeland and as far south as the area of Jackson Boulevard and Wesley Avenue, according to Oak Park spokesperson Dan Yopchick. It is unclear whether this was a coordinated effort carried out by people in multiple cars, but Yopchick said the police were seeking the source of the disturbance in multiple locations.

Oak Park police actively investigated the source of the nuisance with multiple officers responding to the calls, but the phenomenon may not have been unique to Oak Park The West Suburban Consolidated Dispatch Center reported the Chicago Police Department also received numerous calls reporting similar noise complaints along Augusta Boulevard in Chicago. Wednesday Jour nal has reached out to Chicago police for comment.

An Oak Park resident who wished to remain anonymous told Wednesday Jour nal he attempted to find the source himself, after he wasn’t able to go back to sleep. He left his home in the 100 block of North Taylor

Avenue around 12:30 a.m. and drove east on Lake Street past Central Avenue in Austin, where he said the music was getting much louder. A police officer was parked at the light in front of him.

“We both drove to that dead-end area a couple blocks east of Central where you can go right under the train viaduct, but you can’t take a left there,” said the resident.

The music seemed to be coming out of a nearby Chicago park, according to the resident. The volume of the noise could not be ignored, even from the inside of his car.

“At the risk of overstating, it was almost as if my car windows were rattling at that point,” he said.

After the officer moved slowly past the no entry sign, the resident said he moved on, tur ning right under the viaduct and then headed further east. It was then he heard the music stop.

“I headed north to Chicago Avenue and then back west toward Oak Park where it seemed like it started back up again but further away,” he said.

On his way back home, the resident sai he ran into another officer outside of One Lake Brewing, 1 Lake St. The officer, accord ing to the resident, “was stumped.”

“He thought he found it coming out a Hummer and stopped it, but as he was speaking with the driver it started again further away,” the resident said.

When the resident arrived home at about 1 a.m., he said he could still hear the musi but fainter

Grossman, head of many Oak Park depts., ready to retire

Grossman oversees building, parking, business ser vices, planning, CDBG and housing divisions

By STACEY SHERIDAN Senior Reporter

If you’ve ever had to get something done with the Village of Oak Park, chances are you’ve worked with Tammie Grossman. As director of development customer services, Grossman is one of the most publicfacing individuals on village staf f. Soon, however, she will be saying goodbye Come June 23, Grossman will be retiring, ending her tenure as an Oak Park civil servant.

“Tammie is a dynamic individual; she operates from the hear t,” said Village Manager Kevin Jackson. “I just wish I had her a little bit longer.”

Although Jackson, who became village manager in early 2022, only got to work with Grossman for a shor t period of time, Grossman’s career with the village spans 15 and a half years, three village presidents and four village managers, including

one interim.

An Oak Park resident, Grossman joined village staf f in uary 2008 as housing progr manager, having seen the listing in Wednesday Jour Prior to that, she served managing attor ney with Prairie State Le g al Services and as ecutive director of Housing tion Illinois, an af fordable housing advocacy nonprofit.

Her position with the village allowed her to be closer to home, as her youngest child was then in kindergar ten. It also gave her a more active position working for her community, although it was at times dif ficult to be on staf f and live in the village.

“I’ve always been proud to be a Village of Oak Park employee,” she said. “But it hasn’t always been easy being in residence and a high-ranking village employee because not everybody always ag rees with everything you have to do.”

Over time, Grossman’s job shifted. She took on greater duties, working as interim human resources director, as well as manager of housing and Community Development Block Grants. In January 2014, she was named director of the development

customer services, which at the an entirely new deAs development cusservices director, Grossersees the village’s business services, CDBG and housing

Her role grew fur2017, when parking was into her de par tment, making it one of the village’s most expansive.

Now, about 42 people work under Grossman. Many of those people she considers to be very close friends. She doesn’t anticipate that changing now that her time as a member of village staf f is coming to an end

“I’m sure my employees will be in my life for a long time because I’ ll stay in touch,” she said.

Her list of accomplishments as an Oak Park civil servant is considerable, but perhaps one of her biggest was moder nizing village services She conver ted the planning and permitting application processes from paper to the inter net.

“When I first star ted, we had a room that was just filled with paper plans in bins,” she said.

If someone wanted to see the plans for

a new project, the plans would have to be pulled from one of the bins. Often, several people wished to view the plans at the same time, so they would have to wait in line for hours before their tur n, according to Grossman.

When Grossman was remodeling her kitchen, before she was in c harge of the de par tment, she had to wait four weeks until her application was viewed by village staf f

Now, roughly 95% of all the village’s permit applications are approved online and all cur rent development applications can be viewed through the village’s website, making everything more org anized and efficient for staf f and the public alike

During COVID-19, she assisted the Oak Park Public Health De par tment by leading the team that sent out the invitations for vaccination clinics. Her team was responsible for ensuring the clinics ran smoothly.

For all of Grossman’s ef for ts across several dif ferent areas and multiple years, Oak Park is a “better community today,” Village President Vicki Scaman said. The village president praised Grossman’s hear t and work ethic, as well as her commitment to problem-solving.

“Oak Park will be forever in her debt,” Scaman said. “She will be sorely missed.”

Executive director leaving OPRF Chamber

Liz Holt will continue to work in the community

By STACEY SHERIDAN Senior Reporter

Graduation season has kicked off early, as three local figures have announced plans to step down from their positions in the community The latest to leave is Liz Holt, executive director of the Oak Park and River Forest Chamber of Commerce. She is departing the chamber June 30.

“I’m proud to be able to hand over such an incredible organization to a new executive director,” said Holt.

Holt has spent six years at the chamber, both as deputy and executive director She’s

seen the chamber through worst of the COVID-19 pandemi developed partnerships both village gover nments advocated for greater suppo for the small business community

“Liz has championed vision, our mission exper throughout her tenure as executive director,” said Darien on-Burton, chamber board ident. “I really am sad to see her go, but I’m also really excited for her as she embarks on the next phase of her career.”

That next phase won’t take her far from the chamber. A resident of Oak Park, Holt is joining forces with a local divorce attor ney to develop and launch a national training program for divorce attor neys looking to

clients through mediation rather than the court system. attor ney with whom Holt be working is a member of the chamber

“I’m looking forward to workwith the chamber on the other side of the fence,” Holt said.

Most recently, Holt helped ersee one of the chamber’s largest events – its community health and wellness fair The April 23 event brought in a huge crowd of attendees from over 60 zip codes, reaching far beyond the borders of Oak Park and River Forest.

She still has plenty left on the docket before her departure. A full calendar of chamber events has been planned for Pride month, including workshops for local busi-

nesses building an inclusive workplace. The chamber is also partnering with Downtown Oak Park to bring 10 fabulous drag queens to the village June 22 for a special Thursday Night Out event. Holt is “hugely chuffed” to work with Downtown Oak Park

While many chambers are still trying to recover from COVID-19 restrictions and struggling to find relevance in their communities, the OPRF chamber has been in a sustained period of growth, according to Holt. Chamber events are generating greater audience numbers and membership has risen, allowing Holt to leave the chamber in a positive position for the next executive director.

“I feel all the love for every business and every member who have supported me over the last six years, and you know I will continue to support them.”

LIZ HOLT

TAMMIE GROSSMAN

Head of Oak Park’s development partner moving on

John Lynch leaving OPEDC and returning to private sec tor

By STACEY SHERIDAN Senior Reporter

After eight years of ushering in Oak Park’s economic development, John Lynch is leaving the Oak Park Economic Development Cor poration. The OPEDC executive director will be hanging up his hat May 15 and retur ning to the private sector, but he still has a soft spot for Oak Park and the time he spent here. He’s just ready a change.

“I’ve just felt for the last few months that it was the right time for me to do something dif ferent,” he told Wednesday Jour nal.

Whether you like tall buildings or not, Lynch played a key role in giving Oak Park a modest skyline during his tenure. Since 2015, when Lynch first joined OPEDC, the agency has generated two million square

feet of new development, cording to the Village of Park.

Lynch, along with his and par tners at the village changed the landscape of Park – literally. He was instrumental in the development the Albion, a luxury complex in downtown Oak Park, among several other high-rise large-scale apar tment ings, totaling some 1,200 multifamily units.

The Albion, at the head of Forest Avenue at Lake Street, is Lynch’s favorite out of all the housing development deals he worked on.

“I will always be proud of the ef fort that it took to get the Albion project approved,”

he said. “I always believed in that project and the building has proven itself to be everything we hoped it would be.”

While Lynch called the Albion a “homerun” and beautiful inside and out, not everyone has a fondness for the building.

Before receiving village board approval in 2017, the 18-story building was criticized by several members of the community for its height and its potential impact on the adjacent Austin Gardens. The project had six meetings with the Oak Park Plan Commission, which ultimately rejected the proposal in a 5-4 vote

The majority of Lynch’s time with OPEDC was spent working alongside former village president Anan Abu-Taleb,

whose two-ter m tenure was marked by an influx of new developments and economic growth. Their collaboration strengthened the village’s par tnership with the non-profit agency.

“Cer tainly, Anan and I saw the world in a very similar way,” said Lynch. “Both of us believed that if we could justify village par ticipation in projects by long-ter m benefits that we ought to be making those investments.”

Lynch said he and Abu-Taleb worked “very, very well together,” while Abu-Taleb called Lynch a “g amechanger” for Oak Park development, praising his hard work and positivity

Their combined ef for ts saw greater density brought to the downtown area and the

JOHN LYNCH

Willard’s Little Hands reach out to senior citizens

35th Annual Big Hear t Little Hands event encourages intergenerational interaction

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

Third-graders at Willard Elementary held the school doors open as senior citizens from River Forest and sur rounding communities ar rived for a day full of smiles, perfor mances, and a tea party during the 35th Annual Big Hear ts Little Hands event at 1250 Ashland Ave.

The PTO-sponsored event has been held at River Forest’s Willard for the last 35 years, growing to become one of the community’s favorites, helping children lear n the impor tance and alue of embracing senior citizens

Rachel Dardis to a current this year’s was the first person since VID-19 pandemi which they tried navig ate by perfor mances sending goodie to senior center Being back person made year’s event special, especially since many were cut of the community ing the height pandemic for concer ns

Madonna Weldon, who passed away in 2008 after fighting cancer. In attendance was her husband Bill Weldon, who said the event is an amazing way to continue to honor her le gacy and her love for community

“She wanted to connect the kids at Willard with the older generation, with the grandparent type generation, because there is so much to lear n and so much to give,” said Bill Weldon. “Madonna’s real strength was in generating kindness and there is such kindness in our older generation and such joy and gentleness with the kids that is encouraged and embraced here at the Willard community, that is what she

memory was also honored of an eng raved silver tea service set displayed at the treats table during teatime, which followed the presentation by the first and four th grade students

MAKING

While said the event evolved to include many grandpa ents, they extend invitations to senior homes in the area, with seniors from Oak Park Ar ms, Brookdale Senior Living and The Sheridan attending this year.

“The interaction is probably my favorite part, every time they [students] sur prise you,” Dardis said. “They are just on it and eng aged and happy and excited to welcome them and it is natural for them. It’s fun to watch.”

This year, the community gathered to celebrate the founder of the event in 1988,

First graders treated the packed auditorium to a perfor mance of songs from various parts of the world including “Ev’ rybody’s Welcome,” a folk song from Tennessee, and “This Little Light of Mine,” an African American spiritual. Har riet Roberts, a 40-year resident of Oak Park, and her husband were among the grandparents invited to the event.

“Our grandson Miles is in the first grade and just last summer he and his whole family moved back so now we can participate in these wonderful events,” Rober ts said, adding her favorite part was the diversity in the perfor mances and getting to see all the kids clap along.

To make this event a whole school ef fort, Principal Diane Wood said that students touched every part of the event, from help-

ing with decorations to serving as greeters so that even the behind-the-scenes details gave students an oppor tunity to embrace the senior community

First and four th graders perfor med for attendees while pre-K and kindergar teners made colorful decorations displayed during the perfor mances. When it came to teatime, third grade students, assisted by parent volunteers, helped serve and pass out favors and flowers while seniors enjoyed baked foods made by parent volunteers and local bakeries, including Oak Park favorites Spilt Milk and the Daly Bagel.

Students enjoyed being able to interact with members of the community and had also received a few tips from teachers on how to eng age with the senior community.

Frankie Battaglia, a third-g rade student, handed out goodie bags to the seniors and said her favorite part of the event was that she got the chance to be a “little worker,” and she enjoyed putting a big smile on seniors faces.

“We are all smiling and giving eye contact when people come up,” Battaglia said.

“[It’s impor tant] so we can be nice to the seniors and show respect.”

One of the original goals of the event was to harvest a sense of inclusion for the senior community that spread beyond grandparents, in hopes of involving those who might not often be invited to participate in school events.

“What has been lovely this year in particular is the neighbors that showed up,” Wood said. “Some of them stopped to tell me specifically ‘oh we are the oldest couple on our block and a student invited us,’ or ‘we live next door to a student, and they invited us,’ so it’s nice that we are able to foster that.”

While the idea might have be gun with the late Madonna Weldon, her husband praises the community for seeing it to what it is today

“The Willard community, the educators, the staf f, the PTO, the idea lives beyond just a single person, and it has been embraced by all the community here and they have made it part of the Willard family,” Bill Weldon said.

PROVIDEDr

TEA TIME: Seniors enjoy a tea party at Willard Elementary School as part of the Big Hearts Little Hands event.

PROVIDEDr

EY E CONTAC T: ird-grader Frankie Battaglia helps pass out goodie bags to senior citizens visiting Willard School.

District 97’s Angel Fund receives 3-year grant

$50,000 annually to assist Oak Park students directly

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

The District 97 PTO has found a longstanding partner in the Good Heart Work Smart Foundation, which has pledged to continue to support the district’s Diversity Council’s Angel Fund, by allocating $50,000 yearly to assist district families who are struggling financially and meet student needs for the next three years.

While the district’s PTOs have long helped Oak Park families experiencing economic hardship, the Angel Fund was established in 2021 as a partnership between the district’s presiding PTO Council along with the Diversity Council (DivCo) with the help of the Good Heart Work Smart foundation which donated $100,000 towards its creation.

The Good Heart Work Smart Foundation was co-founded in 2005 by Mary Jo Shuler, who has long been a philanthropist in the Oak Park community and whose past donations have included funds donated by her family for the scoreboard at Oak Park and River Forest High School’s South Field.

The foundation had previously donated $100,000 in 2021 and contributed an additional $50,000 to the funds in 2022 before making the pledge to match last year’s donation for the next three years.

Angel Funds are available to families who need financial assistance for school related costs, which include clothing, toiletries, field trip fees, school supplies, and snacks amongst other for ms of assistance.

According to the PTO Council, there is a strong focus on helping students participate in academic activities during school as well as school events and traditions, along with making sure their basic needs are also being met during the school day.

“Its goal is to provide funding to individual students in need, prioritizing first

students whose families qualify for free or reduced lunch, as well as students who face socioeconomic or cultural barriers to participating fully in their school communities,” read a press release by the group.

Shuler said there is a comfort in knowing staf f will have access to Angel Funds to help students.

