Wednesday Journal 061224

of Oak Park and River Forest

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

Upbeat downtown

Oak Park and River Forest High School celebrated the official start to the highly anticipated Project 2 this past week with a groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, June 4 at the high school.

Supt. Greg Johnson welcomed board members, community members, students, and everyone who came out to celebrate the massive new project which has priced out at $102 million.

“Project 1 is done. The track and field revamp is done and today we are here to begin Project 2,” Johnson said. “It has been a long journey but really a small part of the story and history of this high school.”

Johnson called Project 2 an “investment in our community and our students.”

“We are going to improve accessibility. We are going

18

Oak Park library narrows search- rm search to 2

Search for new executive director will follow

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

Oak Park Public Library’s Board of Trustees has decided to interview two of eight proposed vendors to help with an executive director search, following the firing of Joslyn Bowling Dixon on March 16.

Dixon was fired after controversy arose regarding her handling of a Palestinian cultural event and the elimination of two community engagement team positions. Deputy Director Suzy Wulf and Director of Collections Leigh Tarullo are temporarily filling the executive director role together

T he library board created an evaluation committee made up of three of its members to nar row down the proposed vendors. T he vendors are consultants or firms that will help find and present the board with executive director candidates. Trustee Maya Ganguly was the chair of this committee, and Trustee T heodore Foss and Secretary Susanne Fairf ax were the other members.

The committee discussed eight proposals that came in during their request for proposals process. Two stood out to them: Alma Advisory Group and Koya Partners. “The two firms that we chose were above all the others,” Foss said during the May 29 meeting. “I was shocked at what the fees were being for them. It really was so much more than it was two years ago … But that was true pretty much across all proposals.”

Two years ago is when the last library executive director search occurred, leading to Dixon’s hire

Ganguly, Foss and Fairfax used a one-to-five scale rubric to evaluate categories for each vendor. Those categories were completeness and quality, experience with diversity, equity, and inclusion, experience conducting similar searches relating to libraries, diversity within the search team, familiarity with Oak Park and the community, and recognition of anti-racism, according to the committee meeting minutes.

Koya Partners, according to the committee, has a history of diverse placements of directors and library staff in 2023. About 75% of placements from this vendor were people of color and 62% were women. This vendor also implements implicit bias training, according to the minutes.

Alma Advisory Group presented knowledge of Oak Park and it’s library, experience with DEI and anti-racism work and book sanctuaries, according to the minutes.

Library Board President Matthew Fruth said the board plans to have a closed session with both potential vendors for interviews The closed session will ensure the vendor interviewed second will not have insight into the questions to prepare answers, he said. These interviews will take place in June, Fruth said.

“They both excelled in the work that they put into the proposal and their understanding of Oak Park and surrounding areas,” Fairfax said.

The board unanimously voted to move forward with the two proposed vendors at their May 29 meeting

Oak Park seeks $2M in grants to rehab Write Inn

The village and Housing Forward are partnering to renovate the shelter for unhoused people

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

The Village of Oak Park and Housing Forward are partnering to apply for $2 million in state funds to rehabilitate The Write Inn, a temporary shelter site for individuals and families experiencing homelessness

In February, Oak Park’s village board designated $1 million to Housing Forward, a local nonprofit working to end homelessness, to support these renovations. Half came from unspent American Resue Plan Act funds. The other half was from Community Development Block Grant returned funds. The $2 million, if granted, would come from the CDBG – Coronavirus funds, according to village officials. The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity allocated a minimum of $15 million in CDBG – Coronavirus funds to shelter construction in “urban entitlement areas,” officials said. Oak Park is an entitlement community, meaning the village has

its own programs and funding.

CDBG grants have certain requirements

The grant must benefit low- to moderate- income individuals, aid in prevention or eliminations of “slums” and meet a need that has urgency, according to village officials

The funding would help bankroll construction and rehabilitation or acquisition of property for shelters for those experiencing homelessness, according to village officials. In February, village officials said the total budget to rehabilitate The Write Inn was estimated at $7.7 million. Now, officials say it could be closer to $9.4 million, but Housing Forward is still working with partners to finalize a project budget.

In addition to the village’s $1 million designated for this project, Housing Forward has $3 million from Illinois and $1.5 million earmarked from Cook County

Housing Forward purchased The Write Inn in November 2023 with support from Cook County for $6.5 million. The property, located at 211 N. Oak Park Ave., has served as a temporary fixed shelter site since September 2020. Housing Forward serves clients from across 25 communities in wester n Cook County

After renovations, Housing Forward intends for The Write Inn to have 45 rooms for adults, couples and small families in addition to 19 rooms for medical respite

care, according to village officials

A portion of the units will continue to operate as the Recuperation in a Supportive Environment Center

The units will need “substantial rehabilitation” to meet accessibility standards, according to of ficials.

The remodeled inn will have private rooms with showers, storage and climate control to protect residents from exposure to cold, heat or infection. The improved site will also have case management services to provide continuity of care across programs and wraparound services in areas including behavioral health and employment support, officials wrote.

Inn

Eventually, Housing Forward plans to renovate common spaces in the inn, improve laundry areas and office space, and add space for group meals, officials said in the statement. About $100,000 of the funds

would likely be used to pay for the administration of the grant, according to officials. Trustees approved modifying the village’s grant with Housing Forward for its flexible rental assistance program from $251,341 to $340,913, an increase of almost $90,000. That money will come from decreasing the amount in a separate grant ag reement with Housing Forward for its housing and rental support program from $658,082 to $568,510.

BIG WEEK

June 12-19

Harry Woodgate, Grandad and Milly help organize a Pride parade. Best for ages 3+ with a caregiver. Register at https://tinyurl.com/32d5dph2. 834 Lake St., Oak Park

Listing your event in the calendar

S

ummer

Sounds ‘24: Free Concer ts on the Quad

Tuesday, June 18, All day, Dominican University Quad

The Bear Williams Trio: Bear Williams (aka Larry Kimpel), a Chicago-based Blues/Folk ar tist and 2023 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award winner, will perform. Note: Dominican University will be closed on Wednesday, June 19, in observance of the Juneteenth holiday. 7900 W Division St., River Forest

Digital Zines & Chapbooks: A Self-Publishing Workshop

Thursday, June 13, 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m., Oak Park Public Library

Learn to create and self-publish your own zines and chapbooks. Explore historical, political, philosophical, and literary perspectives. Suitable for middle school, high school, adults, and older adults. Registration required. Register at https://tinyurl.com/4eu7c7bk. 834 Lake St., Oak Park

Death Cafe

Sunday, June 16, 2 - 3:30 p.m., Oak Park

Public Library - Main, Scoville Room

Join us for a Death Cafe, where people gather to discuss death, bringing awareness to the impermanent nature of life. Suitable for adults and older adults. Register at https://tinyurl.com/32v6twrm. 834 Lake St., Oak Park

Juneteenth Community Cookout

Saturday, June 15, 11 a.m. - 3 p.m., Oak Park Village Hall - south lawn

The entire community is invited to a Juneteenth community cookout from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the south lawn of village hall. The free event will include a vendor market, music, and food. More details will be announced soon. 123 Madison St., Oak Park

Qu ad A

Sunday, June 16, 7 p.m. Gale House

After losing our place due to COVID restrictions, QuadA (Alcoholics Anonymous for Athiests and Agnostics) is o cially moving back into Gale House. If you’ve been put o by the religiosity of AA, this is the place for you. Just show up. You don’t have to say anything. Every Sunday night. More about us: https://lf.org/aaaa/. 124 N. Kenilworth

Friday, June 14, 6:30- 8:30 p.m.

Featuring The Wenonah Ryders doing a double set. Bring your own chairs or blanket. Tacos B ernardo will be there. The event is free. Tip jar for the bands. For more information and updates follow us on Facebook at Oak Park Porchfest. 610 Wenonah Ave., Oak Park .

Compiled by Brooke Duncan

Growing Community Media takes home Illinois Press Association awards

By TRENT BROWN Staff Reporter

Growing Community Media won big at the 2024 Illinois Press Association convention last week.

At the annual convention in Bloomington, held June 6, the nonprofit — which is the parent company of Wednesday Journal of Oak Park & River Forest, Austin Weekly News, the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark and the Forest Park Review — took home 16 first-place awards and 35 total awards across editorial and advertising categories. The first-place awards are as follows:

■ Best one-time special section — We d nesd ay Journal

■ Best we bsit e, nondaily — We d nesd ay Journal

■ Editorial page, nondaily — We d nesday Journal

■ O riginal column, Division C —

We d nesd ay Jour nal — “Someone wh o cared” by Harriet Hausman

■ Info rm ational gr aphic, Division C —

We d nesd ay Jour nal — An dy Mead

■ General excellence, Division A — Fo rest Pa rk Review

■ News re po rt ing, serie s, Division A — Fo rest Pa rk Review — D209 election cove rage by Amaris E. Ro drigue z

■ Fe ature writing, Division A — Fo rest Pa rk Review — “Proviso West teacher champions trade school as a path for students” by Amaris E. Ro drigue z

■ Special sections, Division A — Fo rest Pa rk Review — Fo rest Pa rk Community Guide 2023

■ Local editorial, Division A — Fo rest Pa rk Review — “Petty politics on council” by Dan Haley

■ General adve rt ising excellence, Division G — Fo rest Pa rk Review

■ Newspaper design, nondaily — Riverside-Brookfield Landmark — Javie r Govea, An dy Mead

■ News re po rt ing, single stor y, Division B — Rive rside-Brookfield Landmark

— “Brookfield True Value closing its d oors” by Amina Serg azina

■ O bituary tribute, Division B — Riverside-Brookfield Landmark — “JoAnne Kosey personified community involvement” by Bob Uphues

■ Feature writing, Division B — Riverside-Brookfield Landmark — “Hard work, some play pay of f for Riverside ballerina in star ring role” by Erika Hobbs

■ Informational graphic, Division B — Riverside-Brookfield Landmark — Javier Govea

In addition to first-place awards, Growing Community Media’s newspapers also placed in the general excellence categories based on circulation. The Forest Park Review came in second place for the best small, nondaily newspaper in Illinois. The Riverside-Brookfield Landmark also placed second for the best medium, nondaily paper. Wednesday Journal placed fourth for the best large, nondaily paper.

For news re porting series in Division C, Austin Weekly News placed second for a series on the West Side’s opioid crisis by Francia Garcia-Hernandez. In the same category, the Wednesday Journal placed third for Erika Hobbs’s series on migrants in Oak Park who are seeking asylum.

Fo r feature w riting in Division A, the Fo rest Pa rk Review p laced fourth fo r “A nastosios Doulas, Kyriacos Philippou, Elias Politis” by Tom Holmes. T he Fo rest Pa rk Review also p laced first in that category

For spot news photos in Division A, the Forest Park Review placed second for a photo shot by Todd Bannor for a story titled, “Sunday flooding brings Ike to a halt.” For the same category in Division C, the Wednesday Journal placed third for a photo shot by Amaris E. Rodriguez for her story titled “‘This is not a new issue to OPRF,’ students say during Friday walkout.”

For newspaper design, nondaily, the Wednesday Journal placed third for designs by Javier Govea and Susan McKelvey. For special sections in Division A, the Forest Park Review placed third for No Glove Nationals 2023. The Forest Park Re view also placed first in this category

For special sections in Division B, the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark placed second for the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark Answer Book 2023.

Answer Book 2023/24.

For nondaily websites, the RiversideBrookfield Landmark placed second.

For special sections in Division C, Austin Weekly News placed second for At Home on the Greater West Side. Wednesday Journal

third for the Wednesday Journal

Some Oak Parkers are still pushing for a cease re resolution

Other residents are strongly opposed to the proposed resolution

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

At June 4’s Oak Park village board meeting, some residents once again urged trustees to sign off on a proposed permanent ceasefire resolution related to the Israel-Hamas war Those requests came during non-agenda public comment as the topic is still not on the village board agenda. That means trustees cannot act by voting. Doing so could violate the Illinois Open Meetings Act. But as of June 6, 1,070 individuals have signed a petition posted by Caren Van Slyke, founder and chair of the Committee for a Just Peace in Palestine/Israel, calling for approval of the resolution.

The first time community members and individuals from CJPIP spoke to the board publicly about the resolution was at the April 9 meeting, which erupted in anger. At the May

1 meeting, some community members came back to push for it again. And now they’re trying again.

But while some residents spoke in support of a ceasefire resolution, many others commended trustees for refusing to entertain it and staying out of foreign affairs Village President Vicki Scaman has continuously thanked residents for sharing their thoughts, but the board has not taken any further public action.

On June 4, more residents spoke against a ceasefire resolution than in favor of it, a change from previous meetings.

One community member in favor of a ceasefire resolution, Jenna Leving Jacobson, said maintaining the status quo is doing harm to marginalized communities. She said it appears trustees are afraid to pass a resolution and offend some members of the Jewish community. But others deserve that same level of consideration, she said.

“Who gets to feel safe in our community?” Jacobson asked. “Whose safety is prioritized and whose safety gets compromised for the illusion of security for others?”

Another resident, Yoko Terretta, read a let-

ter signed by several community members in which she said she feels a moral obligation to speak out against violence and human rights violations. The countless loss of lives during the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is devastating, she said, and demands immediate action.

“While a resolution from Oak Park alone cannot bring an end to this conflict, by joining 171 other municipalities in passing this measure … we can send a powerful message to our federal elected officials,” Terretta said.

But many others expressed opposition to the proposed resolution.

Daniel Kirzane, an associate rabbi at Oak Park Temple, said while he wants the war to end, he doesn’t think the village’s trustees should get involved. Brian Sklar, an Oak Park resident, said when people say, “Free Palestine,” they’re disregarding the one Jewishmajority country.

“When you say, ‘From the river to the sea,’ you’re talking about genocide,” Sklar said.

“From the river to the sea,” has become a slogan calling for freedom from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea, used by proPalestinian demonstrators and at pro-Palestinian rallies, according to Al Jazeera.

Sponsored Content

Many audience members, however, interjected to express disag reement at his statement.

Phyllis Rubin, who said she’s a member of Oak Park Temple, said she wants trustees to understand both sides. She said she doesn’t think the proposed resolution and its supporters call “loudly” for the dismantling of Hamas, a priority to her.

“Arrogant are those who cry only ‘Ceasefire,’” Rubin said. “It is so easy to say ‘War is bad, so ceasefire must be good. A simple choice, right? No, it’s absolutely not so simple. Especially in the Middle East.”

Diane Gordon, who said she’s Jewish, said the trustees weighing in on foreign policy would make “no difference” but could offend community members. No suburb with a significant Jewish population has passed a ceasefire resolution, she said.

“My heart breaks every day [about] what’s happening in Gaza,” another resident said. “However, this is … the most complicated geopolitical conundrum in modern human history … I don’t want you spending your time on thinking about the complexity … of this issue.”

American Heart Association works with local churches to implement Cardiac Emergency Response Plans

By Elizabeth Short

Every year, 436,000 Americans die from cardiac arrest. The first 10 minutes after a cardiac arrest are key. Performing CPR can double or triple an individual’s chances of survival, yet only 40% of individuals who experience cardiac arrest outside of a hospital receive the help they need.

This year, the American Heart Association (AHA) of Chicago received a grant from the Westlake Health Foundation to implement its Cardiac Emergency Response Plan (CERP) in the Proviso Township area. The association is working directly with three local faith-based organizations: the Second Baptist Church in Maywood, the Quinn Center of St. Eulalia, and Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Oak Park. Seventy percent of cardiac arrests occur outside of the hospital. Ninety percent of these emergencies become

Good Shepherd joins two Maywood churches in training

fatal. In these cases, bystander CPR is crucial for survival.

“That’s why it’s so critical for those in our families, those in our communities, to know what to do,” said Jocelyn Vega, director of community impact at the American Heart Association. “I personally think everyone should be able to survive a cardiac arrest. The power is in our hands with CPR.”

The CERP goes beyond basic CPR and Automated External Defibrillator (AED) training and allows a community to develop a specific, detailed, and unique emergency response plan of action in the case of cardiac arrest. According to the American Heart Association, a CERP can increase sudden cardiac arrest survival rates by 50% or more.

Vega works to build partnerships with communities, create a team and an emergency response plan, and run drills

to prepare organizations for potential emergencies. “We’re having these really big, what is usually a very emotional situation, broken down as a team very proactively,” said Vega.

Similar to a fire drill or active shooter plan, CERPs take an organizational approach to cardiac arrest. “As organizations, as places of faith, we have the power, we have the people, and we can take this opportunity of taking a stance and really educating our community in this skill,” said Vega. Vega works with organizations to ensure that the community is fully prepared not only to effectively respond to cardiac emergencies, but also to process and heal after potential trauma. Community members consider different scenarios and create specific emergency response plans. As cardiac arrest becomes fatal in just 10 minutes,

it is critical to have an emergency plan in place. “We don’t want to wait to experience the loss of someone dying at our center or at our church to be like, ‘Oh wow, these are things we should have done,’” she said.

If you witness somebody go into cardiac arrest, call 9-1-1 and begin giving chest compressions. You do not have to be certified to give CPR. Administer an AED if it is available. Learn more by visiting the American Heart Association website or by attending a training.

The American Heart Association of Chicago hopes to work with more organizations to create Cardiac Emergency Response Plans. If you are interested in working with Vega, email her at Jocelyn.Vega@heart.org.

OP approves use of Flock cameras for two more years

Flock provides license plate recognition cameras and software

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

Despite some residents’ and village trustees’ concerns about excessive surveillance, data privacy and racial disparity in traffic stops, Oak Park’s village board voted 4-3 on June 4 to renew Flock Group Inc.’s contract for two more years.

Flock provides license plate recognition cameras and software services to Oak Park, which the police department typically uses to find stolen cars or wanted persons, according to village officials. The cameras are motionactivated and take high-resolution pictures of the rear of a vehicle, officials state. The software then analyzes the plate number, color, make and model of a vehicle. Oak Park has eight of these cameras

Trustees Brian Straw, Susan Buchanan and Chibuike Enyia voted against the Flock contract. The four trustees who approved it did so with a few caveats. Those include restricting Flock’s use to stolen license plates and “violent” stolen vehicles, allowing for use in aid of Amber or Silver alerts, and only allowing data sharing outside of Illinois at the police chief’s discretion.

Community reactions

Some residents against renewing the Flock contract said most, if not all, of “erroneous” traffic stops for stolen vehicles were of Black drivers. These are stops where the re ported stolen car was no longer considered stolen.

One concerned resident, Mika Yamamoto, read a letter signed by members of the Asian-American community, saying that Flock cameras have led to traffic stops that disproportionately affected Black individuals, who experience the most police violence in the United States. She said Police Chief Shatonya Johnson has dismissed this concern.

“If 100% of erroneous stops were of Asian drivers, we would be horrified,” Yamamoto said. “If this fact was dismissed by the chief of police, we would be terrified … We demand the immediate cancelation of the Flock contract which has, in the words of a CPOC

(Citizens Police Oversite Committee) member, ‘perfected racism.’”

Another resident, John Duffy, said Oak Park need to honor its commitment to racial equity protocols by in creasing transparency. Other agreed

“The civil rights I and other non-Black POC benefit from were secured by the sacrifices of the Black community,” another resident against the contract, Yoko Terretta, said. “I want to live in a village where Black lives matter.”

But despite some residents sharing their concerns about Flock cameras potentially lead ing to inequitable traffic stops, several others said they do not believe Flock cameras are the source of racial disparity in policing. The cameras do not capture the age, gender or race of an individual, they pointed out.

Removing this tool will set the police department back.”

SHATONYA

Donovan Pepper, the for mer chair of the CPOC, said while the concern about racial bias in policing is understandable, eliminating F lock cameras is not warranted as a response to it.

JOHNSON Oak Park police chief

Demitrous Cook, a police officer and twotime retired police chief in other Illinois municipalities, said part of his job is to protect civil rights for people of all races. But Flock is a benefit to officers trying to apprehend criminals, not a detriment.

Another Oak Park resident, Aisha Coleman, who said while she can’t speak on behalf of all Black individuals, questioned why individuals who are not Black were trying to speak on behalf of the Black community The technology is needed to keep residents safe, she said.

“No one lost their lives that were stopped,” said Anthony Coleman, a retired Oak Park police officer. “They were inconvenienced.”

Kevin Barnhart, the active chair of the CPOC, however, said he’s against Flock. The police didn’t have these cameras in 2022 and before, he said, and were still able to do their jobs. Chief Johnson responded that in 2022 Oak Park had a larger department.

“We are struggling,” she said. “Crime has evolved since 2022 and it continues to evolve. Removing this tool will set the police department back. It’s like saying ‘Go back on the

street and patrol by foot.’”

Police response

ohnson said the police department is open to strengthening its policy, but Flock is objective tool that the department needs. The department is now down 38 swor n officers, she said, almost a third of its force. They’re leaving, at least partially, beause OPPD lacks resources and technology, she said. lock is an investigative tool that allows officers to help derime, not eliminate it sinlehandedly, she said.

“The only tool that we have, as a police department, currently, that in isolation will help us to eliminate crime is our officers and we’re down,” Johnson said. “So, we need the extra resources to ensure that we are doing everything we can … to keep the community safe.”

The department has already engaged with residents at outreach events and met with commissions like the CPOC and Civic Information Systems Commission to create a comprehensive policy to help address issues like police oversight and racial disparity and to safeguard privacy, Johnson said. Issues occur, she said, not as a direct result of Flock capturing information about stolen cars, but when cars are not reported as recovered in the law enforcement database. This could lead to officers pulling over individuals when the car is no longer stolen. But Johnson said the department has received zero complaints when officers are engaging with registered owners.

“What happens when you remove this technology out of the hands of the police department is you remove the ability to objectively make investigative stops,” she said. “[That leaves] it to the police department to make subjective stops, where we can see the race, the age, the sex of the driver.”

One way to help reduce the number of individuals pulled over who have already recovered their cars, Johnson said, is to have officers only engage independently within a certain time period. For example, they could require officers to collect a third-party veri-

fication, perhaps from another police department, that a vehicle is still stolen after 24 hours, before engaging in a stop

Flock has also aided Oak Park officers in taking six guns off the streets, Johnson said. In her experience, individuals don’t steal cars just to go “joyriding,” she said. They often go on to commit other crimes

“My goal here, for our village, is to utilize this data to deter crime … and to bring individuals to justice,” she said. “We’ll do whatever it is that we need to do to ensure that we’re not causing har m.”

Data privacy

Dan Murdock, a representative from Flock, said his company does not own the data it collects in Oak Park The village does, he said. Flock also cannot resell the data, per the contract.

Other trustee comments

Trustee Lucia Robinson questioned what police would do if they didn’t have Flock. Johnson said they’d likely have to ask residents for footage from home-based cameras or ask other communities to assist with investigations, which she called an ineffective use of staff time.

