Wednesday Journal 051122 by Wednesday Journal

W E D N E S D A Y

May 11, 2022 Vol. 42, No. 41 ONE DOLLAR @wednesdayjournalinc

@wednesdayjournal

JOURNAL @oakpark

of Oak Park and River Forest

Village president signs protest letter on Roe v. Wade Page 5

Oak Park library pivots in search for new leader Switch from traditional search to emphasis on diversity, equity and inclusion By MICHAEL ROMAIN and STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporters

For many community members and local experts in the trending field of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), if there’s one Oak Park institution that actually lives out its ideals of being diverse, equitable and inclusive, it’s the Oak Park Public Library (OPPL). In February, David Seleb — the man who cultivated and shepherded the library’s reputation as an institutional leader in equity — retired after nearly a decade at the helm. Lori Pulliam, the library’s director of public services and programs, has since stepped into the interim executive director role. And so far, the search for Seleb’s successor reflects the library’s longstanding penchant for the nontraditional. Earlier this year, the library board hired John Keister & Associates, a firm that specializes in recruiting library and nonprofit leaders, for $18,500 to lead the search to replace Seleb. A few months later, however, Keister was out. According to John Keister, the search firm’s principal

Graduation reflections Local college grads, including Concordia students Anthony Howard and Crystal Martillo reflect on their college years PAGE 17 ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

See LIBRARY DIRECTOR on page 14

! H S S W A E L F N You can get local news delivered right to your email in-box. Sign up for FREE at OakPark.com

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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Lexington Street speed table meant to calm traffic, worries Speed table a direct response to residents’ crime concerns

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Ever since the Lexington Street shootout between two speeding cars last November, residents of southwest Oak Park have urged the village board to address increased criminal activity and dangerous driving in the area. The village’s most recent response is the installation of a temporary speed table in the 1150 block of Lexington Street between Harlem Avenue and Maple Avenue. Speed tables are designed to limit vehicular speed. Not to be confused with speed bumps, speed tables are longer and have a flat top. The traffic calming device sits about three inches above the ground and the length of the table itself extends about 22 feet, making it long enough to support the entire wheelbase of a vehicle. The Lexington Street speed table is scheduled to be installed Thursday.

“I think everybody in this area will be happy about it,” said neighbor Mike Baldwin, who has helped to coordinate much of the neighborhood’s outreach. The speed table is one already owned by the village but in storage. The village board gave its verbal support for the calming device April 4 and approved a motion for its temporary installation May 2. Just how long the speed table will remain on Lexington is up to Village Manager Kevin Jackson, according to the motion. Jackson did not respond to request for comment. Speed tables can become permanent fixtures, but the open-ended duration of this particular speed table concerned Baldwin’s neighbor Michael Pajonk, however. Pajonk wondered how the success of the speed table would be evaluated within an undefined timeframe. “If you put this up for two weeks, two months, two years, and then remove it –

what’s the point of doing that?” Pajonk asked. As for how the efficacy of this speed table will be measured, Wednesday Journal awaits response from the village of Oak Park. Baldwin did not share his neighbor’s concern for the transitory nature of the traffic calming device. Rather, it pleased him as temporary solutions are easy to abandon if they prove ineffective. He wished to see the village install more temporary devices. Just two weeks ago Baldwin and his wife witnessed a road rage episode at the intersection of Wenonah Avenue and Lexington Street. One driver failed to stop at the Lexington stop sign, angering the other driver who was traveling on Wenonah. The latter driver took off after the former driver. “On the street where they’re going to put the speed table, he sped up alongside the other [driver] on the wrong side of the road just to yell at him,” Baldwin recalled.

While that driver broke a traffic law to confront a driver who also broke a different traffic law, the situation is one of many instances of people practicing unsafe driving at elevated speeds on Lexington, according to Baldwin. Some neighbors have suggested the village of Oak Park build cul de sacs along Harlem. However, Baldwin disagrees with that idea. He believes a cul de sac would only push the problem into another area of Oak Park rather than serve as an actual solution. Speed tables and other traffic calming devices, he said, will make Lexington unpleasant to drive on, thereby making it less attractive to people who speed. He is also interested in more stop signs along the street. “I almost never drive down Garfield [Street] in Forest Park because it stinks. It’s a stop sign at every single block,” he said. “I want that here because then people will avoid it like I avoid Garfield.”

930 North Blvd. to get structural reinforcements

Building’s tenants were evacuated last November By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

A structural engineering report on the apartment building at 930 North Blvd. has determined that two phases of work are needed to repair the structural issues that prompted the immediate mass evacuation of the apartment building’s tenants last November by order of the village of Oak Park. The building remains empty. The need for structural reinforcement was first discovered by village building officials during an inspection of a unit that was being remodeled. It was found that floors on at least two levels of the seven-story building sloped as much as four inches toward the center of the structure. Dated April 1, the 185-page structural engineering report was compiled by engineering consulting firm Thornton Tomasetti. The report was ordered by the village of Oak Park and paid for by the building’s owners, Goldman Investments. Representatives of Thornton Tomasetti made two visits to the site to determine the severity of the building’s structural issues. Thornton Tomasetti’s findings were then confirmed by village building officials. The proposed repairs will not be the first ever made to the building. Roughly 20 years ago, a reinforcement repair to the

BOB UPHUES/Editor

930 North Blvd., Oak Park. building was made between two columns near the out-of-use first-floor swimming pool, according to Steve Cutaia, Oak Park chief building official. The first phase of reinforcement repairs to the building involves adding a third column, making for a trio of support posts on the first floor. Cutaia also believes the swimming pool will be filled in. The rest of the building will be reinforced as well by encasing the existing columns on each floor in a sleeve of cement or steel, which makes up the second phase of reconstruction efforts. The repairs will not straighten the floors but keep them

buttressed. “They want to basically encase it and make the columns flare out a little bit to support the walls above,” said Cutaia. The repairs require two different permits for which the village has yet to receive applications. However, Cutaia said the permits are ready for issuance. The building is managed by 33Realty, which only began overseeing the building three weeks before its evacuation. Eric Weber, the owner of 33Realty, told Wednesday Journal last November that the management company used its own staff to help tenants move out of 930 North Blvd. Goldman Investments handled the relocation costs, according to Weber, who also stated that building’s problems were not known to Goldman Investments at the time of purchase. It is unclear when tenants will be able to move back into their homes. Weber estimates the reconstruction work will take about six to eight months and cost Goldman Investments multiple millions. He praised Goldman Investments for its commitment to seeing the project through. Despite the unexpected pitfalls of managing 930 North Blvd., Weber gives credit to the building’s property manager James Moore, calling him the “glue” of the operation for his efforts to keep the village, tenants and contractors informed. “He’s the reason that this has went as well as it has,” said Weber. The village is likewise pleased with the efforts of Moore and 33Realty. Cutaia said the company has been “extremely understanding” and cooperative.

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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BIG WEEK May 11-18

Free Blood Pressure Screenings Q&A Monday, May 16, 10 a.m.-12 p.m., Oak Park Main Library Book Discussion Room Join Duly Health and Care for a free blood pressure reading and take a step toward ensuring a healthy future. A licensed physician will be present to discuss your results. Register now at oppl.org/calendar.

Restoring Your Gut Health: Digestive Wellness Tips Tuesday, May 17, 6-7 p.m., virtually through Oak Park Public Library At this interactive workshop, learn how to keep your immune system healthy. Gut health is a close relation to overall health. Learn the common causes and symptoms of stomach discomfort; foods that are healing for the gut; breathing practices for improving digestion, movements and stretches that support gut health. Register now at oppl.org/calendar.

“Bob’s Choice” Film Screening

Words on Wednesday: “A Separation” Wednesday, May 18, 1-2 p.m., Main Library Book Discussion Room

This book discussion centers around Katie Kitamura’s A Separation. Separating from her faithless husband, only to be drawn into the investigation of his disappearance, a young woman travels to a remote region of the southern Peloponnese, where she traces the failure of the relationship and discovers how little she knew about the man she once loved. Register now at oppl.org/calendar.

Illinois Libraries Presents: An Evening With Michelle Zauner Wednesday, May 18, 7-8 p.m., virtually through Illinois Libraries Present Join us for an evening with musician and author Michelle Zauner as she discusses her music career and her beloved bestselling memoir, Crying in H Mart. Jessica Hopper joins her in conversation. This event is made possible by Illinois Libraries Present, a statewide collaboration among public libraries—including Oak Park Public Library—offering high-quality events. Register now at https://bit.ly/ May18_MichelleZauner.

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Wednesday, May 18, 1:30-3:30 p.m., Main Library Veterans Room Oak Park End-of-Life Options Coalition presents a Wednesday matinee of the acclaimed documentary Bob’s Choice. Bob Fuller was the founder of the Seattle Men’s Chorus, gave back through his AA involvement, and BOB FULLER was a nurse working in the King County Jail. In the final months of his terminal cancer diagnosis, he decided to take meds to end his life peacefully with friends and family by his side. Wednesday Journal movie critic Doug Deuchler will facilitate the discussion after the movie. Register now at oppl. org/calendar.

Exam Cram

PHOTO BY DAVID LEE

May 16-24, 3-6:30 p.m., Main Library Oak Park and River Forest High School finals start May 24! The week leading up to finals, spaces are reserved for students who need space to study. Snacks will be provided. Learn more at oppl.org/calendar.

Meg & the Wheelers Sunday, May 15, 11:30 a.m., FitzGerald’s This local country combo plays an outdoor daytime show on the FitzGerald’s patio. 6615 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn.

Leading Edge Teen Advisory Board Meeting Sunday, May 15, 4-5 p.m., virtually through Oak Park Public Library Looking to gain strong leadership skills, self-advocacy skills, and have a community voice? The Leading Edge Teen Advisory Board (LETAB) is for you. Learn more about joining LETAB at oppl.org/teens and register to attend the meeting as a guest at oppl.org/calendar.

Live & Lucky: Live Band Burlesque Saturday, May 14, 8 p.m., Outta Space Some of today’s finest bump-and-grinders like Dahlia Fatale, Jezebelly, Miss Nyxon and Ruby Spencer do their thing while Mr. Lucky & His Orchestra provide accompaniment. $15 (tipping is encouraged), 6840 32nd St., Berwyn.

Listing your event Wednesday Journal welcomes notices about events that Oak Park and River Forest groups and businesses are planning. We’ll work to get the word out if you let us know what’s happening by noon Wednesday a week before your news needs to be in the newspaper. ■ Send details to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, 60302 ■ Email calendar@wjinc.com

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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Oak Park’s Scaman joins female mayors in denouncing possible Roe v. Wade reversal

She is among 73 signatories in open letter By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

With the Supreme Court poised to reverse the landmark 1973 decision that legalized abortion in the United States, Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman has joined a large group of female mayors in denouncing the nation’s highest court for potentially restricting personal freedoms and bodily autonomy. In an open letter signed by Scaman and 72 other female mayors, the Supreme Court was condemned based on a draft of a possible majority opinion that would overturn Roe v. Wade, which made the choice to seek an abortion a constitutional right, and the 1992 Planned Parenthood v. Casey decision that

natories are not all from the Midupheld that right. west. Female mayors from coast “As experts on our communito coast added their names to the ties, we state unequivocally that letter to ensure abortion rights are access to abortion care is essenmaintained. tial health care and a fundamenIn an interview with Wednesday tal right necessary to ensure Journal, Scaman called her decifreedom, autonomy, and equity sion to sign the letter a “leaderfor everyone who can get pregship necessity” and the Supreme nant,” the letter reads. Court’s actions an “attack on Published May 4 on the WomVICKI SCAMAN women’s rights, LGBT[Q+] rights, en Mayors Network website, the civil rights and voting rights.” letter states the initial draft of “It’s definitely just not acceptable in my a majority opinion will unravel further constitutional protections of reproductive free- mind to sit by and not sign this letter,” she dom, voting rights, civil rights, and LGBTQ+ said. The Supreme Court’s initial majority opinrights. It also calls out the Supreme Court for being “about to betray our country’s commit- ion is a draft decision regarding the court ment to personal freedom” and “moving the case Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the subject of which is whether all nation back 50 years.” pre-viability prohibitions on elective Along with Scaman, the letter includes the names of mayors of major nearby cities such abortions are unconstitutional. If a fetus is as Chicago’s Mayor Lori Lightfoot and Mayor previable, it is not yet sufficiently developed Tishaura Jones of St. Louis. The letter’s sig- to survive outside the uterus.

The initial majority opinion was first obtained and published by Politico in an unprecedented leak. Penned by Justice Samuel Alito, a conservative judge appointed by President George W. Bush, the opinion states that “Roe was egregiously wrong from the start.” “Its reasoning was exceptionally weak, and the decision has had damaging consequences,” Alito wrote. “And far from bringing about a national settlement of the abortion issue, Roe and Casey have enflamed debate and deepened division.” As a draft of a majority opinion, Supreme Court justices could change their minds about overturning Roe v. Wade and Casey v. Planned Parenthood. The wording of the document might also change. However, if the decision stands, the right to undergo an abortion would become a state-by-state decision and could lead to many imposing bans on the procedure. “It is absolutely just an embarrassment that this might happen,” said Scaman.

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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Racist, anti-Semitic graffiti found in bathroom at OPRF Similar racist graffiti also found in Oak Park middle school By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter

Oak Park and River Forest High School officials and police were investigating racist and anti-Semitic graffiti found on the walls of a boys bathroom May 6. A video obtained by Wednesday Journal showed swastikas descending into KKK, the n-word and other racial slurs scribbled on various bathroom wall tiles and near stall doors with what appeared to be a black marker. One phrase close to a stall door read: “White power. We love it.” “Hate speech is a crime,” OPRF Principal Lynda Parker and Patrick Hardy, the district’s equity director, wrote in an email to the school community that same day. “We want to be clear: These types of reprehensible words and symbols have absolutely no place in our school and will not be tolerated,” they said. Images of the graffiti have already made its way to social media, including an Oak Park community Facebook page. “Unfortunately, students and others have been posting

photos of the graffiti on social media, which only increases the harmful impact,” wrote Parker and Hardy. “Please consider that posting hateful speech or symbols spreads it and has unintended harmful consequences for the communities at which it is directed,” the two added, urging students to report any hate speech they see on school grounds to security staff. The incident at the high school came one day after similar racist graffiti was found at Percy Julian Middle School, 416 S. Ridgeland Ave. In a May 5 email, Julian Principal Jeremy Christian informed families that a teacher reported markings across the walls, mirror and stall of a boys bathroom. The markings, which were also drawn with black marker, included the n-word and “possible gang signs,” Christian detailed. “These types of reprehensible actions, words and symbols have absolutely no place in our school and will not be tolerated,” Christian wrote. Christian said the school was investigating the situation and reviewing footage from the school’s security cam-

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eras and encouraged students with information to come forward. He also noted that an incident like this one will not deter the school from creating a safe and welcoming environment. “It is my hope that the individual who drew this symbol will learn that their actions were wrong and hurtful and that we can all work together to make sure that every member of our school community feels safe, valued, and supported,” he wrote.

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Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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OPRF student charged with bringing gun to school

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Teen charged with two felony counts, bond set at $500,000 By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter

An Oak Park and River Forest High School student is now facing charges after he was found with a loaded handgun on school grounds, according to the Oak Park Police Department and the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office. Keyon Robinson, 18, was charged with one felony count of unlawful use of a weapon and one felony count of aggravated use of a weapon, police said. Both are considered Class 4 felonies, which carry a prison term of up to three years and $25,000 in fines, if convicted. A Cook County judge set Robinson’s bond at $500,000. Robinson is to appear in court again May 24 at the Maybrook Courthouse in Maywood. On May 3, police said they received information about a person with a gun heading toward the high school, 201 N. Scoville Ave., and sent officers to the scene. Police said they immediately found the student, who they later identified as Robinson, outside the school building

with a firearm. Robinson was arrested and taken into custody. OPRF Principal Lynda Parker sent an email on the same day of the incident, informing parents “everyone was safe,” and school was not disrupted. She also wrote that the high school was cooperating with the police investigation. “Please know that the safety of the students and adults in our building is our top priority,” wrote Parker, who also serves as the assistant superintendent. “We are extremely thankful to the Oak Park police for their swift action. “There is no place for this activity at OPRF, and the student involved will be subject to school board policy and appropriate laws that govern weapons on school grounds.” Parker encouraged parents and guardians to remind their children to tell officials if they believe there is a weapon at school. Students can also file anonymous reports by texting the number 274637 and using the keyword “OPRF” in the beginning of the message, followed by more detailed information.