“I applaud the PTOC, DivCo volunteers, and staf f for their elevated focus on helping D97 students confidentially, seamlessly, and quickly to receive incidental items and support that enable our students to more fully participate in their school experience,” Shuler said in the press release.

In hopes of meeting basic needs, all families are eligible to request assistance re gardless of their free or reduced lunch status. According to the district, 20 percent of D97 students already participate in the free or reduced lunch program.

“As evidenced by the recent COVID pandemic, economic hardship due to illness or job loss can touch any family. The funds function as a safety net for families allowing students to focus on lear ning and school experiences,” said the PTOC.

D97 Superintendent Ushma Shah expressed her gratitude for the “generous” contributions by the foundation to suppo rt district students.

“This par tnership reflects our community’s strong commitment to supporting our schools and ensuring that every student has what they need to be successful,” said Shah in the press release.

While the organization is grateful for the annual pledge, they hope to continue to encourage the community to work alongside them to provide for district students and make a “broader impact.”

All donations to the Angel Fund are tax deductible and can be made to Lincoln PTO, Attn: D97 Student Angel Fund, 1111 S. Grove Av enue, Oak Park

e return of an annual wine event to bene t

Corks and Conversations is a return to the food and drink focused events that have been synonymous with e Day Nursery for decades. Join us at Trattoria 225 as we honor our sta and supporters while celebrating the continuing excellence of Oak Park’s top-quality early childhood education center.

ursday, May 11, 2023 • 7-9pm

Trattoria 225 • 225 Harrison St, Oak Park

Wine and hors d’oeuvres served •$80 per person

Rocking Horse Award Recipient: e Economy Shop

e Economy Shop was started in April 1919 by women who saw an opportunity for items no longer needed to be sold at a discount to others. ey also wanted the proceeds to go to the ve Oak Park charities at the time - including e Day Nursery. Now, more than 100 years later, these two legacy organizations remain intertwined. e Day Nursery owes a century of gratitude to e Economy Shop.

“

The funds func tion as a safety net for families, allowing students to focus on learning and school experiences.”

PTO COUNCIL

Landmarks Illinois ‘troubled’ by Pleasant Home oor removal

A call for the Park Distric t of Oak Park to be better stewards

By STACEY SHERIDAN Senior Reporter

The Park District of Oak Park continues to face a backlash over its removal of much of the original flooring at its Pleasant Home mansion. Landmarks Illinois has sent a for mal letter to the park district, criticizing the taxing body for its “inexcusable treatment” of the historic mansion and its failure to inform the Pleasant Home Foundation of its plans.

“This is not the level of stewardship or of communication that we would hope to see from an entity like the Oak Park park district,” said Kendra Parzen, Landmarks Illinois advocacy manager, in a letter addressed to Jan Arnold, the park district’s executive director.

A statewide historic preservation nonprofit, Landmarks Illinois typically looks to community advocates and organizations to serve as watchdogs of local historic structures. In the case of Pleasant Home, however, Landmarks Illinois now has its eye on the park district.

“This warrants a slightly heightened level of attention going forward,” Parzen told Wednesday Journal.

Landmarks Illinois has called on the park district to be better stewards of Pleasant Home, a National Historic Landmark, by voluntarily seeking protection of the mansion’s interior through the Village of Oak Park’s preservation commission. Doing so would necessitate the park district going through the village’s Historic Preservation Committee before making major changes to the home’s interior, as well as its exterior. This is something that the park district has not yet discussed doing, according to PDOP Executive Director Jan Arnold

Additionally, Landmarks Illinois has re-

TODD A. BANNOR

New oak ooring in historic Pleasant Home.

quested that the park district make a better ef fort to engage local experts and the Pleasant Home Foundation, a non-profit entity independent of PDOP that is dedicated to the home’s preservation. Landmarks Illinois has supported the foundation’s work in the past, awarding it preservation grants in 2007 and 2016.

Pleasant Home, completed in 1897 and designed by George W. Maher, is a prime example of early Prairie style architecture, most frequently associated with Maher’s contemporary Frank Lloyd Wright. T he park district assumed ownership of the home decades ago, making it a public property available for tours and event rentals. Tours, like preservation, f all under the foundation’s umbrella.

T he partnership between PDOP and the foundation was fractured over Easter weekend, when the park district authorized the removal of original oak flooring on the first floor of Pleasant Home – without notifying the foundation and against its wishes. T he antique floorboards were discarded in dumpsters. T he park district infor med the foundation on March 8 that the floors would merely be re paired and resurfaced. T he foundation was blindsided by the removal.

“Please know that we truly hoped the floor would live on for a few more years with some basic re pairs but due to the unf avorable condition that was just not possible,” Arnold told Wednesday Journal. “The decision to re place a section of the flooring was not one made without careful consideration or haste towards the home.”

T he park district has since apolo gized for not inform-

ing the foundation, but it maintains the original floors were unsafe. T he foundation maintains the floors could have easily been re paired, both preserving the home’s historic inte g rity and saving taxpayer dollars. T he floor re placement cost $77,680.

Landmarks Illinois has taken the foundation’s side in its evaluation of the original flooring. In the letter to the

district, Parz en referenced a 2002 historic structure rt conducted of Pleasant Home which estimated that the flooring had a remaining life of 50 years. T he re port, according to Parz en, recommended refinishing the floors.

dnesday Jour nal has requested a copy of the re port.

“The re placement of the flooring in 2023 is well in advance of the expected end of its lifespan,” Parz en wrote in the letter to the park district.

he park district is further criticized in the Landmarks Illinois letter for not yet demonstrating that re pairing refinishing the original floors was not possible. No studies, analyses or re ports re garding the floors’ condition have been released by the park district. Re placing floors, the letter says, was “both environmentally and economically wasteful.”

“We need more evidence and assurance of why this action was taken,” Parzen told Wednesday Journal.

In the weeks since the floors were removed, the park district and the foundation have resumed working tog ether. Arnold said the park district connected with the chair of the foundation’s restoration committee to review and recommend stains to ensure consistency across the home. T he park district also referred to the historic structure re port, using quarter-sawn white oak floorboards to uphold the home’s “primary aesthetics” and was able to retain and reinstall the original trim and base

“We fully intend to continue collaborating with the Restoration Committee to ensure we continue to properly care for and maintain this historic property,” said Ar nold.

2023/24

TODD A. BANNOR

NEW MEETS OLD: Pleasant Home original oak ooring in background with new oak ooring in foreground.

A new day

Refreshed Oak Park Board of Trustees sworn in

By STACEY SHERIDAN Senior Reporter

The atmosphere at Oak Park Village Hall Monday night was solemnly celebratory as the village board transitioned, welcoming the newly elected and reelected trustees, while wishing farewell and giving thanks to outgoing Trustee Jim Taglia

“Please remember the choices you make today will have lasting impact on the village, possibly for generations to come,” said Taglia, who received a service award for his six years on the village board.

As he exited the board table, Taglia’s seat was ceremonially taken by Trustee Cory Wesley. Wesley, who received the most votes at 5,110 during the A pril 4 election, will ser ve his first full four-year term on the board, having won reelection after previously being appointed in October to fill a vacancy. He acknowledged his appointment during his remarks Monday, while recognizing his family and friends for their support.

“I’ll spare you the long speech; I gave a great one back in October,” Wesley joked.

Wesley thanked his wife Mechelle for putting up with hi as he chased this dream, his 13-year-old son Aiden for couraging him to be a better civil servant by always tuning into each board meeting and his 11-year-old daughter Y for inspiring him to put in the work that would see him elected. All three were seated in the audience.

Trustee Susan Buchanan, who brought in 4,654 votes vowed to continue the village’s efforts to mitigate climat change and promote sustainability in her second term on the board. That was reflected in her choice of attire; Buchanan wore a shirt with a section of stripes that transitioned from blue to white and finally, red, representing the risin global temperatures in recent years.

Buchanan reaffirmed her promise to promote racial eq uity, public safety and police accountability, admitting tha she will never understand what it is truly like to be a Blac person living in the U.S.

“But I ask that you not discredit the lived experience as woman,” said Buchanan. “We live in a society in which men rape us, humiliate us, impregnate us when we don’t want to be pregnant and murder us.”

She continued, stating she’s been catcalled by men, jeered at by men, belittled by men and paid less than men in her career as a medical doctor

“I’m committed to racial equity because I want equity for all of us,” Buchanan said.

The newest member of the village board, Trustee Brian Straw, took the oath of office with his daughter on his hip and his son by his side. Straw, who had never run for public office before, received 4,983 votes in April’s election.

“I’m honored by the faith that our voters have put in me,” said Straw, matching his son in wearing a navy-blue suit and

rainbow madras tie. “But I want to acknowledge that the election results are not about me; they’re about the ideas that we talked about during the campaign.”

Those ideas, Straw said, are safer streets and sidewalks, climate change action, gun violence prevention, affordability, tax fair ness, equity and inclusion. He told the board he looks forward to taking on each of those issues while in office.

Familiar faces such as for mer village trustees Dan Moroney and Deno Andrews were seated in the audience. For mer village clerk Theresa Powell also came, as did several highranking members of village staff, including Police Chief

Shatonya Johnson, Fire Chief Ron Kobyleski and Danielle Walker, the village’s chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer. A representative sent on behalf of Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle brought sparkling cider to be served with the Sugar Fixe cake brought in for the transition ceremony.

As is tradition, the ceremony ended with a vote to adopt the village’s diversity statement. The statement, with modest updates made by DEI chief Walker, was accepted unanimously in the first vote taken by the newly formed village board.

TODD A. BANNOR

Oak Park Board of Trustees with new me mbers on Monday, May 1.

TODD A. BANNOR

Cory Wesley and Susan Buchanan are sworn in by Village Clerk Christina Waters as Oak Park v illage trustee.

Growing roster of notable West Siders seeks 1st District seat

Acree, Hatch Jr., SmithMembers and Wade seek Johnson’s county seat

By FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ and IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporters

Rev. Ira J. Acree, co-chair of the Leaders Network, a West Side social justice and faithbased group, and pastor of Greater St. John Bible Church, is seeking to replace Brandon Johnson on the Cook County Board of Commissioners once Johnson is swor n in as mayor of Chicago. And he is not alone.

Marshall Hatch Jr., Zerlina Smith-Members and Claibor ne Wade have all acknowledged they are pursuing the soon-to-be vacant seat.

In an interview April 26 with Austin Weekly News, Acree said, “I’ve already sent a letter of interest to (Cook County Clerk) Karen Yarbrough and I’ve already spoken to the president of the Senate Don Harmon.”

Har mon (39th) serves as the Oak Park Township committeeperson, while Yarbrough serves as the Proviso Township committeeperson. They are both part of the Democratic party committee that will appoint Johnson’s replacement. In a weighted vote, the two suburban committeepersons control a narrow majority of the votes needed to make the appointment.

In Chicago, Acree has secured the support of Ald. Emma Mitts (37th) and Ald. Chris Taliaferro (29th), he said. They serve as their wards’ respective committeepersons and hold 10.98% and 13.13% of the possible votes, respectively.

Other West Siders have thrown their hat in the ring -- Austin activist Zerlina Smith-Members and Marshall Hatch, Jr., who heads the MAAFA Redemption Project.

A prominent West Side civil rights leader with more than 30 years advocating for social justice and improved quality of life on the greater West Side, Acree said he has the talent for the role He is working to get the support needed to be appointed as the new commissioner, appealing to stakeholders and Democratic party committeepersons responsible for the selection.

“It is no secret that I have spent years, just like Brandon Johnson, committed to ending the tale of the two cities I have a body of work that backs that up,” he said.

Acree said he shares a progressive agenda with Johnson that will allow him to continue

working to improve the quality residents of Cook County’s 1st district. If appointed, he is certain the relationships he has built with faith and political leaders throughout the county will help him keep the seat in the long run.

“He’ll be mayor and me fulfilling his vacancy, it’s like a natural fit,” he said.

Hatch is the son of Rev. Marshall Hatch, pastor of New Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church Hatch, Jr., an Oak Park resident, told this newspaper he wanted to run because he respected Johnson’s progressive legacy and he wanted to support the county board as it puts more funding into mental health resources and launches the Universal Basic Income pilot. Hatch also wanted to advocate for environmental justice for minority communities that have been disproportionately impacted by pollution, saying the removal of lead pipes is a major priority.

He said his work at MAAFA Redemption Project and the larger Garfield Park Wellness Initiative collaborative project makes him a good choice to pick up where Johnson is leaving off. Hatch also said that growing up near the Austin Boulevard and Lake Street intersection, right at the Chicago and Oak Park border, prepared him for building bridges in the district that span both the city and the suburbs

“What was interesting about growing up in Austin and literally walking across the street to another domain that felt like a different world, I think this experience has also shaped the reason why I’m running,” he said. “I think every community in the 1st District should feel like Oak Park/River Forest.”

Hatch said he didn’t feel any awkwardness about competing for the appointment against “Uncle Ira,” saying that he respects him and anyone else who is applying.

“It’s a dynamic district, it’s a district that has a lot of potential, a lot of promise, and it’s doing a lot a lot of good things already,” he said. “Who wouldn’t want to serve that district? So, I wouldn’t fault anybody for wanting

Hatch said he has reached out to all committeepersons. He said he was conscious of the fact that Har mon and Yarbrough collectively hold the majority of the votes, but that he hasn’t received any endorsements from anyone.

Smith-Members is a longtime West Side political activist and like Acree and Hatch, Jr. a part of the Leaders Network. She ran for 29th Ward alder man in 2015 and 2019. In 2022, when nurse and for mer 28th Ward alder manic candidate Beverly Miles ran in the Democratic gubernatorial primary against incumbent Gov. J.B. Pritzker, Smith-Members served as her running mate before Smith-Members decided to challenge Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle in the Democratic primary instead.

Smith-Members announced her interest on the mor ning of April 26. She told Austin Weekly News that she made the announcement to try to force the process out in the open, instead of having the nominating committee decide behind closed doors.

When Democratic Committeepersons chose a successor for the Cook County Board’s 2nd District in the summer of 2017, the names of the candidates weren’ t revealed until the nominating committee conducted interviews More recently, in April 2020, when Democratic committeepersons filled the suburban 16th District seat, the names of the candidates weren’ t announced at all until after the fact.

Smith-Members said she wanted to run because “it’s an open seat” and sitting on the county board felt like a natural extension of the activism and work she’s already been doing. If selected, she would focus on two of the priorities that have been cor nerstones of her previous campaigns – improving public safety and increasing mental health services Those happened to account for the biggest portions of the Cook County budgets

Like Acree, Smith-Members sent her re-

sume and application to all 1st District Committeepersons She said that, as of April 26, she received responses from Taliaferro, Ald. Walter Bur nett (27th) and 26th Ward committeeperson Angee Gonzale z Rodriguez.

Smith-Members said that, with her name out there, she hoped that her supporters would lobby the committeepersons on her behalf

“I would hope that the public would take the initiative, and reach out to the committee, and then attend whatever community forums that [the nominating committee holds],” she said.