Without Flock, Oak Park could also become an “unintended cover,” Robinson pointed out, for individuals with stolen vehicles.

“We’re all human beings and our inherent biases get into the process,” said Trustee Ravi Parakkat, who voted in favor of the contract. “If anything, the technology limits [bias].”

Trustee Cory Wesley said due to negative experiences with other police, he doesn’t trust police outside of Oak Park to be accessing Oak Park’s Flock database. He pushed for the approved stipulations on the Flock contract, including only sharing data with municipalities outside of Illinois after the chief’s approval.

But limiting access to other states’ Flock database could hinder effective policing, Johnson said.

“I don’t believe that crime stays within the state of Illinois,” Johnson said. “I would prefer my investigative team to have the ability to access Flock to its full capacity.”

The village board also approved an ordinance to “promote transparency and to protect civil rights and civil liberties with respect to law enforcement surveillance technology” on June 4.

municipalities in passing a resolution

Use this QR code to sign the petition for Oak Park to join over 171 U.S.

This Father’s Day we are honorIng every father killed in Palestine and Israel.

Use this QR code to sign the petition for Oak Park to join over 171 U.S. municipalities in passing a resolution supporting a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the provision of full and unconditional humanItarIan aid to Gaza. Not one more father killed; not one more child orphaned.

This Father’s Day we are honorIng every father killed in Palestine and Israel. Paid for by

This Father’s Day we are honorIng every father killed in Palestine and Israel.

Father’s Day we are honorIng every father killed in Palestine and Israel.

Use this QR code to sign the petition for Oak Park to join over 171 U.S. municipalities in passing a resolution supporting a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the provision of full and unconditional humanItarIan aid to Gaza.

this QR code to sign the petition for Oak Park to join over 171 U.S. municipalities in passing a resolution supporting a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the provision and unconditional humanItarIan aid

This Father’s Day we are honorIng every father killed in Palestine and Israel.

Not one more father killed; not one more child orphaned.

Use this QR code to sign the petition for Oak Park to join over 171 U.S. municipalities in passing a resolution supporting a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, and the provision of full and unconditional humanItarIan aid

Beyond Hunger’s Challenge: good food and good works

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter

Three local chefs brought out their knife rolls and created 175,000 meals.

To be clear, they didn’t cook that much food but their participation in Beyond Hunger 4th annual Healthy Chef Challenge May 30 raised enough money for the organization to provide that many meals to local c members in need

The chefs were provided with a basket of foods, challenging them to use the same ingredients typically provided to the pantry’s program participants. the ingredient list included diced tomatoes diced potatoes, cream of chicken PAN cornmeal. Plus, each chef could a protein from salmon, chicken turkey. Beyond Hunger did not say chef prepared

“What I love most about the Healthy Chef Challenge is that is pays homage to the talented cooks who make incredible meals every day with food from Beyond Hunger,” said Michele Zurakowski, CEO of Beyond Hunger. “We are so grateful to them for showing us the way with their creativity.”

Contestant chefs Sammy DiMichael, owner of Flock and Forage of Chicago; Rafat Alzein, executive chef at the University Club of Chicago; and Nathan Cheatham, Oak Park native and personal chef, had 45 minutes to meet the challenge.

The Healthy Chef Challenge not only funds the food pantry, but also nutrition education activities.

“Our nutrition education program has grown and evolved over time to respond to the needs of our community,” said Bri Kellogg, a dietitian and benefits services program manager. “Our passion is to identify the barriers our program participants face to nutrition security and address those challenges in a community setting. We build our programming around trust and relationships; the Health Ambassador program builds on existing relationships in our communities and uses the talent of community members to break down barriers to good health for all.

“All my life I have always enjoyed helping others,” said Thomesina, one ambassador. Her last name was not given. “It’s in my nature to help people with their needs. I was thrilled and honored to be included in the event and feeling invigorated to share my Health Am-

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e winner, chef Nathan Cheatham.

bassador knowledge with my community.”

Event attendees could peer through the kitchen window at Goose Island Bar rel House to watch the chefs whip up meals. But only a few would dine on the chef ’s creations. Attendees could buy a raffle ticket for a chance to eat at the judges’ table. That lucky winner was Grace Bieneman.

Judges for the event were Phil Vettel, acclaimed food journalist and previous James Beard Foundation awards committee member; Dion Dawson, founder of Dion’s Chicago Dream; and Darien Marion-Burton, executive director of the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce – all of whom have a passion for community-based effor ts to alleviate poverty.

After tasting and pondering, chef Nathan Cheatham’s creation was judged the winner Cheatham reflected: “I had so much fun and I know all of my friends and family did too. I’m happy to have been a part of it!”

A silent auction and paddle raise boosted the fundraising totals. Some guests also opted for a VIP tour of the Barrel House and tasted a flight of Goose Island special brews.

With the final tally of the event, Beyond Hunger raised 20% more than their goal.

“Exceeding our goals means more food and more outreach. We deeply appreciate the care and concern that our community shows to each other,” said Teri Miller, director of development for Beyond Hunger

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A WHITE SOX GAME MISCALCULATION

By the time I was pregnant with Luke, our fourth child, I thought I had the labor thing all figured out. My prior pregnancy with Maureen, two years earlier, went a week past my due date. So, I felt confident this time (only three days past my due date) encouraging my husband Mike to take our two boys, Paul and John, to the Oak Park Youth Baseball’s outing to the White Sox game. Sadly, my confidence was overstated.

Right about the fifth inning, I started to feel contractions. Since my prior labors lasted hours and hours, I thought I had some time. All would have been fine had there not been post-game fireworks.

As the post-game minutes ticked by, my contractions got more intense. I called my brother Mark to come watch Maureen in case I needed to make a run for the hospital. Luckily, Mike and the boys got home just as my brother arrived.

On the drive to the hospital, I kept telling Mike that I couldn’t wait to get sweet relief from the pain with an epidural. At the hospital, I quickly changed into my hospital gown with every hope that an epidural was just around the corner. The nurse said she needed to check me before she ordered the epidural. Once examined, the nurse told me she had good news and bad news. The good news: I was 10 centimeters dilated and ready to have my baby. The bad news: it was too late for an epidural. This would be a natural birth. Ohhh Noooo!

It turned out to not be as painful as I thought. In fact, Luke was delivered so quickly, there was no time for

my obstetrician to arrive. Instead, a very experienced nurse, my husband Mike, and a downright terrified new resident delivered Luke. All 9lbs, 4 oz of him.

Pregnancy can be instructive about life. One of life’s adages that stems from pregnancy is.….9 months up and 9 months down. It takes nine months to gain the weight needed to grow another human being, so it may take nine months to lose the weight post pregnancy. Perhaps we can apply this same perspective when dealing with the current inflation. At its core, our recent inflation was caused by the pandemic and its reverberations. The pandemic was a huge economic change. Huge. For a moment it brought the economy to its knees. 15% unemployment – the highest on record, plummeting stocks – the worst day on Wall Street since the Great Recession, and a worldwide supply chain problem.

THERESA CLANCY Estate Planning Attorney

500 stock market index is down for the year, though the index went up about 24% in 2023 and is up more than 12% this year. 49% of us believe that unemployment is at a 50-year high, though the unemployment rate has been under 4%, a near 50-year low. What gives? Inflation is kicking our butts. Why? Perhaps, because most of us are not experienced with inflation. The last time we had stubborn inflation was in the early 1980s. Plus, our current lifestyle of immediate gratification undermines our tolerance to wait it out for the lowering of inflation.

Sure, inflation has decreased, but we are used to almost no inflation. And prices are still at a higher level compared with just a few years ago. Thankfully, many goods’ prices are starting to stabilize, and, in some cases, they are decreasing.

new home building due to the Great Recession has also reduced housing inventory. So housing inventory stays low and prices keep rising.

The pandemic officially started in the U.S. on January 20, 2020, and “ended” May 11, 2023. That is 3 years, 3 months, and 22 days later. If we apply the 9 months up and 9 months down analogy, we should give the economy the grace of recalibration until at least the summer of 2026. Over two years from now. However, we Americans cannot wait that long.

Even if the economic numbers say our economy is doing a good job recovering from the pandemic, we do not feel that way.

According to a recent Harris poll, nearly three in five Americans wrongly believe the US is in an economic recession. 49% of us believe the S&P

So, what’s keeping inflation from flattening? Some experts say there are two main factors at play: gas prices and the cost of housing.

Fluctuating gas prices are a geopolitical issue and due to current world events. Regulating the price of gas is mostly out of the control of the U.S.

What about housing? Unfortunately, the solution to the housing problem may also be contributing to the problem. During the pandemic, mortgage rates dropped to an alltime low. At one point the 30-year fixed rate was 2.65%. This caused many of us to refinance. Now that interest rates are high, those of us with low rates do not want to sell and give up that low rate. Plus, lack of

The combination of high interest rates and high prices is forcing renters to stay renting. High demand by renters yields increased rental prices. Thus, a vicious cycle. So, what is the answer? Do we just white knuckle it until interest rates are reduced and we build more housing? Perhaps. Homeowners are starting to accept that we may never see a 2.65% rate again or at least not for decades. If salaries keep rising and mortgage rates remain the same, it will take on average 3.5 years to restore affordability to the housing market. If the mortgage rate drops a percentage point, then it will only be 2 more years to housing affordability. That would amount to 3 years up and 3 years down for the pandemic economy. A hard pill to swallow, surely.

Thankfully, there should not be a repeat of the Great Recession’s total housing collapse. That is due to the overall health of the economy and strong mortgage lending standards. Is there anything good to be said about inflation? Yes. It has unified Americans. We all hate inflation.

Many Americans are also unified in that they would like to create an estate plan. Don’t just talk about creating an estate plan. Act. Create an estate plan today.

708-819-1580

www.theresaclancylaw.com

theresa.clancy@theresaclancylaw.com

‘ ursday Night Out’ brings fun and food downtown

The summer event in downtown Oak Park will run until Aug. 29

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

“Thursday Night Out,” a popular summer tradition in Oak Park that features local foods, live music and themed nights, was back in full swing from 5 to 9 p.m. June 6 and will continue through Aug. 29.

“Thursday Night Out is an Oak Park tradition that just gets better every year,” said Shanon Williams, executive director of the Downtown Oak Park Business Alliance in a news release

To participate in the dine-around program, attendees can purchase a $25 booklet with four tickets at the downtown Oak Park ticket tent on Westg ate Street. For every two booklets bought, attendees get a $5

The event is located on Marion Street between Lake Street and Nor th Boulevard. It will feature outdoor dining and a wide variety of music. The 2024 menu includes French, Indian, Italian, Mexican, Chinese cuisine from 25 local restaurants. The live music schedule includes rock, soul, jazz, country and re ggae artists.

downtown Oak Park gift certificate, good through Aug. 29 at par ticipating venues

Many participating restaurants have allergen-friendly options, according to the org anizers.

The themed nights will be June 13, June 20, July 18 and Aug. 15. First, on June 13, the theme will be “Kids Night,” according to the DOPBA news release This night will feature young musicians and activities from org anizations such as Collaboration for Early Childhood

On June 20, the theme is “Pride Night.” According to the alliance, this is the second annual “Pride Night,” and will feature local LGBTQ+ service org anizations and

drag queens handing out swag July 18 will be “Art Night,” with a popup market for local ar tists Aug. 15 will be the “Health & Wellness Night,” according to DOPBA, highlighting self-care through local businesses with relevant services.

The alliance also is requesting that businesses use compostable or recyclable containers to suppor t it as a “zero waste event.” Attendees can bring pets on a leash. Lot 10 is under construction this summer and may be closed for parking. Those looking to park for the event can use local garages including The Emerson Garage or the Lake & Forest Garage.

Saxophonist Roy McGrath and trumpeter Constantine Alexander perform with their band.

Photos by TODD BANNOR

League of Women Voters gears up for election season

By MICHAEL BANIEWICZ  Contributing Reporter

Preparation for the 2024 presidential election is underway for the League of Women Voters of Oak Park-River Forest.

The league is actively curating a panel of experts for its Fall 2024 Kickoff event, which will discuss the fight against spreading misinformation and disinformation.

Jane Hastings, LWV president, said that the event is open to the public and will high-

light the significance of the proliferation of misinformation and disinformation and its impact on democratic processes

“Starting to get involved in fighting some of the disinformation and misinformation, I think, is a huge step for our organization,” Hastings said. “It’s satisfying to work with allies on promoting the fundamentals of democracy.”

LWV of Illinois for med the Mis/Disinformation Task Force in January 2024 with the objective of educating the public on the topic.

The task force has been providing support to the Oak Park-River Forest league as they prepare for the Fall Kickoff event, Hastings said. In addition, the league has organized meetings in the past, such as candidate forums, which includes individuals running for local political offices, school boards, village boards, library boards, and more. The forums are organized by the league, which is a nonpartisan organization, and allow for candidates to introduce the messages of their platform and answer questions from attendees

Do you have DIABETES?

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

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

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

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

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

“[The candidate forums] were about not necessarily persuading anybody to change their minds, but to see each other as valid humans with good points and will hear you and acknowledge you,” Hastings said. “Political discourse is really healthy for democracy.”

Tina Birnbaum, co-vice president of the league, said that the candidate forums are recorded on Zoom so residents can access the recordings at their convenience. Throughout one year, the viewership increased dramatically for these recordings, which was approximately 3,500 online visitors.

The recordings allow for people to be introduced to the personalities of the candidates and hear their platfor ms in an authentic way, Birnbaum said.

“It’s one thing to read it,” Birnbaum said. “It’s another thing to see and hear the actual candidate talking about that issue.”

The candidate forums are one of the various initiatives organized by the league that ties back to one of the main objectives of the organization, which is voter education.

“Part of the commitment to the women’s vote was making sure they had good, nonpartisan, factual information to make their decisions,” Hastings said. “That is very much a historical tenant of the league.”

The national League of Women Voters was founded as a successor to the National American Women Suffrage Association in Chicago in 1920. Under the leadership of suffragist Carrie Chapman Catt, it was for med by the leading suffragists that secured the right to vote for women in the United States.

Four years after the 19th Amendment was ratified, the Oak Park-River Forest League of Women Voters was established. Since then, the league has helped residents overcome any restrictions or barriers to voting

The Oak Park-River Forest League of Women Voters collaborated with leagues across the state of Illinois to produce the Illinois Voter Guide, which provides residents with information on where, how and when they can vote for public officials

“[Illinois] does well in letting people vote, but we’re a part of the national league and there’s other states where it’s very difficult for people to vote,” Birnbaum said. “Polling places have been eliminated, barriers to voting have been erected.”

When Hastings considered the motivations for the league’s efforts, her answer was clear and simple.

“Everybody’s vote should count,” Hastings said.

Roosevelt Middle School graduation

Photos by TODD BANNOR

(Le ) e Class of 2024 celebrates at the close of Roosevelt Middle School’s Commencement Exercises at OPRF High School

Principal Larr y Garstki congratulates a new grad.

D90 full-day kindergarten carries the day

No parents requested half-day option

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

The first year of full-day kindergarten at River Forest School District 90 has wrapped up. And administrators and teachers are calling it a successful launch.

According to district officials, there were 47 full-time kindergarten students at Willard School and 57 full-day kindergarten students at Lincoln School.

While the district allowed families to request a half-day option, none did.

Conversations around the possibility of a full-day kindergarten option had waxed and waned over many years in River Forest.

Following a review of what best practices would look like and the approval of the Kindergarten Program Review Process by the board of education in February 2023, the timing was finally right.

“The teachers, the stakeholders, and the students were really primed for the launch this year,” said Christine Gerges, assistant principal at both Lincoln and Willard.

To get ready for the arrival of the 2023-24 kindergarten class, Gerges said the district worked collaboratively on research, and

bringing in ideas of how programming should be structured to ensure the students were prepared for future learning

“We were able to create a program that is truly amazing,” Gerges said.

Teachers were a critical part of that conversation.

Lincoln Elementary kindergarten teacher Lori Suzuki said full-day kindergarten was something the community had wanted for a long time.

Barb Garvey, Willard Elementary kindergarten teacher, said there was a little concer n surrounding stamina, whether a full-day program would be too much for five-year-olds, but kids were able to adjust quickly.

“I wasn’t really that worried about stamina,” Garvey said, adding most were already attending an afterschool program after their half-day school day.

More hours in a day also means teachers are able to dedicate more time to developing those highly desired strengths in subjects such as reading and math.

“While our direct teaching of literacy or math hasn’t increased significantly, their application of it has,” Garvey said. “I think that has been more meaningful to them.”

The additional time has also allowed students to really soak in what they are learning, said Garvey.

Slowing down has given kids the time to

have autonomy in their learning

“With the right book and the right story you can get kindergarten kids to do so many things, but you have to have the right book and this full day offers so much more time to let kids explore,” Suzuki said.

The teachers were able to include more time in exploration stations, which gave way for students to develop their social relationships and learn how to navigate peer interactions, critical learning moments in the life of a kindergartener. They ranged from a quiet reading station to a construction station.

“It is a really awesome time when the kids get together that we didn’t have time for in a half day program because we were working so hard to get content, content, content. They had an element of that time but research shows that it is so important for students,” Gerges said.

Having a more relaxed pace also helped students grapple with the content, said Gerges.

“I don’t think we imagined how successful the program would be in terms of how our students did academically,” Gerges said.

Megan Bruce, a district parent, said they believe the full-day program better prepared their daughter, Harper, for first grade.

“It is actually wild to me that full day wasn’t implemented sooner, just based on need from the community and from the kids in general,” Bruce said.

Harper feels more confident going into first grade, Bruce added, saying she already knows more students and teachers.

For the Bruce family, like many others in River Forest, the full-day kindergarten program was needed as the parents both work full-time.

Christine O’Brien, a district parent, said she was excited to hear about the fullday progr am.

“For the energy level, for the engagement and the development, my son needed a full day,” O’Brien said.

She said her son has “blossomed” in Suzuki’s class

O’Brien also credits Suzuki for helping them f ast track their son’s speech and reading.

“The kid that is coming out of kindergarten is not the same kid that went into kindergarten,” O’Brien said. “Now he is a chatterbox. It’s just incredible … I don’t know if he would have gotten that if it was just half-day.”

The district also had to navigate more of the mundane issues such as fitting lunch and recess into a schedule that for merly did not have to account for kindergarteners.

“Kindergarteners are so excited about their learning and they are eager to lear n and share either wonderings and express their curiosity. It has been really wonderful to have,” said Gerges.

e Graduation Chor us

D90 celebrates Pride community

The third annual pride and inclusion walk was held on Monday

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

River Forest’s District 90 school community celebrated and showed its colorful pride during this year’s inclusion walk.

The D90 PTO Pride and Inclusion Walk was held on Monday, June 3 outside the River Forest Village Hall and included a walk around the block, ending at Lincoln Elementary School.

This year marked the event’s third anniversary.

John Becvar, River Forest Township supervisor, said the event has been steadily growing since its inception, continuing to foster community support and bring people together

community. To me this isn’t a political issue. It’s just about celebrating every kid that comes into our school and every person that is in our community.”

The walk around the block is about being visible, said Megan Keskitalo, volunteer organizer with D90’s Lincoln PTO Belongingness and Inclusion Committee

“This is an identity that isn’t necessarily one that is always front and center in our community, so we make sure that this is an opportunity to create the visibility that the community needs and show the support,” Keskitalo said.

Raising the flag is also very important, said Bachner, who identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community

“We have been very fortunate to live here,” Becvar said. “There are tons of anti-LGBTQ+ legislations across the country. It is so great to see families, all different ages, coming out today and recognizing the inclusion and pride in River Forest.”

“For so many, their identities are not recognized by a whole lot of people, there is a lot of hate, and we see that today especially across the country,” she said. “Hundreds of bills being passed. People feel like their identity is not valid. This is one way we can show people that we support you, we are proud of you, and we celebrate you.”

That welcoming message has extended into the hallways of D90 schools, with students embracing each other’s diversity and finding different ways to support each other, said Keskitalo.

Monika Block, a resident, said she was excited to show her support for everyone who was part of the event.

Participants gathered in front of village hall to hear opening remarks from Lincoln Elementary School Principal Casey Godfrey, River Forest Village Trustee Erika Bachner, and Becvar, before the ceremonial flag raising, done to an enthusiastic countdown from the crowd, before heading off for a walk around the block.

“What it means to me is that I am so proud of this community and that this school district embraces everyone,” Godfrey said. “The efforts that we put towards inclusivity and equity; I think I am proud of that. The work this district is committed to. That all kids feel welcomed in the district.”

Now, more so than ever, these types of events are important, said Godfrey

According to CNN, there were a “record number” of anti-LGBTQ bills introduced across the country in 2023, 510, almost triple the number of bills introduced in 2022.

The ACLU is currently tracking 6 anti-LGBTQ bills in Illinois.

“There are so many in society that are being marginalized now,” he said. “To me, this isn’t a political event. To me, this is about embracing humanity and who we are as a collective

“Together we are stronger and when you start to exclude people you miss out on a lot,” Block said.

Cynthia Browne, a teacher at Lincoln, said she was proud to be a part of a school district and community that is welcoming.

“I couldn’t imagine being in any other place that is welcoming with open arms no matter who you are, what you are, what you think, what you feel, how you feel inside and out, you are welcome, and we are happy to have them,” Browne said.

Becvar, an openly gay gover nment official, also serves on the board of the Oak Park Area Lesbian and Gay Association+, which served as one of the sponsors of the event. He said the support feels incredible

Growing up, he said he did not know this type of support existed

“It would be mind-blowing as a young kid to know that 40 years later that I would see a school district and teachers embracing letting people be who they are,” he said.

Julian’s new principal wants to engage with community Nick Filipowski wants collaboration around challenges

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

Nick Filipowski, the new principal at Percy Julian Middle School, hasn’t wasted any time getting to know the D97 community ahead of his July 1 start date

Filipowski said he lear ned to pull from available resources, collaborate with people and figure out how to work together for the better ment of students

and what is the path forward, it has to be a collaborative process.”

Filipowski began his career in education as a general music and choir teacher, ear ning a bachelor’s degree in music education from the University of Illinois.

He worked as a general music education teacher and a choral music teacher in Chicago Public Schools as well as Highland Park before moving into curriculum support for teachers.

He is currently finishing up his time as the associate principal of Thomas Middle School in Arlington Heights School District 25, where he has been since 2019. He has also served as principal for their summer school for six years.

Filipowski stepped into that role right before the COVID-19 pandemic, where he said he was “trialed by fire.”

“I am now thankful for that experience,” Filipowski said. “There was no light anywhere and no one to help us because no one knew how to do our jobs at that moment, but I think that has turned me into such a strong leader.”

“That makes me ready to come in and hopefully lead this building in a positive direction,” for its strong focus said, adding it was he could openly process that he is Before he would have going to be “pieonholed,” he said. welcoming and important,” Filipowis who I am, and work that I have 25 and specifically that equity and inat match felt weloming and good.”

district released the used to make the Filipowski said the district “was looking for him.” seeing that and all prior to me even osted,” Filipowski said.