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Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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OPRF, parks plan joint overhaul of athletic fields School’s softball team would play at Ridgeland Common, other fields shared

By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter

Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 is working with the Park District of Oak Park to revamp and share portions of its athletic fields on the school campus and across Lake Street at Ridgeland Common. The two taxing entities have signed a Memorandum of Agreement and are working toward a formal agreement that could come by this summer. Among the improvements being proposed is a new track with space to host field events like discus and pole vault. The latest renovation endeavor, which D200 officials hope to complete by the 2023-24 school year, comes amid discussions of long-term maintenance plans and ongoing Imagine OPRF capital projects. The school district and park district held a town hall meeting May 4 to answer questions from families, students and community members who sought details on the project’s costs, timeline and potential impact on the surrounding residential areas. Superintendent Greg Johnson, who led the nearly hourlong presentation and moderated the question-and-answer session, was joined by Jan Arnold, park district executive director and Nicole Ebsen, OPRF athletic director and Ron Anderson, operations chief. According to the school district’s plans, renovation of the athletic fields centers mostly on the west field, otherwise known as the back field, which rests behind the school building and along Linden Avenue, said Ebsen. She said the district started to consider updating its athletic fields after learning the school’s agreement to use Concordia University Chicago’s outdoor track facility in River Forest will expire in 2024. With plans still in an initial phase, the project’s cost has yet to be determined, Johnson said. At this point, the district hopes to lock down those details by the summer, put out a bid by next fall and begin construction next summer and be ready by the 2023-24 school year, said Karin Sullivan, OPRF spokesperson, in an interview following the meeting. At the May 4 meeting, Johnson said the district looks to fund the project through

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SHARED CAPACITY: Current plans would add a track and soccer field west of the school. Baseball and softball would shift to park district and school fields south of Lake Street. its cash reserves, and the project itself will take about four to five months to complete. Restoring the fields is also separate from the next phase of the Imagine project, which seeks to focus on the high school’s indoor athletic facilities, Johnson and Sullivan said. Phase 2 of the Imagine project, which includes renovating the swimming pool, locker rooms and several physical education and multipurpose classrooms, has yet to be finalized or approved by the school board. “We have to find a home for our largest and most diverse program, for our boys and girls track,” Ebsen said of the district’s loss of the Concordia’s facility. She told attendees that she and other officials thought to partner with other neigh-

boring high schools or Triton College in nearby River Grove, “but really what led us down to this is the realization that we would become kind of second to the home school.” If the district were to go in that direction, OPRF’s student-athletes would be bused to the other schools, may have later start times for practice and come home later in the evenings. “That’s something that we quickly realized is not necessarily a long-term solution for us,” she said. The back field – which houses the baseball and softball fields – will be transformed into a full 400-meter, eight-lane track with a competitive field for events, including discus, pole vault and shotput, as well as a triple, long and high jump,

she said. The district also plans on placing a 65-yard by 110-yard multi-sport synthetic turf field in the middle of the new track, topping off the space with a 600-seat bleacher. Johnson said repairs to the west field would benefit all students; it would be available for physical education classes or to other teams, including the marching band, cheer, drill, Special Olympics and more. But what does that mean for the baseball and softball fields? They would be relocated, Ebsen said to town hall attendees. The baseball field would be shifted to the south field on Lake Street, which is right across from the high school. The south field is already a turf field and typically used by the school’s soccer, lacrosse and field hockey teams. The softball field, however, would be moved to the Ridgeland Common Recreation Complex, an Oak Park park district facility. The Ridgeland Common site is also a turf field. Ebsen said having turf fields are a major benefit, especially for the school’s baseball and softball teams, as synthetic turf reduces maintenance, eliminates mud and prevents rain-outs unlike natural grass. “Our freshman softball program, just for example,” she said, “has played five games right now to date and will unlikely be able to complete their conference schedule at the rate we’re going with predicted weather in the upcoming weeks.” During the presentation, Johnson told attendees the school and park district plan to replace Ridgeland’s synthetic turf field, which is nearing the end of its lifespan; scoreboards and fencing around the field’s perimeter. Johnson said the district and the Park District of Oak Park have already voted and approved a memorandum of agreement (MOA), allowing the two entities the chance to “invest” in each other and share the space together. The next step is to create an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) between the District 200 School Board and the park district board, which would spell out the details of their relationship, Johnson said. A draft of that IGA would likely be presented to both boards in June, and more meetings would be held continue the conversation, he said.

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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Three commissioners return to Community Relations They were part of a group resignation in 2020

past administration as being a sign that the commissioners did not feel valued and respected,” said Village President Vicki Scaman, who was village clerk at the time of the joint resignation. By STACEY SHERIDAN Scaman met with Brewer about the forStaff Reporter mer commissioners and gave Enyia her The village of Oak Park’s Community support to reach out to them. Enyia felt pasRelations Commission is almost fully re- sionately about having former CRC memstocked with eight of the available nine bers return. “It was a really big point for me spots filled. The commission to get them back onto the comconsisted of only Chair Glenn mission,” said Enyia. Brewer for almost an entire year, Not all were available to return after six of its seven members to the CRC. Some had moved on jointly resigned in July 2020. to other commissions, including The village board has steadily Cassandra West who now serves been filling those seats, three on the Environment and Energy of which have been returned to Commission. commissioners who were part Despite being courted, Puenof the mass resignation. tes, Terretta and Rodriguez still “Getting them back on was had to go through the adminisjust huge,” said Trustee ChiGLENN BREWER trative hoops. They were vetted buike Enyia, who serves as the by the Citizen Involvement Comcommission’s trustee liaison. Former members Maya Puentes, Yoko mission and then their appointment was Terretta and Jacquelyn Rodriguez have voted on by the village board. Clerk Chrisreturned to the CRC, a volunteer body that tina Waters helped facilitate the process. “I think the goal in asking those members works to establish equitable service and if they wished to come back was about wanttreatment for all Oak Park residents. Back in 2020, the group resignation ing to show appreciation for the time and efshocked the community. Already frustrated fort that people put on commissions,” said by the previous village board’s perceived Scaman. Puentes, Terretta and Rodriguez needed disregard for the commission, the six CRC commissioners resigned after that village little persuasion to rejoin the commission, board hired the National League of Cities according to Brewer and Enyia. Brewer told as its equity training provider without al- Wednesday Journal that none expressed any lowing the CRC any input into the decision. reservations about returning. “They missed being involved with the “To continue to meet, to strategize, to advise and put forth recommendations in CRC and doing community work,” he said. Enyia said he did not so much convince good faith is to be complicit with a village board whose majority has made their po- them to return as ensure they knew that sition clear by dismissing the work of the this village board operated differently than CRC and failing to demonstrate reasonable, its predecessor. While the village board is measurable progress on racial equity,” the under no obligation to make decisions in line with commission recommendations, resignation letter read. The current village board, which in- the commissions are designed to assist in cludes only three members from the previ- the decision-making process. Enyia said he ous board, has since made an effort to forge assured them the board respects the CRC’s better relationships with its commissions. opinions and its efforts to make the village Racial equity is also a higher priority for more racially equitable. “They’re dedicated to doing the work,” he this village board iteration. That is no more apparent than in the reappointment said. “They were just as dedicated the last of Puentes, Terretta and Rodriguez, none time around. Unfortunately, they just didn’t have a board that was willing to listen and of whom were available for comment. “I did see their resignation during the work with them.”

Public Notice | River Forest School District 90 (required by the Illinois State Board of Education)

In accordance with the requirements of Section 612(a) (10) of the Federal Individuals with Disabilities Improvement Act of 2004 (“IDEA 2004”), the River Forest School District 90 will conduct a Timely and Meaningful Consultation on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, at 9:30 a.m. in the District 90 Administration Offices, 7776 Lake Street, River Forest, IL. The purpose of this meeting is to discuss how students with disabilities who attend private schools or are homeschooled within the District boundaries will be served by District 90 during the 2022-2023 school year. Parents and private school administrators who would like to attend should contact Debbie Lubeck, Director of Student Services at lubeckd@district90.org for additional information.

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Celebrating Seniors May 12 - 19

Founded in 2010 before launching its inaugural Celebrating Seniors Week in May 2011, Celebrating Seniors is dedicated to honoring,

Over 30 events* in Oak Park,Thurs Ri @ 12:30 Park. The organization concentrates on four objectives: &main Forest Park, includin Death recognizing and serving seniors in Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Collaboration, Awareness, Promotion, and Fundraising.

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Housing Forum

DMV License and ID Renewal“ CelebratingSeniors.net (click on Events) Monday, May 16, 10 am - 2 pm River Forest Community Center 8020 Madison St.

”Aging in Our Communities: Housing Affordability, (Individual & Teams of 4)Visit CelebratingSeniors.net Accessibility and ...and much, much more! to learn more about these “almost all free”events! Possibilities.” Housing Forum Golden Girls Trivia Event ”Aging in Our Communities: Saturday, May Saturday, May 1414 Saturday, May 14 9 am - 3 pm

9 am - 3 pm

Oak Par Services Room 1 Oak Par

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Pickleb Housing Fo

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”Aging Courts in O1 River Fo Housing Aff Frida Accessibili @ 1:00 p Possibilitie

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River Fo Saturday, M Dance S 9 am - 1:30 8020 M

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*Almost all free

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Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

niors Week

Celebrating Seniors Week • Events May 12 - 19

12 Saturday, May 14 Park,Thursday, RiverMay Forest @ 9:00 am - 1:30 pm @ 12:30 pm - 2:30 pm including: Aging in Our Communities: Death Cafe with an

@ 10:00 am - 2:00 pm

@ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

@ 1:30 pm - 3:30 pm

Super Seniors Mobile Event – DMV License and ID Renewal

Chair Yoga

Screening of “Bob’s Choice”

River Forest Community Center 8020 Madison St, River Forest

River Forest Community Center/ Dance Studio 2nd Floor 8020 Madison St, River Forest

st ConcordiagiUniversity Chicago, e Room R 225 (ﬁrst ﬂoor) in Kretzmann Hall 7400 Augusta St, River Forest

@ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

@ 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

A Crime Prevention Approach to Fraud and Scams

Storytelling and Writing Workshop

Oak Park Main Library, 2nd Floor Veterans Room and Online https://tinyurl.com BobsChoice51822 848 Lake St, Oak Park

@ 9:00 am - 3:00 pm

River Forest Village Hall/ Community Room 400 Park Ave, River Forest

Oak Park Township Senior Services, Congregate Lunch Room 130 S. Oak Park Ave, Oak Park

Introduction to Essential Oils

The Beer Shop 1026 North Blvd., Oak Park

@ 1:00 pm

@ 2:00 pm - 4:00 pm

LifeCare Planning

@ 1:00 pm

Our Brains to Thrive

@ 9:00 am - 4:00 pm

Forest Park Public Library 7555 Jackson Blvd., Forest Park

Retire With Conﬁdence – 1 Day Bootcamps

The Altenheim 7824 Madison St., Forest Park

Memoir Writing: Getting Started & Other Mechanics for Your Personal Memoir

@ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Sunday, May 15

End of Life Doula Whirlwind Coﬀee Company 513 Madison St, Oak Park

@ 1:30Mobile pm - 2:30 pmEvent r Seniors Chair Yoga License and ID Renewal“ Oak Park Township Senior

Services, Congregate Lunch day, May 16, 10 am - 2 pm Room 130 S. Oak Park Ave, Oak Park

Forest@Community Center 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm Madison St. Smart Aging: Using

Pickleball Social Housing Forum

Washington Square Tennis

Housing Aﬀordability, l Ful n Accessibility and Possibilities o i

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Celebrating Seniors Scavenger Hunt

@ 11:00 am - 2:00 pm

6th Annual 2022 Community

105 Forest Ave, Aging Courts in Our Communities: Health & Wellness Fair River Forest FFC in Oak Park Housing Affordability, 1114 Lake St, Oak Park Friday, May 13 Accessibility and @ 2:00 pm @ 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm Possibilities.” Why Mindfulness Matters

Tai Chi

River Forest Center/ Saturday, MayCommunity 14 Dance Studio 2nd Flr 9 am - 1:30 pm St, River Forest 8020 Madison

River Forest Public Library 735 Lathrop Ave., River Forest

Monday, May 16

@ 2:30University pm - 6:00 pm Concordia Chicago @ 10:00 am - 11:00 am

Blood Drive Event

Adult Coloring Club Creative communityOak& Park Township Senior River Forest Public Library Services, Congregate Lunch building residential options 735 Lathrop Ave., River Forest Room 130 S. Oak Park Ave, Oak Park

Almost all free!

@ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm

Solutions For Care – ADRN Presentation The Altenheim 7824 Madison St., Forest Park

*Registration is required for some events. Check calendar online for details.

@ 2:00 pm - 3:15 pm

Tales of a Retired Private Detective Forest Park Public Library 7555 Jackson Blvd., Forest Park @ 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

Reframing Aging Event Oak Park Township Senior Services, Congregate Lunch Room 130 S. Oak Park Ave, Oak Park

River Forest Community Center, Room 202 (2nd Floor) 8020 Madison St., River Forest @ 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm

Golden Girls Trivia The Sheridan at River Forest 800 N. Harlem Ave, River Forest @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Restoring Your Gut Health: Digestive Wellness Tips Virtual Oak Park Library

Tuesday, May 17

Wednesday, May 18

@ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

@ 10:00 am - 11:15 am

Dole Center Tours & Senior Mental Health Day

Dementia Friendly Training/ Certiﬁcation for River Forest Businesses & Organizations

Dole Center 255 Augusta St., Oak Park @ 12:00 pm - 1:30 pm

River Forest Public Library 735 Lathrop Ave., River Forest

Right Size Your Next Move

@ 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Howard Mohr Community Center 7640 Jackson Blvd, Forest Park

Zumba Gold Oak Park Township Senior Services, Congregate Lunch Room 130 S. Oak Park Ave, Oak Park

In partnership with Oak Park Township | River Forest Township

Learn more at CelebratingSeniors.net | Contact us at info@celebratingseniors.net

Thursday, May 19 @ 11:30 am - 12:30 pm

River Forest Public Library 735 Lathrop Ave., River Forest Chair Yoga The Altenheim 7824 Madison St., Forest Park @ 1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Sing-A-Long Oak Park Township Senior Services, Congregate Lunch Room 130 S. Oak Park Ave, Oak Park @ 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm

The Upside of Downsizing The Sheridan at River Forest and online via Zoom https://tinyurl.com/Upside51922 800 N. Harlem Ave., River Forest @ 6:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Bocce Ball Social Memorial Parkway Bocce Ball Courts 7497 Lake St., River Forest

Friday, May 20 @ 8:00 am - 11:00 am

Pancake Breakfast with River Forest Fire Department The Sheridan at River Forest 800 N. Harlem Ave, River Forest

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Aggressive climate action plan reaches Oak Park village board

Mandating change vs. encouraging action is debated By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

The Oak Park village board were treated to a preview of the drafted goals and actions of its sustainability and climate action plan Monday night. The plan itself is intended as a roadmap of sorts to guide the village toward achieving carbon neutrality, otherwise known as net-zero carbon emissions. The village board hopes the community will reduce village-wide emissions by 60 percent by 2030 and reach net-zero status by 2050. The goals and actions discussed Monday will lead the way to implementing the practices that will help Oak Park achieve that ideal sustainable status. “At the end of the day, it’s really a community effort,” said Marcella Bondie Keenan, Oak Park’s sustainability coordinator. The actions are broken down into three categories: mitigation actions which focus

on reducing emissions and stabilizing levels of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere; adaptation actions which seek to react positively to climate change impacts already in motion; and sustainability actions which address the “interrelated triple bottom line of people, planet and economic wellbeing to support overall sustainability goals.” The cost ranges and sub-cost ranges under each area will be refined in the next few weeks. Monday’s presentation on the drafted goals and actions was the first actual glimpse into the comprehensive sustainability and climate action plan. The plan has been in the works since last September when the village board hired engineering and consulting firm GRAEF to carry out its development. Bondie Keenan was brought on to village staff around the same time. The draft of the plan itself will be unveiled to the public May 13. GRAEF will present the final plan to the village board June 27. The plan will address seven impact areas: energy use and housing; transportation; stormwater and extreme weather; public health; sustainable economic development; healthy and sustainable food systems; waste and sustainable

Have You Lived In Your Home For 30 Years Or More? Would you like to get moving and make sure you prepare and price your home correctly? Retiree’s real estate specialist Roz Byrne of ROZ Real Estate facilitated the sale of an impressive 37 homes last year, and over half of them were the homes of long-time owners. “I’ve held the rare Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES) designation since 2006,” says Roz Byrne, “My favorite group of people to serve are retirees and their families.” COME TO ROZ’S UPCOMING APPEARANCE DURING CELEBRATING SENIORS WEEK: Thursday 5/19 at 2p.m. The Sheridan of River Forest or on Zoom at: tinyurl.com/upside51922 Call Roz Byrne from ROZ Real Estate to RSVP, or for a free consultation at 708-370-7444

materials; and parks, plants and biodiversity. The goals and actions draft garnered positive reactions from village board members, with many praising Bondie Keenan, as well as GRAEF representatives Stephanie Hacker and Brianna Fiorillo for their efforts. Not all aspects of sustainability fit neatly into one category, however. When Trustee Jim Taglia asked if the plan will improve the community’s rate of water loss, Bondie Keenan said water conservation currently fell under adaptation actions but that she was considering moving it under the umbrella of health. The village of Oak Park purchases its water from the city of Chicago. According to Taglia, about 25 percent of the village’s water is lost through leaks in pipes and meter errors. Trustees also urged the team to go deeper in certain areas, including Trustee Arti Walker-Peddakotla who felt the presented goals and actions were not adequately centered on racial equity or drafted through an equity lens. “It is well documented that the people that are going to bear the brunt and are bearing the brunt of climate change and the climate

crisis are already disadvantaged people – low-income, Black, Brown people all across the world,” she said. “What does that mean for our community?” Given the severity of the climate crisis, Walker-Peddakotla and Trustee Susan Buchanan also favored a more direct approach to community compliance, believing aspects of the plan should be mandated rather than merely encouraged. Buchanan told her fellow board members there is no time for “cajoling.” Compliance by mandate was in direct opposition to the wishes of Trustee Lucia Robinson, who viewed mandates as punitive. She wished to see compliance encouraged rather than imposed, particularly regarding the potential restrictions to the village’s gas leaf blower policy. The draft climate plan includes the public health action to develop a program to implement the use of quiet, zeroemission lawn care equipment. “We are way past the point in the climate crisis that we can encourage people and hope that they will do the right thing,” WalkerPeddakotla told her. “They’ve had decades to do that.”