Claibor ne Wade, also from Austin, is interested in the commissioner’s seat as he wants to bring “great oppor tunities” to the 1st District, where he lives with his wife and four kids. He has advocated for equitable funding in Chicago schools and an elected Chicago school board as a member of Kids First Chicago’ parent advisory board.

He also serves as the Sustainable Community Schools Parent Liaison at Oscar DePriest Elementary School in Austin. In a letter shared with the committeemen and women, Wade said if selected he will focus on education, af fordable housing and mental health, while preventing an increase in property taxes.

“I’m a husband and a proud parent of four children born and raised in Austin,” Wade told Austin Weekly AWN, adding he was able to purchase a home in Forest Park two years ago, an opportunity he wants to bring to more residents of the district.

Wade graduated from Michelle Clark High School and was actively involved in the school’s student gover nment and also served two ter ms as the student re presentative on the local school council. Besides working for State Fa rm Insurance in Austin for 20 years, he has been involved as a community org anizer in several political campaigns, including those of Illinois gover nor candidate Kennedy Joy, Alexi Giannoulias for the United States Senate and cong resswoman Robin Kelly (IL-02).

In a letter of suppor t addressed to Don Harmon, Kelly said Wade “impressed me so much because of his hard work, enthusiasm and de pendability,” asking him to be considered for the district’s empty seat. For mer cong resswoman Cheri Bustos, who re presented Illinois 17th cong ressional district for 10 years, also suppor ts Wade per a letter of suppor t shared with the Austin Weekly for his leadership and civic eng agement.

MARSHALL HA RE V. IRA J. ACREE ZERLINA SMITH-MEMBERS

NO REFERENDUM Unanimous vote

from page 1

The unanimous vote capped a months long, really years long, divisive and contentious debate and discussion about plans for a new swimming pool and other improvements to physical education and other facilities at OPRF

“After 10 years it is time to act,” Cofsky said during his 15 minute explanation of the factors behind his vote. “I believe we should not ask our community for more money at this time. don’t need it today We should erate within our financial poli and continue to execute financia discipline and maximize the v ue of our tax dollars and as suc I don’t feel we need a community vote.”

The plan the school board proved will pay for Project 2 borrowing $45.3 million in year debt certificates, using $44. million in cash reserves and assumes receiving at least $12.5 in charitable donations from the Imagine Foundation.

Construction on Project 2 will begin in 2024.

Although the vote was unanimous board member Kebreab Henry passed when his name was called first and then, after five other board members had voted yes, hesitated a long time before finally casting a yes vote while stating that he preferred another financing plan. At a Committee of the Whole Meeting two weeks ago Henry said that he favored a plan would pay for Project 2 by a combination of issuing $15.6 million in five-year debt certificates, asking voters to approve $13.7 million in referendum bonds, issuing $22.5 million in debt service extension bonds, which are subject to what is known as a back door referendum, and using $44 million in reserves along with the charitable donations.

Board member Fred Arkin said he struggled with his vote but said that it is important for the school board to speak with one voice.

million in charitable donations

The $45.3 million in debt certificates will be paid off over 20 years by using an estimated $3.5 million annually from the school’s operating levy Since OPRF has been levying less than the maximum amount allowed by law for most of the past decade it is likely that the operating levy will have to be higher in the future to raise the money to pay back the debt certificates than it would have had to be if Project 2 was financed by referendum bonds.

After the meeting Cofsky told Wednesday Jour nal that in the future it is likely that the district will have to levy the maximum amount allowed by law but he said that paying the debt incurred for Project 2 will force future school boards to be disciplined and careful in their spending. The $3.5 million going to pay back debt will likely be a little more than four percent of the operating levy in the next few years.

Community members of the OPRF Community Finance Committee (CFC) estimated that the annual impact on taxpayers of borrowing $45.3 million in debt certificates and or $44.5 in referendum bonds would be similar, roughly $200 a year for the owner of a home worth $500,000. The difference is that the financial impact of referendum bonds is obvious and apparent on a tax bill while the cost of paying back debt certificates is not obvious to the average taxpayer. Cofsky said using debt certificates to borrow will slow the buildup of cash reserves.

“I find it interesting that those pushing for referendum are the same people who have been criticizing this board for taking and holding taxpayer money for the last 10 years,” Cofsky said.

“Is this disingenuous? If we can afford to do the work with our own current means, why do we need to go to the taxpayers now for more money If we don’t need it yet, why do we need to get it?”

Cofsky said.

The community members of the CFC did not favor the use of long-ter m debt certificates to finance Project 2 worrying that paying back debt from the operating fund will limit the financial flexibility of the district in the future.

Referendum advocates were disappointed but not surprised by the vote which was telegraphed at the Committee of the Whole Meeting two weeks ago.

“The board’s in a tough spot; I think they chose the wrong funding mechanism,” said referendum advocate and Project 2 critic Jack Powers Powers and many other referendum advocates say that the 10 lane 25 by 40-yard new swimming pool that has a 420-seat observation gallery that is part of Project 2 is unnecessarily large.

Powers and many other referendum advocates and Project 2 skeptics say that the decision to use debt certificates seemed preordained from the start of the funding discussion last year

“Seems like the board made a decision, worked backward to justify it, cherry picking data to support its foregone conclusion, and ignored 23,000+ voters,” Powers wrote in an email to Wednesday Jour nal after the meeting. “Twice it heard the CFC say no to long ter m debt certificates and yes to referendum as best practice, and it ignored them too.”

The reference to 23,000+ voters is to an advisory referendum that 76.6 percent of Oak Park voters supported in 2020 that states that all capital projects that cost more than $5 million should be put to a referendum. But Cofsky didn’t find that argument convincing.

“Everyday taxpayers don’t understand the workings of the finances,” Cofsky said.

Project 2.

“D200 residents spent considerable time advocating for a referendum vote on Project 2, a vote that in any other community is automatic,” Sheehan said in an email to Wednesday Jour nal. “Since 2005, the administration and board have exploited loopholes to take unauthorized tax dollars and to circumvent voters on funding a larger-than-necessary pool.”

The long and contentious debate about Project 2 and its funding has generated increasingly harsh comments from both sides.

Supporters of Project 2 said the very narrow defeat of a pool referendum in 2016 and the efforts of opponents just delayed needed improvements at OPRF and raised the costs of the project. Alison Welch, a supporter of Project 2 and an advocate of paying for it with debt certificates said a referendum on Project 2 would have been divisive and, in a public comment at the school board meeting Thursday, she accused Project 2 opponents and referendum advocates of deliberating misstating facts and fanning emotion.

The board considered three final financing options The other option the board considered was to ask voters to issue $44.5 million in referendum bonds to use along with $51 million in cash reserves and the assumed $12.5

Cofsky acknowledged there are risks in funding such an expensive project from operating revenues. He listed the risks as inflation above the rate of five percent, the maximum amount the operating levy can be increased in one year under the tax cap law, a pension cost shift switching the responsibility for paying teacher pensions to local school districts from the state, a big increase in enrollment, a significant change in local economic conditions and the loss of budget discipline by future school boards.

“We’ve got to really play our game out well and even then, it’s going to be a challenge,”

Instead Cofsky pointed to recent school board elections in which some pool opponents and referendum advocates have lost including the most recent election held earlier this month.

“Recently a candidate advocating that Project 2 must go on the ballot for referendum lost by 953 votes or 17 percent,” said Cofsky referring to Brian Souders defeat last month.

Another referendum advocate, Bridgett Baron, said she thought the vote was a predeter mined outcome and called some of the board members comments disingenuous

Monica Sheehan, who led the opposition to a large new swimming pool in a 2016 referendum and has been a leading critic of Project 2 and a staunch referendum advocate, also criticized the board’s decision to bypass voters and use debt certificates to help pay for

“Opponents have demonstrated over several years a willingness to misrepresent facts, to spread personal opinions and speculations as if they are established truth, to mislead through inflammatory language, and ignore or dismiss facts they don’t like,” Welch said in a public comment at the board meeting before the vote. “They regularly and publicly attack the intentions and integrity of administrators, teachers, staff, board members, consultants, members of the Imagine Group and other community members. We saw it in the 2016 referendum. We see it several times a month at this podium, weekly in letters to the paper, daily in social media posts. Project 2 opponents routinely complain about a lack of public trust in our elected officials and education professionals while at the same time their misinformation and conspiracy theories are a key source of influencing this lack of trust. Symbolically they take embers and fan flames every week.”

Representatives of the Imagine Foundation said the board vote will allow fundraising to ramp up

“I am thrilled to see the board taking the next step to make Project 2 happen. It will make a new physical education facility an exciting reality at OPRF, and modernize several performing arts spaces, too,” said Stephen Schuler, a foundation board member in a press release issued by the Imagine Foundation. “By working together with donors, the Imagine Foundation can help minimize the financial impact on D200 and the residents of Oak Park and River Forest.”

“I believe it needs to be unanimous,” Arkin said.

TO M COFSKY

FRED ARKIN

MONIC A SHEEHAN

Trio of new members on River Forest’s D90 school board

School board appoints new president following Hickey ’s depar ture

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

It was a night of celebrations and goodbyes as the River Forest School District 90 Board of Education welcomed its three newest members following the April 4 election during Monday night’s board meeting, bidding farewell to three long standing board members

The district’s newest board members, Jose ph Cor tese, Eric Isenberg and Kristine Mackey, of ficially took their seats Monday night following the oath of of fic here

they each swore to keep the district’s students, and taxpayers’ interest in mind while serving as “faithful protectors.”

Two of the seats were left vacant by Barb Hickey, who was serving as president, and Rich Moore, with the third seat belonging to Calvin Davis, who sought reelection.

During the April 4 election, the three new board members received the most votes, beating incumbent Davis Isenberg received the most votes with 1,331, 28.88%, followed by Mackey at 1,254 votes, 27.21%, and Cor tese in third with 1,252 votes, or 27.17%. Davis received 771 votes, 16.73%.

District 90, which is composed of Willard and Lincoln Elementary along with Roosevelt Middle School, has 8,356 re gistered voters. According to the certified results for the April 4 Consolidated Election, 1,738

ballots were cast, a tur nout of 20.80%.

T he three now join Katie Avalos, Sarah Eckmann, Dr. Nicole T hompson, and Stacey Williams on the board.

Davis, who still serves on various boards throughout the community, said he is open to more oppor tunities coming his way but will take extra free time for now.

“I think it is the end of great accomplishment serving on the school board of Rive r Forest,” Davis said. “I have 27 hours to myself now, a month, it will be a good little break for a little while until something else comes up.”

Davis said during hi s time serving, it was the ve rsity of the D90 b oard that allowe d for great par tnerships and decision making

“We are all from dif ferent par ts of wn, from dif ferent backgrounds and ’s good to have a good mix where everyone can collaborate and g et their point across,” Davis said. “This group has been to g ether for a while, so it has been a great r un.”

Hickey, who got emotional during the reading of the resolution, said she felt sor ry to leave a wonderful team of people, leaving behind her hear t with the River Forest schools. Serving as president for the last two years, Hickey said while she could have r un again, she felt that she had taken it as far as she should, and it was impor tant to bring in new voices.

T he D90 board underwent restructuring following the de par ture of Hickey during Monday’s meeting, having to appoint a new board president, along with vice president and secretary.

Unanimously, Williams was appointed president, Avalos was appointed as the vice president, and Eckmann was appointed secretary. All three will serve two-year ter ms until April 2025.

Isenberg, Mackey, and Cor tese will serve four-year ter ms until April 2027.

T he next board meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, June 6 at 7 p.m. at Roosevelt Middle School’s auditorium, 7560 Oak Ave., River Forest.

AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ

Dr. Eric Isenberg, Dr. Kristine Mackey and Joseph Cortese were swor n in as the River Forest School District 90 Board of Education’s newest board members on Monday, May 1, 2023.

AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ

River Forest District Superintendent Dr. Edward Condon (le ) smiled alongside Rich Moore, Barb Hickey and Cal Davis (le to right) during their last meeting serving on the D90 Board of Education.

“We are all from di erent par ts of town, from di erent backgrounds … and it’s good to have a good mix where ever yone can collaborate and get their point across.”

CA L DAVIS

D90 board member

Chicago resident thwarts armed robbery

A Chicago resident avoided being robbed at gunpoint by smacking the assailant with a clipboard in the 800 block of Nor th Austin Boulevard at 9:45 a.m., April 25.

The male of fender approached the victim, while pointing a black handgun, and stated, “Give me your keys! Give me your car,” according to the Oak Park Police De par tment. Instead of handing over the property, the victim wrestled with the of fender after first striking him with a clipboard. The of fender, who was never disar med, fled the scene. No loss was re por ted.

Attempted residential burglary

A man was spotted standing on a ladder attempting to enter a bedroom window, but fled after the victim be g an making noise, in the 400 block of South Lombard Avenue at 9:33 p.m., April 24. No entry was made, and no damage re por ted.

Burglar y

■ Someone broke into the trunk of a 2015 Mercedes-Benz and removed a Timbuk2 backpack car rying a Lenovo laptop, white Apple AirPods and school supplies between 4:35 p.m. and 5:35 p.m., April 26, in the 100 block of Nor th Marion Street. The total estimated loss is $1,230.

■ Someone broke into a residence by shattering a basement window, then removed from inside three ladders, two cases of can lights, four spools of wire and one Milwaukee Sawzall between 4:30 p.m., April 24, and 7:30 a.m., April 25, in the first block of Le Moyne Parkway. The estimated loss is $1,440.

LYNCH Sustainability work

from page 7

economic revitalization of Madison Street, notably with the senior living building and the for thcoming Pete’s Fresh Market, the construction on which has been slow.

“Like everyone else, I am anxiously awaiting Pete’s to open,” Lynch said.

A lack of notable sites for future development, plus the expiration of the multiple Tax Increment Finance districts in Oak Park and the challenges in the current economic market challenges factored into Lynch’s decision to move on.

For the last two years, Lynch has been

Motor vehicle theft and recovery

A blue 1986 Oldsmobile Cutlass was removed between 10 p.m., April 26, and 6:15 a.m., April 27, in the 300 block of South Austin Boulevard. The vehicle was later recovered in Broadview.

Theft

■ The catalytic conver ter belonging to a 2005 Honda C-RV was taken between 9 a.m. and 2:25 p.m., April 27, in the 1000 block of Forest Avenue.

■ Four packages were taken from the lobby of a building in the 200 block of South Maple Avenue between noon and 2:50 p.m., April 27. The estimated loss is $600.

working alongside Abu-Taleb’s successor, Village President Vicki Scaman, with whom he has also enjoyed collaborating. His partnership with Scaman, however, differs from that of his with Abu-Taleb in that the village’s development growth has slowed due to changes in the market and fewer available sites Despite the change of pace, Lynch said he has “nothing but good things to say” about working with Scaman.

And for Scaman, the feeling is mutual. She told Wednesday Jour nal that Lynch has operated with integrity and care for Oak Pa rk, and the extent to which he did so may surprise those who don’t know Lynch personally.

“He took time and care to do his best to represent the values of our village and the goals of the administration,” Scaman said. “I will definitely miss him.”