When it comes to “larger systemic issues,” he calls for student engagement and for staff to think about ways to lear n, change practices, and change procedures

“How do we engage our students, so instead of feeling the need to walk out, they walk in and say, ‘I have something that I need help with,’” Filipowski said.

Part of that collaborative work is already happening, he said, as the district is looking for ways to address issues of psychological safety, physical safety, and cell phone use.

“Sometimes when problems are that big, they are that emotional and really hit at our hearts, we can get stuck in problem identification and what is really encouraging is that everyone is now in ‘how do we problem solve and look for solutions,’” he said. “I think those solutions are really coming to a surface today now how do we start to address these concer ns and have a new beginning with our new school year.”

sunday, june 16

FATHER’S DAY

brunch buffet

8:30am - 2pm

last stocking of buffet at 1:30pm

adults 47 (includes bottomless coffee, iced or hot) children aged eight to sixteen 24 kids seven & under are free dinner 3 - 8pm

maya dinner menu with specials visit mayadelsol.com or scan

NICK FILIPOWSKI

Books and bouncing at Linden Ave. block party

Summer time block parties filled the streets this weekend including the 1200 block of Linden Ave. Among the crowd pleasing activities was a bouncy house and a special visit from Oak Park Library's Book Bike mobile library. This was a popular attraction gaining a great tur n out of interest from kids and adults T he Book Bike can be seen at storytimes throughout the village, T hursday Night Out and by request at any block party or event in Oak Park.

Thanks to all the young artists who submitted their work!

abby

amelia r.

Ben m.

claire s.

greta g.

nathan

penny g.

Noor

GROUNDBREAKING

Two year project from page 1

to impact sustainability and provide classrooms and facilities for future Huskies.”

According to Johnson, Nov. 5, 1966 was the last time OPRF had a groundbreaking ceremony, which was for the addition that was made to the gymnasium and the academic wing.

“Now we did do major construction a few years ago for Project 1, but because of COVID of course we couldn’t celebrate it this way with a groundbreaking,” Johnson said. “So for tunate and so happy to be able to do so today.”

Heidi Ruehle, director of the Imagine Foundation, was also at the ceremony to celebrate.

“This milestone is a shining example of what can happen when we all work together for the common good,” Ruehle said. “The partnership created around this project symbolizes our community’s commitment to excellence in education for every child who attends this public high school.”

The foundation originally had a goal of raising $12.5 million to help pay for the proj-

at the ceremony Ruehle announced that the foundation will be increasing that goal to $15 million. The balance of the project will be funded with money from the school’s cash reserves and through debt

Construction of Project 2 is expected to be done by summer 2026 and will include the highly anticipated new pool as part of a total demolition of the phys ed facilities at the southeast cor ner of the Scoville Avenue campus.

Alison Welch, an OPRF parent to a rising senior and a future student, came out to support the project.

“It is about time that they are doing this,” Welch said. “The investment in the facilities is an investment in our students, and particularly the investments in the facilities related to physical development and social emotional development are critical to supporting this next generation.”

Welch said her daughter and her friends have already begun talking about how they want to come back and see the finished product, which unfortunately won’t be complete until after they graduate

“They see how even though they are not going to be here, it is going to be exciting to come back to it,” Welch said.

Johnson took time as well to thank Joy-

of OPRF, who stopped by the ceremony to celebrate alongside everyone

“It was brave, it was bold. A lot of people said ‘wow, that cannot happen, we are not going to get that done.’ but you laid the footprints down for all of us to be able to do this,” he said. “So, thank you so much.”

Pruitt-Adams, who was the superintendent from July 2016 through June 2021, said it was important for her to come back and see the vision become a reality.

“To see the vision we had with the community back in 2016 finally coming to fruition and what it means, not just for the community, but the students that we serve,”

Pruitt-Adams said. “Everything that was envisioned in this plan was to increase educational opportunities and to have those opportunities for students who walk through these doors at OPRF.”

Pruitt-Adams said she also plans to come back to see the finished product.

“Just to come back now and really see phase 1 complete, to see the new track that we talked about for years and to now see the work that is going to happen in the physical education facility, the pool -- which really needed some work for the last 20 or 30 years,” she said. “Just to see that and see the community embracing this is powerful.”

TODD BANNOR

Members of the board of education, along with Supt. Greg Johnson, breaking ground on Project 2 .

TODD BANNOR

District 200 Board of Education President Tom Cofsky addresses the crowd with Superintendent Greg Johnson and Imagine Foundation Executive Director Heidi Ruehle

Father’s Day Sale!

Studio 928 brings visual arts — and jazz — to Oak Park

It’s back after an 8- day debut before the pandemic shut it down

By SAM TUCKER Contributing Reporter

An Oak Park art studio that closed during the pandemic has made its return to the community on South Boulevard. Studio 928 opened in May, and is working toward making itself a destination for West Side and west suburban creatives.

Studio 928 offers a range of painting classes and creative team building activi-

new space for her studio for the last twoand-half years. She first opened Studio 928 in March 2020, at a space on Harrison Street in Oak Park. Eight days later, Vargas had to close because of the pandemic.

Although Vargas continued to teach art classes and corporate team-building events remotely, she said she always wanted a physical studio to have a space for creative collaboration.

“I have always seen Studio 928 as the community hub and home for art,” Vargas said. “Whether it’s visual arts, or poetry or jazz, people should come here and feel they’ re in a place where the creative vibe is strong,”

Since the grand opening on May 18, Var-

ties. The studio also serves as an event space for private art parties and public exhibitions. Classes cost $44, with the promise of walking out of Studio 928, located at 451 South Blvd., with painting skills people can use long after the class is over.

S tudio 928 also sells painting supplie s and small, unique art i tems such as p ostcards and mini-animal shaped purses

T he studio ’s membership servic e, C lub 928, includes member- only art classes and discounts.

Cheryl Vargas, the founder and “creative in chief,” said she has been looking for a

gas said they have been settling into the neighborhood and preparing for upcoming classes and events.

On Fridays in June, Juneteenth themed “Mimic the Masters” painting classes will teach the history, and mimic popular paintings of African-American artists. Artists include Faith Ringgold, Lois Mailou Jones and Jacob Lawrence.

Vargas said Studio 928’s new private event offering, “Brides, Brushes, and Bubbly,” puts bridal parties behind brushes, and has the party paint a 24-by-48-inch canvas using the bride’s bridal colors.

yl Vargas, founder

CEO of Studio 928, paints a canvas at the studio at 451

Other classes, such as “Jazzy Abstracts” on Tuesday nights, and “The Ladies” on Wednesday nights, are all open for the public. In these painting classes, only three paint brushes are used, something Vargas said is all you need.

Vicki Scaman, the village of Oak Park president, has taken one of Vargas’ remote paint-and-sip classes in the past, and said Studio 928 will fit right into the community.

“Oak Park is a very creative community and very supportive of the arts and of small business. So, this is a perfect match,” Scaman said. “She brings a level of energy too that makes an experience - one where you believe you’re participating in something where she actually wants to be there with you.”

Camille Wilson White, executive director of the Oak Park Area Arts Council, said that she feels fortunate Oak Park is “rich in the arts.” Venues where people can learn how to create art are welcome additions to the community.

“Places like Cheryl’s are great, especially for people who don’t consider themselves to be artists… this is a perfect venue for them to go and dabble, experiment and see how they like it,” White said.

Vargas said she promises people will learn skills they can continue to use.

“I just want people to walk away with skills they can use over and over. And that’s the idea of Studio 928: to eng age and collaborate with people to make sure they’re enjoying themselves. But, at the same time, give them art skills they can use again,” Vargas said.

Find out more about Studio 928’s classes, shop items, and more on their website at studio928.net/.

Let

they assemble with their recommended

Whether

PROVIDED

Above: An art piece, “Basquiat Who? ggie McFly, hangs at Studio 928. e studio cur ibitions in addition to their various painting classes.

Le : Studio 928 o ers custom b t boxes

New Children’s School chief melds past and future

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

The new head of school at The Children’s School is looking toward the future of the private K-8 grade school, hoping to lean into what has worked while making way for change.

“What do we need to conserve, what do we need to protect, what do we need to guard,” said Michelle Candelaria-Dunstan. “Then what do we need to get rid of … what do we need to invent? That is the work that I am doing with the staff right now.”

Candelaria-Dunstan arrives after a challenging year for the school which saw an unanticipated need to find a new school building and the resignations of most of its board members related to leadership controversies With 19 years in education, Candelaria-Dunstan came to Oak Park from Idaho, bringing extensive knowledge in expeditionary learning, an educational approach emphasizing the idea of multidisciplinary, experiential learning and the intersection of academic content with real-world experiences

In Idaho, her experience as an educator included not only running a school through a pandemic but also from 400 to 600 students durin those years.

Following a much-needed sabbatical, Candelaria-Dunstan said she wanted to be particular about “wanted to land,” knowing her career in education was not over yet.

That job search brought her to The Children’s Oak Park

“When I started about TCS and reading website, digging into the proj ects that the students are doing, the student autonomy, the student how projects are dev yes, this is my jam. This ia-Dunstan said. In person, she said TCS was sive as on paper. S were encouraged to take risks and was blown away by their excitement.

Conversations with parents, teachers, and board members also solidified this was where

school is a public school, so I am leading this school still with a public-school mindset,” she said. “Public schools are for all types of learners, and I believe all schools

are for all types of lear ners.” etting acclimated, CandelariaDunstan said TCS is having conversations to find ways to “invite new” and take away from “the best of the past.” faced a lot of changes this past ear, including a move from its previous home in the St. Edmund School building as well as their 11-member board resign tember

andelaria-Dunstan said she is aware of ut has seen the new board do b,” calling them a “governing sus a managing board.”

umped in in a really tough situation and they have made sure that the mission and vision of TCS continues to move she said. “They have ensured that. protected that. They have con-

Candelaria-Dunstan the assurance that she can come in and do the work, saying there is “no residue” of what has occurred in the past school year.

Moving forward, she said the mission and vision, more than anything, is leveling up. It is an “adaptive challenge,” she said.

MICHELLE C ANDELARIA-DUNSTAN

ief steals cleaning supplies from Oak Park Village Hall supply closet

Someone broke into a locked storage room at Village Hall, located at 123 Madison St., between June 2 and June 3. The person stole a Honda power washer, power washer hose, Clorox bleach, Clorox urine remover, toilet paper, paper towels and latex gloves. The estimated loss is unknown.

Battery/criminal damage to property

Four individuals, two men and two women, walked up to an Oak Park residence on the 800 block of Washington Boulevard on June 6. When the resident tried to take a picture of the four individuals, one of the men grabbed the resident by his shirt and threw the phone, damaging it. The four individuals were last seen walking northbound on Oak Park Avenue. The estimated damage is $400.

Retail theft

Three women alle gedly stole skin care items, nine Nicorette packages and a Prevagen package from the CVS Pharmacy at 6748 Roosevelt Road on June 2. The estimated loss is $2,534.37.

Arrests

■ A 20-year-old Chicago woman was arrested for having no valid driver’s license and electronically communicating while driving June 4 on the 900 block of North Austin Boulevard.

■ A 30-year-old Oak Park man was arrested on an active parole violation from the Illinois Department of Corrections on June 4 on the 700 block of Filmore Street.

■ A 40-year-old Berwyn man was arrested for criminal trespass June 4 on the 800 block of Madison Street.

Catalytic converter theft

Someone stole the catalytic converter

from an Oak Park resident’s 2018 Hyundai Tucson. The incident, which occurred between June 2 and June 3 on the 1100 block of Thomas Street, resulted in an estimated loss of $1,000.

Motor vehicle theft

Someone stole an Oak Park resident’s white 2016 Nissan Maxima on June 6 from the 900 block of South Humphrey Avenue. The estimated loss is $20,000.

Burglary

Someone broke into an Oak Park residence’s garage between June 4 and June 5 on the 1000 block of North Grove Avenue. The person stole tools and chargers, and the estimated loss is $2,100.

Someone broke into a Glenview resident’s 2020 Ford truck June 6 on the 1200 block of Fair Oaks Avenue. The person stole the victim’s wallet and miscellaneous tools. The estimated loss is $2,150.

Criminal damage to vehicle

Someone scratched the paint on an Oak Park resident’s 2023 Toyota GR86, resulting in an estimated loss of $1,500. This happened between May 28 and June 6 on the 700 block of North Boulevard.

These items were obtained from Oak Park Police Department reports dated June 3 - 7 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 Luzane Draughon

Celebrate Father's Day

Juneteenth 2024

JUNETEENTH

For Rep. Danny Davis, Juneteenth is ‘a holiday of movement’

The U.S. congressman won’t rest that day despite his years of work pushing for national recognition of Juneteenth

By MICHAEL BANIEWICZ Contributing Reporter

While U.S. Cong ressman Danny Davis was growing up in the small town of Parkdale in Arkansas, Juneteenth was an annual celebration for him and his f amily. He was told that day was his “real Four th of July.”

He and his f amily would spend pa rt of the day sharing a large meal, and after they fini shed, he would spend time reading outside

Now, Davis said, Juneteenth is a time for people in the United States to reflect on the history surrounding the federal holiday. There are some parallels between the post-Civil War, reconstruction era and the current times, Davis said.

Obama, who was then a senator, duced legislation in 2005. And Davis and cosponsors tried ag ain in 2008.

In 2021, he spoke from the House during the vote

“Madam Speaker,” he said, “I rise in strong support of the recognition of J teenth as a national holiday to celebrate the ending of the most horrific period and the most horrific policy and practices this Na tion has ever known: slavery. I heard one of my colleagues suggest a moment that perhaps the cost of Juneteenth is not known. I guarantee you, Madam Speaker, that whatever the cost, it will not come close to the cost of slavery.”

Rep. Danny Davis with elected o cials from Chicago and the west suburbs area greet well-wishers along the route during the inaugural West Villages Juneteenth Parade in 2022, which passed through Oak Park, River Forest and Maywood.

“So, celebrating Juneteenth as a national holiday is simply an idea whose time has come.”

“Juneteenth” he added, “is the reco gnition that darkness can come to light and that there is a celebration as my fore fathers and - mothers struggled to endure the hor ro r they experienced. So, c elebrating Juneteenth as a national holiday is simply an idea whose time has come.”

U.S. CONGRESSMAN DANNY DAVIS

“The progress, the policies…getting rid of martial law which protected Blacks in the South…getting rid of all that, seems to me to be what some are trying to do right now,” Davis said. “That some of the protections of affirmative action. Some of the protections of laws to protect rights of individuals.”

Long before President Joe Biden signed a bill in 2021 that made Juneteenth the 11th American federal holiday — and the first since 1983, when Martin Luther King Jr. Day was created — Davis, along with others, had been pushing for national recognition of Juneteenth. He and Barack

To day, Davis said, fo r progr ess to be mad e, one has to understand their history and how they got here.

“If you don’ t know where you come from, you won’ t understand to know how you got to where you are,” Davis said. “Then you don’ t have a good prognosis for where you ought to be going. Individuals look to what has been done and how people managed to do it. It was blood, sweat and tears, it was hard work. It was serious ef fort, but if those ef for ts don’ t continue then you don’ t go any fur ther.”

T he holiday also highlights that there is still work to be done for equality and equity, Davis said.

“There is a possibility that all men and women can in fact experience equality and equal expectations, equal justice,” Davis said. “We’ve come a long way, but

Rep. Danny Davis has worked with countless others for recognition of a Juneteenth holiday.

we’re not there yet.”

While Juneteenth is federal holiday, it is not a day of f the job for Davis.

“We will have a chance to experienc e

a holiday, but for me it will be a holiday of wo rk . A holiday of movement. And I hope lots of other p eople will be doin g the same thing.”

avery r. young teaches ‘folks to become better painters with language

Chicago’s poet laureate hosts monthly workshops for the public in Austin

By HOPE BAKER Contributing Reporter

Chicago’s poet laureate avery r. young brings poetry to his back

Kind of. T he Austin monthly poetry workshop soul workshops, at the Austin Branch library in Chicago.

“With chi-soul workshops, we really want to concentrate on narratives that are centered in Chicago and really shed light on all that happens in Chicago, not just what people see on the news,” young said. “Poetry is a great vehicle for shedding light on the things that everyday Chicagoans get to see and experience.”

Selected as Chicago’s first-ever poet Laureate in April 2023, young is an award-winning poet, educator, composer, performer and producer whose work spans the g enres of music, performance, visual arts and literature. His work has been featured in several exhibitions and theatre festivals including the Chicago Hip Hop T heatre Fest, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago and the American Jazz Museum. With more than two decades of experience in the teaching artist field, young has led progr ams within schools, community-based organizations,

and other learning en

When young was named the city laureate, he was commissioning of ate public progr year ter m.

“Writing poetry is painting with language,” young said. der to be good at and workshops help with the craft of ing. I want to teach folks to become better painters with language

etry and literature.

“I spent days upon days upon days at that library,” young said. “I tell folks all the time that the library is an airport. You can go anywhere in the world.

Every book is an airplane. That’s what I love about the library. And it’s free.”

His love of poetry began in third grade when he first read the antholo gy

“I Am the Darker Brother,” a collection of poems by Langston Hughes, Mari Evans, Gwendolyn Brooks, Robert Hayden and others.

Young said that since he “had a mouth” as a kid, poetry also became a helpful tool for expressing his emotions.

“I realized that when I wrote a poem people didn’t see me as flippant,” he said.

“When I said what I wanted to say in the context of metaphors or rhyme scheme or haiku, I didn’t get in trouble. In fact, I got praise for expressing myself in that form.”

Although he has written since elementary school, it wasn’t until his early twenties that young decided to seriously pursue poetry.

“I was able to do that through the open mic scene and through performance poetry,” he said. “Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine one day becoming a poet laureate of any city, let alone Chicago.”

Young said the sights, smells, sounds and people of Austin undeniably shaped who he is as a poet today

“I want to teach folks to become better painters with language.”

avery

r. young

“A writer is constantly ear hustling and a writer is also constantly taking mental photo graphs,” he said. “I don’t think I would be the writer that I am had I not been incubated in the Austin community.”

Chicago Poet Laureate

and the celebration of such liberty – and that’s what a poem can be. It’s a celebration of our liberties. It can be a way that we honor what it means to be a liberated soul. To be armed with your voice is liberty and it’s everything that Juneteenth is about. ” young’s workshops are designed for adult writers of all skill levels to build poems and poetry manuscripts centered on tales of Chicago. The two-hour sessions will include time to edit, workshop and present poetic works in a personal setting.

When asked about how Juneteenth can be honored through poetry, young said “when I think about Juneteenth, I immediately go to emancipation and liberation

Re gistration for chi-soul workshops is required and participants must be at least 18 years old. Workshops will take place from 2 p.m to 4 p.m. on June 2, July 7, Aug. 4, Sept. 1, Oct. 6 and Nov. 3. Re gister at chipublib.org/chi-soul. T hey are held at the Austin Branch Library, 5615 W. Race Ave.

SARA JANZ

avery r. young, Chicago Poet Laureate dur ing a per formance at the Logan Center for the Arts on April 27, 2023.

CHIC AG O PUBLIC LIBRARY

avery r. young

Emancipation Ball heads into its 3rd year

Moor’s Brewing Company’s gala celebrates Juneteenth

By HECTOR CERVANTES Contributing Reporter

In a blend of entrepreneurship and community eng agement, Moor’s Brewing is gearing up to mark its third anniversary with the Emancipation Ball.

This milestone celebration not only honors the brewery’s success but also serves as a platfo rm for promoting Black excellence and empowerment in Chicago. In June 2021, Moor’s Brewing, owned by members of the Black community, was founded by co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Damon Patton and Chief Financial officer Jamhal Johnson, marking both an anniversary celebration and Juneteenth observance.

Moor’s Brewing also launched the Care Moor Foundation for Civic Engagement. This foundation aims at promoting civic involvement through fundraising ef for ts and scholarship provisions.

Johnson said this celebration is designed for this sole purpose of emphasizing Black excellence through the achievement of another year in business.

“We aim to showcase our business alongside other Black-owned beers, wines, and spirits and collaborate with and highlight Black chefs, food curators, as well as dessert providers, utilizing Black-owned bakeries for our desserts and coffee bars,” Johnson said. “By showcasing these outstanding companies and their impactful work, we emphasize and celebrate Black excellence.”

The funds raised from the celebration will go toward supporting the Lafayette Gatling Sr. Scholarship Fund and the Marcus J. Bradshaw Foundation. The MJBF will be granting the MJBF Care Moor scholarship to recipients selected by the Moor’s Brewing team in July. Moor’s Brewing also supports the AROSE Foundation and the Lotus Globe.

“We are awarding scholarships to entrep reneurs for students who are entering their freshman year of c olle ge,” Johnson said.

The Emancipation Ball will have nine food stations across the venue, enhancing

the culinary experience for attendees.

Attendees can enjoy an open bar featuring a curated selection of premium drinks.

The selection at the open bar will include Alexandra James Whisky, Bull Young Bourbon, Disbəlēf Tequila, Love Corkscrew Wine, Michael Lavell Wine, Duo Vodka, and spirits from NG Distillery.

Moor’s Brewing is also celebrating its three-year anniversary with the release of its flagship beer called Moor’s Kölsch that will be released on Juneteenth.

DJ Envy from The Breakfast Club will be providing music and a local DJ named DJ Sean Mac will perform.

“We’ re also in the final stages of securing another celebrity DJ. The event will be in a gala style,” Johnson said.

Johnson also plans to collaborate with local artists to enhance the ambiance and visual appeal of the event space.

Johnson said that in the previous year,

the event showcased an art installation imbued with the vibrant essence of Hispanic and African-American cultures.

“We partnered with a prominent ar t collector from Englewood, collaborating closely with Hispanic muralists to bring these themes to life. Furthermore, the event featured the live artistic talents of Dana Topp Hope, who created a painting on-site, later purchased by one of the attendees,” Johnson said.

Johnson said that they will collaborate with a nearby t-shirt printing business.

General Admission tickets are priced at $100. For those seeking an elevated experience, the Single VIP ticket, granting exclusive benefits, is available at $115.

The VIP Admission for groups of four, providing a collective VIP experience, can be purchased for $440. Johnson said that the VIP package provides unique privile ges such as reserved seating, a perk not

available with general admission.

“The event will have three stations specifically allocated for VIP guests,” Johnson said. “While chefs will exclusively cater to the VIP section, most food vendors will be accessible to general admission ticket holders. VIP attendees will enjoy full access to all areas, including a riverfront patio where they will receive gift bags and complimentary swag items such as t-shirts.”

“As we look to the future of The Emancipation Ball, our aspirations center around three key pillars of our company: culture, community, and commerce.”