Oak Park End-of-Life Options Coalition* presents a Wednesday matinee of the movie:

BOB’S CHOICE:

Why a Seattle man chose death with dignity. Wednesday, May 18th • 1:30-3:30pm Oak Park Main Library • 834 Lake St, 2nd Floor and on Zoom: www.tinyurl.com/BobsChoice51822

Join us during Celebrating Seniors Week for a screening & discussion of the documentary facilitated by The Wednesday Journal’s theater critic Doug Deuchler. *the local action team of www.CompassionandChoices.org

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Can you help make Whittier’s hoop dreams come true? Whittier PTO calls community to pitch in for basketball courts

By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter

Imagine this: Three basketball courts spread across the blacktop at Whittier Elementary School, each decked out in school colors – baby blue and yellow – and a portrait of the wildcat mascot, sporting its signature shades and thumbs up sign. There are a couple benches lining the courts’ perimeter for all to use and a garbage bin nearby to help keep the designated new hangout space clean. This is the plan – or at least the hope – of the school’s parent-teacher organization (PTO), which has spent the last months brainstorming ideas to fix up that blacktop, an empty spot by the backside of the building. The PTO is now raising money to fund the estimated $21,000 project, which includes the permanent installation of three half-court basketball courts and three basketball hoops. Each basketball court will be 30-feet by 30-feet, according to the organization’s blueprint. The courts will feature two 9 feet tall basketball hoops for the older students and an 8 feet tall hoop for the younger ones. The PTO also wants to add a pair of benches by the courts and a new garbage bin at Whittier, 715 N. Harvey Ave. PTO co-president Dominique Betancourt-Schaap said the organization looks to raise the money by the end of this school year in time for the district’s summer renovation plans to resurface that blacktop. “Our blacktop is what I would call a desolate place that’s cracked and needs all this TLC,” she told Wednesday Journal. During the pandemic, BetancourtSchaap said the blacktop at Whittier became a safe haven for many families looking for reprieve from their homes and a vital link for social interaction. Because of COVID-19, there were families with young children whose first school-related experiences were built right on that blacktop, she said. That’s when the PTO began thinking about what they could to better that area, she added. Betancourt-Schaap said the PTO donated a gaga ball pit, an octagonal pit used to play a version of dodgeball but sought to include more outdoor activities. Out of the 10 schools in Oak Park District 97, Whittier is among a handful that does not have a basketball court, an addition

PROVIDED

A rendering of what the new courts would look like. that caught the attention of the school community. “We put out a survey. We said, ‘Hey, what do you guys think [of putting a basketball court on the blacktop?]” she recalled. “It overwhelmingly came back, ‘Yes, let’s do it. This is great.’” As the PTO pulled together a proposal to share with school officials, BetancourtSchaap said she and other members kept one idea at the forefront: they wanted the basketball courts to be unique and special. Each of the courts, she said, is also named after Whittier’s motto: “Be responsible. Be respectful. Be safe.” “Instead of it just being three hoops, we wanted to really make it something of value … where when people drive by it, they’re like, ‘Whoa. That’s an impressive addition to the school,’” she said.

What you can do The Whittier Elementary School PTO has launched a Fundly page to complement its efforts to raise money for the basketball courts. Those interested in learning more about the project or donating should visit fundly.com/whittier-basketball-hoops-and-court. The PTO will also be selling T-shirts at the May 15 school fun fair to seek support for the project. The PTO is also looking for volunteers to help bring attention to the project and local artists to partner with to paint the courts’ murals. For inquiries, email PTO co-presidents Dominique Betancourt-Schaap and Vince Gay at president@whittierpto.org. “This is a true investment in the community. It’s meant to bring people together, not just to play a game,” she said. “It’s a

place where people can gather, can connect outside of parks, [outside of going to] different schools.

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

LIBRARY DIRECTOR A different approach from page 1 and owner, and multiple library board members, the break seems to have been mutual and, at least in part, driven by a difference of opinion about the criteria for the top job. “The message was clear to me that the library board was not going to require that the next executive director be someone from the library field,” Keister said, adding he feels strongly that candidates “should be rooted, and have a background, in [public libraries].” Matthew Fruth, the library board president, said Keister had “a couple of conversations” with library staffers and trustees about “not making a master’s in library science” a requirement for director candidates. “He’s a strong believer in having that in place,” Fruth said. “I think it was just a Reesheda Graham Washington feeling that he was not going to be the right person to work with us [based on] where our board approved the library’s Anti-Racism priorities were. … So there was a mutual Strategic Plan. decision to part ways and he resigned and The plan was “developed over several returned the check. He didn’t charge us for months by the library’s Anti-Racism Adanything.” visory Team, a cross-section of stakeholdAfter Keister’s exit, the library board ers (administrators, staff, patrons, board opened the bid process up again, eventurepresentation, and young adults) who ally tapping RGW Consulting, a would work together to develop boutique consulting firm with new protocols that shape the lideep Oak Park roots, owned by brary’s strategic direction,” acReesheda Graham Washington. cording to the library’s website. Fruth said the library will pay In a recent interview, WashRGW $28,000 to conduct a search ington said she expects to get that the board and Washington applications from prospective believe a library as unconvencandidates through early May, tional as OPPL needs. but that she’s also open to exWashington, an Austin native panding the application process, and former school administraif necessary. tor, is also the founder of L!VE, “We’re more committed to a wide-ranging nonprofit and getting a diverse and effective community development busipool of candidates than we are ness that launched a cafe in 2017. to the deadlines,” Washington Her firm, RGW Consulting, has said, adding that, eventually, her worked with an array of Oak firm will facilitate a community Park institutions, including the MATTHEW FRUTH forum designed to solicit public Oak Park-River Forest CommuLibrary board president input and allow residents to ask nity Foundation and District 97, questions. The slow and steady among many others. approach is necessary, given the “We were reassured that, in a stakes, Washington said. lot of ways, she would be able to “I’ve worked with probably hit the ground running,” Fruth about a dozen libraries in the said. “I think she is in a position to know our staff well and our staff has a Chicagoland area alone and many of them look to Oak Park Public Library and its level of trust with her.” In 2020, the library hired Washington and [Diversity, Equity and Inclusion] and antiRGW Consulting to conduct an internal eq- racism journey for insight and guidance,” uity audit. A year later, the library trustee she said. “So I think this is a critical time to

“I think we’re more on the progressive forefront of how public libraries serve their communities.”

COURTESY SWEET REST

make this selection.” Fruth said input from the Anti-Racism Advisory Team was also an important factor in pivoting from Keister to Washington. “Based on where we were in terms of our anti-racism work and our strategic priorities, in terms of pushing our model of service for the community forward, I think he may have been a little bit more traditional in his view of how libraries prioritize and operate and not as forward-looking as we’ve been in the last few years,” Fruth said. “The more traditional view of a lot of people in public libraries is, we are here to provide audio books and magazines and some digital stuff,” he added. “As in any field, there’s a wide variety of opinions of how people should be doing their work and I think we’re more on the progressive forefront of how public libraries serve their communities.” Throughout Seleb’s tenure, the library has been an early adopter of many equity-based policies that have been growing in popularity over the last five years. In 2019, Chicago’s library system became the largest public library system in the country to eliminate overdue fees for library materials. OPPL went fine-free a full two years earlier, when “over 90 percent of libraries in the U.S. were still charging small change for late returns,” according to a 2020 article in The Atlantic. The Atlantic notes that what’s called the “Fine-Free Movement” has been gathering momentum among many librarians who

are starting to question whether fines are consistent with their mission to provide the public with information and knowledge without inequitable barriers. Oak Park has also been on the vanguard of a national reckoning happening in the world of libraries as the institutions confront a changing literary landscape, with screens and social media replacing printed books and quiet nooks. In 2016, the Oak Park library hired a social worker to enhance services for its most vulnerable patrons, particularly people experiencing homelessness. The same year, the library’s Dole Branch debuted as the new home to Oak Park’s Multicultural Collection, an aggregation of thousands of artifacts and other materials from cultures around the world that had outgrown its space within the District 97 school district. And last year, the library hired Stephen Jackson, a community resource specialist, as its first equity and anti-racism director. The position is part of the executive director’s leadership team and is responsible for putting the library’s Anti-Racism Strategic Plan into action. Washington said part of what’s made the OPPL a model for other institutions in the area of equity is their “genuine commitment to listening to the BIPOC [Black, Indigenous and People of Color] community when developing their goals and expressed felt needs.” She said the library’s inclusion of community members on the Anti-Racism Advisory Team, its hiring of Jackson “as someone to carry the work” of making the anti-racism plan real, and its consistent, comprehensive training provided for all employees have helped the institution develop a strong memory muscle for diversity, equity and inclusion. “The staff and leadership created a synergy across the organization that you wouldn’t have if everyone wasn’t walking the same walk and talking the same talk,” Washington said. Now it’s up to her and her firm to find the next leader responsible for maintaining that culture. “To me, it makes sense that we would leverage the commonality, content, context and culture of the DEI and anti-racist journey all of these organizations [D97, the Community Foundation, etc.] have been taking alongside RGW and say to ourselves, ‘Where can we take this from here together?’ And I think the next executive director of Oak Park Public Library will be part of that stream of work,” she said. “It just makes sense that we will carry that work forward together.” CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

How an Austin farm lives up to its ‘reuse’ motto GlennArt Farm’s Carolyn Ioder shares how land remediation plays critical role in maintaining the urban farm

By SAMANTHA CALLENDER

getting us permission to do certain things you can’t normally do in an urban setting. Luckily for us, the city and community see the benefit in our efforts and how we reuse and recycle to create this self-sustaining ecosystem.

Community Narrative Reporter

Just a few blocks north of the green line in Austin sits a farm where goats, chickens and bees live among urban dwellings. Since 2011, GlennArt Farm (which is technically in the backyard of farm owners Carolyn and David Ioder) has been creating unique livestock experiences and cyclical farming ecosystems for those in the community. Aside from livestock (including two goats named Beyonce and Cher), the Ioders also partner with the urban land trust nonprofit Neighborspace to manage the Harambee Community Garden just a few blocks from their own urban farm. In a recent interview, Carolyn Ioder shared how land remediation plays a critical role in the maintenance of their farm and garden. Were there any remediation efforts needed to begin your operations? Not necessarily to start, but we have to constantly make sure the land is nourished in order for our garden to flourish and so the animals don’t get sick from their own wastes on the land. We do a yearly remediation process called lasagna composting. We layer grass clippings, food waste, manure, leaves, newspaper, and we top it off with soil to seal it all in. We only have to do this to the entire property once a year and that’s all it needs. In the community garden we manage, they had to remediate that land. I know that process involved a process similar to the lasagna composting method we used. They incorporated burlap in order to help seal in moisture. There is cement beneath that land in the community garden, so a raised bed of soil needed to be created. How does remediation impact your operations on the farm? Having livestock, you get manure options you don’t normally get. We have chicken and goat options (both are amazing materials for the soil). We bag both and have options to sell that to community gardens and farms on the West Side and beyond.

What role does water play in how you remediate the land? Luckily, we do have access to a water system for our efforts. I know a lot of other gardens don’t. In our sustainability efforts we do collect and use rainwater, as well. The burlap and cardboard we use to remediate help seal in moisture, so we don’t have to worry about the soil getting dehydrated.

FILE

A small herd of goats roam the grounds of the urban farm Root-Riot Harambee at 500 N. Waller in Austin. Goat milk is also good for fertile soil and we have that as well. What role does remediation play in raising livestock on the property? Most people don’t have livestock on their properties and those that do probably don’t graze their animals. Here, we use grazing to balance out our livestock ecosystem. We can use the chicken manure to remediate the soil the goats live on and vice versa. Having grazing livestock also helps us remediate the community garden. We rotate the areas where the goats and chickens graze so they aren’t overgrazing one area, and so they aren’t continually grazing on their own manure. The rotating method helps us have time

to remediate that land while fertilizing another plot at the same time. We love cyclical systems. What has your experience been like with city officials, as far as having livestock on residential land and needing tall grass and weeds for them to graze in? The goats need grazing areas of over two feet high, but technically the city doesn’t allow for grass and weeds to be over 18 inches. We have a tacit agreement with the Department of Streets and Sanitation that as long as we keep the areas neat and tidy we can have it the length we need. It’s also a plus that our goats like to graze on what the city calls “weeds.” Alderman [Chris] Taliaferro has also been helpful in

Are there any ways you engage with the community as far as remediating and working the land? We partner with some local eateries and with the local Whole Foods for our food composting efforts (that we use to remediate the land). They give us their scraps, which we use to not only add to our compost collection (that we use to remediate the soil), but we can also give some of those scraps to the livestock. Aside from that, we offer tours of the farm and garden and have events like Goat Yoga that are free to West Siders (though we do have ticketed options for non-locals). People love seeing goats and chickens in an urban area, so it’s been very popular and educational for them. What is your goal with your urban dairy farm and the work you’re doing in the community garden? We believe taking care of your environment and remediation sort of go hand-inhand. Our goal is to create ecosystems that can be sustained through repurposing. We try to repurpose whatever we can, however we can. Whether it’s feeding the animals or ourselves with what we grow in the garden, rotating soil and manure, grazing the livestock – it’s all cyclical. You could say our motto is reuse, recycle and remediate, because that’s really what we do here. City Bureau supported the reporting of this story.

CONTACT: Samantha@austinweeklynews.com

C R I M E

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Armed robber hits Walgreens The manager of Walgreens, 811 Madison St., was held at gunpoint during an attempted armed robbery on May 6. The cashier told Oak Park police that a man wearing gloves and a face covering walked into the drug store at 11:27 p.m. that night, showed her the black handgun in his pocket and demanded she open the cash register. When the manager came out to see what happened, the man then pointed the handgun at him and again demanded the cash register be opened. The clerk had difficulty opening the register and the offender got impatient and fled the scene without getting any money.

Burglary ■ Someone shattered the front driver’s side

and passenger’s side windows of a silver 2010 Jeep Laredo then took a beige tote bag, containing school supplies, from inside the vehicle between 8 p.m., May 3 and 5:30 p.m., May 4 in the 1100 block of North Ridgeland Avenue. The estimated damage is $1,000. ■ A Catholic priest at Fenwick High School, 505 Washington Blvd., found an unknown man wearing a dinosaur hat inside his office. The man told the priest he had been cleaning and then left the premises at 8:20 p.m., May 3; it was later discovered that the man had been

walking around the school, going into multiple offices. Any loss was unknown at the time of report. ■ Someone forced open a locked front porch door then unsuccessfully tried to force open the locked interior door, causing damage to the door frame, of a residence. The offender then got into the house through an unlocked window, ransacked the house’s second floor and took jewelry and a black lock box of medications, then went into the attic and took another black lock box, containing hard drives, expired passports and child photographs, between 9:15 a.m. and 5:10 p.m., May 4 in the 800 block of South Cuyler Avenue. The estimated loss is $2,130.