■ A witness saw a man under neath a 2011 Toyota Prius with a saw in hand removing the vehicle’s catalytic conr ter, while a second man acted as a lookout, in the 200 block of Nor th Kenilwor th Avenue between 6:25 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., April 26. The two men fled in a dark gray sedan ven by an unknown person.

■ The rear license plate was removed from a 2015 Infiniti Q50 parked in the first block of Washington Boulevard at about 2:01 p.m., April 25.

■ Someone took a blue Miller liner welder, a welding mask, a blue and red Bosch cordless angle g rinder and a red Milwaukee cordless rotary hammer from the bed of an uncovered and unattended 2003 Toyota Tacoma between 10:25 a.m. and 10:27 a.m., April 24, in the 500 block of South ustin Boulevard. T he estimated loss is $3,920.

Criminal proper ty damage

Someone broke the front driver’s side window of a 2016 Honda Fit parked in the 500 block of South Wenonah Avenue between 6:30 p.m., April 27, and 8:21 a.m., April 28.

These items were obtained from Oak Park Police De partment re ports dated April 25-May 1 and re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases hav e not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest

Compiled by Stacey Sheridan

Those values include equity and inclusivity. In 2020, Lynch, with the OPEDC board of directors, wrote the org anization’s first ever racial equity statement. The statement reco gnizes the “relationship between economic inequality and racial injustice” and lays out the agency’s intent to positively redress that system through, among other actions, proactive outreach to Black- and minority-owned development companies.

Looking back on his time in Oak Park, Lynch is “extremely proud” of all that was accomplished, but not every item was crossed of f his to-do list. He wishes he could have seen a long-ter m tenant occupy the ground level space at the historic Marshall Field store at Lake and Harlem. OPEDC got close a few times to seeing it leased, most recently with Dom’s Kitchen

& Market, but the deals all fell through.

In the next chapter of his career, Lynch will be advising corporations in large capital projects re garding renewable and sustainable energy as a par tner at inter national sustainability consulting fir m ERM. The Evanston resident will split his time between working from home and commuting to the ERM of fice in Rolling Meadows.

T he OPEDC won’ t be left without someone in charge. Eric Mazeli s, OPEDC Economic Development Manage r, will take over the agency’s day-to-day operations in the interim. Mazelis praised Lynch for his “uncommon ability” to connect with people and to creatively solve problems

“I have lear ned a lot from John about the economic development world and about life, and I know he’ ll do great things in this new stage of his career.”

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Homes

Historic home with May ower ties hits the market

Grove Avenue Victorian first owned by Civil War vet with direct line to Myles Standish

By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter

Ahome in Oak Park is hitting the market as its owners of the past 44 years prepare to move on from a lifetime of restoration and preservation. Bess and Jim Pabin are also rather private people, so while their grand home has a fascinating histor y, the house has never been open to the public on historic housewalks. The Pabins researched the house themselves, and they stumbled upon a treasure trove just waiting to be discovered.

When Jim first saw the house at 403 N. Grove Ave., he told Bess before they even stepped off the curb that the house would be theirs

“I knew when I first saw it,” he said.

Bess’ father, however, was not so sure that

the couple should move into the rambling three-flat that spanned over 4,000 square feet. Bess recalls her father burst into tears when he saw it and told her she didn’t have to move into the house, which was in need of some maintenance.

The couple threw caution to the wind and relied on Jim’s expertise as an architect as they set out to convert the house into their family home

While Jim restored the home one room at a time, Bess turned to the library and public records to delve into the home’s history. She found the name of the first owners, located descendants now living in another state, and began a correspondence that included the sharing of historic photos and at least one visit back to

See HISTORIC HOME on pa ge 18

Oak Park

Now Dutch colonial in style, the Pabins’ home had a di erent roo ine when it was built in the late 1800s by Albert H. and Carrie Standish, whose family lived there until 1920. e second owner changed the roo ine and turned the home into a three- at.

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HISTORIC HOME

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“There were over 60 of them that came back to Oak Park to see the house -- four generations,” Jim said.

property in Michig an and was handpicked for the house.

The Victorian home features many hallmarks of the day, including hand-carved woodwork, colorful stained-glass windows and pocket doors. Albert and his first wife, Carrie Hubbard Standish, lived in the house with their seven children, five of whom survived to adulthood

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The large family were descendants of the first owner of the home, Albert H. Standish, a direct descendant of Myles Standish, who arrived in America on the Mayflower. Albert Standish, a Civil War veteran from Michig an, purchased the land on Grove Avenue from John Schmidt in 1885 for $1,160.

Family letters state that Albert Standish was both a lawyer and a lumber business owner. The wood from which the house was constructed was said to come from his

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

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A safe & smart choice.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Carrie died in 1894, and Albert married Mary Stuart in 1898. The couple added two more children to the family. In correspondence with the Standish family, the Pabins learned that Clarence HemingErnest’s father, was the family doc-

In 1920, Standish Traeger for the sum of $8,750. The Pabins believe that Traeger converted the home into a threeflat, turning the third-floor ballroom into a two-bedroom apar tment, and converting the second floor into another apartment.

Barbara (le ) and Alice Standish stand on the ornate main staircase, which was walled o when the home was converted into three apartments a er 1920.

ALBERT HENRY STANDISH C ARRIE STANDISH

At that time, the grand first-floor staircase was walled of f and the entry bisected to create a separate entrance for tenants. The house also went through an exterior makeover, changing from Victorian to Dutch colonial.

When the Pabins first purchased the home, their realtor told them the rental income from the two apar tments would cover their mortgage and property taxes, and for a time, it did.

As their daughter grew up and they wanted more space, they converted the secondfloor apartment into their bedrooms and kept the third-floor apartment. Over the years, they rented the third floor to young couples who became their friends and, eventually, Bess’s mother lived there.

The Pabins’ realtor, Kevin Kirby of Coldwell Banker, says the third floor is still a legal apartment and notes that it offers many possibilities.

“You could continue to rent it, use it as an Airbnb or au pair suite, or continue the de-conversion and add it to the family li ving space.” Kirby said.

Jim recalls removing the asphalt siding from the home and having the neighbors pull up seats to watch the clapboard siding being revealed. Over the years, he stripped

Over the 40 years they’ve lived there, the Pabins restored the home room by room, keeping features like pocket doors and the or iginal replace surround (above). e third oor is still a legal apartment, which can be rented.

paint off woodwork, turned porches into sunrooms, remodeled the kitchen and added closets to bedrooms that had none

Through it all Jim, who calls himself a perfectionist, sought to maintain and match historic details of the house that remained.

Many original details speak to the home’s past.

In the entry, a built-in cabinet for hats remains in the wall. A telephone cabinet in an upstairs hall was put in when the house was wired for its first phone.

Our beautiful 6-story building provides quality, a ordable, independent housing for seniors. e Oaks o ers studio and one-bedroom apartments, with kitchens and private bathrooms. Amenities include an award winning interior landscaped atrium, central meeting room, library, laundry facilities, computer learning center, internet access, electronic key entry system, and parking.

On-site management includes 24/7 emergency maintenance service and a senior services coordinator who is available during business hours to assist residents in accessing service

Pocket doors between the living room and dining room are still operational, and a stunning stained-glass window with handcarved surround graces the staircase to the second floor.

Perhaps the most exciting original detail is the front parlor’s fireplace surround. Jim restored the wood, and the original floral tiles remain surrounding the firebox. At the top are three tiles bearing the initials A.H.S. for the home’s first owner.

The Pabins are downsizing and moving to be closer to their daughter and her family. They hope that another family will enjoy the home and its history as much as they have Kirby is listing the house for $1,150,000. Both a realtor and a neighbor to the Pabins, Kirby notes that there probably isn’t a better location in all of Oak Park

“You can walk to the high school. The elementary school is right around the corner, and downtown Oak Park with its restaurants and library is just a short walk,” Kirby said.

Kirby says even though he lived on the block, he didn’t know the history of the home until the Pabins shared their research, photos and records with him.

“These guys really brought this house back,” Kirby said.

agencies and programs designed speci cally for seniors. e Oaks is owned and operated by the Oak Park Residence Corporation and is funded by the US Department of Housing and Ur-ban Development through the 202/ Section 8 Program. Monthly rent is based on the resident’s income, with individuals paying approximately 30% of their monthly income toward rent.

For more information, please visit us at www.oakparkrc.com or contact us at 708-386-5862.

©VHT STUDIOS

Huskies bid farewell to ball eld in grand style

Baseball team comes from behind twice to notch big wins

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

The Oak Park and River Forest High School baseball team closed out its longtime diamond on the campus’s West Field on April 28 and 29 in grand fashion with a pair of come-from-behind victories.

On April 29, the Huskies rallied from an early deficit to roll past Morton 15-5 in six innings.

“To close this field out the way we did is a great feeling,” said OPRF coach Kevin Campbell. “It was also Senior Day, and they’re going out on a high note as well.”

After falling behind 5-0 in the second inning, OPRF (9-13) gradually chipped away The Huskies scored once in the bottom half of the second, twice in the third, and once more in the fourth.

OPRF then scored three times in the fifth

to take the lead, the big blow being an oppo site-field two-run homer to right by Francis Heinzmann.

“The seniors have stepped up as of late leading our team,” Campbell said. “I don’ want to say we weren’t worried, but we knew it was a matter of time before someone went to the plate and got a big hit. Francis really stepped up, and the rest of the guys followed.”

The Huskies poured it on in the sixth, scoring eight runs to end the game via the 10-run rule. Heinzmann belted another tw run homer to right field, Peter Kenoian had a two-run single, and Kevin Cortez wrapped things up with a two-run single Cortez went 3-for-4 on the day, and Kenoian drove in four runs Ethan Moore went 2-for-4 with a pair of RBI, and Jack Gooch also drove home two runs as OPRF had 15 hits.

Luke Gotti struck out four Mustangs in two innings of relief to ear n the win.

On April 28, Moore drove in four, including two on a walk-of f RBI single as OPRF rallied for a thrilling 6-5 West Suburban Silver victory over York

After starting the season slow, the Huskies have played much better as of late, and Campbell wants things to keep rolling in the right direction.

“We’ve got to compete,” he said. “At this point, it’s not necessarily about wins or losses, it’s about creating a competitive atmosphere. No matter who we’re playing, we have to go out there and give everything as if it’s our last game.”

After starting the season slow, the Huskies have played much better as of late, and Campbell wants things to keep rolling in the right direction.

“We’ve got to compete,” he said. “At this point, it’s not necessarily about wins or losses, it’s about creating a competitive atmosphere. No matter who we’re playing, we have to go out there and give everything as if it’s our last game.”

Trinity’s Coleman named basketball Coach of the Year

Led Blazers to 23-12 record in her 4th season at the helm

By MELVIN TATE

Contributing Reporter

Trinity High School basketball coach

Kim Coleman was named the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association Class 3A District 4 Coach of the Year on April 26.

“It felt nice to be reco gnized,” said Coleman, who just completed her four th season. “I was thankful that [the IBCA]

thought I was enough to be reco considered for the a Coleman guided to a 23-12 record seed in their o 3A sectional. T rinity to the sectional lost 34-28 to crossto Fenwick on Feb.

It was the second tive year the Blazers saw their season end in the sectional final against the F riars, and Coleman is

KIM COLEMAN

the progr am over ultimate goal,” want to g et one, going to keep workget it.”

eels the Coach of ward is a reflection ell her team played. she said. “I without my team, and I cer tainly can’ t do it without my staf f. It takes a village ; it’s not a one-person show.”

Assistant coaches Jacquice Cooper, Rich Kudelka and Arianna Raimonde (who graduated from T rinity in 2020) as well as Athletic Director Ken Trendel provided valuable assistance and support to Coleman, who expressed her gratitud e.

“I can’ t do this without a supportive administration,” she said. “That, along with the kids, keeps me here. Mr. Trendel always has my back and suppor ts my ideas. I love T rinity and have enjoyed my time here, and I ca n’ t wait to help the pr og ram grow more and be better than ever.”

Lauren Miller, one of the Chicago ar-

COURTESY OF TODD PHILLIPS

OPRF’s Mason Phillips crosses home plate a er Ethan Moore’s walk-o single to seal a come-from-behind West Suburban Silver victor y over York on April 28.

OPRF so ball routs Amundsen in nal West Field game

Cortez, Morales each blast 3-run homers in 16-0 victory

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

The Oak Park and River Forest softball team had its final game on the diamond they’ve called home since 1996, on April 29. The Huskies took care of business early, routing Amundsen 16-0 in four innings.

For mer longtime head coach Mel Kolbusz threw out the ceremonial first pitch and made an impassioned pregame speech.

“This field is my happy place,” he said. “I’ve been on this field for many years now, and I’m really sad to see her go. But now, it’s time for progress, and I have a lot of great memories here.”

Current OPRF coach J.P. Coughlin appreciated Kolbusz’s presence.

“Any time you get a local legend here to watch the game and throw out the first pitch,

ea’s top Class of 2024 prospects, is set to retur n for her four th varsity season. T he Blazers also retur n rising sophomores Zaria Goins and Chloe Santos as well as rising juniors Jaylani Hernandez and Ariana Rodrigue z and rising seniors Lily Heidersbach and Luz del Rosario Kwiatkowski Pere z.

T he retur nees have Coleman excited for what lies ahead

“The of fseason is going well,” she said. “The players are locked in and seem ready for the challeng e.”

While T rinity will look different without veteran varsity players such as Ciarr a Richardson and Sophia Rodrigue z, the goals and expectations will remain the same

“We have a high progr am standard, and that won’ t chang e,” Coleman said.

it’s an honor,” he said. “It was a special day, and the seniors were incredible.”

For senior Kelly Cortez, it was truly special as she drove in four runs, including a three-run homer

“It felt great,” Cortez said. “I started crying once I got to home plate. It felt amazing and reminded me why I play the game.”

The Huskies’ Bella Morales also had a big day both in the circle and at the plate. She tossed four hitless innings, allowed only one baserunner on a hit-by-pitch and posted 10 strikeouts In addition, Morales had a threerun homer during OPRF’s 10-run second inning

“Bella’s been our best pitcher all year,” Coughlin said. “She had one at-bat before today and isn’t known for power, so it was really awesome to see her hit one out.”

Tyler Brock and Anne Stine each drove

in three runs, and Cortez and Stine had two hits apiece as the Huskies (15-6) had 11 overall.

“I think we have the ability to be one of the best teams in the state,” Coughlin said. “Our defense wasn’t great this week and we’ve got to tighten that up, but we’re hit-

ting much better than we were earlier in the season. This is a special group that roots for each other, and it’s one of my most enjoyable seasons I’ve coached.”

“We’ve got to keep playing our game and being ourselves,” Cortez added. “Being a team is why we’ve won.”

OPRF boys race to invite title at Glenbard West

Huskies win six events to double up on runner-up Glenbard West

By MELVIN TATE

Contributing Reporter

The Oak Park and River Forest High School boys track and field team continued its strong outdoor season April 29 by winning the 41st Jim Ar nold Invitational at Glenbard West.

The Huskies’ 134 points doubled the amount of runner-up Glenbard South, which had 67.