The Emancipation Ball will be held from 7 p.m. to 12 a.m., Tuesday, June 18, at Rockwell on the River, 3057 N. Rockwell St For more information and to purchase a ticket, visit the event’s web page. https:// www.eventbrite.com/e/the-emancipationb all-2024-chicagos-premiere-juneteenthevent-tickets-803921690417

Emancipation Ball in 2023.

Happy Juneteenth, I celebrate with you!

Since 1972, The Oak Park Regional Housing Center (OPRHC), an organization regarded as a leader for fair housing rights, expansion of housing options, and economic opportunity, has been providing services to residents of the Village of Oak Park and the surrounding West Cook

County communities including Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. For many years, OPRHC spent much time creating the residential integration you see in the Village of Oak Park today. This work, intentional in nature, allowed people of all races to learn about fair housing and their opportunities to live

where they choose to live. Fast forward to a new century, as we celebrate 53 years of service to the community, we are beginning to pivot our work to strengthen community ties and residential relationships while continuing to help people with their housing needs. We are still here… for you!

Main Office:

1041 South Boulevard

Oak Park, IL 60302

708-848-7150

info@oprhc.org

City of Chicago Office:

West Cook Homeownership Center 5934 W. Lake St. Chicago, IL 60644

773-887-5187

info@westcookhomeownership.org

Athena Williams, Executive Director

Austin United Alliance is a property development initiative of The Oak Park Regional Housing Center (OPRHC). As The Oak Park Regional Housing Center begins to pivot to work to increase housing inventory, we will continue to assist residents with their housing needs. Over the past 17 years as a HUD-approved housing counseling agency, we’ve assisted thousands of BIPOC families on their homeownership journey providing counseling on credit-debt management, financial empowerment services, and home and rental maintenance for healthy, sustainable, and stable housing on the Greater West Side.

The Laramie State Bank Redevelopment Project, 5200-5226 W. Chicago Ave.

As we develop more housing, we will continue to keep the community updated about the Austin United Alliance Laramie State Bank Project and others. For more information, call: 708-848-7150 or send an inquiry to: info@oprhc.org. www.oprhc.org

The history of Juneteenth

A refresher on the origins of this federal holiday

By LORET TA A. RAGSDELL Contributing Reporter

On June 17, 2021, U.S. President Joseph Biden, signed into law the Bill establishing June 19 as Juneteenth National Independence Day to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States

The Bill was sponsored by D-Mass. Senator Edward Markey and 60 cosponsors. The Bill, unanimously approved by the Senate, faced opposition from 14 House Representatives, many of whom represented states that had been part of the 19th Century slave-holding Confederacy.

The celebration of Juneteenth originated in 1865 after enslaved people in Galveston, Texas, were infor med by a Union general that the Civil War had ended and they had been freed in 1862 by President Abraham Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation.

“Now, therefore I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States, by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-Chief, of the Ar my and Navy of the United States in time of actual armed rebellion against the authority and gover nment of the United States, and as a fit and necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this first day of January, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixtythree, and in accordance with my purpose so to do publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days, from the day first above

mentioned … I do order and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated States, and parts of States, are, and henceforward shall be free; and that the Executive gover nment of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the freedom of said persons.”

T he actual abolishment of slavery occurred on January 31, 1865, after Congress passed the 13th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. It was ratified Dec. 6, 1865.

However, news of the Civil War’s ending traveled slowly from the North to the South. In addition, some slave owners did not share the news with the slaves in hopes of holding on to their slaves. As a result, military officers had to travel to Union states and inform them of Lincoln’s Proclamation.

On June 19, 1865, Union Ar my General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and delivered General Order No. 3:

“The people of Texas are infor med that, in accordance with a proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of personal rights and rights of property between for mer masters and slaves, and connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired labor. The freedmen are advised to remain quietly at their present homes and work for wages.”

As a result of this proclamation, more than 250,000 slaves were freed in Texas

Throughout Texas, great celebrations emerged. The enslaved people celebrated their newfound freedom with great merriment, including elaborate cookouts, dancing, singing, and religious services. One of the highlights of many gatherings was the symbolic ritual of removing their tattered and torn gar ments they had worn as slaves and throwing them in the river.

Over the years, as Galveston celebrations became more elaborate, Juneteenth celebrations spread throughout other Union States and became known as African Americans Independence Day. For more than 150 years, there was no for mal acknowledgement of slavery, one of America’s most horrific human stains, and its abolishment.

The road to Juneteenth’s acceptance and destination as an American Federal Holiday has been a long and untiring one for Opal Lee. Lee, born in Marshall, Texas, in 1924, a retired educator, has been an activist for African-American rights since her early teens. Lee, as told through her books, television appearances, and public interviews, has witnessed many atrocities of slavery, racism, and prejudice.

At age 12, after her family move to Fo rt Wo r th, Texas, i nto a predominately wh it e neighborhood, her f amily home was bur ned to the ground by an angry wh it e mob. The fire took place on June 19, 1939. T he date and i ts significance propelled

L ee to wo rk diligently to bring about a for mal reco gnition of the emancipation of African Americans from slave ry

“The fact that it happened on the 19th day of June has spurred me to make people understand that Juneteenth is not just a festival,” Lee has said.

L ee’s civil rights activism and wo rk has ga i ned her national reco gnition. Sh e is rever ently c alled the “Grandmother of Juneteenth. ”

At age 89, L ee started her symbolic 2.5mile walks from her Fo rt Wo r th Texas home to the U. S. Capitol in suppo rt of her g oal. In 2017, L ee launched an initiative to gather online signatures in suppo rt of making Juneteenth a national holiday. Her g oal was to gather 100,000 signatures; however, the net g oal was more than 1. 6 million.

By 1979, every U.S. state and the District of Columbia for mally reco gnized the holiday in some way. It is also celebrated by the Mascogos, descendants of Black Seminoles who escaped slavery in 1852 and settled in Coahuila, Mexico.

Joining members of Cong ress and Vice President Kamala Harris, Lee, then 96, was present on June 17, 2021, when Biden signed the Bill making Juneteenth a federal holiday.

After distributing the pens used to sign the bill to those around him, Biden said, “I hope this is the beginning of a chang e in the way we deal with one another.”

AUSTIN HISTORY CENTER, AUSTIN PUBLIC LIBRARY/WIKIMEDIA COMMONS

Juneteenth Emancipation Day Celebration, June 19, 1900, Texas

JUNETEENTH

2024

Annual Juneteenth celebrations to kick o in Chicago, suburbs

Marking what many perceive as the true date of emancipation in the United States, the holiday is a celebration of unity and Black culture

By ALEX GOLDSTEIN Contributing Reporter

As Juneteenth approaches, so too does a month of educational, commemorative and entertainment opportunities across the country. Here’s Growing Community Media’s most complete list of ways to celebrate the holiday across the Chicago area.

FOREST PARK

Juneteenth Fair — Forest Park

Public Library and Liberated Ar t Movement

Saturday, June 8

Forest Park Public Librar y, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. This celebration highlights Black artists, authors, creators and small business owners. The event will include refreshments and book giveaways

Fifteenth Annual Juneteenth Family Pool Celebration

Saturday, June 15

Park District of Forest Park Aquatic Center, 6:45 p.m. to 10 p.m.

AUSTIN/WEST SIDE

1865 Fest

June 14-16

Gar eld Park ’s Music Court Drive

Day one of this three-day experience features Juneteenth military honors, highlighting Black veterans and active service members and including a Juneteenth ag-raising ceremony. Day two, the “cultural experience,” features family activities centered around Juneteenth history, with educational workshops, live music and free food The nal day of celebration honors Father’s Day on June 16

with a grill-o and house music event.

The annual event is put together by the 1865 Coalition, a collaboration of community organizations, residents enforcement, educational institutions, elected o cials local businesses and churches on Chicago’s West Side

Far South CDC

Juneteenth Festival

Saturday, June 15

11420 S. Halsted St., noon to 4 p.m.

The Far South Community Development Corporation will be hosting an afternoon of celebration including live music, food from Black-owned restaurants, a resource vendor fair and a small business marketplace.

Juneteenth Wellness 5K Walk/Run

Saturday, June 15

Starting at the Gar eld Park football eld at 8 a.m.

Proceeds from this fourth annual 5K will go to Peace Runners 773 as well as Fresh Supply, a not-for-pro t organization with the goal of providing resources and safe spaces to underprivileged youth in the Austin area.

Front Porch Ar ts Center Annual

Juneteenth Celebration

Saturday, June 17

Columbus Park, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

This family-friendly event will feature music, food and dancing. There will also be a Juneteenth art exhibit curated by the Front Porch Ar ts Center and family artmaking activities.

Teamwork Englewood

Juneteenth Celebration and Resource Fair

Tuesday, June 18

Multiple locations, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Part one of this fair, hosted by Teamwork Englewood, will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 63rd Street and Halsted

Avenue. It will feature a job fair, legal clinic, ra es, food and a live DJ.

Part two will transition to 63rd Street and Justine Street for a celebration from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., with line dancing, card games, a bounce house and a “foot working session” in store.

The Black Au ra

June 29, 6:30 p.m. – Jun 30, 11:00 p.m.

5628 W. Washington Blvd.

Kehrein Center For The Arts

The Black Aura: A Weekend of Liberation and the Ar ts is a response to the city›s need to dev elop a greater sense of identity and clarity around the values associated with Juneteenth. Scheduled to take place June 28-29, the weekend between Juneteenth and Independence Day, this artistic experience leverages the ar ts to illuminate the tensions in African American histories and struggles, and the resiliency that has emerged.  It promises a broad array of experiences, including performances, documentaries and workshops. The weekend

will highlight the aura of “Blackness” and re ect the resilience and humanity of Black people in the arts. The end is designed to feature local artists, intentionally building upon and strengthening our collective sense of community in Austin and beyond.

CHIC AG O

Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of The 1619 Project

Chicago Public Librar y, Thursday, June 20, 6 – 7 p.m.

Harold Washington Library Center, 400 S. State St

In honor of Juneteenth, Chicago Public Library welcomes Nikole Hannah-Jones, Pulitzer Prize-winning creator of The 1619 Project and a sta writer at The New York Times Magazine. Hannah-Jones will be in conversation about her work on The 1619 Project with Chicago journalist Natalie Moore.

How to Attend in person: D oors to the Auditorium open at 5:30 p.m., and seating is rst come, rst served (350 capacity). Books are available for purchase, courtesy of Semicolon, and the author will autograph books at the conclusion of the program.

How to attend vir tually: This event will also take place live on CPL’s YouTube channel and CPL’s Facebook page. You’ll be able to ask questions during the event as well. Can’t make it to the live stream? The video will be archived on YouTube to watch later.

OA K PARK

Juneteenth Flag-Raising Ceremony

Wednesday, June 12

Oak Park Village Hall cour tyard, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Coordinated by Oak Park ’s Juneteenth Committee of community leaders and sponsored by the village’s O ce of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, o cials at Village Hall will raise the Juneteenth ag to kick o a week of celebration. The ceremony will be followed by speakers, refreshments and more.

PROVIDED

Nikole Hannah-Jones

JUNETEENTH 2024

Juneteenth Community Cookout

Saturday, June 15

Oak Park Village Hall south lawn, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This family-friendly event, coordinated by the J uneteenth Committee, will include music, food, resource tables and a vendor market featuring local B lack-owned businesses

Juneteenth Oratory Competition

June 16, 18 and 19, Various locations

Students of all grade levels are invited to craft original, persuasive speeches on the signi cance of the Juneteenth holiday and importance of its celebration. Winning students will receive a cash prize and be invited as featured speakers at a community luncheon. The event was designed by Asé Productions, which partnered with the Suburban Unity Alliance and Ra re Conscious Dialogues.

RIVER FOREST

Juneteenth Family Barbecue and Keynote Address at Dominican University

Thursday, June 13

Barbecue 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the quad, keynote 2:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. in Springer Suites

A keynote address by Danielle Walker, Ph.D., will follow a family barbecue at Dominican University. She’ll discuss the lessons learned from Juneteenth and how Americans can use them to work towards an objective of racial justice. Walker is the chief diversity, equity and inclusion o cer for the Village of Oak Park.

MAY WOOD

“Let ’s Grow Together”

Holistic

Wellness

Festival and Juneteenth Celebration

Saturday, June 8

Proviso East High School, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

This festival will feature tness events including a 3K walk/run, food provided by various local Black-owned restaurants, live DJ showcases and “Best of Proviso”

competitions including tug-of-war and a football distance throw Forest Park Mayor Rory Hoskins and Oak Park Village President Vicki Scaman will be in a dunk tank for par ticipants to indulge

The event is hosted by A Greater Good Foundation, which o ers social-emotional learning curriculums, restorative practices and other opportunities and programs for connection among youths in the Chicago area.

WESTCHESTER

Juneteenth Freedom Walk and Flag-Raising Ceremony

Wednesday, June 19

Lineup at Broadview Missionary Baptist Church at 9:45 a.m., ag-raising ceremony at Westchester Village Hall from 10:45 a.m. to noon

Community members can register to participate in this freedom walk, which will proceed to village hall for a ag-raising ceremony. Afterward, a Juneteenth Traveling Museum, book display from Westchester Public Library and complimentary refreshments will ser ve as enter tainment and educational opportunities to celebrate the holiday.

Juneteenth Community Celebration

Saturday, June 22

Gladstone Park, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

This celebration is the other half of the Village of Westchester’s two days of festivities. Food trucks, live music, line dancing lessons and a vendor market will round out the holiday, complete with a performance from Grammy award-winning Pastor Darius Brooks.

HILLSIDE

Speaker Chris Welch’s Juneteenth Festival

Wednesday, June 19

Memorial Park Distric t, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Emanuel “Chris” Welch, 7th distric t state representativ e and speaker of the house, is hosting this free even t. It will feature food, games, v endors , ar tists , enter tainers and more.

Friends – We can hardly contain our excitement about this one and want to share the news with you!

Thursday at the Illinois Press Association awards ceremony, Growing Community Media walked away with 35 awards – 19 for first place – and 13 for our coverage right here at the Wednesday Journal!

That’s right! That includes a first-place award for the late Harriet Hausman for her column about her husband and comedian Jerry Lewis. We’ll let you read her story.

Our design team scored a first-place win for our special section celebrating OPRF’s 150th anniversary

Publisher Dan Haley and editor-in-chief Erika Hobbs also brought home awards for the Journal’s early coverage of the Oak Park’s migrant crisis.

And the Journal took Top Website thanks to Stacy Coleman.

These awards spotlight the value our reader-supported newsroom brings to Oak Park and River Forest: fact-based reporting, rigorous journalism and news you can use, reported and shared by our dedicated team of journalists, editors and designers from within our neighborhoods.

We celebrate these awards together with you, our readers, whose support made this vital work possible!

And we ask your continued support, to build on this strong foundation. No amount is too small – $5, $15, $25. Each dollar goes a long way.

Together we continue to grow our Oak Park and River Forest communities, one award-winning story at a time.

Erika Hobbs, Editor

Stacy Coleman, Digital manager

Harriet Hausman, Columnist

Summer Lovers Have a Blast in Elmwood Park

Road trip vibes at the Circle

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter

If summer weather makes you want to hit the road for adventure, fun and good food then a road trip to Elmwood Park has got you covered. All season long, the Elmwood Park Village Circle – Conti parkway – just off Grand Avenue and 76th Avenue will be rocking, rolling, and feeding you like family.

Friday, June 14 – Circle car show & Hello Weekend

Kick off the season with the Circle car show. As the theme from Happy Days says, “The weekend comes, my cycle hums, ready to race to you.” What’s your fantasy vehicle for this romantic ride? You can either bring yours to show off or just come take in the

sights of these rolling works of art. From 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. the Circle will be full of cars, trucks, motorcycles, supercars, exotics and club cars. The whole family can go ga-ga over this gearhead heaven.

Come for the wheels but stay for the music. The Elmwood Park concert season kicks off that night as well. From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. enjoy the music of Hello Weekend. The band promises “non-stop, high energy” covering artists such as Lady Gaga, Guns N’ Roses, Bruno Mars and The Beach Boys.

Thursday, June 20 – 7th Heaven

The summer sounds continue with 7th Heaven. These Midwest stars have opened for Bon Jovi, Kid Rock and Styx, among others. They’ve been around the world, playing in the UK, Ireland, The Netherlands, Panama and Mexico. In fact, they say they’ve played so many shows that they feel they can honestly say, “We’ve seen a million faces and rocked them all!”

From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. the band, known for its famous “30 Songs in 30 Minutes” medley of songs from the 70’s and 80’s, will mix originals with the best of the best.

Thursday, July 11 – Too Hype Crew

This concert will get your feet moving and rump shaking with the hip hop party experience of Too Hype Crew. This tasteful tribute to the party anthems of the 80s, 90s and early 00s features a seven-piece band. And no hip hop tribute would be complete without “Fly Girl” dancers.

A point of pride for Too Hype Crew is that all the music is performed live, no backing tracks supplementing what they’ve got going on stage. This ain’t no DJ. Check them out starting at 7 p.m.

Thursday, July 25

– The Boy Band Night

Get ready to feel weak in the knees as The Boy Band Night reprises the music of heartthrobs like Backstreet Boys, NSYNC, NKOTB, One Direction, Jonas Brothers and more. These top-tier musicians play all their own music with note-for-note accuracy. And what would a boy band be without choreography? The Boy Band Night studied the music videos, practiced the footwork and are ready to top you off with nostalgia, starting at 7 p.m.

Friday, August 23 - D.A.R.E. car show & American English

The party gets big to celebrate the end of summer and back-to-school. The Elmwood Park Police Department hosts its annual D.A.R.E. Car Show from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Proceeds go to the department’s D.A.R.E. (Drug Abuse and Resistance Education) program. Bring your own car to show off. Registration begins at 5 p.m. The fee is $10 per car. If you don’t have your own pride and joy to show off, come take in the sights and sounds of pure gasoline greatness. Support the Blue and what it can do for the community.

Once you’ve gotten an eyeful of cars, move your ears over to the stage for a concert from American English. These locals are a complete Beatles tribute. So complete that they actually performed with Sir Paul McCartney. The sounds, the costumes, the attitude of the original group shines through, letting you sing along with all the hits and deep cuts. Whether you lose your mind screaming is up to you.

If you go

More information at Elmwoodpark.org

Homes

Garden Walk returns for 30th year

By LACE Y SIKORA Contributing Reporter

The Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory and the Garden Club of Oak Park & River Forest are back with their thirtieth annual Garden Walk on Sunday, June 23. Other than a pandemic year break, the two groups have been sharing local gardens every summer since 1993. This year’s walk includes eight private gardens in Oak Park and River Forest.

Mary Ellen Warren, historian of the Garden Walk, noted that the walk was founded by for mer Garden Club president, Patricia Leavy, with the idea that the proceeds would be used to fund yearly scholarships for colle ge students majoring in hor ticulture, conservation, environmental studies, forestry, landscape design or botany. She Elvira Rubinstein, president of FOPCON see if they to join in the walk because the two gr had similar missions.

Today, their share the walk’s its, the Garden Club sponsors three $3,000 arships students Oak Park and Community Foundation.

FOPCON uses their share of the walk proceeds to support projects that benefit the Conservatory, which of fers educational and recreational programs for children and adults

This year’s Garden Walk is chaired by Sue Boyer, who has been co-chair since 2006, and Gina Sennello, has been co-chair since 2015.

Garden Spotlights

Diane Deckert’s Oak Park garden is one of the eight gardens featured on this year’s

e Deckert’s Oak Park garden on Tuesday, June 4. Clematis (le ) climbs a trellis on the side of the home.

garden walk. She said it’s ironic that her love of gardening landed her garden on the walk.

“I grew up in Kansas on a big farm, and I hated gardening and picking potato bugs of f plants,” she said.

When she moved to her ranch house in Oak Park in 2002, there was a lot of ivy, which came with a lot of spiders She wanted to look out at something that wasn’t ivy and grass, so shor tly after she moved in, she enlisted Sharon Patchak-Layman to help with the landscaping.

Patchak-Layman oversaw the planting of paper birch trees, laid out the garden

beds and installed the patio. They also installed a pond with a small waterfall. Decker t said the fish used to swim up to her when she came home

“It was a just a way to feel like we weren’ t in the city,” she said.

Over the years, she has added more to the garden so that she always has something to look at in all four seasons

“I ga rden to f eel a c onnection with nature, and I do n’ t want to watch gr ass,” she said.

Although she is a self-taught gardener, Deckert’s love of gardening has led to a second career as a landscape designer

She said that her yard isn’t too large — Garden Walk committee members told her it fit in the “small but char ming cate gory.” That small size can be an inspiration for people in Oak Park who might not have the largest yards, she adds. “People need to understand, you don’t need a huge space, and your garden can happen over time.”

In River Forest, Elyse and David Cutler have been transfor ming their yard for almost five years. They had worked with Sean Kelly from Reveal Design on their previous home, but when they moved to a

See GARDEN WALK on pa ge 39

PHOTO S BY TODD BANNOR

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The basic nature, the degree of excellence, the best available when compared to others.

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Help WantedCrossing Guard

The Forest Park Police Department is seeking qualified individuals for the position of Crossing Guard

This position requires flexible hours during days when schools are in session. A background investigation and drug screening will be conducted prior to consideration for the position. Applications available at Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Avenue or on-line at www.forestpark.net and should be returned to Vanessa Belmonte, HR Director, at Village Hall. For additional information, contact Dora Murphy at 708-615-6223 or write dmurphy@forestpark.net. Applications accepted until position is filled. EOE.

Hourly Rate of Pay $18.30

Regular hours 7:30 am to 8:30 am, 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm; Occasional half days 7:30 am to 8:30 am and 11:00 am to 12:30 PM

Friday, June 14 and 10 am to 7 pm, Saturday, June 15

• Tour the future Art Resource Center in progress

• Join free parent/child design workshops and Twilight Tours

• Win a $150 Trust membership - a drawing held every hour

GARDEN WALK

Village Edens

from page 37

lot that was almost half an acre, they had to rethink their yard once again. Then, add in the fact that Covid-19 hit shor tly after they moved in, and the Cutlers wanted a yard they could really live in. Kelly suggested extending an existing porch to add a g rill and outdoor dining area.

The retained the original firepit at the back of the property and had Kelly design a new g as-fueled firepit closer to the outdoor kitchen area.

The Cutlers prioritized leaving their yard unfenced as, historically, their yard flowed with that of their neighbor. Elyse Cutler said that their home was originally built for the daughter of their next-door neighbors, which is one of the older homes in River Forest.

Elyse C utler said she’s an avid ve g etable ga rdener

“I really wanted to be able to grow ve getables without feeding the deer,” she said. They left the yard unfenced except for the ve getable beds, which are protected from the wildlife.