Motor vehicle theft ■ A red Toyota Prius, left unlocked and running with the keys in the ignition, was removed from the 1100 block of Westgate Street at 7:40 p.m., May 3. The vehicle was last seen traveling westbound on Westgate Street then southbound on Maple Avenue. The estimated loss is $20,000. ■ A witness observed a tall man enter and drive off in a Stone Park resident’s silver 2006 Toyota Camry that was left unlocked and running with the keys in the ignition

at 8:38 p.m., May 4 in the 1100 block of Lake Street. The estimated loss is $2,000. The vehicle was found with front-end damage by Chicago police at 11:27 p.m., May 6 in the 3900 block of West 14th Street in Chicago.

Theft ■ An

Oak Park police officer discovered that the catalytic converter had been removed from a white 2005 Lexus after witnessing two men flee the scene in two unknown vehicles parked nearby at 2:44 a.m., May 3 in the 1100 block of South Lombard Avenue. ■ Someone cut the catalytic converter from a 2021 Isuzu NQR parked in the 7000 block of North Avenue between 11 a.m., April 1 and 6 p.m., April 30. ■ An unknown person was captured on a security camera taking a large package of diapers from outside a residence at 11:47 a.m., May 6 in the 600 block of North Harvey Avenue. The estimated loss is $47. ■ Someone took three Amazon packages that contained books, toiletries and children’s toys from a front porch in the 300 block of South Euclid Avenue between 6:55 p.m. and 7 p.m., May 6. The estimated loss is $300.

■ A plastic Little Tykes playhouse with tan walls and a green roof was taken from the front yard of a residence in the 900 block of North Oak Park Avenue between 8 p.m., May 5 and 12 p.m., May 6. The estimated loss is worth $100.

Criminal property damage Someone broke into a locked blue 2007 GMC Envoy, cut up the front driver’s and passenger’s seats and punctured all four tires belonging to the vehicle between noon and 10 p.m., May 7 in the first block of Division Street. These items, obtained from the Oak Park Police Department, came from reports May 3-9 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

Compiled by Stacey Sheridan

LaDon Reynolds’ nomination confirmed by U.S. Senate Reynolds now U.S. Marshal of the Northern District of Illinois

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

COURTESY OF THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK

LaDon Reynolds

The U.S. Senate has confirmed the longstalled nomination of LaDon Reynolds as the U.S. Marshal for the Northern District of Illinois. Reynolds retired as Oak Park’s police chief on April 14. His nomination was among many held up in the Senate in a political skirmish with a Republican Senator. Reynolds now serves as the U.S Marshal in a district which encompasses Boone, Carroll, Cook, De Kalb, Du Page, Grundy, Jo Daviess, Kane, Kendall, Lake, La Salle, Lee, McHenry, Ogle, Stephenson, White-

side, Will and Winnebago Counties. Reynolds’ was recommended to President Joe Biden for the position by Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL), chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee. “LaDon Reynolds is a seasoned law enforcement veteran who will serve with distinction in this important role,” the two senators said in a shared statement. “He has the experience to succeed and help keep our communities and our federal judiciary safe.” Reynolds’ nomination, along with the other U.S. marshal and U.S. attorney nominations, was unanimously confirmed

April 27, following a lengthy blockade put in place by Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR). Cotton blocked confirmation of the nominations over the Justice Department’s treatment of four deputy U.S. marshals who are being sued by demonstrators involved in the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in Portland, Oregon. Cotton has called on the Justice Department to pay for the defense of the deputy marshals in court. Cotton ultimately lifted his hold on the nominations. In a speech on the Senate floor April 27, he reiterated his demands for answers from the Justice Department regarding the deputy marshals but stated he would not object to the nominations.

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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Class of ’22 looks back at college experience and ahead to the rest of their lives ‘Don’t be afraid of putting yourself out there,’ says one grad By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter

This past weekend, hundreds of students from Dominican University and Concordia University Chicago received their diplomas, closing one chapter of their lives to start a new one. Wednesday Journal spoke to five seniors at the River Forest universities days before their commencement ceremonies and asked them to reflect on their college experience and share some memories along with future plans.

Trey Cowan, 21 Hometown: Plainfield, Ill. Major: Marketing School: Dominican University What’s your best college memory? Going to the Final Four [of the NCAA men’s volleyball tournament] last year was a really cool experience. We got an automatic buy in into the Elite Eight and won that game and went to the Final Four. It was just an overall amazing experience with all my teammates. … [It’s] something that I always wanted to do coming to Dominican. They went to the Final Four my senior year of high school, but I got to do it myself. What’s your favorite place to go to on or near campus? Johnny’s Beef. It’s on North Avenue – literally the best beef place in Chicago. What advice would you give to underclassmen? Don’t take the first semester as a joke because it’s hard to climb out of your GPA. But when it comes to socially, especially if you’re on an athletic team, don’t only hang out with your team. Branch out and try to meet as many new people as possible.

Anthony ‘AJ’ Howard, 22 Hometown: Chicago, Ill. Major: Music education School: Concordia University Chicago What inspired you to study music education? I had a very amazing music teacher [who] was my middle and high school band director. I didn’t really have plans on going to college, but when I started to excel in music [class] and my teacher noticed the gift that I had, she really pushed me out of my comfort zone and pushed me to become the best musician that I could and prepare me for college. What are you most excited about after graduating college? The thought that immediately went into my brain was taking a break! Five years of undergrad was a lot, but I’m really excited to be on the other side of education. I spent a lot of time being a performer and being a student, so I’m excited to be on the other side of the podium and being the leader and creating music in a different way. What’s one thing you’ll miss about Concordia? Just all of the students and just the community was absolutely amazing and close-knit. I felt like the support and resources were all there, and it allowed me to feel comfortable in taking risks and going for opportunities that seemed a little daunting in the beginning.

Crystal Martillo, 21 Hometown: Plainfield, Ill. Major: Music education School: Concordia University Chicago What have you learned about yourself ? There’s always opportunity for more growth. I was just able to learn that I’m so much more than I thought I was, and Concordia gave me so many opportunities that allowed me to grow, and change, and be the person that I am today. What are your plans for the summer? I’ll be going to Ecuador three days after graduation [to see my family], and after that I’m still trying to figure out what I’m doing. What’s a motto you live by? It’s not about what you know; it’s about who you know. I found that [to be] so true throughout my four years of college, and that’s why I’ve gotten so involved. I realized the important thing in life is the people in it.

Mack Gonzalez, 22 Chelsea Zhao, 23 Hometown: Zhengzhou, China Major: Digital journalism and informatics School: Dominican University What’s your dream job? To work as an international correspondent Any publications or media outlets in mind? Associated Press or Reporters Without Borders What’s your proudest moment at Dominican University? I’ll definitely say [working for] the [Dominican] Star. I would have never dreamed that I would become the editor of the student newspaper because I didn’t even speak English 12 years ago. I’ve come a long way from memorizing Quizlet vocabularies. … I felt like if I didn’t go with my heart to pursue journalism – which is something I’m really passionate about – I would have never met the amazing, talented and brilliant people here. What’s a message you want to share with underclassmen? Don’t be afraid of putting yourself out there.

Hometown: Berwyn, Ill. Major: History, Secondary Education School: Dominican University Describe your time at Dominican University. It was very rewarding. I came in as a little boy – I was 18 – and I’m leaving feeling more sculpted as a man. I see it in terms of how I interact with people and how I carry myself. I know more about what I want to do with the rest of my life, and Dominican gave me that opportunity to build relationships, and I’m very grateful for that. What’s the plan after graduation? Right now, I’m just searching for jobs in admissions or become part of student life at different universities as opposed to high schools. I’m very excited. Contributed reporting by freelancer Azhley Rodriguez. Editor’s Note: Some questions and answers have been edited for clarity.

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

Cottage with architectural pedigree hits the market 454 Iowa St. shows off its Arts and Crafts past By LACEY SIKORA

Contributing Reporter

ak Park loves its architecture. Every now and then a house comes along that reflects a confluence of significant architecture, notable owners, original features and modern updates. The home at 454 Iowa St. is just such a place. Recently listed for $925,000 by Shea Kiessling of Coldwell Banker Realty, the house was booked solid with showings its first day on the market, and Kiessling is not surprised. She calls the house magical and says that a lot of people may have viewed the exterior from walk-

ing architectural tours and have long wondered what was inside. With its stucco and shingle style exterior and lush landscaping on a quiet side street, it’s no wonder the house has attracted a lot of positive attention. The English Arts and Crafts style cottage was designed by architect Lawrence Buck, who was one of a group of young architects called “The Eighteen,” friends and colleagues of Frank Lloyd Wright who had offices in Chicago’s Steinway Hall. When Buck became too busy to supervise construction of the house, he decided to collaborate with Oak Park architect Vernon Watson, who was working for Daniel Burnham. That same year. Watson left Burnham’s office to partner with Thomas Tallmadge, and some call 454 Iowa their first collaboration. See COTTAGE on page 20

PROVIDED

CENTER PIECE: Gathering in the living room near the fireplace in this Arts and Crafts cottage.

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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COTTAGE

Arts and Crafts from page 19 Owner AnneMarie Hayek Evans says that when she purchased the home several years ago, she was drawn in by that architectural pedigree and the home’s charm. “I think I was the first person to see it, and I snatched it up because it was so charming and unique,” she said. “I love the history of it. I was coming from an Arts and Crafts style home in River Forest that was about 6,000 square feet. It was very grand and gracious, but it didn’t feel warm like this house does.” The roughly 3,500-square-foot house was built for the Reeves family in 1905, and shortly thereafter, both The Ladies Home Journal and House Beautiful featured the home and commented on its warmth. The five-bedroom, 2.5-bathroom home was the perfect place for Evans and her teens to live. She put her stamp on most of the space while retaining all of the original details that made her fall in love with the house. She praises the owners she purchased the home from, noting that over their 39-year tenure in the house, they took immaculate care of the home. Evans renovated the two full bathrooms on the sec-

PROVIDED

WIDE OPEN SPACES: Natural light and warm interiors in the Arts and Crafts cottage. ond floor and also turned the unfinished third floor into a fifth bedroom for her teenage daughter.

PROVIDED

SUNROOM: With windows on three sides. This room welcomes the light.

In the kitchen, she refreshed the space, painting cabinets, installing a professional stove with six burners and a hood, and incorporating a breakfast bar that seats four. Throughout the house, she added more modern light fixtures. “I retained all of the original character, including the gorgeous wood, but I had fun juxtaposing that history with modern light fixtures,” Evans said. “They pick up on the Arts and Crafts style in their shapes.” For Evans, the house was a creative space. During the pandemic, she says she tucked herself away in the home’s inglenook and wrote her first book, which became an Amazon best seller. She had read that the early owners of the house used to host Victorian salons, so inspired by the street name and her home state of Iowa, she began to host the Iowa Collective, her own salon. Once a month, she invited artists, activists and musicians into the home that she says “lends itself to intimate connections.” Beyond the inglenook, Evans incorporated four window seats on the first floor. Kiessling notes that the first floor has an open floor plan but says all the nooks and crannies Evans emphasized add to the

cozy ambiance. The screened-in porch on the front of the house is shaded by a trellis of wisteria and roses, providing another intimate spot to gather. Evans says, even better, is the secret garden in the back. “The previous owners won a Glorious Gardens award from the Tribune for the space, and it is such a special place to connect with nature with its koi pond, birds, gardens and butterflies,” Evans said. Kiessling listed the home on the Private Listing Network while Evans organized it for sale, and the two decided to hold all showings until the listing was active rather than accept offers directly from the PLN. Opening the house to perspective buyers was important to Evans. “It’s such a unique home, and people often stop by to view the exterior,” Kiessling said. “This is an opportunity to let people see a part of history.” For Evans, it will be bittersweet to say goodbye to the home she felt such a connection to. With her children leaving the nest, she is moving to Colorado. “I would move the house to Colorado with me if that was possible,” she said.

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

SPORTS Fenwick sweeps league water polo titles Boys win overtime thriller, girls cruise after fast start By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

After losing the Metro Catholic Aquatic Conference championship match last spring, the Fenwick High School boys water polo team was determined to regain its longstanding perch atop the league. The Friars accomplished this task, but had to earn it as they prevailed over St. Rita 12-11 in overtime on May 7 before a vociferous crowd at the Dan O’Brien Aquatics Center on campus. “It was so much fun,” said Fenwick coach Kyle Perry of having fans back after there were none last year due to the pandemic. “It was so loud here that you couldn’t hear anything. I love this pool. There’s no better place to have a tournament.” Fenwick senior Cameron Sarvis, who scored what proved to be the decisive goal in overtime, also thought the fans gave the team a boost. “They played a big part in this win,” he said. “Their energy really carried us.” The Friars (20-9) trailed St. Rita 5-4 at halftime and 10-8 with less than three minutes remaining in regulation. But sophomore Finn Vahey (three goals, three assists) and junior Alec Posluszny each scored to tie the match and force overtime. “Even when we went down, we knew we had the ability to come back,” Sarvis said. “I had full faith in my team to play with heart and win.” Overtime in water polo consists of two three-minute halves. After Posluszny -who finished with six goals -- and the Mustangs’ John Masiliunas exchanged tallies in the first half, Sarvis’ goal in the second held up as the winner, thanks to a strong defensive effort led by goalie Sam Kulisek (eight saves). “Cameron stepped up huge, as did a lot of guys,” said Perry, who saw one of his leading scorers, junior Chris Badja, get

SARA JANZ/Contributor

Fenwick’s Cameron Sarvis (12) helped the Friars defeat Loyola 13-7 (above) in the GCAC semifinals and then scored the game-winning goal in overtime to clinch the conference title over St. Rita on May 7 in Oak Park. ejected in the third quarter due to three exclusions. “If we get a multitude of guys in the pool doing what they’re supposed to be doing, we’re going to be in a great spot. Earlier in the day, Fenwick defeated Loyola Academy 13-7 in a semifinal. Posluszny had four goals and Badja (four assists) and Vahey three goals apiece. The Friars are seeded second at the ISHA York Sectional and will face either Morton or Taft in a quarterfinal on May 11. Should Fenwick win, there’s a good chance crosstown rival and third-seeded Oak Park and River Forest would be awaiting in the semifinal May 13, with the winner likely meeting the host and top seed Dukes for the title May 14. “It’s going to take a lot of work,” said Perry. “Our Wednesday match is really our main focus, and once we get through that, we’ll start worrying about the rest of the schedule. But we’re looking forward to playing our best water polo of the season and see what we can do in the sectional.”

McCarthy scores 5 to pace Fenwick girls After a rare subpar season in 2021, the Fenwick girls water polo team is back on top of the MCAC. The Friars scored the first five goals against visiting Mother McAuley on May 7 in the conference title game en route to an 11-5 victory. “We had talked in the beginning about playing our game and setting the tone, and they did just that,” Timmons said of the fast start. Junior Annie McCarthy tallied five goals for Fenwick (20-6-1) against Mother McAuley. Afterwards, senior Linden Gierstorf, who scored twice against the Mighty Macs, credited her play as one of the reasons for the team’s success this year. “Annie’s our leading scorer and glues the whole team together,” she said. “We know we can rely on her to score if we’re able to get the ball to her.”

Senior Demi Ovalle (2 goals, 3 assists against McAuley) believes Fenwick’s chemistry has also been a major factor. “We’re a team with good players and a lot of communication with each other,” she said. “We know where we are in the water.” Earlier in the day, the Friars routed Loyola Academy in a semifinal 14-4. McCarthy had five goals, while Gierstorf and Xiomara Trejo (5 steals) each added three goals. Other contributors were Ovalle (2 goals, 4 assists), Pam Medina (4 assists), Hannah Schubkegel (5 steals) and goalie Nahla Basile (10 saves) who also scored a goal. Fenwick is seeded second at the IHSA York Sectional and will face Chicago Northside Prep in a quarterfinal on May 12 at 7:30 p.m. If Fenwick wins, crosstown rival Oak Park and River Forest is the probable opponent in the semifinal May 13, with the survivor likely drawing the host and top seed York for the title May 14. “We have to play our game and not let anyone get into our heads,” Timmons said.