Senior Caleb Schulz had an excellent day, winning the 200-meter dash in a time of 22.98 seconds and running the anchor leg on OPRF’s victorious 400 (43.21) and 800 (1:31.54) relays, teaming up with Kwabena Osei-Yeboah, Elijah Mowatt and Kevin McGovern for both.

The Huskies’ 3200 relay of Mariano Escobe-

do, James Nacke, Daniel Johnson and Connor Schupp was victorious in a time of 8:12.46.

OPRF’s other winners were Kaden Garland in the shot put (15.66 meters; 51 feet, 4.5 inches) and Lukas Brauc in the pole vault (3.86 m; 12-7).

OPRF girls soccer

The OPRF girls soccer team notched a pair of victories at the Naperville Nor th Invitational last week.

On April 27, Kiki Leman lifted the Huskies (6-6-1) to a 5-3 win over Waubonsie Valley at Fremd. Leman scored twice and added an assist, while Addison Bliss, Genevieve Simkowski, and Gweny Lopez also had goals Violet Allgood posted seven saves in net.

Two days later, OPRF concluded the Naperville Nor th Invitational in strong fashion with a 6-1 rout of St. Viator. Senior Cate Ryan was named to the Naperville Nor th Invitational All-Tour nament Second Team.

Fenwick baseball

Trailing at Leo 9-8 heading into the top of the seventh, the Fenwick High School baseball team rallied for four runs, then held on for a 12-11 victory April 29.

With one out, Ryan Lazewski (3-for-5) doubled, then came home with the tying run when Luke Hickey followed with a double Josh Wicker then singled to drive in Hickey and give the Friars (10-10) a 10-9 lead

Fenwick added two more runs on a tw o-run single by Matt Or tiz. That proved to be valuable insurance as Leo rallied for two runs in the bottom half of the seventh. However, Callahan Koch got a groundout to strand the potential tying and winning runs and re gister the save

Wicker went 4-for-5 with three RBI and Tanner Malchow had three hits and stole three bases as the Friars banged out 18 hits

SARA JANZ

A pumped-up Kelly Cortez celebrates as she heads home a er blasting a three-run homer for the Huskies in a 16-0 thumping of Amundsen in Oak Park on April 29.

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C ONSCIOUS A GING

People are not always as we appear

Six months ago, I had hear t surgery. My post-op recovery included a three-month cardiac rehabilitation program, which I completed last month at RUSH Oak Park Hospital.

All of us older folks should be grateful to have this local facility, which combines the convenience and personal touch of a community hospital with the technolo gy and exper tise of one of the nation’s top-ranked academic health centers. Three days a week for those three months, I attended supervised exercise sessions while my hear t was electronically monitored. We were a re gular group of about 15 people, professional staf f and 10 or so par ticipants. Because of COVID, the hospital had a mandatory mask policy.

A week before my three-month ogram ended, the hospital instituted an optional mask policy, and the next day almost eryone in the program was maskless. When I ar rived that mor ning, I didn’t quite reco gnize these folks. Here were people I’d been with three times a week for almost three months and it was like really seeing them for the first time. Being able to view the lines and shapes and intricacies of their faces, I saw them in a new way.

BLESOFF

Because of COVID, in March 2020 I stopped going to the Tennis and Fitness Center (TFC) to work out. A couple of weeks ago, after my cardiolo gist cleared me to continue exercising on my own, I star ted going to TFC again. I was grateful that the surgery had gone well, that my body was reco vering and that I could resume my previous activities.

I was quite pleased with myself when my key-fob unlocked the front gate at TFC and allowed me entry. Three years earlier, I had made the conscious choice to continue paying my monthly fee even though I was staying away. I wanted to support TFC in their hard times and I wanted them to be there when it was time for me to retur n. My first day back was like a homecoming with people I hadn’t seen for three years. It was like seeing them in a new way.

This past week, the Oak Park and River Forest High School board voted to approve a funding plan for Imagine OPRF Project 2, which will replace physical education (PE) facilities built in 1928 with PE lear ning spaces that meet the needs of this century’s lear ners

Over the past several months, the district’s Community Finance Committee (CFC) vetted five dif ferent scenarios for funding the $102 million cost of the project, moving three on to the board for consideration. Two of the options would have required the community to vote in 2024 on whether to issue referendum bonds; approval would have added a debtservice levy to property tax bills on top of the re gular annual levy. The other option — the one approved by the board — involves debt certificates, which do not result in an additional tax levy or a referendum; they would instead be re paid from the district’s annual operating budget.

Sor ting through the funding complexities has boiled down to a few questions:

Does the district have the ability to self-finance Project 2 with debt cer tificates, and if so, why?

To answer this question, it’s impor tant to understand that Illinois tax-cap law limits school districts’ annual operating levy increases to 5% or the Consumer Price Index (CPI), whichever is less

From 2005 thru 2017, the district spending was increasing at 3.7% while CPI increased by 2.1%. This meant that despite an overly large fund balance, financial projections showed the district was headed for deficit spending.

As par t of getting the district’s financial house in order, we’ve made systemic, data-driven changes in how the district manages its finances. These include:

■ Removing overly conservative assumptions that presumed worse-case scenarios.

■ Becoming disciplined with staf fing recommendations, using the state’s Evidence-Based Funding model to help ensure than any new recommendations don’t drive up the district’s overall expenditures.

■ Changing how the district manages its employment contracts, benchmarking total compensation against per districts

Why Option 2 was the best path

Call Viewpoints editor

Exterior schematic design for Imagine OPRF Project 2.

OUR VIEWS

OPRF decides to build

The decision has been made. And unanimously. Oak Park and River Forest High School will move forward with Project 2, the demolition and reconstruction of physical education facilities at the southeast corner of the Scoville Avenue campus. The school will fund the $102 million project out of its outlandish cash reserves, philanthropic donations, and by issuing $45 million in 20-year debt certificates.

It is the debt certificates that have stirred controversy among critics, this editorial page among them. Our view, clearly stated, is that a project of this magnitude needed to go to referendum. We also believe that referendum would have passed, as this is a necessary investment in our public high school.

Now we will never know. And this board has decided to layer on future boards an annual payment of $3.5 million, payable from the district’s operating levy. Current board proponents, including three members with just a week left on their ter ms, see this as a way to impose fiscal discipline on a school that has traditionally lived large with taxpayers’ money.

Whether tough love for the next boards or fear of facing voters, the decision is final. Construction will start next year. And we are excited that OPRF will have top-notch physical education facilities at long last.

A few thoughts: Not having a referendum means we won’t have to listen to how many pizzas a month the higher tax bill would translate to. Equity advocates need to continue to push hard for more investment and innovation for all students. These villages and this school can afford to do both of these things simultaneously.

Finally, we don’t want to hear any more about how much money this district has saved taxpayers by not raising its levy to the max every year over the past decade — $67 million is the current fake money tout. Not grabbing every dollar allowed under tax caps is good work and should be expected of an elected board. You can’t count it. It isn’t yours.

Losses in development

A trio of economic development leaders announced this week that they are either retiring or moving on to new work.

Tammie Grossman, a 15-year veteran of Oak Park’s village hall, is retiring. She arrived in 2008 to run housing programs for the village. She will depart in June with a vast portfolio of experience, including building, planning, parking, housing and economic development. Kevin Jackson, the village manager, will have an opportunity to reorganize and make critical hires.

But Grossman will be missed greatly for her steady hand and willingness to collaborate with other entities, specifically the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation.

And there, we report this week, John Lynch, the eight-year head of OPEDC, is moving into a private sector post. He has been on the front line of Oak Park’s tall buildings, the remaking of Madison Street and other projects. What’s next at OPEDC will be interesting to watch.

And Liz Holt, executive director of the Oak Park and River Forest Chamber of Commerce, is also departing after six vital years. This is a lot of institutional memory walking out the door. The loss will be genuine.

e parade of community continuity

Two Saturdays ago, on Circle Avenue in Forest Park, I passed a 3D Norman Rockwell portrait. A homeowner was working on his porch and front steps, building it anew. Nearby on the sidewalk, his son, who looked to be about 10 years old, wearing a baseball cap, stood transfixed, arms at his side, completely absorbed by his father’s ef forts.

We drove past on our way to some early-mor ning errand, but the image imprinted. All I could think about was that the memory of watching his father laboring might last that boy a lifetime and might have real impact on the course of his life. Or not. Maybe the father was disciplining a wayward, errant child, forcing him to watch his handiwork instead of Saturday mor ning cartoons (if there still are Saturday mor ning cartoons). Grounded, or maybe grounding.

I choose the more positive interpretation because I am a longtime community witness. Home upkeep is a big part of community-mindedness (especially the DIY kind). And intergenerational interaction is essential to sustaining community — passing down values, not just by words, but what we do

Who knows what this f amily’s real story is. Life unfurls along so many different paths. Impossible to predict outcomes. Maybe he’ll pull this memory from his mental files later in life and discover to his surprise that it was, from the start, liberally infused with love.

The next Saturday, same street, same errand, we passed another living Rockwell portrait. A different father, hand-in-hand with his young daughter, who was maybe 3 or 4 years old. In his other hand, the father carried a small, purple, molded-plastic chair. In her other hand, the daughter held a single, bright yellow dandelion proudly aloft, as if it were a trophy bouquet. They were talking as we sped past, but it was their walking that spoke volumes. Total ease, unhurried, utterly comfor table with one another

And then they were gone, on to shared and separate lives that I will never know about, but of f, it seems, to a fine start.

My eyes are drawn to such scenes as I roam about because I am a longtime community watcher. I began this occupation, or preoccupation, when I became a journalist, which forces focus on something other than yourself. I get paid for paying attention, then bringing what I find to readers’ attention. I comb the town for glimpses of interaction, interdependence, intersection, interchange and inspiration, all of which add up

to community.

Last Wednesday, I visited a friend at Great Sip Café, 818 S. Oak Park Ave. My friend, who is retired, had a longstanding longing to be a barista, so she helps out here a couple of days a week. She refuses payment, making her perhaps the only volunteer barkeep in any commercial establishment in our fair village.

The owner of Great Sip, Rosa Cruz, appreciates the help. She’s quite a story in her own right. An emig re from the Dominican Re public, her longtime dream was opening a coffeeshop like this. To help pay for it, she cleans Metra train cars at 3:30 in the mor ning, then comes here. A foster parent, she has two 10-year-olds with special needs. DCFS couldn’t find a permanent home, so she adopted them. She is living her dream — the hard way.

As my friend and I talked, a young couple came in with their 5-week-old child in tow. Perhaps they’ re both on parental leave and just wanted to get out of the house. I don’t know if they grew up in Oak Park, but if they did and are under the age of 32 (as they looked to be), then they were children in tow in the 1990s when I moved back to Oak Park to pursue my career as a community vigilant. Out the window over their shoulders I see the for mer storefront of Lauterbach Bootery, the neighborhood shoe emporium where I was a child in tow once upon another eon, a re gular customer with my mom as my brothers and I continuously wore out our shoes. Lauterbach had the best suckers, which sweetened the visit, but what I remember most were the two wall mirrors, directly across from one another, producing my first experience with “infinity vision,” mir rors within mir rors, receding forever.

Coming back to the present, a group of four Irving moms sit in a circle nearby, doing what moms have been doing in coffeehouses all over Oak Park for generations: planning and org anizing. Likely they are “stay-at-homes” (parenting and/or working remotely) and while their kids are in school, they plan events and programs at school or through various volunteer organizations. Coffee clusters like this have long served as the spine of Oak Park community. One can’t help feeling our social “infrastructure” would disintegrate without them.

Oak Park, Forest Park and River Forest are welcoming places that provide welcoming spaces, like Great Sip Café, where community becomes visible to itself, a testament to continuity — like mirrors hanging on opposite walls, each generation framing the next, we dearly hope, into an infinite future.

KEN TRAINOR

Guns are the number one killer of kids in America. A child cannot enter kindergarten without the required immunizations, but that child is not protected from taking a parent’s gun that’s not locked up. Or protected from the gun that his buddy sneaks into school for show and tell … and kill.

If your answer is that we have a constitutional right to own and carry guns, that is correct, but heartless. When the Constitution was written, it referred to freaking muskets, not super-lethal assault weapons

We have lost our way on constitutional rights when we allow average persons like you and me to purchase weapons. OK, Brad Pitt owns a gun and says he feels better with a gun. So does his ex-wife Angelina Jolie (I’m dying to know that backstory). Whoopi Goldberg has a gun. Sylvester Stallone does not, says he will not own a gun and has campaigned against them.

Florida Gover nor Ron DeSantis, a truly

Gun owners, it’s time to step up

scary throwback, has said “the right to bear arms is the foundation on which all our other rights rest and is essential to Americans’ ability to rule themselves.” Say what? How about freedom of speech? How about voting rights? I don’t want to go off on a rant about Ron DeSantis, but he is way scarier — and smarter — than Trump

Only three countries in the world currently have a constitutional right to own a gun: the U.S., Mexico, and Guatemala. Those two countries are not great company for the U.S. unless we really want violence as a way of life. Furthermore, we are way ahead in children’s gun deaths compared to European countries.

Now comes a spate of gun-toting old guys shooting at people who ring their doorbell

We can do so much better

Police have killed more than 1,000 people per year in the U.S. every year for the past decade. This is a per capita rate of 33 people killed by police violence for every 10 million population, and the rate is higher for our Black residents. Police killings per capita happen at less than half that rate in every European country. France has a rate of 5.5, Germany 1.3, and the UK 0.5.

Vats and vats of ink have been spilled writing about the reasons for these differences. The number of guns is a key factor. Differing attitudes about violence and cultural beliefs may play a role. But the core truth revealed by this set of statistics is that violence generally, and police killings specifically, are not immutable facts of life Other nations have different sets of beliefs, histories, and practices, and they have different results.

We fall too easily into the trap of American exceptionalism. Our nation is exceptional for us because it is our home, in the same way that my family may feel exceptional for me because it is my family. There is not a sense in which my family is superior to yours, or at least if I were to have such a sense, it would be misplaced

Families are different, with different as-

sets and flaws, and we each came up from that unique blend to become the people we are now. In the same way, one nation is not inherently superior to another. We can learn things from other nations, as, hopefully, they can learn things from us

Patriotism is a heady drug. It manipulates us into believing that our nation can do no wrong, or at least that any wrong our nation has done is justified or inevitable

I am not proposing that we give up loving our nation, any more than I am proposing we give up loving our families. Love the USA, critique it, learn things from other places and times that can help us to grow together and get better

We can improve. First, we simply have to admit what we can improve and set about learning from others who have already improved it

Sources:

Numbers of police killings in the U.S. per year: https://mappingpoliceviolence.us/

Comparison with other countries: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killings_by_law_ enforcement. Rates_and_counts_by_country

Jim Schwar tz

Oak Park resident, educator, and blogger at Entwining.org

or pull into their driveway by mistake. I could work up a certain sympathy for these codgers if they watched Fox News all day and believe any stranger could be coming to harm them. On the other hand, maybe they’ve been waiting all their lives to shoot someone and know they might get away with it by playing the “Demented Fogey” card. I have dementia and I’m not more afraid or more bellicose

A weekend in Chicago is almost never a matter of whether anyone was shot; people, usually young people, will be shot. It’s a matter of “what’s the total?” I was honestly shocked when crowds of teenagers took over the Loop last weekend and only one person was shot.