In addition to ve g etables and beds of perennials, Elyse Cutler said, their yard is home to oak, do gwood and Japanese

maple trees

Other gardens featured on this year’s walk include the Oak Park garden of Paola Ribaudo Pickrell and Charles Pickrell, who have been working on their Oak Park garden since 2002. With the help of McAdam Landscaping, they created a classic Italian garden which they said is a four-season oasis.

In River Forest, Tun Rattan’s garden will be featured for the second time; she was also on the Garden Walk in 1999. Over the years, she has adapted her garden to her stage in life. From a riotous mix of colors, her yard has mor phed into a more minimalist landscape that focuses on textures and dif ferent shades of green. She said her garden is her “palette and joy.”

Before You Go

T he Garden Walk takes place Sunday, June 23 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. rain or shine.

Tickets are for sale online now at https://gcoprf.org/g arden-walk/

Until June 22 at 5 p.m., tickets are available at the reduced price of $18. After that time, tickets will cost $23.

Tickets can also be purchased the day of the walk with cash, credit card, or check at the Oak Park Conservatory, 615 Garfield St., Oak Park, or at the Cheney Mansion, 220 N. Euclid Ave., Oak Park All ticketholders must come to one of these sites to pick up their garden guide which will include garden addresses and will be used for entry to the gardens on the walk. Children 12 and under may attend the walk for free, but strollers are not allowed inside the gardens

T he Garden Walk Committee will also be hosting a drawing to fur ther support the missions of FOPCON and the Garden Club Tickets can be purchased in the designated garden and cost $5 each or 5 for $20.

TODD BANNOR

Elyse Cutler and her River Forest garden on June 6, 2024.

ODD BANNOR

TODD BANNOR

Diane Deckert and her Oak Park garden on June 4, 2024.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M.

Call Viewpoints editor

Ken Trainor at 613-3310

ktrainor@wjinc.com

DOOPER ’S MEMORIES

When boxtops brought prizes

When I was in the middle and upper grades, one of the popular things my friends and I did was listen to late-after noon radio programs

We particularly liked Little Or phan Annie and I Love a Mystery.

We also listened to Jack Ar mstrong, The All-American Boy. This show was not a favorite, listened in order to lear n at Wheaties, the show’s sponould send us in exchange for boxtops and a dime. My first viator wings, which I ool jacket. xtop promotion came one summer when Wheatfered a series of model lanes that could fly. For a dime and four boxtops, we could planes printed vy cardboard, ready to cut, old, and then glue into three-dimensional model planes. In order to assemble the plane, you had to glue a penny to the nose cowling for weight and, with a hefty toss, the completed fighter plane flew.

Fourteen dif ferent models were of fered in the WW2 series which included a Zero, a Spitfire, a Focke-Wulf, and an entire squadron of assorted American planes, including the Mustang and the Hellcat

My pals and I would go to grocery stores and look through the Wheaties boxes on the cereal shelf after hearing that a new model plane was being offered. We couldn’t procrastinate because the offers were for a rather brief period of time. In order to avoid a problem with a store manager, one guy would go to one Kroger’s, one guy would go to National Tea, etc

My family members wondered if I would ever grow tired of eating Wheaties

On grocery shopping day, my mother would ask me about buying another brand of cereal, but I told her this would be impossible because I loved only Wheaties, so she kept buying them. I was eating huge bowls.

I also tried to convince my family members to eat Wheaties instead of the cinnamon-coated oatmeal they liked, but my requests fell on deaf ears.

The model airplane of fers finally stopped, and Wheat-

VIEWPOINTS

The Oak Park Far mers Market, one of my favorite things in our community, is held on Saturdays, mid-May through October, from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the parking lot of Pilgrim Church, 460 Lake St., one block west of Ridgeland Avenue.

When I asked Jack Car mody, the Far mers Market manager what his favorite thing about the market was, he said, “I personally love the fact that our market provides a space for people to build community and access fresh goods that may not be available to them otherwise. We have a space just outside our market for people to eat, relax, connect, and listen to live music.”

I totally agree. Going to the market is like gathering in a town square — visiting with old friends, people-watching, and buying produce that tastes so much better than anything I can buy at the super market.

Last year during the market season, I did monthly columns on various activities and vendors at the market. This season, I’ve been to the market every Saturday since it opened on May 18. I was pleased to see many vendors selling strawberries and lear ned that the mild winter provided early yields for different produce. Corn is not expected to be ready until mid-July, peaches not till late

July/early August.

Many people linger at the northwest cor ner of the Pilgrim Church lot, enjoying the music. When I interviewed Ben Stark, a longtime member of the Far mers Market Band, he told me there are no try-outs; the musicians choose songs going in a circle with each member choosing a song to lead

“Since each person has his or her own musical likes,” Ben said, “this leads to a large variety of songs.” The Far mers Market Band tends to concentrate on bluegrass, fiddle tunes (instrumentals from the British Isles, Appalachia and other parts of the U.S.) sometimes called “Americana” music. The main instruments are guitars, banjos, mandolins, and fiddles, but there are also accordions, ukuleles and har monicas. The band plays near the line for the homemade donuts that benefit local organizations and listeners like me get to hear the music while inhaling the fragrance of freshly-made donuts

Have you noticed the small Oak Park Township bus parked on Lake Street? According to Pamela Mahn, director of Oak Park Township Senior Services, “Oak Park and

Oak Park Farmers Market musi cians

Clarity on village hall

Perhaps if the first salvo in discussions about Oak Park’s village hall had not come as such a bolt from the blue a year ago and hadn’t be gun with a plan to level the architecturally notable and only 49-year-old building on Madison Street, just perhaps we might have ar rived at this same place but with less drama.

Last week the village board brought in a facilitator to lead a board discussion about next steps in making a plan for the future of Oak Park’s combined village hall and police station. It was a worthwhile discussion and having a facilitator was a good idea. It helped a divided board understand the things they agree about and to set a general threshold on what members think is a reasonable, if still sizeable, price to pay.

Here’s what board members seem to agree on at this point:

■ The biggest problem at Lombard and Madison is the windowless, cramped and fully outdated police station which sits in the basement of village hall. There appears to be a consensus that the department needs a new building and one that is ideally on the current campus. Fixing the cop shop is the board’s priority.

■ The current village hall should not be demolished but will need a major overhaul of all of its systems and much of its layout in order to function, but in important ways remain true to the physical transparency that was baked into that building by the great architect Harry Weese

■ There is a price that the village cannot afford for this project. The startling red line appears to be $150 million. Anywhere close to that and support on the board rightly gives way.

Village staff said it would take this newly won clarity and come back to the board with somewhat clearer options. This is all good. And while it is slow, it is progress

Safety and the middle schools

It is stunning, but not an actual surprise to hear dedicated teachers tell the District 97 school board that the middle schools are unsafe. Unsafe for some students. Unsafe far too often for teachers.

This is not the first time we’ve heard this. In fact, in an engaging response to teachers who had brought some fire at the last school board meeting, Supt. Ushma Shah quoted extensively from a 5-yearold Wednesday Jour nal news article which reported teachers raising identical concer ns

She acknowledged a lack of progress made over those years and pledged to engage around practical solutions which are rooted in the district’s deter mined effort to transform how discipline is handled in our schools. Teachers we heard speak to the board are not looking for a retur n to widespread suspensions or other forms of punitive discipline. But they do want, need, and deserve clarity around what policies are in force, confidence that those policies will be enforced consistently, and a clear sense that they are valued by the district for the hard and good work they do

A toast to summer vacations

I’ve been thinking about summer vacations lately, past, present, and future — but mostly past. In May, my son Dylan, his wife Emily, my granddaughter Charlotte, and a close family friend, Re gina Cherene, took a day trip to Lake Lawn resort in souther n Wisconsin. We shared a vacation tradition there in the 1980s and ’90s We’d heard big changes were afoot at the resor t and wanted to see for ourselves

KEN TRAINOR

There is something inherently magical about revisiting the places where cherished memories were forg ed, especially those from childhood. The past and present dance a tango of enchantment. My family’s history with Lake Lawn goes back even fur ther. My parents met there in the summer of 1941, on the verge of World War II. My mom was 15, my dad 17. Three years later he was in Europe, fighting Revisiting Lake Lawn in May was a wondrous pilg rimage to our shared past.

Last weekend I attended a memorial service and rece ption for my aunt, Grace Louise Simpson, whom we knew as Lulie. She grew up in Oak Pa rk, the daughter of Fred and Grace Gale. The Gale family goes way back in Oak Pa rk history.

Lulie was the last of a generation that vacationed to gether in nor ther n Wisconsin during my childhood — a place as ma gical for me as Lake Lawn was for Dylan and Re gina.

After her memorial service, we gathered at Il Vicolo for lunch and reconnection. I felt a toast was in order:

Lulie was the last, I said, but also the first. She was the last of a generation. But she was the first to discover an obscure resort just outside an obscure town on an obscure lake in Norther n Wisconsin. Actually, it was Lulie’s family who discovered it, but Lulie established our multifamily tradition at Keeler’s Resort in Crandon on Lake Metonga, a Native American word, Menominee perhaps, meaning “peaceful paradise.” I made that up, but peaceful paradise applied for most of the year — except for a few weeks every July when three Oak Park families with a multitude of cousins descended on the small resort run by Bill Keeler.

It was idyllic, both in memory and reality, other than the occasional meltdown on the softball field. We have our parents to thank for that … and g randparents … and Father Ro g who was the resort chaplain, and comedian, and tosser of fullyclothed children into the lake.

Our parents probably didn’t think they were doing anything special when they star ted this annual tradition in the late ’50s. They were just getting away for a few weeks with the kids. But

they were wrong. They did something very special indeed.

If there were a God computer — one of my favorite fantasies, a computer that can answer any question with absolute accuracy — I would ask for a transcript from one of the evening getto gethers, when our parents gathered in one of the cabins for storytelling and laughter. That would be a sacred text.

But there is no Godlike computer, so we are left to cobble together our snatches of remembrance and tell our stories to keep memory alive. For instance, that thing my dad would say to us many times over the years, especially after these sojour ns to the Nor th Woods, advice well wor th heeding. “Stay close to your cousins,” he said. And really that’s what all of them were saying in their own way.

So I’d like to of fer a toast — a tontine toast — which I first heard about on a MASH e pisode years ago. A tontine is defined as “a joint ar rangement whereby the participants usually contribute equally to a prize that is awarded entirely to the par ticipant who survives all the others.” Col. Potter was that survivor and the prize was a bottle of fine French brandy, which he opened to toast his fallen comrades in ar ms, sharing it with his new friends in the MASH encampment. It was a poignant e pisode and one of that show’s best.

As a group, I told those assembled, we are that survivor. We are the survivors of Lulie and Bob Simpson, Ken and Marilyn Trainor, Eileen and Frank Muriello, Kitty and Bob Simpson Sr., Fr. Ro g Simpson, and Bill Keeler. Our prize is the bond we share, the memory of coming to gether all those years, growing up, summer by summer, in an idyllic place and time, sur rounded by love and good-spirited fun. We are sur rounded by their good spirits still.

Lulie, et al, you gave us an experience like no other. In a world that is so very imperfect, you helped create the conditions in which life was, briefly, close to perfect. You did more than you know when you brought us together for summer vacations. And for that we owe you our deep gratitude and sincere admiration. We are your ripples, reaching outward, spreading the word, kee ping the memory alive

And insofar as we are able, in this very imperfect world, we will try to pay your gift forward. We will stay close to our cousins

Here’s to summer vacations, past, present and future.

Here’s to the lucky ones

Here’s to us

SHRUB

TO WN by Marc Stopeck

Reap what you sow

In recent months, Wednesday Jour nal has done a fine job covering various aspects of policing in Oak Park, with particular attention to the village’s difficulty in attracting and retaining qualified police officers. (1) I think Jack Powers’ recent letter (2) pointed to a few of the potential roadblocks to fully staffing the police force, some of them particular to Oak Park, including the deplorable state of the police headquarters, located in a windowless basement that has been described by this newspaper as an “abomination,” “a mistake,” and “totally obsolete,” (3) with no solid plan or commitment for rectifying this situation.

Let me suggest a few other potentially relevant factors:

■ A little over three years ago, almost a third of Oak Park residents voted to “defund” the police force in a non-binding and ambiguously-worded referendum that was rejected. (4)

■ In 2020, District 200 cancelled the school resource of ficer position, eliminating a police presence at OPRF High School (5), resulting in an intergovernmental ag reement in which the police deem themselves “guests” when in the high school. (6)

■ In April 2019, Oak Park voters elected a village trustee who worked vehemently to reduce the police budget and the number of police of ficers employed by the village. (7)

■ In early 2017, Oak Park declared itself a “sanctuary city,” one aspect of which prohibits Oak Park’s police of ficers, whose swor n duty it is to uphold the

law, from cooperating with other law enforcement agencies in the enforcement of democratically-enacted laws (8)

Re gardless of your thoughts on the merits of these various actions, if you review the above list from the perspective of a qualified police of ficer looking for employment, does Oak Park sound like the sor t of place to build a long and rewarding career?

1. Wednesday Jour nal, “More than a quarter of Oak Park’s police positions are vacant,” Feb. 7, 2024; “Oak Park’s cop shor tage,” May 22, 2024

2. Wednesday Jour nal, “Kee p cameras, lose false nar ratives,” May 15, 2024

3. Wednesday Jour nal, “Rethinking village hall,” July 25, 2023

4. Wednesday Jour nal, “Oak Park voters reject defunding police conce pt,” April 8, 2021

5. Wednesday Jour nal, “D200 votes to end school resource officer program,” July 9, 2020, updated Se ptember 1, 2022.

6. Wednesday Jour nal, “Schools, cops and equity,” Nov. 22, 2022.

7. Wednesday Jour nal, “It’s time to defund the Oak Park police,” June 18, 2020, updated Feb. 10, 2021.

8. Wednesday Jour nal, “Oak Park a sanctuary village?” January 17, 2017.

Tom Healey Oak Park

WEDNESD AY

JOURNAL

of Oak Park and River Forest

Editor Erika Hobbs

Digital Manager Stacy Coleman

Sta Repor ter Amaris E. Rodriguez, Luzane Draughon

Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor

Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora

Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan

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

Shrubtown Cartoonist Marc Stopeck

Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead

Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea

Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza

Marketing Representatives Lourdes Nicholls, Ben Stumpe

Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan

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

Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs

Publisher Dan Haley

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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

About Viewpoints

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

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

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

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

ESSAY ■ 500-word limit ■ One-sentence footnote about yourself, your connec tion to the topic ■ Signature details as at lef t

Our impressive hospitals

In the 50-plus years I have lived in Oak Park, I have gotten medical care at both West Suburban Medical Center and Rush Oak Park Hospital.

It has always been the care that I needed at the time, and always as an outpatient. That changed suddenly on a Friday evening a few weeks ago, when my ongoing hip pain spiraled to a level 10 on the pain scale and I asked my family to take me to the Rush Emergency Room.

STEPHANIE FERRERA

One View

It did not take long for the medical team to find the remedy for the pain, while also doing a number of tests. An infection was found which led to my being admitted to the hospital where I spent the next week. My illness was more serious than I had realized.

I was at low ebb emotionally, feeling lost and helpless, but I somehow sensed that I was in good hands as a world of resources opened to give me the care I needed.

For the first time in my adult life, other than for the births of my children, I was a patient in a hospital. It opened a view of the workings of our medical system from a patient’s perspective.

From professionals up and down the medical hierarchy, I was being helped with their knowledge, treatments and, most importantly, their kindness. Again and again, a nurse would think of something to make me more comfortable. Most of them were young people, and I wondered if maybe I reminded them of their grandmothers.

I will never forget the many considerate things they did for me. As days went by, doctors were reading my charts and giving me and my family information to guide our under-

Trump’s Pledge of Allegiance

In the front-page picture of “Guilty” Trump in Friday’s Tribune, my eye was quickly drawn to the American flag on his lapel. My first thought was that the circle-slash symbol should overlay it; truth in adve rt ising demand s it. That ’s because Trump is out to ne gate all the flag stands fo r, not least are “freedom and j ustice for all,” as the Pledge of Alle gianc e af fir ms

His pledge would go something li ke this: “I p ledge alle giance to my powe r, and wh atever it takes to make it stand: One kingdom, under me, with my edicts and wh i ms trumping all. ” Hours after the ve rdict, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow zeroed in on the hear t of the matter: “ Trump is not r eally running ag ainst Biden. He is running ag ainst democra cy.” That hit the bulls-eye.

Fred Reklau Oak Park

standing of my medical status and help us see the way forward, always with that same level of kindness.

I needed continuing medical care and rehab, which led to my transfer to West Suburban Medical Center for a second week. What a remarkable facility this is for all kinds of rehabilitation. Here again, I found the nursing team responding promptly to my needs while I was getting stronger and working with exceptional occupational and physical therapists. Doctors came in to let me know how the system worked and make recommendations. A social worker connected me with home health resources which have proven to be right on target for my needs.

I left for home feeling ready and prepared to take the next steps in my recovery, and with gratitude for the level of interest the whole medical team had given me, always with kindness

We tend to focus on our health-care system with more criticism than appreciation. My late-in-life experience of being cared for at these two fine hospitals leaves me deeply impressed with what they can do. I think about the knowledge, skill, and coordination it takes to run such a complex institution.

Above all, the privilege of meeting so many young people who are entering the medical professions, seeing their intelligence, energy, commitment and compassion, leaves me optimistic regarding the future of our health-care system. Stephanie Ferrera is a longtime Oak Park resident and a practicing therapist

Why celebrate Juneteenth?

I was taught about Juneteenth from my teacher, Lawrence McCall, in 1976. We were excited about the bicentennial but he, hailing from Texas, shared history.

1. Dec. 31, 1862 (Watch Night): Slaves prayed and sang hymns all night waiting to hear about freedom. Many Black churches today still honor that tradition on New Year’s Eve.

2. Jan. 1, 1863: President Lincoln signs the Emancipation Proclamation, ending slavery.

3. June 19, 1865: General Granger comes to Galveston, Texas and infor ms all that slavery has ended.

4. Dec. 18, 1865: U.S. Constitution 13th Amendment proclaimed slavery and involuntary servitude abolished.

5. December 1865: Delaware and Kentucky freed their slaves after 27 of 36 states ratified the 13th Amendment.

6. June 17, 2021: President Biden makes Juneteenth a national holiday.

I lear ned that there is a process to fighting for one’s rights. It isn’t enough to agitate, nor be satisfied with documentation/communication, or people in position of authority. There is still much work to do. Let’s continue to push for positive change, share the history and celebrate the milestones.

Let’s remember the struggle & celebrate!

Racial disparities in tra c stops

I’m writing in response to the opinion letter published April 9, where the author called the statistic on the disproportionate share of Black drivers stopped by the Oak Park police “misleading.” The rationale the author provided was Oak Park’s close proximity to the Austin neighborhood

Unfortunately, this assertion is often used by police departments and people interested in upholding existing power structures (i.e. white people) as justification for police behavior in discussions about racial disparities in traffic stops, and it is not supported by existing evidence. In fact, the Oak Park police chief was quoted in the article implying that the traffic stop data is just a reflection of those individuals who might travel into Oak Park from other areas

This assertion is not supported by the data. Multiple studies, published in peer-reviewed jour nals conducted using information from millions of traffic stops across the country, find that even when they control for the demographic and racial composition of a town or city where the traffic stop occurs, racial disparities persist, particularly for Black drivers (Shoub et al, 2020; Pierson et al, 2020).

One large study found that Black drivers were less likely to be stopped after sunset, when darkness obscures the race of the person driving, indicating that race plays a significant role in

the “why” individuals are pulled over for traffic stops by police

There is no reason to believe that Oak Park police act any differently from any other police department across Illinois or the country. In fact, there is plenty of evidence of racial discrimination by the Oak Park Police Department outside of the data presented in the article (See Freedom to Thrive Oak Park for more information and analysis). We are not doing our village or our neighbors any favors by making excuses for police behavior or misinterpreting and misapplying the available data.

Sources:

Pierson, E., Simoiu, C., Overgoor, J. et al. “A large-scale analysis of racial disparities in police stops across the United States.” Nat Hum Behav 4, 736–745 (2020). https://doi org/10.1038/s41562-020-0858-1

Shoub K., Epp D.A., Baumgartner F.R., Christiani L., Roach K. “Race, Place, and Context: The Persistence of Race Effects in Traffic Stop Outcomes in the Face of Situational, Demographic, and Political Controls” — CORRIGENDUM. The Jour nal of Race, Ethnicity, and Politics. 2020;5(3):654-654. doi:10.1017/rep.2020.31

Mollie Hertel Oak Park

Sheila Wesonga Oak Park

How do we show we care about both sides?

I have had such a struggle with this ter rible and complicated challenge of the Israel-Hamas war because the history of Israel and its surrounding nations is enormously complex. The Jewish people inhabited the area 3,000 years ago. We just had a remembering of this fact when we celebrated Passover. But Arab/Palestinians also inhabited this area, and they recently remembered the Nakba when they left or felt forced to leave the area in which they lived.

Both have suffered loss and are in deep pain

As I struggle with this awful, centuries-old conflict and refuse to simplify it to “War is wrong, so ceasefire must be right,” I have tried to figure out how to show that I care deeply about what innocent Palestinian victims have been going through for eight months, while also caring about what the country of Israel has been going through for eight months

Because I care about both!

A friend suggested that, while wearing a “Bring Them Home Now” tag for the hostages, we might also wear a keffiyah, the traditional symbol of Pal-

estinians. What do you think of that? I am not Palestinian, but I do empathize and support efforts to avoid har m to innocent Gazans and to Palestinians in the West Bank. I challenge those who ask for a ceasefire, or who teach, protest or lobby for one, and who also abhor terrorism, to wear both a keffiyah and a “Bring Them Home Now” tag or some other symbol to show you also care about Jewish victims and eschew terrorism.

But … I now hesitate, worried about appropriating a symbol that is not mine. So what to do to show I care about both groups who are suffering and scared?

I challenge you to care about both and to protest leaders (and their followers) who seem to value less the lives of those on “the other side.”

And then to answer: How do we show we care about Palestinians and Israelis? How do we speak up for both? How do we empathize with both stories?

Can we, please, talk — and listen — to each other?

Phyllis Rubin River Forest

Wisely resisting pressure on cease re

I read with interest your excellent June 6 report on the latest effort to use public comments to push the village of Oak Park board to consider a resolution on the Israel/Hamas conflict [Some Oak Parkers are still pushing for a ceasefire resolution, oakpark. com]. As detailed in this article, many members of our local Jewish community believe that such consideration will be harmful and alienating to our community. One comment, summarized in the article, sadly validates these concer ns

This comment conflates the unrelated ceasefire and Flock license-plate camera issues in its full version, asserting that “maintaining the status quo is doing har m to marginalized communities. … It appears trustees are afraid to pass a resolution and offend some members of the Jewish community. But others deserve that same level of consideration. … Who gets to feel safe in our community? … Whose safety is prioritized and whose safety gets compromised for the illusion of security for others?”