S P O R T S

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Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

OPRF soccer loss streak at 5 heading to postseason Huskies fall to LTHS, Glenbard West to close out regular season

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

The Oak Park and River Forest High School girls soccer team came into a key West Suburban Silver match May 3 against Lyons Township High School hoping to snap a three-match losing streak. But the Huskies saw the streak extend to four as Caroline Mortonson’s two secondhalf goals gave the Lions a 2-0 victory at Oak Park Stadium. “We had our moments and played well in the first half against a top contender in our conference,” said OPRF coach Christie Johnston. “But we need to keep focusing on what we’re trying to accomplish and stick to our plan. We had opportunities, but just couldn’t capitalize and finish.” OPRF (10-7, 3-3 in West Suburban Silver) and LTHS played a scoreless and competitive first half. Huskies goalkeeper Lilah Gery came up with a pair of huge saves on the Lions’ Katie O’Malley and Eleanor Musgrove within the first 10 minutes of the second half as LTHS (16-1, 5-0) started to dominate possession. “We got a little tighter in the midfield and talked about winning 50/50 balls,” said LTHS coach Bill Lanspeary of the secondhalf adjustments.

CAROL DUNNING/Contributor

OPRF’s Ariadne Chow weaves through the Lyons Township High School defense during the Huskies’ 2-0 loss to the Lions on May 3. OPRF sophomore forward Lilah Malik had the team’s best chance to score six minutes later but was denied by LTHS goalkeeper Izzy Lee, a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign signee. “Lilah just returned from an injury suffered in the first match of the season,”

Johnston said. “It’s great to have her back with us. We can use her speed and length up top.” Lee’s save was pivotal because with 21:22 left, Mortonson burst up the middle and beat Gery for a 1-0 lead the Lions would keep the balance of the match.

“She’s come up huge for us this year,” said Lanspeary of the freshman, who has nine goals and four assists. The Huskies started bringing numbers forward in an effort to generate more offensive chances against a stout LTHS defense. But they were unsuccessful, and Mortonson’s second goal with 4:46 left sealed the outcome. “They pushed us for sure,” Lanspeary said. “They were quick in transition and dangerous. It was a tough battle.” On May 5, OPRF was blanked by host Glenbard West 4-0 to extend the losing streak to five. Johnston knows the Huskies are in a difficult stretch, but she’s also confident they can get out of it soon. “It’s going to take us sticking together and knowing we are a good team,” she said. “All we can do is worry about the things we can control during every single practice and game.” OPRF will have plenty of time to make the necessary adjustments. The next match for the Huskies, who are seeded fourth in the IHSA Class 3A New Trier Sectional, will occur on May 18, when they host Niles North in a regional semifinal. Should OPRF prevail, fifth-seeded New Trier is the likely opponent for the regional title May 20.

Garland’s double in discus, shot lifts OPRF to 2nd at WSC-Silver Welin expected to make season debut at May 11 sectional By BILL STONE and MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporters

Oak Park and River Forest High School junior Reese Garland had two big reasons to be excited at the girls track and field West Suburban Conference Silver Meet at Downers Grove North on May 6. Actually, there were three. Garland won discus (116 feet-3 inches) and then shot put (35-6) as the Huskies (91 points) tied for second with York behind the host Trojans (125). In discus, Garland’s winning distance was a lifetime best along with two previous personal or season bests (113-1 and 104-9) on three of her six attempts. “It’s awesome. All of the practices, rain or shine, it took

a lot of work. It means a lot,” Garland said after discus. “Even in the cold, I’m super impressed with myself. I’ve never thrown past 104. I definitely think it was the competition drive. I wanted to be first place but I didn’t want to be just 104. I wanted to get past 110.” Darnesha Fraley was second in the 100-meter dash (12.81), just 0.05 from first, and the 200 (26.34). Pole vaulter Lena Tang was second, losing on a tiebreaker at 10-6 based on fewer attempts. Lucca Bibbey (1:01.93) and Bella Brauc (1:02.42) went 3-4 in the 400. Taylor Smith (4.95m in long jump), Teshell O’Neal (33-5.5 in shot) and the 800 relay (Fraley, Rhea Richards, Alicia Gaylord, Saniya Shotwell in 1:49.66) also were third (1:49.66). Fourth-place Katie Stabb’s personal best 11:05.56 in the 3,200 is under the 11:07.39 state cut. The Huskies compete at the IHSA Class 3A Proviso East Sectional on May 11. Top-two finishers and entries that achieve state-qualifying standards at the sectional advance to state.

OPRF senior Josephine Welin, the defending Class 3A state champion in the 3,200 and runner-up in the 1,600 who has been sidelined all season by injury, said last week she plans to compete at sectionals in her season debut.

OPRF badminton doubles teams off to state The Oak Park and River Forest High School badminton team will send a pair of doubles teams to the IHSA state championships, which will be at Hinsdale Central on May 12-14. At the Conant Sectional on May 5, where the Huskies placed second as a team with 9.5 points, senior Amelia Hoog and sophomore Lilianna Jasinska finished third in doubles, while juniors Katherine DeHaan and Caroline Raducha came in fourth. In singles, Sabine Roser and Zoe Warzecha each reached the semifinals but lost their matches and also fell in the consolation round.

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

Olson's Ace Hardware 1137 Chicago Avenue Oak Park (708) 386-6843

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Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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

VIEWPOINTS

Oak Park needs public toilets p. 29

S U S T A I N  A B I L I T Y

Smart gardening benefits the environment The second week of each month, we feature a column on environmental issues submitted by IGov, an intergovernmental body composed of two representatives each from the village, public library, park district, township, and school districts 97 and 200.

he gardening season offers opportunities to work sustainably with plants, lawns and woodies. Even as we finish putting in the annuals and perennials we’ve started from seed or purchased from local nurseries, we need to garden smart. The right plant in the right place treated in the right way is a time-honored garden dictum. You wouldn’t plant a banana or a coconut because they are native to tropical climes. We all have our favorite decorative ornamentals and backyard veggies, and when selecting additions to the garden, it helps to add plants, shrubs and trees that are native to the Midwest. Native plants host a plenitude of insects, and while we may cast a wary eye toward anything that crawls, flies or buzzes, most birds feed their newly hatched babies on a rich diet of bugs and insects. That’s why gardeners are encouraged to leave things messy in the fall because many of them overwinter in the dried stems and leaf litter, emerging when temperatures rise in spring. There is no one right way to garden, although some ways are better than others. Take watering. Even though we’re surrounded by rivers and next to one of the Great Lakes, water is a limited resource that plants need a fair amount of, typically about 1 inch per week, more if they are actively growing, more if it’s hot and windy. The best time to water is forenoon because wetting a garden late in the day encourages fungal growth on damp plants and soil overnight. Mulch assists in keeping moisture in the soil by reducing evaporation. Putting down a 1- to 2-inch layer

IGOV

See IGOV on page 29

Best teacher ever

o you remember your best teacher ever? Maybe an Algebra teacher who turned the search for “x” and “y” into an adventure. Or a History teacher who taught you that where and why an event occurred were much more important than memorizing dates. Or the teacher who saw your potential and would not allow you to let yourself down. Mine was a summer school teacher — demanding, rewarding, and unconventional. Definitely unconventional. 1956: My 39-year-old father has six kids, five boys and one girl, and we are living on the city’s Southwest Side. He sees a lot of young men hanging around on street corners and says, “Not my boys.” So he does the obvious; he buys 5 acres of a farmer’s cornfield in Roselle where we will build our new home — and farm. We do build our own home. We know nothing about farming. A year later, he orders 2,500 (yes, two thousand, five hundred) tomato plants from Evans Plant Farm in Tifton, Georgia. They arrive bare root, tied up in bundles of 25, and wrapped in wet newspaper to keep the roots moist. It is important that we plant them because the money we earn will pay our (Catholic School) tuition,

and it’s urgent that they be planted as soon as they arrive so they don’t die. So we get to take a couple of days off from school to get the job done. If you are old enough to walk, you are helping. Strings 200 feet long are stretched to mark rows, holes are dug every 3 feet, an 8-inch-tall tomato plant is dropped into each hole, followed by a cup of fertilized water, and the hole is filled. Move the strings. Better than standing around on city street corners, right? Lessons learned: 1) the difference between important and urgent, 2) that a day off from school is not always a vacation, 3) that farming is hard work, 4) that many hands and a division of labor make a really big job go quickly, and 5) every new venture is built on hope, mountains of hope. We’re now looking at 2,500 baby plants, absolutely helpless, barely visible on an acre of barren black soil, under an unforgiving sun. Please, God, let it rain. Please. Don’t let them die. We probably had to water these plants by hand no more than a few times over all

BILL SIECK

One View

See SIECK on page 30

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

O U R

V I E W S

OPRF, parks make a plan

e are glad to see Oak Park and River Forest High School and the Park District of Oak Park collaborating on plans to remake and rearrange outdoor athletic fields at the school and the adjacent Ridgeland Common. At a public forum last week, leaders of the two taxing bodies explained the developing plans to repurpose current athletic fields just west of the school along Linden Avenue and add track and field facilities the school has long lacked on campus, while adding a new turf field for soccer and other sports. That will necessitate moving the current baseball and softball fields. Under the current plan, baseball will shift to the school’s field on the south side of Lake Street and OPRF’s softball program will move to a to-be-renovated portion of Ridgeland Common. Details, costs and timelines are still being discussed, although elected boards at both the parks and high school have already signed off on a preliminary agreement to move forward. A final intergovernmental agreement could come as soon as this summer. As endless discussions of replacing obsolete swimming pools at OPRF continue and debate over costs and size of an eventual new pool begin to heat up yet again in the villages, we, with our long memory, go back to the high school’s abject failure years back to engage with the park district to discuss a shared pool and recreation center at Ridgeland Common. The park district, with intent to fully remake the pool, ice rink and fields at its facility, begged and cajoled OPRF to partner with them. The high school, deep in its arrogant phase, refused to engage even as its own pools deteriorated. It was a low point and it brought us endless and unnecessary tensions and costs. That’s why it is gratifying to see active collaboration going on now between the parks and the high school.

Scaman on Roe

Quickly and clearly, Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman signed on to a strong letter from women mayors across America condemning the anticipated Supreme Court reversal of Roe v. Wade. The letter, co-signed by 73 female municipal leaders from cities small and large, was clear in repudiating the direction and the reasoning in Justice Samuel Alito’s leaked draft of what appears to be a majority opinion in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization case heard this term by a highly politicized Supreme Court. “It’s definitely just not acceptable in my mind to sit by and not sign this letter,” Scaman told our reporter, Stacey Sheridan. “It is just an embarrassment that this might happen,” said Scaman. While our focus has always been intensely local and our expectation for local elected officials has been that they stay focused on local issues, that becomes ever more difficult as the intersection between local, state and federal policy and politics merge. The values of this village — welcome, inclusion, diversity, equity — do not correspond with a rampaging court that is diminishing individual privacy rights in place for a half-century. And we actively share the concerns of the Women Mayors Network that outlawing abortion as a federal law would be the first step of this wrongly assembled court majority. The court has already weakened voting rights. LGBTQ+ and same-sex marriage are not safe in this moment. So credit to Scaman for her honest strength in joining this clear statement by her peers.

In the wake of Roe v. Wade

et a friend on Friday in Downtown Oak Park and asked, “How are you?” “I’m a woman,” she replied. Nothing more needed to be said … except to commiserate. And this is definitely a commiserable moment in America. No one can predict how overturning Roe v. Wade will play out if that happens as expected this June, but I won’t be surprised if it turns out to be the worst thing that ever happened — for those who oppose reproductive rights — and the best thing that ever happened — for those who support reproductive rights. When the anti-abortion movement finally gets what it has wanted for almost 50 years, following what promises to be the worst Supreme Court decision since Dred Scott, the anti-abortion movement will proclaim an epic victory and the pro-choice side will grieve a devastating defeat. But I’m not so sure. Several caveats spring to mind: Be careful what you wish for. Beware of unintended consequences. Don’t end up on the wrong side of history. Pick your poison. At the very least, this is not a smart political move (and the conservative-dominated Supreme Court is all about politics). Polling indicates that the majority of Americans support reproductive rights, including legal abortion in the first trimester, and have consistently said so for half a century. Opposing the will of the public always comes back to bite you politically in the long run. Overturning Roe will take us backward in the short term, but this country doesn’t have a reverse gear. It won’t stay that way for long. The half-century stalemate that Roe v. Wade produced was never going to be resolved. It is the primary cause of this country’s deep polarization. Though it may not be much consolation to those mourning this decision, overturning Roe v. Wade breaks that logjam. It allows, at long last, something else to happen. We don’t know what that something will be — and it won’t all be good — but I believe something positive will come of it, something better than the current, stagnant status quo. To be sure, this miscarriage of justice will cause considerable suffering and hardship, especially for the poor, but it may also produce a fundamental shift politically, as it finally hits home how damaging Republican extremism is for the average American. And as Donald Trump found out the hard way, pissing off the majority of American women is not a prescription for electoral success. At the very least, the Republican Party will lose

KEN

its most motivating issue. Roe v. Wade will no longer be around to unite their coalition. The main reason Republicans have been able to stay competitive the last 50 years was their ability to divide the country through Roe v. Wade. No matter how much Republicans jerry-rig the current voting system, they won’t be able to maintain their advantage for long without Roe. For the past half-century, the antiabortion side has been playing aggressive offense and the reproductive-rights side has been on the defensive — and losing ground. With the end of Roe v. Wade, prochoice will now be on the offensive and will probably find creative ways to make abortion services more accessible. Meanwhile, medication abortions (i.e. the pill) should become more readily available, eventually replacing the invasive procedures. When the majority of Americans want something, they usually find a way to get it, and Americans want safe, legal abortion. My take on the abortion issue is more unconventional. I think both sides are right and both sides are wrong (for different reasons), and that’s why we’ve been in this stalemate so long. Each side sees only where the other side is wrong and only where their side is right, so they can’t compromise. I’ve long thought numbers were the key to this conundrum. Reduce the number of unwanted pregnancies and you reduce the demand for abortions. With readily available contraception before and the pill after, the number of surgical abortions should plummet and this issue will largely resolve itself. But that can only happen in a post-Roe world. The Right has the upper hand for now. By stealing a Supreme Court nomination in 2016 (Mitch McConnell’s darkest hour), combined with an electoral-college presidential victory (despite losing the popular vote), the Republicans were able to engineer a Supreme Court supermajority that made overturning Roe v. Wade possible. Their ill-gotten triumph will be short-lived. My hunch is this decision will be the beginning of the end of our long, exhausting, debilitating culture war, and without Roe v. Wade, this country will start to emerge from its extreme polarization. When it does, I believe reproductive rights will prevail because Americans have consistently favored safe, legal abortion for the first trimester of pregnancy, with exceptions in the second trimester, and exceedingly rare allowances in the third, just as it is now. It won’t be easy, but a post-Roe world could be a better world for reproductive rights. Overturning Roe v. Wade, as counter-intuitive as it sounds, offers an opportunity for women, and the rest of us, to finally move forward.

TRAINOR

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

by Marc Stopeck

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022 W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

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

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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

Support upgrading aging OPRF facilities I support the District 200 school district’s effort to upgrade its aging athletic facilities. I’m asking everyone in our community to encourage the school board members to finally address this issue. Every student deserves safe, modern classroom spaces, and as a community we should demand that our high school’s facilities serve our students’ needs. Right now we’re letting our students down. They take classes in spaces with dripping rainwater, decrepit floors, falling ceiling tiles, mold, and small inflexible configurations that often push some kids into the hallway. Some of these spaces might have worked a hundred years ago. But not today, and not

tomorrow. Anyone who has seen the locker rooms will agree: it’s like being in a dungeon. There is no privacy. There are no easily accessible non-gender-conforming changing rooms. The spaces are non-ADA compliant, and there are no elevators. Why does PE class have to be traumatic? Why would we as a community continue to accept this? I appreciate that the school board wants to finally do something about the PE classrooms. I support this. And I hope they will take action now.

Kristin Friker Oak Park

Supreme Court’s attack on democracy The stench from the leaked draft on Roe v. Wade indicates another barbaric ruling. Remember, the Supreme Court gave personhood to corporations which, among other things, allows corporations to buy politicians. Since there is no ethics policy for the Supreme Court, Justice Clarence Thomas is free to continue to

rule on cases that involve his wife’s political activities. The Roe v. Wade decision will continue the Supreme Court’s attack on democracy.

Tom Ard

Oak Park

About Viewpoints Our mission is to lead educated conversation about the people, government, schools, businesses and culture of Oak Park and River Forest. As we share the consensus of Wednesday Journal’s editorial board on local matters, we hope our voice will help focus your thinking and, when need be, fire you to action. In a healthy conversation about community concerns, your voice is also vital. We welcome your views, on any topic of community interest, as essays and as letters to the editor. Noted here are our stipulations for filing. Please understand our verification process and circumstances that would lead us not to print a letter or essay. We will call to check that what we received with your signature is something you sent. If we can’t make that verification, we will not print what was sent. When, in addition to opinion, a letter or essay includes information presented as fact, we will check the reference. If we cannot confirm a detail, we may not print the letter or essay. If you have questions, email Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at ktrainor@wjinc.com.