Here’s an idea that might work. Why don’t we turn the problem over to gun owners?

All they would have to do is turn in their weapons. The idea is to convince them to admit the enor mous weight of the gun problem by admitting there is only one solution: no guns.

Then we must make a huge fuss over them for being willing to get rid of their guns

Two upcoming holidays, Memorial Day and the Fourth of July, would be perfect occasions for for mer gun owners to celebrate their freedom from fear, for them and for us, and do something astonishing for their country. Every town’s gun owners could be honored in a parade and ceremony turning in their guns, accompanied by flags, bands and cheerleaders (and in Oak Park, the guy who looks like Abraham Lincoln, who, by the way, was assassinated with a gun).

Guns could be melted down and made into angels in memory of all the children whose lives were cut short by firear ms

Please.

Focusing on the positive for a change

Wednesday Journal’s Viewpoints section has been a bit ... unpleasant lately. Between feeling my brain melt every time I open to another 10 letters about the OPRF High School pool (truly, is there anything new that can be said about it at this point?) and being accused of being a shill for the real estate industry just for having an opposing opinion about apar tments, I could use some positive perspectives in the back pages of this local paper.

To that end, here are some good things in our community I think are worth celebrating right now:

The Hephzibah Kids Resale Event:

This month Hephzibah raised $30,000 and ke pt thousands of pieces of clothing and toys out of landfills in an incredible feat of community and environmental impact that happens twice a year. This event is a success because an absolute ar my of women org anize, plan, donate, coordinate, volunteer and shop to keep the children in our community sustainably and af fordably clothed and entertained. The circular economy is alive and well in the Western ’burbs, and it is powered by women.

Harriet Hausman:

I only know Harriet through her columns in Wednesday Journal, but she is obviously a national treasure. River Forest, please celebrate this amazing woman with a Betty White-sized 100th birthday party next year!

The Oak Park Public Library:

Please direct all of my tax dollars to the library, thank you very much. It’s not just a slogan. This truly is a library for everyone. The art currently on display in the Gallery, from local artist Hasani Cannon, is just stunning — see it while you can, through May 20.

Kids on bikes:

Friday, May 5 is Bike and Roll to School Day in Oak Park. Be on the lookout Friday morning for kids all over the village biking to school together, celebrating the joy of active commuting while building a sense of community, safety and school spirit.

Redbud Trees:

My god, the redbuds are beautiful this year! Get out and enjoy their purple blooms while you can!

Nicole Chavas Oak Park

Reparations and steel traps

Many of us would like to be known for having minds like steel traps. We fancy ourselves quick lear ners, gathering a few bits of knowledge on our way to quickly arriving at conclusions. In the manner of a bear trap, we are confident of our mind’s capacity to rapidly master a subject

DALE SORENSON

One View

Enor mous strength is required to open the jaws of that trap when one is confronted with new and discomforting information. So it is with re parations for Black Americans, envisioned by some to address the contemporary social condition of a people subjected over the course of four centuries to slavery, segregation and discrimination. Although we as a nation have little experience with reparations, many Americans already have strong opinions and have snapped their minds shut. Some support reparations as inarguably earned and long overdue. Others point out the forbidding complexity and cultural conflict that reparations entail.

Fortunately, the first experiment has started and is close at hand. Evanston is, to date, the only gover nmental entity in the U.S. to design and adopt a reparations program. Payments are directed toward Black Evanston residents who meet certain established criteria

A remarkable opportunity to lear n about the Evanston reparations program is coming to Oak Park on two Sundays in May. In forums sponsored by the First United Church of Oak Park, key participants and close observers of the reparations project will share their stories.

e Day Nursery

Founded in 1912

Heroic women felt compelled, To help children lear n and play, The tuition? Just 5 cents per day.

With quality childhood education

Still needed in our diverse nation. They founded daycare for hard-working parents, Creating future enriched adolescents

And throughout its long, long history Nur turing and quality its specificity

The Day Nursery has held itself strong, Bringing hear ts, minds, and spirits along And though sometimes the road has been hard, With COVID in that re gard

Financial assistance has ke pt the doors open, And the chain of well-being unbroken.

If you want to be part of this memorable location

Enroll a child, find out more, or make a donation, Please go online: thedaynursery.org

Email: parentcoord@thedaynursery.org

Call: 708-383-8211

1139 Randolph St., Oak Park, IL 60302

You will be pleased you did.

We will hear from Peter Braithwaite, the Evanston city councilman who headed the council’s reparations committee, and Kari Lydersen, a Northwester n University professor who closely followed and documented the program for The New Republic

When it comes to reparations for African Americans, facts and precedents are scarce while theories and generalizations flourish. The upcoming forums at First United Church will allow interested persons to check their prejudices at the door and humbly listen to the flesh-and-blood experience of our North Shore neighbors. How did Evanston decide which of its 12,000 Black citizens should be “repaid?” How much money is enough? Where will the money come from? Would a search for perfection forestall something imperfect but better than the status quo? Will local reparations efforts erode the support for a larger national project?

These forums are part of an ongoing series of presentations spanning political, social and religious topics organized by the church’s Adult Education team. Immigration, incarceration, race langua ge, contemporary biblical interpretation, and urban-youth challenges are just some of the topics explored this year

When the doors open for the 9:45 a.m. presentations on May 7 and 21 at First United Church (848 Lake St.), be there to observe the release of steel traps. The odds are that no one will walk out the same.

Dale Sorenson has lived in Oak Park for 40 years and has attended First United nearly as long

BLESOFF

from page 27

During COVID, my neighbor has been wearing the same style mask every day. The other day he told me he recently wore a different mask and the guy who works at the grocery store, whom he sees on a regular basis, didn’t recognize him. What identifiers do we use to see other people or to see ourselves? If we identify people based on how they appear, too often unconscious bias influences our interpretations. We see the deep wrinkles on the old person’s face as ugly. As we age, the persona we present to the world, the mask we wear, evolves

Or does it? That is one of the underpinnings of conscious aging.

In our last third of living, we can see things in a different way, not just out of habit. Aging with intention offers the opportunity to pull back the curtain. To paraphrase the writer and poet David Whyte, conscious aging offers us witness, the privilege of having been seen by someone, and the equal privilege of seeing the essence of another

WEDNESD AY JOURNAL

of Oak Park and River Forest

Editor and Publisher Dan Haley

Senior Editor Bob Uphues

Digital Manager Stacy Coleman

Senior Repor ter Stacey Sher idan

Staff Repor ters Francia Garcia Hernandez, Amaris Rodriguez

Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor

Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora

Big Week Editor James Porter

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

Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead

Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea

Designer Susan McKelvey

Marketing Representatives Marc Stopeck, Lourdes Nicholls, Kamil Brady

Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan

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

Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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

About Viewpoints

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

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

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

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

LET

TER TO THE EDITOR

■ 250-word limit

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‘ONE VIEW’ ESSAY

■ 500-word limit

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

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Val Gee, Oak Park

Even seeing the essence of ourselves

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

Zoning changes would limit RUSH Oak Park services

eeting the health care needs of our community starts with our commitment to be a good neighbor. The health and well-being of the village of Oak Park has been at the very core of RUSH Oak Park Hospital’s mission for 116 years — providing the highest quality, most accessible health care for the residents of Oak Park Convenient access to world-class care locally supports the wellness and vibrancy of any community. As a community evolves and grows, so too must its essential services. RUSH Oak Park Hospital is among the essential services of the village of Oak Park. It is among myriad reasons residents choose to call our village home.

The hospital is part of the Rush University System for Health through which we educate and train the best providers, undertake cutting-edge clinical research and use the latest in health care technology. This level of care and education is best achieved in state-of-the-art facilities that meet current code and ADA requirements on behalf of our patients and staf f.

The newest building that meets cur rent health-care architectural standards is the 2019 Emergency Department on Madison Street. However, world-class health care is currently being delivered in facilities that are well past their expected useful life, including the original 1907 east building.

On May 4, the Village of Oak Park Planning Commission will consider zoning amendments that would significantly hamper RUSH Oak Park Hospital’s ability to continue to carry out that mission well into the future. While the changes outlined in the amendments before the planning commission may seem like common-sense solutions to some, in reality they will threaten RUSH Oak Park Hospital’s existence as a full-service hospital and put the community at risk in the future.

We have strived to be a good and vital neighbor to all in Oak Park for over a century, from providing health-care services every day for our neighbors and all

village residents to serving on the front lines of emergencies and health-care crises to protect our community.

In 2021 alone, the hospital contributed more than $17.4 million in charity care to support health equity.

The zoning proposal will, in fact, restrict and discourage future improvement to the hospital, limiting the medical services that can be provided to our community and sur rounding areas from this location. By placing these constraints on an organization whose very mission is to meet the health-care needs of its community, this only serves to put our community at risk.

Our hospital must be on the leading edge of change, not years behind it, and RUSH will be unable to do that for the residents of Oak Park if constrained by codes that neither account nor allow for impor tant medical and scientific progress

In the coming years, we will need to enhance cer tain facilities to keep pace with

rapidly evolving health-care technology and care delivery methods. While there are no specific plans for that currently, RUSH Oak Pa rk Hospital — like any health-care provider — needs the flexibility to accommodate these changes

RUSH Oak Pa rk Hospital is deeply committed to working with the village, our neighbors, and the entire community to evaluate any new proposals when they are made so our hospital can continue to grow along with our entire community. We will follow all existing processes transparently and with public input. As a longtime member of the community, I not only expect it — I welcome it — knowing that they are there to protect the interests of all Oak Park residents.

Maintaining the current zoning will ensure that Oak Park residents continue to have access to the high-quality care tailored to their ever-changing needs that RUSH is proud to deliver.

Gary McCullough is chair of the RUSH Oak Park Board of Directors.

A bitter pill

The New York Times Opinion section (April 16) re por ted on a shor t study about what seniors think, using a varied group of 12 people from dif ferent parts of the country. Folks chosen to participate were between the ages of 70 and 85, of both sexes, and from multiraces. Although only 12 seniors were studied, some interesting answers to the interviewer’s questions resulted. Some of the responses were predictable, and probably the same answers given would be expected from 12 other randomly chosen seniors.

Most stated that these advanced years are the s, although they all comfrequent aches and pains. A few of them called this time the “golden stage” of life.

(By contrast, my mother always called these the

he reasons the majority of these seniors feel carefree include not having the pressure of time schedules to meet or pressing work to be done wed are still working partted enjoying doing so.

Neighbors, feeling unheard

Residents of River Forest are deeply concer ned about proposed zoning recommendations that will be detrimental to established neighborhoods. In and around the Madison TIF District, we are disheartened to lear n that after hours of meetings, and following a litany of thoughtful, practical, and heartfelt letters, Village Planner John Houseal put forward to the Economic Development Commission (EDC) on Friday April 28, a memo detailing the exact same proposal for zoning alterations for the C2 District adjacent to our small neighborhood in south River Forest that he circulated and presented both at a Feb. 22 “stakeholders” meeting and at the EDC meeting on April 5.

This proposal fails to consider or incorporate views expressed in community meeting or letter and fails to honor the dialog at the April 5 EDC meeting, where the EDC tabled the proposal for the next meeting.

7) Recommend zoning that provides the highest and best use of the site and surrounding parcels;

8) Village should thoughtfully consider the nearest neighbors’ concer ns over light, green space, traffic, and privacy when reviewing specific proposals

The C2 zoning code on Madison Street between Lathrop and Thatcher should not be updated across the board to eliminate all height, density, parking, FAR, and setbacks in current zoning in contravention of the input of the citizens. Re-zoning to accommodate tall, dense structures along Madison is an unacceptable departure from the current zoning

Deborah L. Borman

Ri v er Forest

Lathrop, Ashland, Franklin Neighbors

On behalf of the following:

Barbara Mirel

Annette Madden

S allie Castillo

HAUSMAN

nother finding was that 8 of the 12 seniors interviewed mentioned their increased interest in politics. All expressed the concer n that, as a group, seniors are considered ir relevant in our society and their concer ns are disregarded. Those interviewed highlighted pain, arthritis, and illness as concer ns. Relatedly, they expressed a strong concern that despite their efficacy, FDA-approved painkillers and other medications could be withdrawn from the marketplace in light of the current chipping away of the FDA’s authority.

As outrageous as this may seem, recently a right-wing, Republican, Trump-appointed federal judge in Texas, ruled against the use of mifepristone, an FDA-approved abortion medication that has been used safely for 23 years. I do not believe the use of this FDA-approved drug, or any other, should be subject to a judge’s deter mination. This federal ruling, if permitted to stand, could open the door to this and any other judge across the country eliminating the sale and use of all sorts of medications

How dare a judge, or any politician, take away our right to control our own health care? No judge or politician should have the right to overrule our doctors or us. We want medical professionals whom we trust, who know our specific conditions and needs, to care for us. No statesman, legislator, judge, or politician of any party affiliation should prohibit use of FDA-approved medications we require.

Some seniors may believe this abortion pill ruling has nothing to do with us; that it only pertains to women of birthing age. Not true! It is of extreme importance that we seniors urge the FDA and responsible nonpartisan folks to counter this ruling. It landed at the Supreme Court where the justices in a split opinion decided to permit continued use of the FDAapproved abortion pill temporarily. It should not have mattered which drug the federal judge’s ruling involved. The Supreme Court should have focused on the Texas judge’s authority to rule against any FDA-approved medication, food, or drug rather than the use and sale of this one drug Obviously, our fight is not over!

As seniors age, we will necessarily lose much of our independence. This makes voicing our wishes more important than ever We seniors and our allies must speak out, and fight to hold fir mly to our rights, both civil and personal.

By percentages, we seniors are the largest group of voters in America today. Let us use our power to vote for reasonable candidates who will guard our interests and rights and be leaders for the greater good for all.

Residents expressed these concer ns, in person or by letter:

1) Take more time before making any recommendations to the village board on potential zoning changes;

2) Consider variance requests in the context of specific development proposals;

3) Include a recommendation that neighborhood concer ns such as traffic, parking, density, privacy, and setbacks be considered as the process moves forward;

4) Provide a written vision for development of the Madison corridor that includes multiple options under the current or modified zoning code;

5) Provide for commercial space which is sorely lacking in the Madison commercial district.

6) Consider more thoughtful development in the current difficult economic climate rather than caving into a taller structure that primarily benefits the developer;

Jennifer Moore

Rich Moore

Melissa Mitchell

Chrissy Anderson-Pogue

Ed Pogue

Bridget Er fort

Dave Er fort

Frieda Pantos

John Pantos

Kathy Corcos

Daniel Corcos

Renee Duba

Susan Altier

Cal Davis

Y Robin Lavender

Margie Bidinger

Joe Bidinger

Lori Madden

Gina Moran

Beth Wangelin

Figure it out or get out

We Americans face some huge challenges, but at the moment we are so passionately divide d that we can’ t seem to g et anything accomplished. This tug-of-war is not trivial, nor is it unique in our histor y.

But it is time to act with our shared values forward — on assault weapons, abor tion, Ukraine, immigration.