The full comment also imposes a fallacious and insulting religious and racial angle, stating that “if the babies under the rubble were Jewish, would you speak up? If they were white?”

This latter point, reflecting much anti-Israel

discourse, insults the board and those in our community who oppose a resolution. It uses themes associated with antisemitism, implying that local Jews have a disproportionate and illegitimate power over a fearful board. It further claims that Jewish and Israeli victims are prioritized because they are white, despite the fact that neither U.S. or especially Israeli Jewish communities can be accurately categorized as “white” and that Jews are a historically marginalized community. Ironically, resolution proponents, while criticizing opponents for seemingly successful advocacy, are pushing the board to do their bidding through the explicit pressure of ever more petition signatures.

Finally, portraying the “status quo,” staying out of inter national politics and not taking a position on Gaza, as the moral opposite of a detailed and divisive position is wrong as a matter of logic. Rather, avoiding divisive issues beyond its core mission demonstrates board wisdom and respect for the full span of the Oak Park community, leaving residents free to express and advocate their views as they wish.

Mark Segal Oak Park

River Forest, don’t override your zoning board

River Forest Board of Trustees, on June 17 you will face a vote to accept or override the Zoning Board of Appeals’ rejection of zoning amendments for commercial districts. The proposal would raise maximum building heights to 50 feet on Madison Street and to 65 feet on North Avenue, Lake Street and Central Avenue. The changes would extend to specific blocks on Hawthor ne, Lathrop, Thatcher, Forest and Harlem.

The proposed amendments are unnecessary because existing processes effectively vet developments and zoning variances. The proposal also aims to reduce required off-street parking spaces by 33%, increase residential density, and eliminate the bedroom requirement for residences. For developers, the changes would ease restrictions and avoid variation and site development reviews, which offer protections for residents

Following a lengthy public hearing, the Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) voted 6-1 against the village board’s petitioned changes, finding “the proposed amendments are not in the best interests of the village and its residents and property owners.” More than 220 residents attended the April 11 session of the hearing, most opposing the changes.

The ZBA’s Findings of Fact cited concer ns that the proposals were too extensive with too great an impact on village character. The ZBA deemed density and parking revisions too drastic, and the lack of commercial development was not sufficiently linked to restrictions of the zoning code to justify the scope of the proposals. The ZBA emphasized the need for more community input and advised against emulating surrounding communities

The proposed changes particularly would affect parcels near Madison Street and Hawthor ne, which have many adjacent single-family houses. While residents welcome development, they oppose these specific amendments. Parcels along Madison Street are in a TIF District, collecting property tax increases through 2040 to incentivize redevelopment.

The proposed amendments would unfairly burden nearby homeowners while providing marginal benefits to all taxpayers. Development could be focused instead on filling empty storefronts, targeting underdeveloped and undertaxed parcels, and attracting quality developers.

I encourage residents to contact each trustee and urge them to vote against the proposed zoning changes on June 17. Trustees’ emails appear on the village website. The ZBA and many residents believe these changes are not in the village’s best interests. Trustees should vote with their community to maintain the character of our village.

Margie Cekander River Forest

Typical Oak Park

This is a typical move by Oak Park: Charge the residents more (cost of leaf bags) and offer them fewer services, that being street-leaf collection. This is a typical progressive-left attitude. Welcome to “Shrubtown,” new residents

John Keefe River Forest

Kids need structure and limits, not cellphones

I am a retired teacher from the District 97 (2016, Brooks Middle School) and vividly remember the propagation of cellphone use from the very beginning. I said then as I say now, “The worst mistake schools across this country have made is allowing cellphones into the classroom.”

I currently substitute teach in the Mesa Public Schools here in Mesa, Arizona and if you see one class, you’ve seen them: students vegetating on their phones and spending little time if any on school work

The bigger question is, why are parents allowing their children to even take them to school? It is a lame excuse on their part that it is important for them to be in contact with their child for safety reasons. In the old days, parents would just leave a message with the school secretary if a message needed to be relayed.

At the very least, as long as the teacher has a cellphone, that is all that’s necessary. I have been substitute teaching since my retirement in 2016 and I have lost count of how many times I asked students to put their phones away, only to have them respond by saying, “My mom or dad is texting me.” Much of this issue begins at home Why would any level-headed parent distract and/or disrupt the learning of their child? Obviously, whatever it is a student is doing

on his phone, he/she can’t be paying any attention to the teacher or lesson.

“Any rule worth writing is worth enforcing. Rules that are not enforced are not worth the paper they are written on.”

Right now, it is the students who run the schools. The “Restorative Justice” approach has been disastrous in schools across this country. It has the same effect as soft on crime, defund the police, no cash bail, etc Those who are doing harm to others are rewarded, while the victims are kicked to the curbside. I recall a guest speaker to one of our D97 Institute Days, who said something that hit the bullseye: “The board is afraid of the parents; the superintendent is afraid of the board and the parents; the principals are afraid of the superintendent, the board and the parents; the teachers are afraid of the principals, the superintendent, the board and the parents; the parents are afraid of their children; and the children aren’t afraid of anybody.”

Any teacher (like myself who has been in the trenches) knows that this is the reality today in American schools. Children need parents to be parents — not their friends. Children may not say it, but they want and need structure and limits

Chuck Watson Mesa, Arizona

Reconnecting with Julian Middle School

I was so glad to have the oppor tunity to go back to middle school as a presenter for Julian Middle School’s Career Day on May 23. It was an energizing experience to share what I do behind the scenes in library cataloging work.

And it was special to be back in a place that had a significant impact on me as a middle-schooler and shaped me to be the person I am today. The setting was notable since I was assigned to present in the classroom where I had advisory and science classes in sixth g rade.

Any opportunity to be back at Julian and reconnect with those years is

wonderful. This time was enhanced by being able to interact with current Julian students while sharing my work and to tell them about being a for mer Julian student. I appreciated the engagement I saw from the students and the good questions they asked. There was something so special in being there to do something af fir ming for the students and to do it as someone who was once in their shoes.

I am grateful for all the ef fort in organizing this event.

Paul Rubio Oak Park

BOX TOPS Redemptive

from page 41

ies be gan of fering baseball cards and one dollar baseball caps. This was too good to pass up, so I kept eating Wheaties and within two years I amassed a huge collection of baseball cards as well as a cap from all sixteen major league teams

A few years ago, I stopped in a resale shop to look at used books and, while walking past a long shelf, I saw many of the kinds of model planes my buddies and I had collected when we were kids. When I examined one of the planes, I realized that a penny in the nose of the cowling would be too light in weight to give maximum balance because today’s pennies are made with lighter alloys, but a nickel would do just fine.

I no longer eat Wheaties. Instead , I eat creamy, easily digestibl e Quaker Oats.

FARMERS MARKET

Community connections

from page 41

River Forest seniors and people with disabilities can reserve a curb-to-curb ride to and from Far mers Market. A seat in our comfortable township bus can be reserved by calling 24 hours to 7 days in advance at 708-383-4806. The suggested donation is $1 per ride per passenger.” She told me 298 rides were provided during the 2023 Far mers Market season.

Jack Car mody wanted me to remind our readers that there are a variety of coupons available for LINK users, matching each dollar they spend up to $25.

Special events to look forward to include the corn roast on Aug. 10, the pie bakeof f on Sept.7 and Stone Soup on Oct. 26, the last day of the Oak Park Far mers Market for this year

I look forward to seeing you on Saturdays Joy Aaronson is an Oak Park resident who previously contributed to Chicago Parent and wrote the Kids’ World column for the former Logan Square Free Press.

OBITUAR Y

Richard McKinlay, 87

Founded McKinlay Marketing

Richard J. (Dick) McKinlay, 87, died on May 27, 2024, in Oak Park, from c omplications of COPD. Bor n on April 11, 1937 to John Forsyth McKinlay and Vivian (Johnson) McKinlay in Chicago, he grew up on the North Side of the city until high school, when his family moved to Niles

He met his wife, Peg, when they were students at the University of Illinois, and they married in 1959. He went on to get a master’s degree in Sociology at the University of Chicago, where he was involved at the National Opinion Research Center. He and Peg lived in Hyde Park before moving to Oak Park in 1970.

He worked as a marketing consultant in the banking industry, and for many years had his own fir m, McKinlay Marketing.

Family was important to him, and during the years his daughter was young he worked from home, which was a very rare arrangement at the time. He went on to work in various administrative positions at banks and savings & loans, in addition to serving on boards, and he retired as a regulatory compliance consultant.

He was president of the Mental Health Association of Greater Chicago and was active in the Oak Park community, including serving as president of the Parks Foundation of Oak Park. He was proud to be involved in establishing dog parks in the village as well as the renovation of Ridgeland Common. His family remembers fondly all the times spent at the cottage in Door County, Wisconsin, and attending family reunions

Dick is survived by Peg (Margaret Malm) McKinlay, his wife of 65 years; his daughter, Kristin McKinlay and husband, Hugh French, and his granddaughter, Winnie McKinlay French; his sister and brotherin-law, Susan and Patrick Wnek; his sisterin-law Sandra Malm; his nephews Michael (Niki) and John (Julie) Wnek; his nieces Karen (Joe) DiMario and Susan Malm; two great-nieces and three great-nephews, many cousins, and dear friends.

Joan

Figatner, 76

Lincoln School secretary

oan Louise (Cowan) Figatner, 76, died on June 5, at her home 48 years in River est, leaving an emptiness in the hearts of all who knew her. Born in Park on Valentine’s Day in 1948. Her birthdate dovetailed with her capacity to love and be loved by so many. Her natural beauty was the first impression left on people. But it was her laughter, kindness and bright personality that endured after getting to know her.

She attended Hawthorne Elementary School and Oak Park and River Forest High School. Her extracurricular achievements included service club member, student council member, Girls Club president, cheerleader and Homecoming Queen. An honor roll student, she attended the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana on a work study scholarship. She remained friends for life with many of her sisters from the Pi Beta Phi sorority.

In 1970, the summer after colle ge, she married Jim Figatner, her high school sweetheart. They lived in Champaign while she pursued post-graduate studies and she worked at School Music Service to pay the bills. In the summer of 1972, they backpacked for nine weeks in Europe, then moved to Ann Arbor, Michigan, where she worked for the Ann Arbor Public Schools

In 1976, they moved back to River Forest and have lived in the same house for the last 48 years. Staying home and raising the children through grammar school was her priority. After that she worked as a pre-school aid and administrative sub at Oak Pa rk and River Forest High School and River Forest public schools. For 19 years, she worked as the school secretary at Lincoln School, across the street from her home. It that role, she became friends with hundreds of families throughout the years and became a River Forest le gend.

She volunteered at Morton Arboretum and the Food Co-op and served as membership chairperson of the Garden Club of Oak Park-River Forest, and of course tended her own garden. Eventually, her role as Super Grammy became a large part of her identity, and she now has 5 Grammy Awards presented by each grandchild to prove it

The family traveled much through the U.S., Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe as well as Lake Geneva, Wisconsin and Diamond Lake in Michigan where the children have taken up second residences Most of her travels ended up on a beach, swimming with the kids and water-skiing.

Some people are remembered for the grand gestures and great accomplishments of their lives. Joan will always be remembered for the little things that made her great.

She is survived by her husband, Jim Figatner; her children, Dan (Kat) Figatner and Katie (Matt) Feodoroff; her grandchildren, Chloe, Chase and Britain Feodoroff and Dezi and EJ Figatner; and her siblings, Jim (Jenni) Cowan, Susan (late Tom) Mauck and the late Michael (Sharlyn) Cowan.

A memorial visitation to honor Joan’s life will be held on Sunday, June 23 from noon to 4 p.m. at Kuratko-Nosek Funeral Home, 2447 S. Desplaines Avenue, North Riverside, with a memorial service at 3 p.m.

Barbara Vanek, 80

Active St. Catherine-St. Lu cy parishioner

Barbara An n (Fox) Vanek, 80, of Oak Pa rk , die d at home on June 6, 2024, sur rounded by her f amily, after living with ovari an cancer for over three year s. Bor n on Ju ly 14, 1943 in Seymour, Indiaughter of Harry and Alice Fox, she attended Our La dy of Grac e Academy in Beech Grove, Indiana, and gr aduated from Saint-Mary-of-the-Wood s C olle ge in 1965.

After two years in Guymon, Oklahoma working as a Catholic Extension Volunteer and becoming lifelong friends with Claudia Zinnanni, she settled in Chicago. In 1969 she met Wayne Vanek, the love of her life. They married on Dec. 10, 1972 at Chiderly Chapel in Wheeling and moved to Oak Park, becoming active members of St. CatherineSt. Lucy Church, where they raised their children, pioneered a base community program, and Barbara led the children’s choir.

She was the secretary of Longfellow School in the early ’90s, then became of fice manager of the Youth Suicide Prevention Program at RUSH Medical Center. Later

she became chief administrator of RUSH’s Office of Research Compliance. After retirement, she served on the board of PCC Community Wellness Center for 18 years, helping them expand into multiple locations on Chicago’s West Side, including Illinois’ first freestanding Birth Center.

Throughout her life, she cultivated community through her ministry of nourishment, which took the form of homemade cakes and cookies for family, friends, neighbors, and church functions, meals served at a Housing Forward (formerly PADS) overnight shelter for 16 years, as well as food, laughter, and sharing around many tables, whether they were set for breakfast, playing cards, or deep theological discussions.

Barbara is survived by her husband, Wayne; her children, Nathan, Ray (née Rachel), and Seth; her daughters-in-law, Allison Vanek and Hillary Stone; her daughter-inlove, Saunia Powell; and her grandchildren, Alex Vanek and Sasha Vanek.

A Celebration of Life will be held from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Carleton Hotel Ballroom in Oak Park on Saturday, June 15, gathering at 10 a.m., ceremony at 11 a.m., buffet luncheon and fellowship to follow.

In lieu of flowers, donations to The Neighborhood Bridge would be gratefully accepted.

John Baldwin, 86

Chemistry professor and researcher

John Edwin Baldwin, 86, a resident at Foulkeways, in Gwynedd, Pennsylvania, died peacefully on May 26, 2024. Born on Sept. 10, 1937, in Berwyn, he grew up in Oak Park, attending Oak Park and River Forest High School, where he excelled in sports and was valedictorian of his 1955 graduating class

Baldwin did his undergraduate studies at Dartmouth Colle ge, where he was an athlete on the football, lacrosse, track, and ski teams. He remained an avid runner and took pleasure in running with friends. He graduated as valedictorian of his class in 1959, then pursued his doctoral studies in chemistry and physics at California Institute of Technology, earning his PhD in 1963. Deeply interested in his field of Physical Organic Chemistry he developed a reputation as a gifted and meticulous scholar, re-

searcher, collaborator, legendary teacher and mentor. He be gan his car eer at the University of Illinois Urbana, then accepted an offer from the University of Oregon. During his sixteen-year tenure there, he also served five years as Dean of Arts and Sciences John spent his final decades of teaching and research at Syracuse University, starting in 1984.

He served on the President’s Science Advisory Committee; the Medicinal Chemistry Study Section of the National Institutes of Health; the National Science Foundation’s Chemistry Division Standing Review Panel, the executive committee of the American Chemical Society Division of Organic Chemistry; and the Advisory Board of the Petroleum Research Fund of the American Chemical Society.

He read broadly, especially in history and philosophy, and studied many foreign languages including Russian, Swedish, and German. He embraced the professional and personal opportunity to travel and held visiting professor appointments at Heidelberg, Munich and Hamburg, Germany; Krakow, Poland; Stockholm and Göteborg, Sweden; and at his alma mater, Cal Tech

He loved music and his research contributions were diverse and highly influential and his complex experiments were considered ambitious, elegant, and insightful: one mark of that work was his receipt of the American Chemical Society’s coveted James Flack Norris Award in 2010.

For almost 63 years he was the husband of Anne (Nordlander) Baldwin, also a resident at Foulkeways. He was the son of Francis M. Baldwin and Irville (Miller) Baldwin.

In addition to his wife, Anne, he is survived by his children, Claire Miller Baldwin (husband Ferdinand von Muench), John Nordlander Baldwin (late wife Daphne Berdahl-Baldwin), and Wesley Hale Baldwin (wife Melisa Barrick Baldwin); his grandchildren, Carrie von Muench (husband Shankara Anand), Sophie von Muench, Audrey Berdahl-Baldwin, Eloise BerdahlBaldwin, Jack Baldwin, Ella Baldwin, Poppy Baldwin, and Maisie Baldwin; his sister, Martha Baldwin Swanson, and many nieces and nephews.

Services will be held privately.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in John’s name to Dartmouth Colle ge at (calltolead.dartmouth.edu/waysgive) or to the American Friends Service Committee (afsc.org).

Condolences may be conveyed through huffandlakjer.com

SPORTS Fenwick so ball nishes fantastic

Third in Class 3A, best ever for Friars

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

When Valerie Jisa became Fenwick High School softball head coach, she was optimistic about having a successful debut. But little did she realize how successful the season would be

“I did have a plan and a goal,” she said, “but no, I didn’t think it would g et as far as it did.”

Fenwick finished the season on June 8, with a 4-2 victory over Waterloo in the IHSA Class 3A third-place g ame at the Louisville Slugger Complex in Peoria. It’s the best state finish in progr am history for the F riars (18-10).

“I am proud of g etting [to Peoria] and bringing home some hardware. I’m proud of the way they finished,” Jisa said. Against Waterloo, Fenwick scored all its r uns in the bottom of the third inning. With one out, Gabrielle Simon doubled. Bella Bigham brought home Simon with a single but was out trying to reach second base on the play.

Undeter red, the F riars went back to work as Kailey Janda walked, then scored on a double by Madelyn Entler. Leah Lowery plated Entler with a RBI single. Following a Waterloo passed ball, Gianna Pescatore walked, then Teresa Nevare z’s RBI single scored Lowery.

Jordan Rossi, a freshman, started in the circle for Fenwick, allowing five hits — but no runs — over two inning s. Senior Sophie Stone relieved Rossi to begin the third and went the rest of the way. In five innings she allowed two r uns on three hits. While Stone issued six walks, she also had 10 strikeouts

“Sophie is bold and challenges things,” Jisa said. “She waited the last two seasons, and in the big moments this year, she shined.”

An itinerary snafu before the g ame probably helped the Friars “Friday, I didn’t fill out an itinerary

was encouraged by watching some friends on the Oak Pa rk and River Forest High School team take third in last season’s Class 4A tour nament.

“Words are not enough to express how proud and happy I am to end my career with a win, a state trophy, and my name along with my teammates in the history books at Fenwick,” she said.

Three Fenwick players gar nered Class 3A All-State honors: Simon (First Team), Lowery (Second Team), and Entler (T hird Team). Lowery, Simon, and Stone were named to the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference All-Red Division Team.

Entler, Stone, and Fenwick’s other seniors (Mary Barg anski, Gianna Bonano, Rylee Graves, and Ellie Kolb) will be missed. But Bigham, Janda, Lowery, Nevare z, Pescatore, Rossi, and Simon will be among 11 retur ning players for the Friars next season.

for the bus driver because at the time we didn’t know when we were going to play on Saturday,” she explained. “I didn’t confirm to the driver what time we were leaving the hotel on Saturday, so we were r unning late and didn’t have a lot of time to warm up. But it forced us to focus and not think about all the things that could go wrong.”

“This year’s team was truly determined to make history,” Entler said. “I think the win ag ainst Waterloo summed that up.”

The victory also atoned for Fenwick ’s 10-0 five -inning loss in the semifinal, June 7, ag ainst eventual 3A champion Pontiac. The Friars managed only one hit — a Nevare z single — of f of Pontiac pitcher Elena Krause, who also posted 12 strikeouts

Jisa believed the big stage af fected her team ag ainst Pontiac

“They were so nervous that first g ame,” Jisa said. “They made er rors that they never make, and [Pontiac] taught me so much. They’re the number one team.”

Entler was proud of how her team bounced back from the loss to finish the season on a high note

“We went into the state finals as the underdogs, and coming out as third-place finishers truly proved to ourselves and others that we did deserve to be there,” she said.

Entler and Stone were varsity pl ayers as freshmen in 2021. That season, Fenwick had two victories. Entler admitted she didn’t envision having a state trophy three years later, but she also

Although it’s unlikely Fenwick will be able to sneak up on teams like this season, Jisa is confident about what’s ahead.

“This experience was a beautiful moment for them, to see what it looks like,” she said of the retur nees. “My hope is that next season they set the standard and hold the new players accountable.”

Upcoming camp

Fenwick coach Valerie Jisa infor med Wednesday Jour nal of an upcoming softball camp. It takes place June 24-27 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. each day at the Fenwick Priory in River Forest and is open to girls between fourth and ninth grades. For more information, email Jisa at vjisa@fenwickfriars.com.

DA N CHAMNESS

End of the medal line, second baseman Teresa Nevarez.

OPRF boys track, Fenwick so ball highlight 2023-24

State championship for Huskies, best-ever state nish for Friars

With Fenwick’s 4-2 victory over Waterloo in the IHSA Class 3A third-place softball game, June 8, the 2023-24 high school sports season has come to a close.

In the spirit of the ESPY Awards as well as our old Night hampions cerI present hoices for this sports awards: Team of ar: Oak Park and River Forest boys track and field. Under the guidance eteran head oach Tim Hasso, the Huskies broke through after relose calls and laimed the IHSA lass 3A championthe first time since 1987, on May 25, ’s OPRF’s 18th

“Finally!” Hasso exclaimed to Bill Stone “For a great group of kids who work hard all the time and believe in our vision, they came out on top and deserve this.”

OPRF had three individual winner Se

junior Kwabena Osei-Yeboah won the long jump

“It’s fantastic. This team knew what we could do. We just had to put it out there this meet and we did it,” Osei-Yeboah told Stone Girls Team of the Year: Fenwick softball. In head coach Valerie Jisa’s debut season, the Friars went on an unexpected and remarkable run to the Class 3A state semifinals. It was the program’s second Downstate trip and the first since 1998, where it placed fourth.

This year’s team did one better. After getting shutout 10-0 in the semifinals against eventual 3A champion Pontiac, Fenwick bounced back with the aforementioned victory in the third-place game, which marks the best-ever state finish for the Friars.

“I am proud of getting [to Peoria] and bringing home some hardware,” Jisa said. “I’m proud of the way they finished.”

Fenwick was led by seniors Madelyn Entler and Sophie Stone. The two were part of a team their freshman season that had just two victories, so ending their careers with a state trophy is especially sweet.

“We went into the state finals as the underdogs, and coming out as third-place finishers truly proved to ourselves and others that we did deserve to be there,” Entler said.

Boys Team Coach of the Year: Tim

a pair of third-place finishes (2012, 2019) and established himself as one of the area’s best coaches. Sharing this year’s 3A championship further validates his career.