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ADDRESS 141 S Oak Park Ave., Oak ParkIL 60302 ■ PHONE 708-5248300 EMAIL Dan@OakPark.com ■ ONLINE www.OakPark.com Wednesday Journal is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $1.00. A one-year subscription costs $43 within Cook County and $53 outside of Cook County. Advertising rates may be obtained by calling our office. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 10138). Postmaster, send address corrections to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, Il 60302. © 2022 Growing Community Media, NFP.

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

A Mothers Day caretaking challenge

democracy. That said, we should also be keenly aware that our own democracy is in jeopardy. The ultra-right wing Trumpite Republicans make up only 35% of our total population. Their loud voices and repetitive lies have both bullied the public and permitted Republican state legislators and governors to contemplate increasing ever-restrictive bills. With the courts allowing these bills to stand, other states are anxious to add to their power agendas. As a result, many new and proposed bills are openly racist, anti-immigrant, antiwoman, anti-LGBTQ, and anti-civil rights. These ultra-right wing Trumpites are involving themselves in so many issues I don’t know which to address first. They are trying to take control and establish an authoritarian government. The result has caused confusion and chaos among citizens who are questioning what is honest and what is fair. Additionally, while busy proposing these bills, politicians are neglecting necessary

e just celebrated Mothers Day, a day to appreciate and remember our mothers, grandmothers, and greatgrandmothers. A mother, and indeed all women and men who are caretakers in a household are the folks who get things done. Let’s use Mothers Day 2022 as a springboard to better care-take our country. Make it a “call to arms” — not with bullets, but with urgent bulletins. We can do this by sending emails and postcards, telephone our representatives, and/or marching in protest. We must hold fast to our voting rights, women’s rights, and other rights threatened with being weakened or taken from us. Any threat to our rights is a dismantling attack on our democracy. It is necessary to bolster our nation’s future by holding fast to the constitutional guidelines of honesty, integrity, and “equal rights under the law.” I think most of us are supportive of Ukraine as an independent

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legislation, such as gun control and repair of our immigration system. Rather, they are diluting and/or reversing laws, after which they have been reviewed and approved by various courts including the previous Supreme Court. We recently learned that five of our present Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices lied or refused to answer questions about their views on Roe v. Wade as standing law during their confirmation hearings. Therefore, it should not be surprising that these justices seem to be encouraging and in agreement with the Republican state legislators and governors’ proposed antiabortion bills. The planned reversal of Roe v. Wade would be an anti-civil rights and antiwomen’s rights action. It is shocking to me that these state legislature proposals are in many cases punitive, threatening women, and also the doctors performing these procedures, with jail time and severe fines. No woman seeks an abortion without need. No woman enjoys an abortion. Abortion should be a privacy right. The pregnant woman should make this decision based on her religious views, circumstances, and medical needs. This is not an arbitrary decision for an impersonal politician to decide. Even though 65% of our nation is against overturning Roe v. Wade, it seems as though our Supreme Court has decided to do so anyway. I can’t help but think of the saying, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!” Another basic constitutional right under assault is our right for all to vote in free and fair elections without unnecessary restrictions. After so many folks fought and

died for these rights, culminating on Bloody Sunday in Selma, Alabama on March 7, 1965, it seems unbelievable that today there are so many Republican-sponsored state legislative bills that weaken and/or challenge people’s right to vote. Even though this is in our Constitution as a specified right, it seems to be ignored by some on our present Supreme Court. The Constitution states in Amendment 15, ratified Feb. 3, 1870, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of race, color, or previous condition of servitude.” Constant watchfulness over our civil rights is imperative, and we caretakers of society bear this responsibility. Ultra-rightwing folks and Trumpites are actively seeking board positions in schools and libraries. If they are elected, it will lead to the further banning of books and changes in public education curriculum in ways suiting their agendas. More and more of these folks are involving themselves legally, and sometimes illegally, in a multitude of anti-constitutional issues. They are perpetuating the “Big Lie” that Trump won the 2020 election. This and other repeated falsehoods are right out of Hitler’s playbook in which every area of rights in a free society can be attacked and Democracy destroyed. As mothers and other caretakers who seek to unite their family members, let us now seek to also unite these United States. We can do it. Harriet Hausman is a longtime resident of River Forest and longtime member of the ACLU.

A new postmaster for Oak Park It is a great honor to serve Oak Park as your new postmaster. In my 26 years with the United States Postal Service, I have seen firsthand the role the postal service plays connecting neighbors and our community to the nation. Our post offices serve as a lifeline for our small businesses to reach customers, no matter where they are. Under Postmaster General Louis DeJoy’s leadership and Delivering For America, the postal service’s 10-year plan, we are maintaining universal six-day mail delivery and expanded seven-day package delivery, stabilizing our workforce, and spurring innovation to meet the needs of our

modern customers. Just as the postal service continues to provide a vital service for our nation, the staff of the Oak Park Post Office will proudly continue that same public service in this community. On behalf of the 650,000 women and men of the United States Postal Service, I thank you for continuing to support the postal service. Providing reliable mail delivery while strengthening the future of this treasured institution is our commitment to you.

Kenya Thomas

Oak Park Postmaster

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V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

We need metal detectors in schools

The recent arrest of an OPRF High School student on campus, with a loaded “ghost” gun, is extremely disturbing. This incident underscores the need for the school boards and the school administrations to take a pro-active role to ensure the safety of the students and staff. My suggestion is that metal detectors be installed at the high school and the two middle schools. The metal detectors are definitely a deterrent. The presence of metal detectors will certainly lead to tangible security improvements. Furthermore, metal detectors will

set people’s minds at ease with the knowledge that everyone in the building has been screened. The Happiest Place on Earth (Disneyland) uses metal detectors and all bags entering the park are checked. Our children want to live and be able to attend school in a safe environment. We cannot control guns on the street but we can control a school. It is very simple. This suggestion does not need to be sent to committee; it needs to be acted on immediately, before it is too late.

Daniel Hefner

Oak Park COURTESY OF EXCELOO.COM

Let’s not pay too much for the whistle

Example of a public restroom designed by EXEloo.

Benjamin Franklin tells about when he was a boy seeing a bright shiny whistle and paying all that he had for it. Then he went around blowing it all afternoon. Come evening, he had tired of it and regretted his decision, saying he “had paid too much for the whistle.” The OPRF High School board and administration should think about this. They are considering the bright shiny whistle of Project 2. This features a 25yard by 40-yard pool with eight lanes. The (2018) estimate is $64.5 million. Initial gratification for some like the pool lobby, but then buyer’s remorse for us taxpayers

will set in. We will all see that the board and administration have paid too much for their whistle. Especially when you consider the academic needs of Phases 3 through 5, which will be further delayed, perhaps for decades if District 200 spends excessively on Project 2. Let’s not pay too much for the Project 2 whistle and rethink more pressing educational priorities. After all, swimming is but a very small part of the high school educational experience.

IGOV

old saying is “fortune does the favoring,” but compost comes in a close second. Decayed plant material that has reached a stable form called humus is an excellent soil amendment because it feeds the life in the soil, helps structures in the soil hold air and water that plant roots need, buffers fertilizer imbalance and suppresses disease. You can make your own compost by filling a container of some sort with garden and lawn clippings, kitchen scraps and all manner of organic material with a few sensible exceptions like bones or grease. Adding a layer of compost to growing areas in the spring, and also midseason, favors the biological life in the soil that feeds up through plant roots to

Earth-friendly gardening from page 25 of organic matter within several inches of plant stems also keeps weeds under control while it slowly breaks down into nutrients the plants need. Undyed, shredded tree bark is one of the best mulches. Shrubs and trees benefit from a 2- to 4-inch mulch arrayed in a donut and definitely not a volcano because that can lead to rot at the base of the tree or shrub. Compost favors the prepared. Really, the

Charles Chauncey Wells Oak Park

Oak Park needs public toilets

Objections by a couple of village board members notwithstanding, Oak Park — all communities, in fact — need public toilets. They are common in European cities today, as well as in just about every national, state, and city park anywhere in our country and beyond. They have a long history. Tour guides sometimes make that point, for example in the ruins of ancient Rome and Ephesus, informing tourists that they are examples of municipal sewage systems that flushed wastes away 2,000 years ago. No the blooms and fruits you’re growing the plant for. We cut our lawns about 20 times a growing season, and it makes sense to practice smart lawn care. The best time to fertilize is in the early spring and then again in fall. Cut the grass no shorter than 3 inches because that keeps the roots cool and weed seeds from sprouting. Do not pick up the clippings. Leave them and they will break down and feed the grass. If you choose to water a lawn, water deeply, not frequently; do it in the morning; and make sure water falls on the grass and not surrounding walks and driveways. Sustainability means using wisely the resources we need to do our work, as well

outhouses for them. They are not just a modern amenity. The fact that the proposed units here are portable should allay the fears of doubters. No brick-and-mortar buildings are proposed. If it turns out to be a failed experiment, they can simply be removed or shifted to a different location. A redo is always a ready alternative. But wherever it is placed, it’s not just an option; it’s a necessity.

Fred Reklau Oak Park

as ensuring that the next generations will have at least as many resources going forward. In addition to smart gardening practices, you can sustain your own self by learning more about plants, best practices and new techniques. Visit the 635 section of Oak Park’s main library, check out the University of Illinois Extension website, and talk with your neighbor gardeners. How you treat the soil, the plants you grow, providing habitat for bugs and insects and birds and all the living creatures in the garden, and working smart with an eye to preserving the environment, ensures the future availability of natural resources.

V I E W P O I N T S

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

SIECK

Wordless teaching from page 25 the years we grew them. Lessons learned: 1) There are no atheists in foxholes – or on farms and 2) when faced with an overwhelming task, we look for a supernatural solution. When that fails, we do what we have to do. By the first week in August, the toma-

toes start ripening. We have two farm stands — one in front of the house and a second one on Lake Street. We’re picking hundreds of pounds of tomatoes a day and need more markets. So we start to “think outside the farm stand.” On weekends we load up the back of the station wagon with tomatoes and other vegetables and drive a few miles north to Hoffman Estates, where the homes are close together. As dad drives slowly down the street, two of us walk up to the homes on either side, our arms loaded with tomatoes, peppers, and cucumbers. “Good morning, Ma’am. Would you like to buy some fresh

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vegetables? Of course she does. Peapod long before Peapod was invented. After multiple morning trips, we load up yet again mid-afternoon and go to the exit gate of a nearby factory just as the workers are getting off their shift. Yes, they want them too. Farmers market before there was farmers market. Lessons learned: 1) If you didn’t have a “plan B” when you started, you better be able to come up with one, and 2) convenience sells. By early fall, we are mostly selling tomatoes by the (50 pound) bushel for canning.

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When the first killing frost comes, the season is over. The plants we raised from their dependent infancy through productive adulthood are finished with their life on this Earth. But they’re not done yet. All those tiny tan-colored seeds inside every tomato are each plant’s future generation. From the plant’s point of view, the actual red tomato is simply a delivery and dispersal vehicle for those seeds. Obviously, it works. Lessons learned: 1) For everything there is a time and a season, and 2) the desire to live on — however we define that, is universal. So we hook up our orange trailer to the back of our blue Ford tractor, cross the street, and go clean out the neighbor farmer’s chicken barn. Straw, manure, and urine. Unforgettable smell. Something you never get to experience if you only buy the chicken or the eggs. Loaded up, we drive back home and go up and down the rows of dead tomato plants using pitchforks to spread the fresh manure onto the field for the sake of next year’s crop. Then we plow it under and let mother-nature do the composting. Lessons learned: 1) You have to replace what you used up (soil nutrients), 2) one man’s problem is another man’s opportunity, 3) there’s an easy way to compost, and 4) driving a tractor is fun. If the goal was to keep everyone busy and off the street corners, it succeeded wildly. If the point was to learn how to run a business by maximizing profit while minimizing labor and expenses, well, that was never the goal. I don’t think we ever knew how much money we made. But we were busy and the tuition was paid. Lessons learned: 1) Sometimes our goals have more possibilities than we realize, and 2) sometimes lessons we could learn are left “off the table.” My summer school teacher taught me (almost) everything I would need to know about life — without ever uttering a single word. Forty percent of us will be planting vegetable gardens this month and the most popular vegetable in those gardens is the tomato. So the next time you bite into a slice of that red deliciousness, whether you grew it or bought it, you’re biting into one of life’s best, unconventional, and unsung teachers ever. For the “bible” on tomatoes, get a copy of “Epic Tomatoes” by Craig LeHollier.

O B I T U A R I E S

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Tari Kelsey, 69

Pharmacist, family chief of staff Tari M. Kelsey, 69, of Oak Park died on Oct. 27, 2021 in Chicago surrounded by family following a fiveyear battle with pancreatic cancer. Born on Dec. 7, 1951 in Olympia, Wa s h i n g t o n , the daughter of Leo and Grace Grunenfelder, she graduated from Washington State University with a degree in pharmacy and the University of Minnesota with a Pharm D degree. In 1976, she married Mark Kelsey and they moved to Oak Park, where they raised four children. She was a pharmacist for more than 40 years at multiple hospitals in the Chicago area, but also dedicated herself to serving her family in many roles throughout her life including tutor, super-fan, scorekeeper, news reporter, banker, zookeeper and chief of staff. In her spare time, she enjoyed gardening, baking and “getting her steps in” — but nothing brought her greater joy than spending time with family and friends and spoiling her grandkids. She will be remembered for her selflessness, loyalty, courage, toughness and kindness. Following her diagnosis, she refused to let it take her spirit and continued to live her life to the fullest, including attending two of her children’s weddings and seeing the birth of five of her grandchildren. Tari was the wife of Mark; mother of Nick (José), Zack (Maggie), Kristen (Frank) Hilvers, and Nate (Carmela); grandma to six Hayden, Wes, Graham, Landon, Sebastian and Emmett; sister to seven siblings; and loved one to countless more. Her parents preceded her in death. The Kelseys will be hosting a memorial gathering from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Cheney Mansion in Oak Park on May 14. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that those interested in making a memorial contribution please donate to Lustgarten Foundation for Pancreatic Cancer Research.

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

Tom Monaco, 73

Larry Hagen, 82,

Thomas “Punch” J. Monaco, 73, formerly of Oak Park, died surrounded by family on May 2, 2022. A proud graduate of Ascension (’63), Fenwick (’67), and Xavier University (’71), where he formed many lasting friendships, he played an important role in developing Oak Park Youth Baseball, Softball, and the Windmills. A supporter of many charitable foundations, he was especially dedicated to Misericordia. An organizer of many epic events such as the Annual Turkey Bowl, FAO, Crazy 8’s, Pig Roast and Mardi Gras, he was an avid sports fan, who loved watching the Chicago Blackhawks and never missed a Xavier basketball game. He was the true definition of a die-hard Chicago Cubs fan (i.e., rooting for any opponent of the White Sox). He got his ultimate wish of seeing the Cubs win the World Series in 2016, Doo-Dah! He taught us all about loyalty, generosity and friendship. He will be dearly missed. Tom Monaco was the husband of Jane (nee McDermott); the father of Sarah, Thomas, Michael (Molly) and Anne (Jay) Hanz; the grandfather of Matthew, Max, and Morgan; the brother of Jane, Joseph, Robert, and William; and the uncle of many. A memorial visitation will be held at Ascension Catholic Church, 808 S. East Ave., Oak Park, on Thursday May 12, from 9:30-10:30 a.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated immediately after. In lieu of flowers, the Monaco family would greatly appreciate contributions to Misericordia, which can be made at www.misericordia.com/giving/donate-online. Arrangements were handled by Peter B. Kennedy & Co. Funeral Directors.