T he posturing and positioning need to transform into researching and debating. Opponents must meet and find common ground. This is what we pay you for and what we expect from

you. Don’t threaten. Don’t stand fir m; ne gotiat e. Don’t seek perfection; find the possible.

Several conditions have contributed to this froz en tableau: the filibuster is one, as are gerrymandered cong ressional districts, and “judge shopping.”

T hose who r un for of fice should concentrat e on one ter m — this one, now. It is a moment for courageous compromise

Figure it out or we’ ll vote you out.

Karen Muriello Oak Park

e legacy of the pool vote

The District 200 school board unanimously voted Thursday night to disenfranchise the other 48,801 voters in the district on the funding of a $102 million physical education addition. The board’s vote to issue debt certificates, with no recourse to put the funding on the ballot, reveals that it fears another defeated referendum or a backdoor referendum for an oversized pool project. The vote was no sur prise.

MONIC A SHEEHAN One View

TOM COFSKY

Why we picked option 2

received. Option 2 defies all three

The le gacy of this vote extends far beyond Project 2. The vote of these seven board members marks the end of referenda funding, a basic public finance principle providing checks and balances, at D200. No future board will feel compelled to put a project to referendum when this board blew past one for a $102 million. It’s a sad day for democracy in Oak Park and River Forest.

from page 24

From 2018 through the present and continuing to 2028, expenses are projected to increase at 2.8%, within expected CPI growth. As a result of this expense control, rather than seeing a looming operating deficit, we anticipate a continuing surplus, which can be used to fund the debt that’s needed to execute the next phase of our Imagine long-ter m facilities plan without putting an additional burden on you, the taxpayer

balance. Alter natively, the no-referendum, debt-certificate scenario shows the fund balance growing to 60% of operating expenses, within the range recommended by CFC. So only the self-funded route meets the guidelines of fund balance and expense growth outlined in our fund balance policy. I have spent the past 10 years working to move our district to meet these guidelines

Some community members, most of whom are ardently opposed to the pool project in general, state that a referendum is the only correct option for Project 2 while also criticizing the referendum from 2002 that first led to the huge fund balance. If it was unconscionable then, why is it the right path now?

The precursor to the board’s funding plan, Option 2, was unveiled at the Aug. 16, 2022 Community Finance Committee (CFC) meeting. The administration and its bond consultant presented a singular draft funding proposal for Project 2 with all bor rowing in debt certificates, the opposite of best practices, defying all nor ms, that clearly had tacit board approval. Debt certificates are intended for shor t-ter m bor rowing by a school to pay for an emergency building re pair it can’t cover with its cash reserve. In voting for Option 2, the board ignored the CFC’s exper t financial advice

D200 has not been for thcoming with the community on the source of its operating sur plus with which it plans to re pay Option 2’s debt certificates. Most of the sur plus consists of grant dollars intended to provide tax relief to property owners. D200 ke pt Property Tax Relief Grant money annually since fiscal 2020, failing to adhere to the intent of the law. It’s a misuse of grant funds. It’s unethical.

The administratio n’s misleading promotion of Option 2’s $45.3 million in debt cer tificates, costing taxpayers $0 annually, and their false nar rative that peer schools have funded similar projects in the same way tainted the funding discussion. It became clear that it was a charade when the board pivoted in its directive to the CFC to prevent it from making a funding recommendation. The board’s shift, allowing the CFC to provide only pros and cons of funding plans, came after CFC members stated that Project 2 should go to referendum, debt cer tificate bor rowing should be shor t-ter m only, five years or less, and donation dollars should not be included in a funding plan until the money is

The board’s act of extreme over reach serves as the exclamation point on the decade-long pool saga. It’s the story of the outsized influence of a small, special interest group to drive the spending of an expensive, larger-than-necessary pool on the space-constrained campus to the detriment of other students and taxpayers, and the captured administrations and boards who enabled it.

Their slo g an should be, “D200: unaccountable to taxpayers on spending since 2005.”

Monica Sheehan is an Oak Pa rk resident.

Sources:

Cook County Records: 48,808 re gistered voters in District 200: https://www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/ elections/results-and-election-data/election-data/registration-statistics

Funding document presented at the 8/16/22 CFC meeting (p. 17): https://go.boarddocs.com/il/oprfhs/ Board.nsf/files/CH9Q6X67D768/$file/ Finance%20Option%20Update%20

August%2011%202022%20w%20P2%20 (Revised).pdf

8/16/22 CFC meeting agenda: http://go.boarddocs.com/il/oprfhs/ Board.nsf/goto?open&id=CGZPT8661217

8/16/22 CFC meeting minutes:

https://go.boarddocs.com/ il/oprfhs/Board.nsf/files/

CKCPNB6566B8/$file/20220816%20

CFC%20Minutes.pdf

Wednesday Jour nal ar ticles:

https://www.oakpark.com/2023/03/03/ citizen-finance-group-at-oprf-favors-project-2-referendum/

https://www.oakpark.com/2023/04/04/ dee p-in-financing-weeds-oprf-advisorcorrects-a-debt-option/

We recognize that there are risks with many assumptions in our forward projections, especially beyond five years but do not feel we should use the same conservatism that was used in the past.

What are the long-ter m differences between the three options presented by CFC?

For the past 10 years, successive boards have focused on responding to community concer ns about the district’s overly large fund balance, which had reached roughly $130 million by 2013. In order to bring it down to a reasonable level (which CFC recommends as a range of 25-50%), boards since 2013 have voted to levy a total of $67 million less than permitted by tax-cap law.

How then would the different options affect our fund balance?

A 20-year projection shows that, without significant changes to expense growth, a referendum option would once again lead to unnecessary growth in the district’s fund

There has been considerable misinformation in the community about this project, which is unfortunate as how to fund this project is an issue of legitimate public interest. I am proud that our board has moved forward with a plan that meets the needs of our students, while equally respecting those of our taxpayers. I am thrilled that we can now fund the next step of our communityled plan, Imagine OPRF Project 2, without asking for a tax increase

Over the next several years, future boards will need to revisit our facilities needs as we look to fund the rest of the Imagine OPRF plan. It’s almost certain that as we do so, we will need to tur n to the community for assistance. But waiting to ask for that support until we need it is the most fiscally responsible course of action. Building up a fund balance now would only result in us repeating previous mistakes.

Tom Cofsky is president of the District 200 Board of Education.

at Fox News is not news is no news at all

Re: Clarence Pa ge’s “Don’ t reach too quickly for your firearms,” Chica go Tribune, p. 16, April 23:

The shocking unprovoked attack by Andrew Lester, who shot the young black student who knocked on the wrong door in Kansas City, was explained by his grandchildren as unsur prising. Lester was one of millions of Americans duped by Fox News into paranoid delusions and who thus live in constant, baseless fear

The Dominion lawsuit has revealed in glaring clarity that Fox is not news at all, but merely a vessel of lies and fabrications intended to inflame their viewers

Despite feeling some satisfaction that this anti-American media cesspool has been exposed for what it is, and isn’t, we cannot feel vindicated. Everyone who subscribes to cable TV is forced to pay $2 per month for the privilege of being lied to by Fox.

Rather than being hur t by the $787.5 million fine, Fox is simply passing their fine onto cable viewers, who will now have to pay $3 per month. This obscene 50% fee increase will eventually increase the profits of this network. Every cable subscriber should demand that Fox be removed from the channel lineup

Tom DeCoursey, Oak Park

What ChatGPT prioritizes for Oak Park

Generative AI technologies in general, and ChatGPT from OpenAI specifically, has created much excitement since its consumer launch in November 2022. I wanted to explore how ChatGPT’s LLM (Large Language Model) would respond to a question about Oak Park. It took me all of 30 seconds for this.

ChatGPT Prompt: What are the top three priorities for Oak Park, Illinois?

ChatGPT Response: As a large and diverse community, Oak Park, Illinois has many priorities that are important to different groups of people. However, based on recent discussions and initiatives, some of the top priorities for the community currently include:

1. Addressing issues of racial equity: Like many communities across the United States, Oak Park is grappling with the ongoing impacts of systemic racism. In response, the village has launched several initiatives aimed at promoting equity, including creating a racial equity commission and investing in programs that aim to reduce disparities in education, housing, and other areas

2. Ensuring fiscal sustainability: Oak Park is facing financial challenges, including a recent property tax reassessment and ongoing pension obligations To ensure that the village can continue to provide essential services and maintain its high quality of life, leaders are focusing on developing long-ter m financial plans and exploring new revenue sources.

3. Supporting economic development: Oak Park has a strong local economy, but leaders are committed to ensuring that the community remains an attractive destination for businesses and residents This includes investing in infrastructure, promoting entrepreneurship and innovation, and prioritizing sustainable growth that benefits all residents.

Of course, there are many other important priorities for the community, including addressing climate change, improving transportation options, and promoting affordable housing. However, these three priorities reflect some of the key challenges and opportunities facing Oak Park today

Perhaps it writes at a middle-school level and the response is fairly generic I would have liked to see more facts supporting the response, but as a nascent technology, one cannot help being impressed. It will only get better as it gets trained with more and better data. Targeted training of ChatGPT and other specialized LLMs are already enabling other applications, e.g. generating travel itineraries and paralegal services where they could be powerful co-pilots improving human efficiency and productivity.

Its implications are exciting but the unknown directions that it’s already starting to evolve beyond its creators’ comprehension makes it at least a little scary.

What do you think?

Elaine Kirk, 97,

Elaine “Blondie” Kirk, 97, of River Fo est, died peacefully on April 17, 2023, at her daughter’s home in Indiana. Bor in Princeton, Illinois, on Oct. 1, 1925, Blondie, as she was called by everyone who knew her, grew up on a farm during the De pression and was the youngest of seven children of Her man and Selma Nelson. Her dad insisted that all the children go to colle ge and she attended Knox Colle ge in Galesburg. After graduating, she met her future husband, Harold Kirk, on a blind date. They mar ried in Princeton and moved to the near wester n suburbs settling in River Forest.

She loved the outdoors and spent many weeks during the year hunting in Nor th Dakota and fishing in Canada with her husband.

Very active in the community, she served on the Women’s Auxiliary of West Suburban Hospital and with the Infant Welfare Society of OP-RF. She was also involved in First Presbyterian Church of River Forest as an elder. For many years she served on the

village of River Forest’s Planning and Development Board. The Kirks were longtime members of the River Forest ennis Club and the Oak Park Country Club.

One of the late honors in her life was the dedication of the 600 block of Keystone as Elaine “Blondie” Kirk Way to honor her years of service to the community

Blondie is preceded in death by her husband Harold. She is survived by her four children, Scott (Jean), Todd (Jane), and Ann Williams (Doug). She had 14 who adored her and 13 great-grandchildren.

A wake was held on April 29, followed by a memorial service at First Presbyterian Church of River Forest, 7551 Quick Ave., River Forest, with a lunch and rece ption at the Oak Pa rk Country Club in River Grove.

In lieu of flowers, a donation to First Presbyterian Church of River Forest is welcomed.

Patrick Hegarty, 56

Marine who loved national parks

Patrick Ray mond He ga rt y, 56, die d at home, sur rounded by his f amily on April 21, 2023, his late mother ’s bir thd ay His last two years included a hard-fought battle with c ancer. Bor n on Oct. 31, 1966 in Oak Pa rk , the eighth child of Edward and Mar y Frances He ga rt y, he gr aduated from Oak Pa rk and Rive r Fo rest High School, then enlisted in the U. S. Marine Co rp s, serving for four years as a Rifleman, during wh ich he enjoyed a “Mediter r anean cruise,” and was stationed at C amp Lejeune in Nor th Carolina and Naval Submarine Base New L ondon in Groton, C onnecticut.

Ravi Parakkat Oak Park villa ge trustee

He mar ried Catherine Helmke on Au g. 11, 1990. T hey had two d aughter s, Erica and St ep hani e. He was well known for his bad jokes and animated recitation of “The Cremation of S am McGee,” b oth of wh ich came from his belove d Uncle Ray. He love d spending time outdoors and enjoyed tr aveling to National Pa rk s. His favo rite place was Arches National Pa rk , after wh ich he named hi s c ampervan — “A rchi e, ” also in honor of the g olden arches of McDonald ’s where he spent most of hi s career and where he ear ned the President’s Award,

wh ich reco gnizes the top 1% of employees Archie also harkens back to Archibald Henderson, the longest-servin g C ommandant of the Marine Co rp s. Patrick was preceded in death by his parents, Edward and Mary Franc es He ga rt y, and his brother-in-law, Jose ph Wi lliams. He is survive d by hi s w ife, Catherine; his d aughter s, Eric a (Thur man) Fo g leman and St ep hanie; his brother s, Edward ( Cin dy ), Michael (Diane), Daniel (Kat hy ), Christopher (Amy N elson), Te rr ence; and his sister s, Maureen (Dan) Kruszynski, RoseAnn ( Jim ) Vonesh, Kathleen (Rober t) Burdett, Mary Pat (the late Jose p h) Wi lliams, and Mary Rose (Gerard) Crimmins; as well as numerous nieces and ne phews.

Vi sitation was held on April 29 at Grace L utheran C hurch, 7300 Division St., Rive r Fo rest, followe d by a memorial service and then fellowshi p.

If you would li ke to make a d onation in his memor y, b lood d onations, g ifts to Misericordia Home (family reference number 1046), C ommunity Renewal Society or Walther Christian Academy are all greatly appreciated.

Tank Corner, OPRF security guard and coach, dies unexpectedly

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

Monday was a sad day at Oak Park and River Forest High School. That’s when students and staf f lear ned of the death of longtime campus safety of ficer Jean “Tank” Cor ner. Cor ner died Sunday evening from complications from pneumonia. He had been on leave from his job recovering from back surgery. He was 52.

“This news comes as a ter rible shock to all of us,” OPRF Prin cipal Lynda Parker wrote in an email sent to students and fami lies Monday mor ning. “Tank has been a fixture at OPRFHS for many, many years, and we feel this tragic loss throughout our entire Huskie family

Cor ner had worked at OPRF for 28 years and graduated from the school in 1989. He was a star football running back at OPRF in the late 1980’s and went on to play colle ge football at North Iowa Area Community Colle ge before transfer ring to the University of Norther n Iowa. In his two years at the University of Norther n Iowa Cor ner rushed 1,766 yards and had 11 touchdowns He gained 254 yards in a 1992 game against Souther n Illinois.

He came back to work at OPRF and became an important part of the fabric at OPRF.

TANK CORNER

“Many of our students grew close to Tank during daily hallway interactions with him as well as his coaching activities. He was the first staf f person many of our student athletes saw every day as he kept watch over the entrance for before-school practices.”

“Our building is g rieving,” said Karin Sullivan, the executive director of communications at OPRF.

Teachers were shocked when they lear ned that Cor ner had died. Everyone seemed to know him and to like him.

Jim Geovanes has been a physical education teacher for 23 years at OPRF and knew Cor ner well.

“He was just such a good man,” Geovanes said. “He was very playful,” Geovanes said.

“His personality was always messing with people, aways goofing on people It just came to be expected. He was just a gentle giant. He was just a super great dude.”