Girls Team Coach of the Year: Valerie Jisa, Fenwick softball. Jisa took over a good team that was coming of f back-to-back regional championships. But she took the program to new heights this year, winning the sectional for the first time in 11 years and securing the Friars’ second trip to the state finals.

Boys Athlete of the Year: Caleb Schulz, OPRF track and field. Not only did Schulz become the first Huskie to win the state 100 title since 1947, he became the second in program history to earn four All-State medals in one state meet. He was sixth in the 200, and was part of two relay teams (4 x 100, 4 x 200) that placed sixth.

“I knew I’d have a ton of events, but I just had to push, really just push for it,” Schulz said at the meet.

Girls Athlete of the Year: Lauren Miller, Trinity basketball. Miller, a University of Chicago signee, totaled 1,812 points and 984

rebounds in her four varsity seasons with the Blazers. She was voted to the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association All-State First Team and was also named Trinity’s Scholar Athlete of the Year. This season, Miller helped lead the Blazers to 20 wins and a sectional final appearance for the third consecutive year

Game of the Year: OPRF boys basketball vs. Niles North, OPRF regional semifinal. This was by far the most exciting game/event I covered this season. On Feb. 21, OPRF, a decided underdog against Niles North, turned in its best game of the season with an 85-80 upset victory in overtime

“We played an amazing game — probably our best of the year — against Niles North,” said OPRF coach Phil Gary.

OPRF’s Alex Vincent hit a short jumper with 3.3 seconds remaining in regulation, tying the game at 72-72 and forcing overtime. The Huskies then seized control with a 9-2 run to start overtime

Max Johnson had 27 points, Alex Gossett 25, and Justin Bowen 15, including five in overtime

TODD BANNOR

e 2024 State Champion OPRF High School Track and Field Team walk in the River Forest Memorial Day Parade.

LEGAL NOTICE

COOK COUNTY REAL PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS FOR 2024

Thispublicationconstitutesofficialnoticeofthechangesinassessment toallownersofrealpropertyinOakParkTownship.The2024assessmentchangesaspublishedhereinarethosedeterminedbytheAssessorofCookCounty.

ItisthedutyoftheAssessortoappraisealltaxablerealpropertyinCook CountyatitsfaircashvalueasofJanuary1,2024.Faircashvalueisdescribedaswhatthepropertywouldbringatavoluntarysaleinthenormalcourseofbusinessortrade.TheAssessorisrequiredbylawto assesssaidpropertyinafairandjustmanner.

TheAssessordoesnotdeterminepropertytaxes.Propertytaxesaredeterminedbythespendingneedsandrequestsofmunicipalities,school boards,parkdistrictsandotherlocalgovernmentagencieswhichprovidepublicservicestopropertyowners.TheAssessor’ssoleresponsibilityistoestimatethevalueofrealestateproperty.

InCookCounty,realpropertyisclassifiedaccordingtoitsuse.Theclassificationsystemisusedtodeterminethepercentageofthefaircash valueatwhichtherealpropertyisassessedforpurposesoftaxation. Accordingly,realpropertyisassessedatonlyafractionofitsfaircash value,dependingonitsuseandclassification.

Changesinassessmentforlandandimprovementsarelistedseparately. Thedimensionsofthelandarealsolisted:

A-Acres

B-BackLot

N-IrregularLot

S-SquareFeet

CookCountyusesaPermanentIndexNumber(P.I.N)systemasa meanstoidentifyindividualrealestateparcels.ThePINconsistsofa 14-digitnumber.Thefirsttwodigitsidentifytheareaorsurveytownship; thesecondtwodigitsidentifythesub-areaorsection;thenextthreedigitsidentifyblocks.

Note:

Blocksaredefinedasfollows:

Blocks100to199arelocatedintheN.W.Quarter

Blocks200to299arelocatedintheN.E.Quarter

Blocks300to399arelocatedintheS.W.Quarter

Blocks400to499arelocatedintheS.E.Quarter

Thenextthreedigitsintheseriesidentifythespecificparcelorlot.The lastfour,(whereapplicable),identifyindividualcondominiumunits,nonoperatingrailroadparcelsorleasehold’sofexemptparcels.

Wheneverpossible,theassessmentlistwillbelistedbythestreetname andthestreetorhousenumberoftheparcel.However,theCookCounty Assessor’sOfficeofficialrecordsrelyonpermanentPropertyIndexNumbers(P.I.N.)only.Noassessmentofrealpropertyshallbeconsideredinvalidduetoanincorrectlisting.

Ifyouhaveanyquestionsregardingtheassessmentofrealpropertyyou shouldvisittheOfficeoftheAssessorofCookCounty,118N.Clark Street,Room301,Chicago,Illinois60602,orcall(312)443-7550.

FRITz KAEGI ASSESSOR OF COOK COUNTY

TOWNSHIP OF OAK PARK

AUGUSTAST

DANGARVEY&JMCDONALD51622105S30947131747

JOANMJONES11195350S695550828 AUSTINBLVDN

CHRISTOPHERMFLINN1348600S1204052080

KINAMONTGOMERY1388600S782620700 LAWRENCELOGAN2166450S903040970

SARAHLABELLE33816050S23296

LAWRENCEGPASSO34016050S23296

JOHNBRANCEL34216050S23296

MARYTO’GRADY34616050S23296

NANCYCPENNINGTON34616050S23296

MACNEALHOSPITAL50088491S7079283189428

MACNEALHOSPITAL60030482S243856333391

MACNEALHOSPITAL6145413S4330491970

MACNEALHOSPITAL6165404S4323291970

MACNEALHOSPITAL6185392S4313691970

MACNEALHOSPITAL6205384S4307234489

MIKEQUAID7228550S11115180354

ROBERTGIVENSJ10024032S524235758

DENEENFRANKLEY10044221S548733909 USBANKNATIONAL11143780S491434086

SANDERS&RUBYINGRAM15204658S605538897

AUSTINBLVDS

LRENEEHUBBARD183720S520835792 NICOLEPHILLIPS2245000S700037400 OAKPARKRESIDENCECRP4049286S13000416684 KATE&CHRISCOOLEY4245658S118015704 CHOPKINS4245658S118015704 ROBERTEJACKSON4245658S118015704 WALLACEEBEARD11082975S416528380

BELLEFORTEAVE

ALEXANDRASHERMAN6187400S962062304 DANIELLOBRING6275587S726355658 JOSEPHTITA&LAURAFL9197482S1141047432 STEVENWITTENBERG10008300S1265874520 KSTROUPE&CIOBOTARU10168300S1265837581 JOHNKBOBLICK12068350S1273454971 AMRITASEN12078350S1273453266 DAVID&SUSANREISBERG12228350S1273457806 GC&SLCOHEN12308350S1273442806 BERKSHIREST

JOHNN&TALIALBUKERK4445680S866243672 BENNETTCWEAVER4485680S866248758 CARPENTERAVE

STEPHENTNACHE6253600S504041980 TIMOTHYHWRIGHT6346373S892237294 JASONDEANROBERTS7073600S504035085 JENNIFERPARKER8042700S378031220

CHICAGOAVE

TOXMONITORLABS314132S3305640613 TOXMONITORLABS334132S3305640613 BROWNMANORLLC2486000S4800060375 BROWNCHICAGOINC2563000S2400044578 BROWNCHICAGOINC2643360S2688050268 ALEXANDER&RICHARDSON8117380S1033243579 EDWARDHARRISON8454392S614950086 KARIAMARX10186372S828444643

CHICAGOAVEW

JOSEPHBEATTY20125673S66013964 ANDREWDIGNAN20525673S66214007 DRJOHNGCRAWFORD4007215S577205363 CLARENCEAVE

CHRISTINALORANZ5253750S525035079 DANIELLIPPE5354687S656231766 P&SNOWICKI6084725S661538996

ROBERTJCARPENTER6243780S529232216 MATTHEWBRICHARDSON6293780S529233709 LISAOLMSTEAD92533475S74111614 LYTLEBRIGETTEJ92533475S74111614 CLAREBROOKS92533475S74111614 JEFFREYTCHANEY92733475S74111614

CYANNETTEEARL92733475S74111614 ISLAMMFARAG92733475S74111614

CHASPASTOOR10014158S582131048 JOHNWCHENEY10023150S441018810 LEERFRITZ10103150S441037293 ANDREWBROHR&SHEELA10274725S661554734 JOANNIETWEI10283150S441031937 KEVINLOUGACHI11154725S661529866 AUDEBIARD11383780S529237828 MARYZAUSTIN11404032S564527627

CLINTONAVE

MARYROSEIRONS12010200S1530032439 ELIZABETHMFRIEDMANA2408050S1207577925 ANDREAMKOVACHTRUSTE4218050S1207558909 RONALDGRIMAUD5045550S777035190 MIMIVDLEDEN5165625S787540675 CLIFFORDDBRADY72511250S1575054485 K&PKLETTE9324110S575442820 PAUL&SHAWNAGEORGE10266165S863157525 ROYMSCHUSTER11225137S719273845 HARRISONBOLTON11856850S959035410 COLUMBIANAVE

JEANJACQUESWILFRID9416200S945569429 SCAREY&CBEATLEY12246200S945561545 CUYLERAVEN

131-133NCUYLERLLC13110421S14589159259 CHARLESCVOS1744566S639237697 JOSEPHPSHIELDS3036669S933761379 GRAHAM&CASANDRAMILL3076669S933749920 DONALDHCOGAN3286840S957658424 LARRYASHELBY3326840S957641251 FREDJACKSONIII4107695S1000448702 GARY&CCERNIGLIA4198550S1111528299 ROBERTTAYLOR5296840S889220811 DALERPAES5328550S1111563716 BETHMESSINA5418550S1111528612 MICHAELTKENNEY5466292S818038360 WILLIAMJMCCRACKEN6257240S941236224 PREMAMANADAN7075814S755849358 STEVENNANCYJENSEN8266300S819037700 SHAILUSHIRITCHIE8474284S556934276

CUYLERAVES

CRAIGLNELSON2025762S806732530 MAIAROSASALAZAR2196020S571930027 JOHNVRINER3078600S1204043389 JOHNVRINER3118600S120400 JKORPRICS&CBURNS3228600S1204057960 MICARACINE&JANEJEF7293150S441038804 RICHARDRODRIGUEZ&KE7433150S441035390 LAWRENCEMKARL8253780S529236864 PAULALAMBERT8314536S635056150 DAVIDEHASCHEMEYER10423780S529223341 RICHARDJOHNSON11244669S653722000 ROBERTDREINHARD11283150S441026590 AMYTORRES11696300S882028588

DIVISIONST

KATHERINERFACKLIS10195644S733733663 EASTAVEN

JEFFREYAWEISSGLASS&3047875S1102583747 M&ECARDWELL3159130S1278267218 JERIKSSON&NDEVROYE40317500S2450098500 MARKPDONOVAN5348600S817057689 WILSONLEE6068170S1143871120 NICOLLGARRYGARCIA6228600S1204054076 LISAANDREOLI6248550S1197067030 BRIAN&TAMARASHER73611100S1554051245 CONALDUFFY8068900S1157062230 815NEASTAVELLC8156200S697534025 MATTHEW&RACHELTESCH8396696S870568428 WILLIAMKEEFE102868-584212460S1619842489 BRUCE&CAROLHUCK10087355S1121662893 LEEANDNANCYLEIBIG11017606S11599107401 CHRISGLANCY11067850S1197146251 J&MDEWOLFE11417606S1159964394 FENSKE&DEBRUIN12287800S1189561684

EASTAVES

JOHNMADEJA2018600S1204056408 MICHELLEHOHOL24312250S142419907 PAULOFAMILARA4319187S321614787 CHARLENEFGAGE4319187S321614787 MARYRITAEARLE4339187S321614787 DIANADISTEFANO4339187S321614787 ROBERTAPALMER5243937S551227378 JEREMYJOSEPHUNGRUND6144199S587934802 LITJENTANLARAPULLEN7456250S875058837 CHRISTOPHERWOJCIK10154284S599838019 HUBER&JOLIE10214725S661560745 LILIANA&ROBERTOROME10423150S441031365 RONALDAMCEACHEN11126300S882055080 DAVIDJSMITH11224725S661530675

JOANCJOHNSONTRUST11234725S661526215

DBROWNMBROWN11313150S441053177 Z&SGILES11803150S441038033

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EDMERAVE

SREEMANTHPAGADALA11225440S829638064

DAVIDKENNETHHARTSFIE12235440S829639164

MICHAELMUSSER12275440S829644369

ELIZABETHCT

CRAIGWILLIAMS49310S1303472225

ELMWOODAVEN

STEVEN&LBERGGREN1548600S1118059820

RALLENBERGGREN1558600S1118067570

JOHNPNANMMORRIS2208600S1118053240

SANDRADAWSON2248600S967537381

VIKRIMPURI2298600S1118072310

E&ASTENSTROM4148600S1118052177

JOHNKRENZER43511180S1453456549

C&TMELCHER5478600S1118078714

SARAHHEZEL7189050S1176562527

P&WBELANCE8038550S1111549885

JOHNMBARKLEY8348550S1111540194

CHASTAIN&VELASCO8398550S1111558148

PATRICKTCLIFF8468550S1111564721

EFRIENDMAN&JAUSTIN9157891S1203497352

ELIZABETH&JIMDISKIN10096908S1053568465

KENTSMITHDYMAKTRUST11005372S819260496

ODONNELLEDLYNN11126800S1037052810

ANDRE&EUNICEHAWKINS12205440S829644547

ELMWOODAVES

JOHNHAUSER2188750S1225078163 AARONEJOSEPH3138750S799747297

SEANTURNER4258873S123912101

ARSHADZAMANSHAHID4258873S123912101

LUCILLESUGGS4258873S9629395

STEVENRSCHULD4258873S123912101

SUSANCASTELLANOS4258873S192118765

ALVIEEBENDER4258873S123912101

SHAUNCARDOZO4258873S9629395

MICHAELMOORE4258873S123912101

ROSITARODRIGUEZ4258873S123912101

MATTHEWSENATOR5305320S744848860 JUSTINMBROWN5315320S744849767

JUDYSCHNEIDER5325320S744850350

JANICEEFLORY6216650S931063690

MARKSEASLY6256650S931046515

ALEXHARRIS&SGLOVER70111970S1675870577

COLINMATTIACE7085320S744845069

RNAGLE&EDEAMER8205320S744852052

SAME10273175S444530368

RAFFITURIAN11083780S529239287

RORILAINEDELEON11674410S617432134

ATHANASIOSVAGIAS11754410S617428238

ERIEST

DEBORAHWEEKS3193720S520840306

FIRSTAMERICANBANKAS72172030S89414257

LINDSAYTHERESEPROSKE72172030S89414257

KATHLEENJOGUNDIPE72372030S89414257

ROSALINDGSINGLETON72372030S89414257

JANICEPOHL72572030S89414257

NICOLEALLEN72772030S89414257

MARYANNRAY72772030S89414257

DARRENMUSIAL72772030S89414257

LAURAWAGNER72972030S89414257

BRIAN&TANYATAYLOR10166512S911763806

EDWARDCGALLAGHERTRU104032220S105219901

ZLATKO&GORDANADELIC104032220S105219901

WILLIAMSHAPIRO&BERN104032220S105219901

YOLANDADENRIQUEZ104032220S105219901

JOHNJOLIVET11092013S261729344

EUCLIDAVEN

ANOORANI&HMUSABJI10151401S165136186

DONNABAPTISTE10151401S165136186

JOSERDEJESUS10151401S165136186

RENEMEDINA10151401S165136186

JOHN&LAURABILSON10151401S165136186

JULIEMSPANBAUER10151401S165136186 ANDREWBBUSCH12514850S81522221

MELANIELUMB12514850S67018266

RYANEIKMEIER12514850S81522221

ALEXANDERHTRUONG12514850S59916328

MANMEETTANEJA12514850S55415101

MACIEJDARACZ12514850S59916328

ANTONIOFIUMARA2157500S1050074490

MH&JDCOHEN33310321S14449173551

KENNETHRWYLIE52116860S2360476396 RICHARDCURRYJR8006200S806060465

JESSICAMYERS8186200S806045815

ROBERTHOPE9126250S953148690

PHILIPECHANGTRUSTEE9336200S945558287

HENRIETTAMYARDLEY9376200S945547913

MICHAELRGROENENDAAL10176200S945555955

OGDENSTREETMANGER10486491S989970018

J&VLIPIC11256200S945551854

GINA&CARLDAUN11326820S1040157254 KARENANILLO12184712S718649005 EUCLIDAVES

AMYDANAHEY1051253S175442246 THOMASJHEALEY1111176S164642354 GILLETHENRI2295832S816538199 MARTHA&ALLANFLUHARTY3168400S1176040577 CARLLINGENFELTER3288750S853171243 A&CROTHENBAUM6226300S882035448 TODDLEE8163780S529237723 DEBORAHBECKER8194158S582136269 MARKJSHEAHAN10223780S529231208 SMITHEVANS11244725S661535200 Elmwood

ItechaLewis5116656S931864008

FAIROAKSAVE

ANTHONYBANOUT5218600S1204070330 ANGELATENUTA7047431S966073340 ANELZDOMINGUEZ7228550S1111556186 DANASTOTTS10247850S1197171241 LARS&JOYJUHL10257850S1197168597 HINESTYRONEC12217800S1189536126

FORESTAVE

RYANLLC100141815S1843604273203 J&ATIKKANEN21512675S17745123512 ERIC&LAURABERLIN2239750S13650105563 CLEGHORNTREADWAY2279750S13650144350 ALEXANDERHARRIS23832543S3417082437 CAROLINEMMYSS30510834S1516867898 PAULEHAMER3251526S213636986 HONGSLEE5007878S1024148710 MARK&ALLISONIWANSKI5357450S968556832 CUSACK&MONTROY6147450S968570789 DANIELJMALAGOLI6277450S968550573 WILLIAMJDONNELLY70810726S1394449000 JOSHUATHOMASDEAN7207785S1012139989 KEITHFANELLI7279222S1198949461 JOSEPHLAZZARA7319222S1198963011 J&ELANOUE10078300S1265847423

GARFIELDST

NOMADICHOLDINGSLLC416000S8400109900 LBSMANAGEMENTLLC10014281S599339565 ANIMALCARELEAGUE1009EX00 HJMOHR&SONSINC11176400S4536352805 HJMOHR&SONSINC111726176S18553686156 RRVPROPERTIESLLC114044140S353120203138 RRVPROPERTIESLLC11408129S65032234852 RRVPROPERTIESLLC114012026S96208234649

GARFIELDTER

CUMMINGSKARA63133475S74111614 CHILDSBETTE63133475S74111614 WILLIAMJRICHARDS63133475S74111614 ROSEHORNACK63333475S74111614

IVONNESILVA63333475S74111614 SOUKTAKTIH&ELLIS63333475S74111614

DIANEMBURTON64333475S74111614

SUSANEITZ64333475S74111614

GEORGEKASPAR64533475S74111614

PHILIPMAES64533475S74111614

MICHAELWHERSICK64533475S74111614

JAMESMACCHIONE64533475S74111614

GROVEAVEN

WMCSHEEHY20117100S23940331780

THOMASWILLOUGHY3157353S1029473326 PABINJ40310824S1515473846

SETHKAUFMAN4128928S1249985504 R&CAINSWORTH43212312S1723773790 ALANRAPHAEL5257693S1000147596

JOHNFPUTNAM5457850S1020549449

MATTHEWJSOUKUP6456400S832037697 ROBERTKOZLOFF7226357S826459915

ADAMKNIGHT7286357S826473236

WILLIAMMGREENWALD8148150S1059596177 JAMESPTIERNEY8216300S819030430 ELAINEERYZA8306112S794651054

MICHAELJRILEY9008283S1263242030

MARKTOTH9317900S1204853901 JOHNFRENCH10148150S1242955766

JASONPPETROS10397950S1212458416

MICHAELLUCCHESI12178050S1227643494

GROVEAVES

ROBERTVOGT1238460S1269059881 DOUGLASWMACMILLAN2395640S846054728

SCHWARTZ&KATZ3037050S1057557928

ROBERTLDANSTROM3097050S1057554668

THOMASHALFPENNY3327050S1057554614

LYNNHALFPENNY40121150S114114758

CHRISTINEBLANCHARD40121150S105813684 MICHAELJAWE&CYNTHI5173663S512842174 VESMABALTMANIS6086250S875042531

LJUBOMIRPERKOVIC6126250S875035033

MR/MRSROBERTLGRANDT7424250S595038050 NICHOLASTCIRA11534110S431636292 GUNDERSONAVE

DHAIGH5305320S744842530 TWTAYLOR&EVENSON5413150S441029731 ROBERTDUSTERBERG6114199S587939668 D&KTANNER6236300S882052576 ERIN&ROBERTHART6336804S952640141 DTFLYNN7045320S744848847 HELENJENSEN8236300S882056179 MATTHEWEADE8285320S744843642 MICHAELTNEVINS10163175S444531861 JDUIGNAN&GSUSINKA10194158S582126665 RHONDALDITZEL10284762S666735974 JOANASLANINA10336300S882029046 COURTNEYMCCORMICK11274725S661550642 PEARLINEEWILLIAMS11544410S617436340

HARLEMAVEN

HARLEMREALESTATELLC6114830S38640648452 HARLEMREALESTATELLC6157300S58400648452 HARLEMREALESTATELLC62525009S2000721942834 “1025HARLEM,LLC“10256101S793154069

CTLTCUSB737511117873S11 CTLTCUSB737511117873S11 CTLTCUSB737511117873S11 CTLTCUSB737511117873S11 CTLTCUSB737511117873S11 CTLTCUSB737511117873S11 CTLTCUSB737511117873S11 CTLTCUSB737511117873S11 SOT2LLC11117873S11 CTLTCUSB737511117873S11 CTLTCUSB737511117873S11 CTLTCUSB737511117873S11 CTLTCUSB737511117873S11

TAXPAYEROF11157873S11 LEVYYPALACIO11157873S11 TAXPAYEROF11157873S11 TAXPAYEROF11157873S11 TAXPAYEROF11157873S11 NORTHSHOREHOLDINGSL13017327S13148761 TRACEYBRUNO13017327S13148761 MARYRPETERSON132912900S189911809 MELVINPRYOR133112900S189911809 CHRISTINAPRUITT13419177S14988936 HARLEMASSOCIATES151548552S388416959359

HARRISONST

LANDTRUST32091413125S437522444 LAELIALLC11103465S485141090 ARODRIGUEZ112610681S4947758 LUCILLEDOTTS112610681S4947758 SETANTALLC112610681S4947758

HARVARDST

ERINCONDITBERGREN8445185S145214307 ANGELABARNES8445185S9339197 ANGELABARNES8445185S69681 ERINCONDITBERGREN8445185S69681 HARVEYAVEN