Larry Hagen, 82, of Oak Park, died peacefully at home on April 26, 2022, surrounded by family, after a long battle with Multiple System Atrophy (MSA). Born on March 24, 1940, in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, he attended the Holy Cross seminary in La Crosse for high school and college, graduating in 1962, and spent one year at St. Paul Seminary in St Paul, Minnesota. He ultimately decided the priesthood was not for him, and moved to Chicago, where he had spent summers as a gravedigger. There he started working as a high school teacher at a girl’s Catholic school. He took part in improv theater and worked as a probation officer for the juvenile court system. He then pursued a Master of Social Work at the University of Chicago and met Mary McGuirk, also a social worker, whom he married on Sept 6, 1975, at the University of Chicago’s Bond Chapel. They moved to Oak Park in 1977 and had two daughters, Erica and Alyssa. A seminal experience for him, which he never tired of retelling, was a chance meeting with Martin Luther King Jr. in Chicago in 1963. He became very involved in the Civil Rights Movement and even followed King to the March on Washington. After the birth of his first daughter in 1977, he attended night school at Chicago-Kent College of Law at IIT and then began private legal practice. Most of his legal career was spent in immigration law, often taking on difficult political asylum cases. He was able to get residency for many people fleeing from persecution in Africa, Eastern Europe and elsewhere. After retirement from law, he worked part time as a lecturer at Lewis University in Cultural Diversity. A lifelong reader, he was a member of Oak Park’s longest-running book club and also enjoyed singing at the St. Giles Family Mass and other choirs. He was a proud Oak Parker for the past 45 years. Despite his challenging career, he always maintained a sense of humor and was easygoing — unless the topic was politics. He loved telling stories from his life, the civil rights era, and Chicago’s social and political history, which fascinated him. He also loved genealogy and visited Norway and Sweden to meet his extended family. He was always ready to be a cheerleader for his girls in their pursuits. In 2013 his first of three grandchildren was born and he embraced his new role as grandpa. He will be dearly missed by many. His family would like to thank everyone at the Rush University Medical Center Movement Disorder Clinic, and Accent Care hospice nurses and caregivers. Memorial visitation will be at St. Giles Catholic Church on May 11, 2022 from 9:30 a.m. until Mass of Christian Burial at 10:30 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: the Heartland Alliance’s National Immigrant Justice Center, https://immigrantjustice.org/, or the Multiple Systems Atrophy Coalition, https://www. multiplesystematrophy.org.

Supporter, youth baseball/softball

Immigration attorney

Patricia and her brother, Bishop Edward Braxton

Patricia Braxton Wills, 72

Member, St. Catherine Parish, choir Patricia Braxton Wills, 72, a resident of Oak Park for more than 20 years, died suddenly in her home in Duarte, California, on March 11, 2022. A bilingual adjudicator for the Unemployment Office of the state of Illinois for many years until her retirement, she was an active member of St. Catherine/St. Lucy Parish, where her brother, Bishop Edward Braxton, served as pastor. She was a featured soloist in the parish gospel choir and lived her Catholic faith. She avidly took part in Oak Park life, regularly spending leisure hours at the Oak Park Public Library, browsing the bookstores, visiting Frank Lloyd Wright homes, attending summer theater and concert performances, and relaxing in the Oak Park Botanical Garden. She often made her way around the village on her bicycle. When her son, Michael Wills, and his wife, Angela, moved to the Los Angeles area with their five children, she soon followed to be closer to her grandchildren. Bishop Braxton said of his sister: “We played together as children and traveled the world together as adults. Without her loving companionship, my life is changed forever. I pray that Patricia’s ebullient, joyful, hopefilled spirit will be with me and our family always.’” Michael and his older brother Jamal, his wife Niambi, and their children mourn her untimely death along with their uncle the Bishop. Her older sister, Gwendolyn Braxton and her older brother, Lawrence Braxton predeceased her. Bishop Edward Braxton of Belleville will preside at her funeral Mass on Friday, May 13, at 2 p.m. in the Mausoleum Chapel of Queen of Heaven Cemetery in Hillside. Friends are welcome to attend. She will be buried in the Braxton family gravesite, where her parents, Cullen and Evelyn Braxton, also longtime Oak Park residents, and other family members are buried.

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

Growing Community Media

Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.

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

HELP WANTED

HELP WANTED • NETWORK SPECIALIST Class specifications are intended to present a descriptive list of the range of duties performed by employees in the class. Specifications are not intended to reflect all duties performed within the job. DEFINITION To perform various network/system administration, computer support, and operational activities for the Village including computer system setup, configuration, and testing. SUPERVISION RECEIVED AND EXERCISED Reports directly to the Information Technology Services Director. EXAMPLE OF DUTIES: Essential and other important duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following: Essential duties and responsibilities 1. Ensure that best in class customer service is provided to both internal and external customers and also embrace, support, and promote the Village’s core values, beliefs and culture. 2. Configure, test, and deploy network systems, such as, firewalls, routers, switches, wireless equipment, network servers and storage arrays. 3. Configure, test, and deploy system servers, such as, file, print, Internet, e-mail, database, and application servers. 4. Configure, test, and monitor server and end-user systems for security, such as, user accounts, login scripts, file access privileges, and group policy management. 5. Configure, test, and deploy end-user systems, such as, workstations, laptops, mobile devices, printers, and software. 6. Test, configure, deploy, and support security systems, such as, facility access system, video & audio system. 7. Monitor and auditing of networks, systems, and user activities to ensure security and efficiency of systems. Create scripts and reports of detail activities for regular review. 8. Perform and participate in disaster recovery activities, such as, backup procedures, data recovery, and system recovery planning. 9. Assist end-users with computer problems or queries. Troubleshoot systems as needed and meet with users to analyze specific system needs. 10. Ensure the uniformity, reliability and security of system resources including network, hardware,

software and other forms of systems and data. 11. Prepare, create and update user/technical procedure documentations and provide computer training. 12. Assemble, test, and install network, telecommunication and data equipment and cabling. 13. Participate in research and recommendation of technology solutions. Other important responsibilities and duties 1. Train users in the area of existing, new or modified computer systems and procedures. 2. Participate in the preparation of various activity reports. 3. Travel and support remote facilities and partner agencies. 4. Operate, administer and manage the Village and Public Safety computer systems, including E-911 center, in-vehicle computer systems. 5. Prepare clear and logical reports and program documentation of procedures, processes, and configurations. 6. Complete projects on a timely and efficient manner. 7. Communicate effectively both orally and in writing. 8. Establish and maintain effective working relationships with those contacted in the course of work. 9. Perform related duties and responsibilities as required. QUALIFICATIONS Knowledge of: Principals and procedures of computer systems, such as, data communication, hierarchical structure, backups, testing and critical analysis. Hardware and software configuration of. computers, servers and mobile devices, including computing environment of Windows Server and Desktop OS and applications, Unix/Linux OS, VMware, iOS/Android. Network protocols, security, configuration and administration, including firewalls, routers, switches and wireless technology. Cabling and wiring, including CAT5/6, fiber network, telephone, serial communication, termination, and punch-down. Telecommunications theory and technology, including VoiP, serial communication, wireless protocols, PBX, analog, fax, voicemail and auto-attendant. Principles and methods of computer programming, coding and testing, including power shell, command scripting, macros, and

VB scripts. Modern office procedures, methods and computer equipment. Technical writing, office productivity tools and database packages. Ability to: Maintain physical condition appropriate to the performance of assigned duties and responsibilities, which may include the following: - Walking, standing or sitting for extended periods of time - Operating assigned equipment - Lift 50 pounds of equipment, supplies, and materials without assistance - Working in and around computer equipped vehicles Maintain effective audio-visual discrimination and perception needed for: - Making observations - Communicating with others - Reading and writing - Operating assigned equipment and vehicles Maintain mental capacity allowing for effective interaction and communication with others. Maintain reasonable and predictable attendance. Work overtime as operations require. Experience and Training Guidelines Experience: Three years of network/system administration in the public or private sector, maintaining a minimum of 75 Client Workstation computers. AND Training: Possession of a Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university with major coursework in computer science or a related field. Certifications in Microsoft Server Administration, Networking, Applications and Cisco Networking. Possession of a valid Illinois Driver License is required at the time of appointment. Vaccination against COVID-19 strongly preferred. WORKING CONDITIONS Work in a computer environment; sustained posture in a seated position for prolonged periods of time; continuous exposure to computer screens; work in and around computerized vehicles outdoor and garage facility; lifting heavy equipment, communication cabling and wiring into walls and ceilings.

Tax Associate/Accountant in Chicago, IL Responsible for the dsgn, implmtn & defense of tax strategies & positns. Acct’ble for tax due diligence & tax ﬁlings; Ensure rportg & acctg is timely, accurate, in accrdnce w/acctg regs, & in complnce w/tax returns & reprts. Partner w/businesses to improve tax efﬁciency of bus. Plan’g & oprt’ns as well as tax complnce & rportg. Mnge resolutn of tax notices & other tax rltd issues reqr’g interfce w/internal key stakeholders & taxing authorities on a reg basis. Perform detailed tax research & analysis & implmt adhernc to new tax laws & rport’g reqmts. Reqd: Bachelor’s or Foreign Equiv Deg in Acctg, 2yrs exp in positns involvg Bus. Tax Prep. or Tax Analysis. Strong analytcl & tax research skills, & ability to quickly use online resources; Ability to utlze audio/visual tools to communict, &

interact w/customers through video conf; Excel’t critical thinkg, probl solvg skills, & attentn to details; Excel’t written & verbal communctn skills; Prof in use of MS Windows, CCH Axcess, Excel & Word; Travel infreqtly to client’s locatns to discuss, analyze, & review tax compl, & adhrnce to tax new laws & rportg reqmts, as needed. Send resumes to Timothy J. DeBruyne, Partner, The Mosaic Financial Group LLC, 303 E. Wacker Dr, Ste 1675, Chicago, IL 60601. Associate Architect sought by Mode Architects in Chicago, IL to meet w clnts to dvlp approp dsgns frm concept to compltn. Reqs BS in Architecture or rltd & 6 mo exp in rltd occptn. Also reqs knwldg of Adobe Creative Suite, Autodesk, AutoCad, Maya, Google Sketchup, Rhino, Microsoft

HELP WANTED

ofﬁce and drafting by hand, gained thru coursewrk or exp. Mst hv perm auth to wrk in US. Snd rsm & cvr lttr to Jung Mo, 343 W. Erie St., Suite 210, Chicago, IL 60654

Designer sought by Hirsch MPG in Chicago, IL to anlz bldg codes, zoning ordncs, space/site reqs, srvys & othr tech docs to dtrmn effct on archtrl dsgn/dvlpmt. Reqs BS in Architecture or rltd; knowledge of: AutoCAD, Revit, Sketch-Up, Adobe Creative Suite (Photoshop, InDesign, Illustrator) Word & Excel. Also reqs trvl to job sites as needed. Mst hv perm auth to wrk in US. Snd rsm & cvr lttr to Howard Hirsch, 225 W Hubbard St, Ste 500, Chicago, IL 60654.

CHILDCARE WORKER

The Village of Forest Park has immediate openings for before and after school program and seasonal summer help. $12-14.00/Hour. Applications available at Howard Mohr Community Center, 7640 Jackson Blvd, Forest Park or at www.forestpark.net and should be returned Attn: Karen Dylewski. Email: kdylewski@ forestpark.net

PARKS DISTRICT OF OAK PARK PRINCIPAL COACH & PROGRAM SPECIALIST

The Park District of Oak Park is hiring a Full-time Principal Coach & Program Specialist with a starting pay of $20.46 hourly to view the full job

Growing Community Media NFP • Business Manager

We are hiring a part-time business manager to oversee the ﬁnancial and business operations of our busy community publishing nonproﬁt.

Essential leadership position which offers flexible hours (25 per week), a hybrid of in-office and work from home options, and a salary in the mid-$40s. Our long-time business manager is departing after seven years to take a full-time position elsewhere. • Payroll and benefits Among the key roles for our business manager are: • Payment processing for donors, • QuickBooks proficiency

- General ledger, invoicing, month end

• Budgeting

• AR and AP management

advertisers and subscriptions

• Audit preparation

• Preferred hire will have nonproﬁt ﬁnance management experience.

Bonus points for being a notary! Send resumes to Dan Haley, CEO, Growing Community Media dhaley@wjinc.com

River Forest Public Schools District 90

Student Support Services - Vacancies for the 2022-2023 School Year District 90 is seeking qualified and experienced student support educators for the following positions: • School Social Worker - Grades 5th - 8th • School Social Worker - Grades PreK-4th • Special Education Support Teacher - Grades PreK-4th • School Psychologist/Facilitator - Grades PreK-4th For detailed qualifications requirements and job duties, please visit our website at https://www.district90.org/ about/employment for our complete list of employment opportunities. Qualifications: Valid Illinois Professional Education License with endorsement in field of study, a Master’s Degree is preferred and successful teaching experience with students in a classroom setting is preferred.

General Duties: Provide excellence in education by developing and implementing activities that encourage students to be life-long learners. Possesses knowledge of District policies and regulations relating to areas of responsibilities. Create an environment that is conducive to learning and appropriate to the developmental maturity and interests of each student. Application: Apply online at www.district90.org. Application Procedure: Interested candidates should complete the online application available at district90. org. Please do not send hard copies of supporting documentation, i.e. cover letters, resumes, licensure, etc. to River Forest Schools District 90; instead, upload these materials onto the online job application system for proper processing.

Starting a New Business? Publish Your Assumed Name Legal Notice in • Austin Weekly News • Wednesday Journal

• Forest Park Review • Riverside/Brookfield Landmark Call the Experts Before You Place Your Legal Ad! Call Stacy for details: 773/626-6332

description and apply online please click the following link: https://www. paycomonline.net/v4/ats/web.php/ jobs/ViewJobDetails?job=41011&c l i e n t k e y = 4 1 D 8 3 0 0 1 8 4 9 0 6 11 7 978771C10E755DC6

ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH INTERN

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualiﬁed candidates for the position of Environmental Health Intern in the Health Department. This full-time seasonal position will provide assistance to the Environmental Health Practitioners in the inspection and local businesses, homes and other establishments to enforce state and local laws and ordinances related to public Health safety; to respond and resolve citizen complaints regarding nuisances and reported epidemics. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http:// www.oak-park.us/jobs.

BUSINESS LICENSE OFFICER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualiﬁed candidates for the position of Business License Ofﬁcer in the Development Customer Service Department. This person will perform a variety of technical duties in the processing and approval of business licenses and permits; and provide assistance and support to the Department. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/jobs. First review of applications will be May 9, 2022.

ANIMAL CONTROL OFFICER

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Animal Control Officer in the Health Department. This position will perform a variety of duties involved in enforcing Village ordinances governing the care and keeping of animals in the Village; and to impound, care for and assist with redemption of animals as appropriate. Applicants are encouraged to apply using the following link: https://secure.entertimeonline.com/ta/6141780.careers?ApplyToJob=218333253. For additional information on the position please visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/jobs. This position is open until filled.

UTILITY (WATER) BILLING CLERK

The Village of Forest Park seeks candidates for the union position of Full-Time Administration Utility Billing Clerk. Experience with data entry, customer service, administrative assistant skills, bookkeeping or accounting is highly desired. Must be flexible with work assignments and comfortable working with numbers and the public. Other qualifications include computer skills, the ability to meet deadlines, good knowledge of English language, general office skills, including handling of nonemergency calls and walk-up customer service, and good verbal and written skills. Starting salary $32,487 annually. Generous Benefits Package, IMRF Pension and 10 Paid Holidays. Open until filled. Eligible candidates will be required to pass pre-employment ability testing and an extensive background check. Applications are available at Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Ave. or at www.forestpark.net and should be returned Attn: Vanessa Moritz, Village Clerk, Village of Forest Park, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130. Email: vmoritz@ forestpark.net .

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

CLASSIFIED BUDGET AND REVENUE ANALYST

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

PARKING ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

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

POLICE RECORDS CLERK

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualiﬁed candidates for the position of Police Records Clerk in the Police Department. This position will perform a wide variety of specialized clerical duties in support of the Police Department including processing and maintaining documents, correspondence and coding reports; and to provide information and assistance to the public. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/jobs.

COVID-19 RESPONSE INTERN

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

RENTALS

OFFICE/RETAIL FOR RENT RIVER FOREST–7777 Lake St. * 1116 sq. ft. * 1400 sq. ft. Dental Office RIVER FOREST–7756 Madison St. * 960 sq. ft. OAK PARK–6142-44 Roosevelt Rd. * 3 & 5 room office suites FOREST PARK–7736 Madison St. *2500 sq. ft. unit Strand & & Browne Strand Browne 708-488-0011 708-488-0011

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

HELP WANTED support of the Emergency Preparedness & Response Coordinator. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http:// www.oak-park.us/. Interested and qualiﬁed applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application.

COVID-19 RESPONSE COORDINATOR

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

SEASONAL FARMERS’ MARKET ASSISTANT

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

SANITARIAN

The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualiﬁed candidates for the position of Sanitarian in the Health Department. This position will perform a variety of duties including education and enforcement activities for the promotion and protection of the public health environment. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oakpark.us/jobs.