Another teacher said Cor ner was a beloved figure at the school.

“He was a community builder; he was there for everybody, he was kind,” said the teacher who asked not to be identified because he wasn’t cleared to talk to the media.

Although his given name was Jean he had long gone by Tank. The name fit him. He was built like a tank, short but wide and powerful. He power lifted until last year

This past fall he was the head coach for OPRF’s first girls flag football team.

“He was very passionate about the game in football,” said OPRF senior Kelly Re gan who played on the flag football team last fall. “He was very focused but also passionate. When we did good, he would cheer us up When we were down, he would make sure we just focused on the next play He was a very good coach and very detail orientated as well.”

Cor ner was a familiar and comforting presence at OPRF. Powerfully built so no one would mess with him but he also was

gregarious and friendly and put people at ease He was a reassuring presence on the third floor landing during the school day or at the main entrance at the end of the school day. He loved interacting with students

“He was a teddy bear,” said the teacher who asked not to be identified. “He had cartoonish muscles that demonstrated security and safety yet he was the first person to welcome people and shuf fle them to where they had to be.”

He seemed to know everyone at the school.

“He knew everything about what was going on at the school.” Re gan said. “I saw him almost every day.”

Cor ner developed a small business, called Fitness II Perfection, selling athletic apparel, mostly shirts with inspirational sayings such as Work Hard No Excuses, Puttin in work! and Dominate

Counselors were available for students Monday in the school’s Little Theater Some students gathered there to talk about Corner and write notes to his family.

Funeral ar rangements have yet to be announced.

Quick resolution to new River Forest pact with police o cers

Two bargaining sessions, unanimous board OK

By ROBERT J. LIFKA

Contributing Reporter

It only took two bargaining sessions for River Forest village officials and the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 46 to reach agreement on a new three-year contract.

Village board members ratified the contract by unanimous vote of the five trustees present at their April 24 meeting. Bob O’Connell did not attend. The action was approved as part of the consent agenda with no discussion. The FOP membership approved the contract April 13.

“I am very pleased about the work that was done under the leadership of police Chief Jim O’Shea,” Village President Cathy Adduci said. “We have a good relationship with our police union and great respect for each other.”

The new contract, which took ef fect May 1, was actually ratified before the previous contract had expired April 30.

Under the new contract, the 28 FOP members each will receive a 3.25 percent salary increase in each of the three years.

“I was thrilled to get it done so quickly,” Village Administrator Matt Walsh said.

“We had a very productive discussion and just hammered it out.”

In addition to the salary increase, the new contract provides extra pay for specialty duty and an increase in the uniform allowance. In addition, 12 longer tenured swor n of ficers will receive longevity bonuses. Health insurance contributions will remain unchanged from the previous contract.

In a memo to Walsh, Trish Ivansek, human resources director, explained that a survey of 15 villages by staf f members revealed that River Forest’s rate of pay for a

new of ficer was lower than that of other comparable villages, leading to a change in the new contract.

The village’s public works maintenance workers and water operators are working without a contract, the previous contract having expired in 2022. Walsh said village of ficials are ne gotiating with Local 150 of the Inter national Union of Operating Engineers, which represents the public works employees

The village’s contract with River Forest Firefighters Local 2391 does not expire until 2024.

‘Our building is grieving,’ says communications chief

Bookstore Day brings tra c, revenue to

indie booksellers

Bookstore crawl returns with “passpor ts,” pins

By IGOR STUDENKOV Staff Reporter

Chilly, occasionally rainy weather didn’t stop hundreds of Chicagoans and suburbanites from racing across the re gion on April 29 to visit at least 10 inde pendently owned bookstores Forest Park’s Centuries & Sleuths, 7419 Madison St., and Oak Park’s the Book Table, 1045 Lake St., benefitted

Since 2014, a growing number of Chicago-area bookstores have teamed up to drive customers to each other’s stores. The promotions varied over the

years, but the idea was generally that anyone who visited a cer tain number of bookstores would get discounts until the next Inde pendent Bookstore Day.

This year, the group brought back the Bookstore Passport Challenge, where customers who spent at least $20 in a participating bookstore get a “passpor t” with names and addresses of all participants Customers who get their passpor ts stamped (or stickered) in nine more stores got 10% discounts and those who got stamps from 15 stores got 15% of f.

One thing new this year was that winners were supposed to get pins. In a testament to Bookstore Day’s popularity, many stores ran out of them by the

after noon.

The first Bookstore Day was held on June 12, 2014. It included nine city bookstores, some of which have since closed or moved. The following year, the date was moved to coincide with the national Inde pendent Bookstore Day, which launched se parately in 2013.

Since 2015, some stores dropped in or out, and some suburban stores joined in. The event took a break in 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic.

When the bookstore crawl retur ned in 2022, par ticipants had to mark the stores they visited on their social media accounts.

The Book Table in Oak Park had more customers browsing than stopping by to get stamps. Owner Rachel Weaver said that Bookstore Day has been profitable for them

“It’s always a good day,” she said. “We get a lot of people star ting their book crawl at the suburbs All of the [suburbanites] star t here and move east to Chicago.”

At Centuries & Sleuths around noon, customer came in to get a stamp, but and a daughter stopped to look browse Owner Augie Aleksy pentent Bookstore Day has been his store, and he was pleasantly to find that it was one of his profitable days of 2022. This year, he said, was shaping up the same. really sur prised, and I shouldn’t busy we were this mor ning,” Aleksy, noting that he had particifrom as far west as Naperville some other bookstore owners, he r ried that the weather would customers away

“Rain is the best time to spend in a book” he said.

IGOR STUDENKOV Centuries & Sleuths’ Augie Aleksy in Forest Park.

IGOR STUDENK

e Book Table in Oak Park.

CAT FRIENDLY

Brookfield neighborhood person needed for light housekeeping and probable future cat sitting

References a plus Call 773-807-3402

SEASONAL FARMER’S MARKET ASSISTANT

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Seasonal Farmer’s Market Assistant in the Health Department. This position will provide administrative support to the Farmer’s Market Manager to allow growers and producers of food to sell directly to the public within established guidelines. This position requires work in inclement weather conditions; some heavy lifting of up to 50 pounds; walking or standing for sustained periods of time. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/jobs.

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

HIRING CLEANING TECHNICIANS FOR OPPORTUNITIES IN WESTCHESTER!

Awesome Cleaning & Janitorial Services is looking for experienced cleaning technicians that are energetic, hospitable, ready to work and AWESOME!

Pay starts at $20/hr. Must be available for weekends also.

Ready to work? Contact us by email at info@awesomecjs.com.

Mechanical Engineer sought by Amp Payroll, LLC (Chicago, IL) - Support dvlpmt of project plans incl engg, dsgn, procurement, fabrication & vendor mobilization. Collab & dvlp project objectives, policies, procedures, milestones & performance stds. Maintain effective & on-going communications w/ engg, procurement, EPCM & external consultants. Coord requisitioning of vendors for procurement of services, eqpmt, & materials for project critical deadlines. Conduct research that tests & analyzes the feasibility, dsgn, operation & performance of eqpmt, components & systems. Dvlp mechanical performance reqmts for projects. Work w/ vendors to deliver dsgn documentation, eqpmt specs, datasheets, sched’g & action registers. Support Project Mgrs to deliver projects w/in budget & on time. Under supvn, manage budget & sched of capital projects by studying project plan, reviewing bids & creating

detailed specs to complete project tasks. Review P&IDs, facility layouts, dsgn-based procurement & detailed engg. Perform risk analysis & document mitigation plans appropriately. Ensure accurate & timely reporting stds are maintained throughout the project(s). Coord w/ regional & site mgmt on status, significant trends & changes of approved projects. Ensure safety & QA/QC prgms are established by all parties & maintained & conduct reviews of detailed dsgn drawings & specs. Prep project estimates, budget, scheds & execution plans. Perform other project engg & project mgmt rltd duties. Interface w/ multi-disciplinary teams to dvlp & monitor project metrics & manage reporting of project data. Reqs exp in Mechanical Engg or rltd for at least 6 yrs/72 mos. Bachelor deg in Mechanical Engg. Send resume to Jim Waddell: 2001 N Clybourn Ave, Ste 400, Chicago, IL 60614, or email jwaddell@ampamericas.com

Sr. Manager, Supply Planning sought by Sara Lee Frozen Bakery, LLC in Oakbrook Terrace, IL to own master sched, capacity planning, & inventory mgmt plans across a portfolio of SKUs to deliver results for customer fill rates/inventory targets. Reqs: Bach Deg in Industrial & Systems Engg, Supply Chain Mgmt, Operations, Bus Admin, or rltd deg & 5 yrs exp in job offd or in supply chain rltd role. Must also possess exp w/ work in team envrmt w/ Operations, Sales/ Mktg, & Finance & interacting reg. w/ sr. mgmt regarding goals & accomplishments; & etc. Must have APICS Certification. 5% domestic travel req. Telecommuting permitted w/in commutable distance to ofc. Apply online at: www.saraleefrozenbakery.com/ corporate/careers

LOCAL DELIVERY DRIVER

Full Time M-F Must be able to lift 60 pounds. If interested call 708-209-1636 or email peg@berniesaw.com

Bernie’s Saw & Supply 1222 Circle Avenue Forest Park, Il. 60130

COLLECTIVE IMPACT MANAGER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Collective Impact Manager in the Village Manager’s Office. Under the general direction of the Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Officer, the Collective Impact Manager will be responsible for building and assessing racial equity impact needs and developing a strategic plan to support those needs. This includes driving the initiatives focused on the Racial Equity Action Plan through community assessments, community engagement, data functions, and overall internal and external functions. Applicants are encouraged to apply online at https://secure.entertimeonline. com/ta/6141780.careers?ApplyToJob=537117711 or visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www. oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. Open until filled.

AUTO SERVICES

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE

The Village of Oak Park—Office of the Village Engineer, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302—will receive electronic proposals until Thursday, May 25, 2023, at 10:00 A.M. for Project: 23-12, North and South Pumping Station Upgrades. Bids will be received and accepted, and bid results posted via the online electronic bid service listed below. In general, the improvements consist of rehabilitation of the two-horizontal split-case pumps at each pumping station (four in total), replacement of the existing flexible couplings on each of the four pumps, modifications to the pipe of one pump at the North Pumping Station, removal of the limit switch on one check valve at the North pumping station and replacement of the switch with a flow switch, as well as miscellaneous items of work. Plans and proposal forms may be obtained via the electronic service starting on Thursday, May 4, 2023 at 10:00 A.M., which can be found at https:// www.oak-park.us/yourgovernment/budget-purchasing/ requests-proposals or at www. questcdn.com under login using

QuestCDN number 8503172 for a non-refundable charge of $64.00. The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue plans and specifications to only those contractors deemed qualified. No plans will be issued to prospective bidders after 4:00 P.M. on the working day preceding the opening of bids.

A mandatory pre-Bid Meeting will take place at the South Pump Station located at 207 Garfield St, Oak Park, IL on Tuesday May 16, 2023 at 10:00 AM. The meeting will end at the North Pumping Station located at 1010 North Ridgeland Ave., Oak Park, IL. Attendance to the pre-Bid meeting is required in order to bid the project. Bids received from contractors who did not attend the pre-Bid meeting will be rejected.

The work to be performed pursuant to this Proposal is subject to the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/0.01 et seq.

THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK

Bill McKenna Village Engineer

Published in Wednesday Journal, May 3, 2023

LEGAL NOTICE STATE OF ILLINOIS) COUNTY OF COOK )ss

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

In re the marriage of KARINA MONTOYA, Petitioner and EDER PACHECO, Respondent, Case No. 2023D003253.

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

Now, therefore, unless you, the said Respondent, file your response to said Petition or otherwise make your appearance therein, in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Room 802, Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, in the City of Chicago, Illinois, on or before June 2, 2023, default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a judgment for Dissolution of Marriage entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition.

IRIS Y. MARTINEZ, Clerk.

Published in Wednesday Journal May 3, 10, 17, 2023

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION NATIONSTAR MORTGAGE LLC

Plaintiff, -v.UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF YVONNE ARROYO, DECEASED, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS, VICTORIAN SQUARE CONDOMINIUM ASSOCIATION, CHARLES BIBB, CLARENCE AKBAR BIBB, MARIE LESTER, DOROTHY JEAN BIBB SINGH , THOMAS QUINN, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE TO YVONNE ARROYO, DECEASED

Defendants

2022 CH 08025

1135 SCHNEIDER AVENUE, UNIT 2B 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 April 11, 2023, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on June 1, 2023, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate:

Commonly known as 1135 SCHNEIDER AVENUE, UNIT 2B, OAK PARK, IL 60302

Property Index No. 16-06-316-0301004, 16-06-316-030-1017, AND 1606-316-030-1018

The real estate is improved with vacant land.

The judgment amount was $269,229.40.

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

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

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, contact MANLEY DEAS KOCHALSKI LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, ONE EAST WACKER, SUITE 1250, Chicago, IL, 60601 (312) 651-6700. Please refer to file number 22-026600.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION

One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-

SALE

Notice Of A Public Hearing

By The Joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals Of The Village Of North Riverside

Notice is hereby given that a Public Hearing will be held by the Joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals of the Village of North Riverside on Thursday, May 18, 2023 at 6:00 P.M., in the Council Chambers located in the Village Commons, 2401 S. Desplaines Avenue, North Riverside, Illinois.

At such time and place, the Joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals will consider a request to change the current zoning of the property and approve a Planned Development District to accommodate the construction of a Pollo Campero.

Applicant: Pollo Campero of Illinois LLC/Mascot LLC and Jefan LLC 7451 W. Cermak Road North Riverside, Illinois 60546

All persons desiring to appear and be heard for or against said petition may attend the Public Hearing.

Village of North Riverside

Pat Ferriter, Chairman of the Joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals

Published in RB Landmark May 3, 2023

Notice

Notice is hereby given that a Public Hearing will be held by the joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals of the Village of North Riverside on Thursday, May 18, 2023 at 6:00 P.M., in the Council Chambers located in the Village Commons, 2401 S. Desplaines Avenue, North Riverside, Illinois.

At such time, the Joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals will consider a request for an amendment to the Planned Development Ordinance to approve the development of a freestanding Discount Tires.

Applicant: North Riverside Park Mall/North Riverside Park Associates, LLC 7501 W. Cermak Road North Riverside, IL 60546

All person desiring to appear and be heard for or against said petition may attend the Public Hearing.

Village of North Riverside

Pat Ferriter, Chairman of the Joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals

Published in RB Landmark May 3, 2023

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

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

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

To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800669-9777.

GROWING COMMUNITY MEDIA

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

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

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

You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

MANLEY DEAS KOCHALSKI LLC

ONE EAST WACKER, SUITE 1250 Chicago IL, 60601 312-651-6700

E-Mail: AMPS@manleydeas.com

Attorney File No. 22-026600

Attorney Code. 48928

Case Number: 2022 CH 08025

TJSC#: 43-1638

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 # 2022 CH 08025 I3218771

Just hitting your stride.

Susan Bardolph, MD

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

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

Oak Park 1121 South Blvd.

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