RESIDENTIAL LEASING AGENT – OAK PARK, IL

Oak Park Residence Corporation (OPRC) is seeking a capable Residential Leasing Agent to join our leasing team. You will present and lease our apartments to prospective tenants. The right candidate will be

REAL ESTATE

SUBURBAN RENTALS DOWNTOWN OAK PARK 2BR APT

2BR, 1BTH apartment for rent. Hardwood ﬂoors. Renovated and freshly painted. Small, vintage building. No smoking. No pets. Parking included. 708-657-4226

OAK PARK THERAPY OFFICES:

Therapy ofﬁces available on North Avenue. Parking; Flexible leasing; Nicely furnished; Waiting Room; Conference Room. Ideal for new practice or 2nd location. 708.383.0729 Call for an appt.

personable, ﬂexible, informative, and well versed in multi-family residential properties. Experience with YARDI a plus. OPRC is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We offer a highly competitive beneﬁt plan including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, 401(k) with employer contribution, FSA, EAP, paid holiday, vacation, sick leave, and PTO. For a complete position description please go to our website: https:// oakparkrc.com/about-us... or to apply send cover letter and resume to bswaggerty@oakparkrc.com

ACCOUNTING ASSISTANT WITH OPRC

Oak Park Residence Corporation (OPRC) is seeking an experienced Staff Accountant to join its accounting team. The successful candidate will have a minimum of 2 years experience in the accounting field with previous experience in accounts receivable, accounts payable, general ledger analysis, and budget preparation. This individual must also have excellent computer skills and be proficient in Microsoft Office and Excel. Experience in non-profit environment, property management accounting, and/or HUD experience and YARDI software considered a plus. For a complete job description please go to our website: Work for OPRC – OPRC (oakparkrc.com) or to apply send cover letter and resume to bswaggerty@oakparkrc.com. OPRC is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We offer a highly competitive benefit plan including medical, dental, vision, disability, life, 401(k) with employer contribution, FSA, EAP, paid holiday,vacation, sick leave, and PTO.

PUBLIC WORKS SUPERINTENDENT

VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE, ILLINOIS Riverside, IL (pop, 9,298) The Village of Riverside is a mature, historic community located 11 miles west of Chicago in Cook County. Riverside is primarily a residential community originally conceived and planned in 1869 as a model suburb by Frederick Law Olmsted. The Village operates under the President–Trustee form of government with an appointed Village Manager.

RENTALS

WANTED TO RENT RENT WANTED TO Coach House/Guest House Wanted to Rent Contact George at 708-722-1111or gfunkpunk@gmail.com with info.

WANTED TO RENT Garage Wanted to Rent 2 car or Larger. Contact George at 708-722-1111or gfunkpunk@gmail.com with info.

The Public Works Superintendent is a challenging, stimulating position that is hired by and reports to the Director of Public Works. The Public Works Superintendent is primarily responsible for the operation of the water system. The Public Works Superintendent can expect to perform complex supervisory, administrative and professional work in planning, organizing, directing, and assisting with supervising the operations of the Department of Public Works. Positions supervised include clerical, administrative, maintenance and professional staff as assigned. The successful candidate must be able to demonstrate a combination of educational and relevant experience to fulfill the requirements of the position. The Public Works Superintendent must possess and maintain a Commercial Driver’s License and an ILEPA Certified Water Supply Operator certification of Class C or higher. Salary Range is $82,102.50 to $105,000. Send cover letter, resume, anticipated starting salary and five work related references to Ian Splitt, Village of Riverside, 27 Riverside, Riverside, IL, 60546 or email credentials to isplitt@riverside.il.us. First review of resumes will occur on May 18 th, 2022. The Village of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

MARKETPLACE

GARAGE SALES Oak Park

HOUSEHOLD MOVING SALE 1018 WISCONSIN AVE FRI MAY 13-SAT MAY 14 9AM-3PM

Many small items, hand tools, kitchen items, DVDs, books, knick-knacks. No early birds please! Oak Park

GARAGE SALE 1145 S. SCOVILLE SAT MAY 21 9AM-2PM AND SUN MAY 22 9AM-1PM

Oak Park

GARAGE SALE 643 N HARVEY AVE SAT MAY 14 ONLY 7AM-1PM

Furniture; tables, desk, chairs, matching end tables, vintage blanket chest, lamps, tons of pottery, Rae Dunn, small kitchen appliances, ﬂat wear, books, music cd’s, art work and designer clothing sizes 12,14 and 16. Tons more stuff.

WANTED TO BUY WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, ﬂags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers – lead, plastic – other misc. toys. Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400

CARS WANTED

Books, clothes (Men’s XL, Women’s M, Youth M-L), costumes, toys, household items, antique ﬁne China dish sets, vintage hats and more! Everything must go!

CLASSICS WANTED CLASSICS WANTED Restored or Unrestored

HOME SERVICES

CEMENT

MAGANA

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

COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL RESIDENTIAL

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

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

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

$$ Top $$ SERVICES all makes, Etc. HOME CLASSICS WANTED Collector James

ELECTRICAL ELECTRICAL Restored or Unrestored 630-201-8122 Cars & Vintage Motorcycles A&A ELECTRIC Ceiling Fans Let Domestic / Import Cars: an American Veteran do your work Installed We install plugs for battery-operated vehicles

We fix any electrical problem and do small jobs Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, We install Surge Protectors • Home Re-wiring • New Plugs & SwitchesCars, Added Ferrari’s, Jaguars, Muscle • New circuit breaker boxes • Code violations corrected Service upgrades,100-200 amp& • Garage & A/C lines installed Mustang Mopars Fast Emergency Service | Residential • Commercial • Industrial

$$ Top $$ all makes, Etc.

Free Home Evaluations | Lic. • Bonded • Ins. • Low Rates • Free Est.

708-409-0988 • 708-738-3848

Collector James

Sr. Discounts • 30 Yrs. Exp. Servicing Oak Park • All surrounding suburbs • Chicago area

630-201-8122 CAREGIVER

RENTALS

SUBURBAN RENTALS STUDIOS, 1, 2 & 3 BR OAK PARK & Best Selection & Service

GARAGE SALES

FOREST PARK

708-386-7355

MMpropMgmt.com

Caregiver for senior

Affordable price, excellent references. With a car. 24-hour live-in overnight or hourly come and go.

708-692-2580

FLOORS KLIS FLOORING INC.

New hardwood ﬂooring installation & pergo. Sanding, re-ﬁnishing, staining. Low prices, insured. Call: 773-671-4996 • www.klisflooring.com

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

CLASSIFIED

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

HOME SERVICES

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

708-296-2060

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

773-637-0692 Ask for John

CURT'S HANDYMAN SERVICE Drywall Repair • Painting Fans Installed • Carpentry Trim Gutter Cleaning • Window Repair

Free estimates Excellent References No Job Too Small

708-488-9411

HAULING BASEMENT CLEANING

Appliances & Furniture Removal Pickup & Delivery. 708-848-9404

LANDSCAPING BRUCE LAWN SERVICE Spring Clean-Up Aerating, Slit Seeding Bush Trimming, Lawn Maintenance brucelawns.com

708-243-0571

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PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for:

2022 Pavement Crack Sealing Proj- 2022 Street Patching Program ect This project consists of the patching The Work consists of the application of approximately 3,250 square yards of approximately 37,750 pounds of of existing, defective asphalt paveFiber-Modiﬁed Crack Sealing to vari- ment at various locations throughout the Village, as designated by the Deous asphalt public roadways. partment of Public Works. The bidding documents are available for download starting Friday, May 6, The bidding documents are available for download starting Friday, May 6, 2022 at: www.vrf.us/bids 2022 at: www.vrf.us/bids Bids must be submitted by Thursday, June 2, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at: Bids must be submitted by Friday, Public Works Department, 2nd Floor June 3, 2022 at 10:30 a.m. at: Public Works Department, 2nd Floor Village of River Forest Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305 River Forest, IL 60305

2022 Curb and Sidewalk Replacement Program (Various Locations)

The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience and ability to perform the work. No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the Proposals without the consent of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening.

Bidders shall be prequaliﬁed by IDOT The Village of River Forest reserves for: HMA Paving the right in receiving these bids to waive technicalities and reject any The Village of River Forest reserves or all bids. the right in receiving these bids to waive technicalities and reject any Published in Wednesday Journal or all bids. May 11, 2022 PUBLIC NOTICE NOTICE TO CONTRACTORS Notice is hereby given by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be accepted for: 2022 Pavement Preservation Project The Work consists of the application of High Density Mineral Bond (HA5) to approximately 10,000 square yards of public roadways within the Village of River Forest. The bidding documents are available for download starting Friday, May 6, 2022 at: www.vrf.us/bids Bids must be submitted by Thursday, June 2, 2022 at 11:00 a.m. at: Public Works Department, 2nd Floor Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305 The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience and ability to perform the work. No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the Proposals without the consent of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening. The Village of River Forest reserves the right in receiving these bids to waive technicalities and reject any or all bids. Published in Wednesday Journal May 11, 2022

Published in Wednesday Journal May 11, 2022

This project consists of the installation of approximately 5,250 square feet of PCC sidewalk, 175 linear feet of PCC curb/gutter, 100 square yards of driveway apron and other work incidental thereto. The bidding documents are available for download starting Friday, May 6, 2022 at: www.vrf.us/bids Bids must be submitted by Friday, June 3, 2022 at 10:00 a.m. at: Public Works Department, 2nd Floor Village of River Forest 400 Park Avenue River Forest, IL 60305 The bid proposals will be publicly opened and read at that time. Proposals will be considered not only on the basis of cost, but also on past performance, experience and ability to perform the work. No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the Proposals without the consent of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of River Forest for a period of thirty (30) days after the scheduled time of the bid opening. Bidders shall be prequaliﬁed by IDOT for: Concrete Construction The Village of River Forest reserves the right in receiving these bids to waive technicalities and reject any or all bids. Published in Wednesday Journal May 11, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS HEARING DATE: June 1, 2022 TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits CALENDAR NUMBER: 15-22-Z APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“Board”) will conduct a public hearing on a variance application filed by the Applicant, Jeremy Medlar. The Applicant seeks a variance from Section 9.4 (Table 9-1: Permitted Encroachments Into Required Setbacks) and 9.3 (A)(5)(b) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance (“Zoning Ordinance”) which regulates permitted encroachments into required setbacks and requires that a parking pad shall be located no closer to the front lot line than the front building façade line of the principal structure to permit construction of a one vehicle off-street parking pad in the required front yard setback and closer to the front lot line (Iowa Street) than the building façade line at the premises commonly known as 260 Iowa Street, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-05-316-012-0000 (“Subject Property”) in the R-3-50 Single-Family Zoning District. A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Board will conduct the public hearing remotely with live audio available and optional video. The hearing will be streamed live and archived online for on-demand viewing at www.oak-park.us/commissiontv as well as cablecast on VOP-TV, which is available to Comcast subscribers on channel 6 and ATT U-Verse subscribers on channel 99. The remote public

hearing is authorized pursuant to Section 7(e) of the Open Meetings Act. The Village President has determined that an in-person public hearing is not practical or prudent due to the COVID-19 outbreak during Governor JB Pritzker’s current disaster proclamation. It is also not feasible to have a person present at the public hearing due to public safety concerns related to the COVID-19 outbreak. All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may provide written evidence, testimony and public comment on the application by email to Zoning@oak-park.us or by drop off in the Oak Park Payment Drop Box across from the entrance to Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, to be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 1, 2022. An individual’s name and their testimony or comment will be read aloud into the record at the public hearing if received no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses, present evidence, testimony or public comment by emailing Zoning@oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing. Individuals who sign up to participate in-person will receive an email from Village staff with information about how to join the hearing online through Zoom web-conference means or by phone. The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof

Published in Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

CLASSIFIED PUBLIC NOTICES

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

PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS HEARING DATE: June 1, 2022 TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits CALENDAR NUMBER: 14-22-Z APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“Board”) will conduct a public hearing on a special use permit application filed by the Applicant, Rebecca Ralston, to operate a massage service establishment pursuant to Section 8.3 (“Table 8-1: Use Matrix) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance at the property located at 1041 Chicago Avenue, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-07-102-0300000, in the NC Neighborhood Commercial Zoning District. A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Board will conduct the public hearing remotely with live audio available and optional video. The hearing will be streamed live and archived online for on-demand viewing at www.oak-park.us/commissiontv as well as cablecast on VOP-TV, which is available to Comcast subscribers on channel 6 and ATT U-Verse subscribers on channel 99. The remote public hearing is authorized pursuant to Section 7(e) of the Open Meetings Act. The Village President has determined that an in-person public hearing is not practical or prudent due to the COVID-19 outbreak

during Governor JB Pritzker’s current disaster proclamation. It is also not feasible to have a person present at the public hearing due to public safety concerns related to the COVID-19 outbreak. All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may provide written evidence, testimony and public comment on the application by email to Zoning@oak-park.us or by drop off in the Oak Park Payment Drop Box across from the main entrance to Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, to be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 1, 2022. An individual’s name and their testimony or comment will be read aloud into the record at the public hearing if received no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses, present evidence, testimony or public comment by emailing Zoning @oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing. Individuals who sign up to participate in-person will receive an email from Village staff with information about how to join the hearing online through Zoom web-conference means or by phone. The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

Published in Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS HEARING DATE: June 1, 2022 TIME: 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as the Agenda permits CALENDAR NUMBER: 13-22-Z APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“Board”) will conduct a public hearing on a variance application filed by the Applicants, Ira and Nicole Ray. The Applicants seek a variance from Section 9.4 (Table 9-1: Permitted Encroachments Into Required Setbacks) and 9.3 (A)(5)(b) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance (“Zoning Ordinance”) which regulates permitted encroachments into required setbacks and requires that a parking pad shall be located no closer to the corner side lot line than the front building façade line of the principal structure to permit construction of a one vehicle off-street parking pad adjacent in the required corner side yard setback and closer to the corner side lot line (Berkshire Street) than the building façade line at the premises commonly known as 1001 N. Marion Street, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-06-113-0240000 (“Subject Property”) in the R-2 Single-Family Zoning District. A copy of the application and applicable documents are on file and are available for inspection at Village Hall, Development Customer Services Department, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, Monday through Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. The Board will conduct the public hearing remotely with live audio available and optional video. The hearing will be streamed live and archived online for on-demand viewing at www.oak-park.us/commissiontv as well as cablecast on VOP-TV, which is available to Comcast subscribers on channel 6 and ATT U-Verse subscribers

on channel 99. The remote public hearing is authorized pursuant to Section 7(e) of the Open Meetings Act. The Village President has determined that an in-person public hearing is not practical or prudent due to the COVID-19 outbreak during Governor JB Pritzker’s current disaster proclamation. It is also not feasible to have a person present at the public hearing due to public safety concerns related to the COVID-19 outbreak. All interested persons will be given an opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. Interested persons may provide written evidence, testimony and public comment on the application by email to Zoning@oak-park.us or by drop off in the Oak Park Payment Drop Box across from the entrance to Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, to be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on June 1, 2022. An individual’s name and their testimony or comment will be read aloud into the record at the public hearing if received no later than 30 minutes prior to the start of the public hearing. Interested persons may also sign up to participate in-person in the hearing to cross examine the applicant and its witnesses, present evidence, testimony or public comment by emailing Zoning@oak-park.us before 5:00 PM on the day prior to the public hearing. Individuals who sign up to participate in-person will receive an email from Village staff with information about how to join the hearing online through Zoom web-conference means or by phone. The public hearing may be adjourned by the Board to another date without further notice by public announcement at the hearing setting forth the time and place thereof.

Published in Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION Plaintiff, -v.RASHINDA PLUMP, WAVERLY CLARK, JR, UNKNOWN OWNERS AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS, WAVERLY CLARK, JR., INDEPENDENT ADMINISTRATOR Defendants 12 CH 25204 1187 SOUTH HIGHLAND PARK OAK PARK, IL 60304 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on December 11, 2019, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on June 1, 2022, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 1187 SOUTH HIGHLAND PARK, OAK PARK, IL 60304 Property Index No. 16-17-325-0470000 The real estate is improved with a one story two unit brick building with no garage. Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, including the Judicial Sale fee for the Abandoned Residential Property Municipality Relief Fund, which is calculated on residential real estate at the rate of $1 for each $1,000 or fraction thereof of the amount paid by the purchaser not to exceed $300, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. No fee shall be paid by the mortgagee acquiring the residential real estate pursuant to its credit bid at the sale or by any mortgagee, judgment creditor, or other lienor acquiring the residential real estate whose rights in and to the residential real estate arose prior to the sale. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the

purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1). IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL, 60602. Tel No. (312) 346-9088. THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales. MCCALLA RAYMER LEIBERT PIERCE, LLC One North Dearborn Street, Suite 1200 Chicago IL, 60602 312-346-9088 E-Mail: pleadings@mccalla.com Attorney File No. 20-05419IL_615363 Attorney ARDC No. 61256 Attorney Code. 61256 Case Number: 12 CH 25204 TJSC#: 42-1426 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 # 12 CH 25204 I3192970

     

Wednesday Journal, May 11, 2022

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