ANORD1255037S705230816 DOUGLASFREERKSEN4185643S733654664 MICHAELSWAINE4198550S1111543595 MICHAELPERSOON5178550S1111539157 OSCARMEDINA5408550S1111530879 SCOTTRBERG5416498S844743093 742NHARVEYLLC7425832S758221744 KIMBERLYKMEYER8244725S614339600 CHERYLLBENSON8334725S614335364 TEMPLEVIEWCAPITALFU8394725S614341209 AMYRUNELL9004646S604032443 BRYNAPOULTON12264624S601137595

HARVEYAVES

GMERCHENTMELCHER2018600S1204049477 BENJAMINPREYSS2098600S1204058183 WENDYNAABORTELEYBOR3328600S1204068420 SHAWNMHOGAN40527008S13 MARIBELNASH40527008S14 MADANIELS40527008S14 JULIELGLOBOKAR40527008S13 K&MDARACZ40527008S14 KATHERINEREED40527008S13 ELIZABETHFRANKEN4148600S1204035238

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LUCASKAMMFAMILYTRUS5363125S437549200

DARINBUCZKOWSKI6043125S437538579

RUTHMBRAUN6351562S21877785

DANIELBEVANS6395000S700043700

JIMMIELWILLIAMS6434250S595036050

MGERACI&JPRE7284062S568735412

JOHNBNOTEMAN7414687S656236095

SAMUELBOPTHOLT8243125S437544114

JAIME&SARAHTORRES8406250S625048062

TERRYBREWER10223600S504028145

JOANNE&RCORWIN10263600S504026717

WARD&ALLYSONPORTER10423600S504023304

MSUGIMOTO&ESMITH10443600S504021791

SMISSEY11113150S441025270

HORTENCIACASTRO11803025S423525545

PETERBATJESJR11843025S423528565

HAYESAVE

HOAG&SIMMONS7144725S614332234

IRAHARTH7304158S540534073 MYRAJOHNSON8276300S819027349 JOSEGLOPEZ8436182S803772927

FRANKLINSORDILLA10244125S536333343

SARAHSHALLWANI11104795S623431461

ANNABERNADSKA11184795S623437167

MCBROOMERIK12224658S605521048

HIGHLANDAVES

CHICAGOTITLETR5413150S441027545 FORDINTERNATIONALINV6163750S525037825 PAULHAMER6346250S875041177

MARIUMHBAKER7303750S525034662

DIRKDELOR8203750S525031991 DANIELPBECKER11054725S661522966

CAROLYNRFERRARO11323150S441040990

HOLLEYCT

APURCELLU202110318315S50111963

ALENACICHY110318315S50111963

HOMEAVE

WILLIAMFMOORE20010600S136020141

CHRISTOPHERMOLINA20010600S136020141

MAUREENCONNOLLY20010600S136020141

THOMASJBAGGIO2528450S456353485

WAYNEHFRANKLIN3086400S960070257

H&MSCHULLER3308000S1200062000

STEPHENABARYII4088000S1200068000

JOHNBBOKUMJR6296250S875043864

THOMASLSCHEMPER7017500S1050044566

RYANMIDDLEBROOK&CHA7194687S656238987

L&DGEORGE8016250S875034250

C&MFREER9215625S787539172

JONATHANWILL10224566S639230397

J&GPINKERTON10306848S958748347

JEFFREYEFISHER10315625S787553328

JASONCASTILLO11045480S767241328

S&AROBERTSON11057500S1050046500

STEVENWHISHFRISBIE11115625S787541634

MARKAMUREN11516068S849563213

JOHNGROGAN11604566S639232334

DWAYNEMOSER11746850S959037910

HUMPHREYAVEN

MACNEALHOSPITAL526515S521202077

GCAPRIO&RCURRY1478550S1197045265

KDGROUPENTERPRISES1588550S1197035030

MACNEALHOSPITAL2007271S58168475595

MACNEALHOSPITAL2018885S71080238

MACNEALHOSPITAL2057739S619122318

MACNEALHOSPITAL2067641S61128594493

MACNEALHOSPITAL2076769S5415261023

MACNEALHOSPITAL2075288S4230415256

MACNEALHOSPITAL2107645S61160386421

MACNEALHOSPITAL2117827S62616190696

MACNEALHOSPITAL2127641S61128178348

MACNEALHOSPITAL2131318S1054415256

MACNEALHOSPITAL2147641S61128594493

MACNEALHOSPITAL2156980S55840114418

MACNEALHOSPITAL2167641S61128594493

MACNEALHOSPITAL2173618S2894461023

MACNEALHOSPITAL2196988S55904190696

MACNEALHOSPITAL2217231S57848114418

MACNEALHOSPITAL2235072S405761069

MACNEALHOSPITAL2275405S432401188

MACNEALHOSPITAL2295691S455281262

MACNEALHOSPITAL23214741S1179281182

MACNEALHOSPITAL23311690S935202866

MACNEALHOSPITAL30115397S1231763710

MACNEALHOSPITAL3038560S684802142

MACNEALHOSPITAL30526127S209016172444

MACNEALHOSPITAL3066423S5138411539

MACNEALHOSPITAL3078609S688722132

MACNEALHOSPITAL30810962S87696114963

MACNEALHOSPITAL3118650S692002132

MACNEALHOSPITAL31510177S814162640

MACNEALHOSPITAL31618885S151080206932

MACNEALHOSPITAL3176423S513842261

MACNEALHOSPITAL3216423S51384513 CHRISTOPHERWYATT3225985S837933461 ALTUSGROUPUSINC4215130S666918831 GREENPLAN423HUMPHREY4234275S555847669 JUANETTEAPPLETONIVY5114300S8638270 CJ&MWFENSKE5114300S8638270 ADRIANANTAL5114300S8638270 JOSEPHMADER5285643S733631240 JORGEALBERTOALMARIO5368550S1111540632 WILLIAMHVOSS5378550S1111531930 TAUGINASCASIMIR6145430S705936941 MARLENEMDEMES7405670S737123499 VICKEFLOYD10194158S540533595 TORRENCEKHAMMOND10376125S796334727 JOHN&VANESSATHOMAS12244658S605527393 KEVINGWADE12284658S605533432

HUMPHREYAVES

RAYMUNDONAJERA22810939S1531543104 TFURROW&AHAWKINS3006821S954945911 ROBERTJOHARA3037396S1035443786 WILLIAMCOATSRFSB3158600S1204048845 RICK&KELLYPOLLOCK3357709S1079350329 1016ALLC4078628S71213242 BARIKAGRANT&AKRIZA4216192S866935904 ALTUSGROUPUSINC6304687S656232490 BRADLEYANTONACCI8256300S882029192 JOSHUAMRIDENOUR11424199S587933121 JOIDWASHINGTON11456300S882039011

IOWAST

BONITABROBINSON2545015S652040881 ALANHPERES44410661S1492562681 RICHARDHSANDER60516463S23048127952

JACKSONBLVD

JAGJITJAIN5256300S882045180

KENILWORTHAVEN

HEATHERLMOORE1044590S596741033 DONALDEJURKOWSKI1092075S269841716

BARBARAJMCLACHLAN15129804S55916996 ROBERTSHALE20339741S154024915 RICHARDTBRANNEGAN22178081S162632206 EDWARD&LINDASOLAN22178081S162632206 KATHLEENMINAGHAN2417500S1050032187 CHICAGOTITLELANDTRU41743692S61169118831 JUDYSEALS42313562S1898765474 EDWARDFKUK5405850S760543395 HERTEL5458400S1092033449 LAURIECASEY6459105S933235011 CHARLES&SMOELTER7158640S1123241642 BPHELAN&JFLANAGAN7168684S1128956729 EARLBGRINBARG7424175S542816292 EKAWAI&AARCIUCH8268400S1092045286 EOWEN8348400S1092048461 IYFFMQICTRUST9267900S1204872148 JOHNJVANAALST&ANA10047900S1204843768 TANNENWALD&BERNSTEIN10107950S1212464049 CANDACEBUTERA10227950S1212457876 REBECCASWANSON11017657S1167756462 ROCCOPETROSINO11317400S1128559063

KENILWORTHAVES

JOHNFSHEEHAN2378050S1207554877 MICHAELMARSHALL4098050S1207554600 JOHNROGALSKI42014100S9888374 ELHASSANEBENTEFOUR42014100S9888374 JOHN&GABRIELLEVARGO8087500S1050049553 KEVINSCHULTZTRUSTEE8475625S787540053 KEVIN&MODONNELL9214110S575432665 THOMASBRADLEYKEEFNER9314795S671343366

ACASTELLANOS10465185S172817033 HILDAKITNERS11676850S959030891

KENILWORTHSTS

MSPILLMAN10465185S172817033 ANDREWRBRUAH10465185S9339197 ACASTELLANOS10465185S69681 ACASTELLANOS10465185S69681 MEGANSPILLMANWALSH10465185S69681

MEGANSPILLMANWALSH10465185S69681 ANDREWRBRUAH10465185S69681

LAKEST

GPLAKELLC1812605S9100825 GREENPLANPROPXVII3817435S24409496791 THERAQUETCLUBOPRF30127645S22116098146 USBANKFACILITYMGMT83319720S631041129083 USBANKFACILITYMGMT83517850S571201129083 ICONCLARKLLC85515730S20449776049 ICONCLARK85712300S1599020

ICONCLARK861850S110588

CALVARYMEMCHURCHOAK920EX00

CALVARYMEMCHURCHOAK925EX00

RPFOX&ASSOCINC102314434185053 JAMESSIDERISTRUST10348925S11603155895 SHAKER&ASSOCIATES110017147S1371761213562 SHAKER&ASSOCIATES110017147S1371761213562 KEKLLC111234748S400052750 1120RETALFORSITE112034748S17461278913 WATERTOWERRLTYMGMNT11449650S77200845122 TAXPAYEROF115010036S80288868391

LAKETER

DONALDCOOK136783S101831982

LEMOYNEPKY

ROSEMARIEWOODSON15000S650047662 KETULPATEL25000S11527176

LENOXST

JOSEPHFASONE4185922S903137495 STEVENSPACCARELLITRU4277050S1075142290 TRACYAGURDIAN4387100S1082857853

LINDENAVE

GPALESE&TCZARNIK17524885S62830 RD&LINDAMGLENNIE17524885S62830 MARYANNCUNNINGHAM17524885S62830 JALLREAD&PFREESE17524885S62830 GABRIELLEHGIERTZ17524885S62830 MARTINAMUNSTERS17524885S62830 FRANKJOHNBECKER17524885S62830 ALEJANDRAVITI17524885S62830 DOUG&JULIESPRINGER30014264S1997086459 TINA&JAMIEJUSTICE3249960S1394473633 LAURA&DANSULLIVAN7236650S931085980 KATHARINEALIPPINCOTT9096250S953144553 JOHNCLEROUX9186200S945544025 NSAMARAWEERA&KMCNU10456200S945564545 M&EMONTGOMERY11085580S851048820 DONALDBJONES11206200S945551827 INGERSOLL12234712S718652394 LOMBARD

LESLIETTHOMAS11776227S871832382 LOMBARDAVEN

LYOUNG&MIVERSEN1446412S897740518 BLAKE&MNOVOTNY1548550S1197078193 ANNABIANCHIDECLARATI1788550S1197044227 WILLIAMHTAYLORJR1798550S1197064969 GIL&DIANASEEBER2006669S933739432 JAMESSIECK2046840S957649792 TRUSTEEFORTHEJUREWI2278550S1197076140 JOHNDDOTTS3127695S1077337227 BRUCEJVANHEUKELEM4208550S1111551551 ALISONDAWE44125673S63313392 MARYPMCCARTHY44125673S63713477 SONYARESCHLY44325673S63313392 ANITAWSCHAAB44325673S63713477 ALBERTOABELBELLIDO44525673S63313392 VALENZUELASILVANA44525673S63713477 JCZAJKA&JAYRANZ9454646S60409875 CHARLENESJONESFOSTE10114125S536326491 JOHNWELLEN10444125S536323161 JEROMEAMOCH11004081S530529518 CHRISTOPHERJACKSON12164658S605529530 LOMBARDAVES

BRIANHOLLOWAYSR1255160S72240

GINA&BILLKRIEDLER2207052S987345041 WAYNEEPOPELKA3286880S963243368 SANDRAANNCECIL41517200S130512135

AMMARABUAMMRA41517200S130512135 SANDRAROGERS41517200S130512135 AARONSTIGGER41517200S130512135

ROSCOECOLEMAN43318652S13079415 ILSTATEPOLICE621EX00

ZHILI&QISHENG7203100S434027324 LARRYMSPIVACK7334375S612528184 JOSETRUJILLO8174166S583245760 THEBOCHNERS8304650S651030626 ANTHONGHOUGH9153827S535833095 BERGROSSLLC2019166150S861056390 MARYGARRETT11003089S432531618 THOMASAZAPLER11264099S573931109 AJANISZEWSKI11714687S656240082

LYMANAVES

TIMPOMAVILLE5004104S5746126516

TIMPOMAVILLE5044588S6423126516

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TIMPOMAVILLE5064588S642348196

TIMPOMAVILLE5084588S6423687

RUBYLACEY5124588S642334056

ERIC&JEANETTEHILL7094514S632036916

SARAHJTAYLOR7114514S632039339

JOSEPHEKAPLAN7144410S617431020

GREGORYKANE7174514S632039213

AJTROINELLO11013175S444525308

MADISONST

BENNIEFERNANDEZ1083125S2500042290

OAKPARKRESOCORP1327175S10045192581

SUNTOKKIM2384100S3280088028

HARRYSPANNUTH2686300S5040050724

300MADISONINVESTORS3008757S12260258623

300MADISONINVESTORS3083125S437542942

KYUNSESEOK4007011S56088112551

KYUNSESEOK4062644S211523525

STEPHENJMUDJER4359544583148

STEPHENJMUDJER43511743S164401082989

ALBERTSONS43849692S397536337901

VIVIANMPAREJA50613911S6518995

BRYANBOLDEN51213911S6518995

SETANTALLC51213911S6518995

1016ALLC6094500S3600062819

AHOAKPARKADELAWARE71137380S523321540991

AHOAKPARKLLC7257334S10268171221

JAMES&NETSACOSMOS11163150S472535194

TIMOTHYJARADO11473500S490021050

MAPLEAVEN

DSIMONKEANE3184700S81519018

NORAPYNE3184700S95022171 A&CMAY4164121S535736960

MAPLEAVES

RPFOX1178840S7072010454

RPFOX1268840S70720147277

RPFOX1309350S74800134331

SYLVIABARJONA20133950S68810232

VERONICAARMENTA20133950S68810232

CAROLYNMATTOX41515300S120410450

MARKCROSENFELDER41515300S125210867 VENKATANBULUSU41515300S125210867

WILLIEBROWN41515300S125210867 DEIONCHENG41515300S125210867

MARYJPRITZA10145100S714045243

SEANMURPHY11088500S1190043252

JUANMIBANEZ11244250S595033109

THOMASJHEPPERLE11308500S1190030281

NEGOSKITRUST11544250S595031550

MAPLETONAVE

JEANMAGEE10004375S568824412

MARK&AMYKAUFMAN10104375S568825341

JGERSHENSON10314125S536346638

STEPHENCOUGHLIN10484125S536323913

MARIONAVES

RPFOX&ASSOCINC1178840S7072012198

CARLETONHOTEL1238500S68000560666

RPFOX13918297S1463761135393

MARIONSTN

LAVERNECOLLINS10185207715

PAUL&PERLITATAYLOR1053757S3005681131

K&A&AHUMAYUN1256404S51232270734

KATHLEENMINAGHAN16518315S322248561

Y&GBONDARTSOV2116118S4307724

TRISTINELAMPHAM2216150S82012616

PAMELADLONGSTREET2216150S82012616

FRANCISCOTORRES22230452S107423221

SILPESAVENTO40310944S106621279

GEORGEHERRERA40310944S106621279

THOMASPSUNDLING6087500S975064033

RICHARDLEEBREY6334687S609339641

RICHARDBARKER7013333S433333074

ANASTASIAVALENTINE7427739S100610

BRIANLINDGREN9477629S1163439175

RYANESMITH10048050S1227652616

ROSEIRMIS10409275S1414446949

OSCARRLINARES10438350S1273485168

CHRISTOPHERCHEYER10449275S1414456337

BRIANDSTRAW11238450S1288689245

MARIONSTS

RPFOX&ASSOC2198840S7072014033

RPFOXASSOC2205412S432967635

244MARIONOPLLC2448250S12375140076 ANDRELHOLMES24816500S104611041

MILLERAVE

DONALDLAMKEN11394175S542831560

NORTH

GOLDMANINVEST922NB29442S38275957525 NORTHAVE

USBANKTAXDEPT601136156S289248156818 6129INC612917408S13926491958 DYANNAHUGHES614712500S100000110093 DDIHOLDINGSLLC620136001S28800896929 CRAIGVOLPE65413125S250005825 CRAIGVOLPE65433125S250005825 OKLOIKAYALLC66413125S6852729 OKLOIKAYALLC66433125S6022396 WOODBINENURSING690931250S2500001255625 RUN36COUNTERINC70012556832858 ANELZDOMINGUEZ70113125S2500028671

SHANTIWELCOMELLC70353125S2500040238

SHANTIWELCOMELLC70353125S2500040238

SHANTIGLOBALINC70353125S2500035595

SHANTIGLOBALINC70353192S2553638690

EDWARDSREALTYCO710135768S286144244697

NORTHAVEW

EDWARDSREALTYCO710120304S162432496809 NORTHBLVD

GOLDMANINVEST930NB93026728S34746778305 ROBERTPAGAN93814640S80513460 BRIANOSBORN93814640S80513460

ZORAIDARODRIGUEZ93814640S80513460 GLA1000NORTHLLC100614399S18719811145

OAKPARKAVEN

JAMESBUSHOUSE13619250S250251005575 GEOFFREYHPRUDENCE&15629725S189453314 MARVINRCOHEN15629725S135338082 NORATRICCO22872030S89414257 BARRYJUNG22872030S89414257 SUSANTRAEGER22872030S89414257 KRISTENSHORT22872030S89414257 COLINBOGAN22872030S89414257 VANESSAVALDEZ22872030S89414257 BRIANTRODGERS30417220S130524540 ALANSEGAL30417220S130524540 JULIEBLEASDALE30417220S130524540 RAPHAELDAVIS30810250S1435076326 EHEMINGWAYFOUNDATION339EX00 TIMOTHYJSERGES4304000S560053439 ANNLSTRAW51610750S1505094601 THOMAS&HEDIBABBO52414190S1986691591 JEFFRYCSCHEUERMAN52912825S17955112045 NICHOLAS&JOANNASENT6158550S1111546695 MANNAMPALLILRAJAN7036400S832031191 CRAIGVOLPE8006300S819049404 DANBERNARDMATUSZEWSK8166300S819066810 RFIELDING8198150S1059572765 VJ&JMGUARINO10045612S855836368 NOAMDAVIDOFF10406200S945543142 ERIKACMANNINGTRUSTE11065580S851033951

OAKPARKAVES

GREENPLANSOAKLLC17116250210768 JAAFARHUSSEIN20924673S37010441191 “LENZEY,JOHNL”2174699S704938952 ROB&SHARALYNNEHERTE22418400S123721461 MAUREENDRAKES22418400S123721461 KRYSTYNATROCZSYNSKA22418400S123721461 IRENELONGUA22418400S123721461 GRACESCANLANREVOCABL22418400S123721461 MARYPHALEY22418400S123721461 HUALIU22418400S123721461 PATRICIACHERRY22418400S123721461 MR&MRSJOHNSLATEN22418400S123721461 KEITHNAIDITCH24012935S101113356 MAKGULIAN3064829S676146450 LINDALLITTLE3266639S929543129 ANTHONYJABBORENO5126300S882040635 MICHAELBARON5206300S882039121 ELMANDOAKLLC8106300S882056180 LBSMANAGEMENTLLC8136250S875069748 DRCOLATHURPALANI82312500S24848178594 LBSMANAGEMENTLLC8315875S4700078634 TRAXREALTYLTD90014650S39606117311 LBSMANAGEMENTLLC9013434S480855795 GADGROUPTECHNOLOGY91710316S1031656741 ANTONIOMCFADDEN92910350S12089622 FORESTKJOHNSON92910350S12089622 SAMANTHAGMADDELA92910350S12089622 ANJAMRAJSARIKONDA92910350S12089622 SDESHABATHINI92910350S12089622 SA&ASMADDELA92910350S12089622 SURESHKUMARMADDELA92910350S12089622 FIRSTSTARTR753592910350S12089622 SANJEEVVIDYARTHI11216868S346220892

ONTARIOST

PRAKASH&ALICEDESAI72141000S134932040

EUGENE&PATSCHUERING93811815S147214028 MARGARETMSTAFFORD103326551S115520485 REZA&FAGHIH103326551S115520485 LATOYAFABREMILLER103326551S115520485 ROBERTORAMIREZ11149200S174219254 DAVID&STEPHSCHROOT113018400S129715097 MARITZAMORENO113018400S129715097 JUSTINEASUTPHEN113018400S129715097

PLEASANTST

TONYGARCIA4248750S1225068753 QMRPARTNERS93265088S976321272578 LAWNDALETR600510185002S750342422 203SOUTHMARIONCORP11058500S27200848094 203SOUTHMARIONCORP11058500S27200848094 203SOUTHMARIONCORP11058500S27200848094 203SOUTHMARIONCORP11058500S27200848094 RANDOLPHST

TERRYVANDERNELL9164000S600042590 MARGARETMCARLSONLAN102535600S129916729 JAMESROCONNELL10343406S510942391 RIDGELANDAVEN

BARONGERINVESTEMENT1368624S6899240883 DANDJSITTERLY1598600S1118045820 CHRISTOPHERWCLARDYT1668550S1197068210 JOHNHWANK1786412S897765226 J&MCOHEN2138600S1118061113 TRUSTEEFORTHEDUFFY2168550S1197042720 GARYRODRIGUEZ&DORY2338600S11180129820 BRUCEMKREBS4068793S1143149000 DRJOHNGCRAWFORD5058600S688007280 DRJOHNGCRAWFORD5091720S137602110 CATHERINESWEITZER5288550S1111534270 EMILYJUNEWHITNEY7456878S894140866 JUSTINHOLMES8423360S436831951 TKOCHMANJMAVRELIS8456000S780045200 RIDGELANDAVES

ERNESTINAPAGON10633124S983104 SCORNELL10633124S983104 VICKIANDERSON10633124S983104 SEUNGWONAN&SOOYOUN10633124S983104 AMYKOHLER10633124S983104 ROSEMARYBOLAS10633124S983104 DIANETAYLOR10633124S983104 MICHAELLI10633124S983104 MARIACECIALIADAHN10633124S983104 STEPHANIECONLEY10633124S983104 LORISADOWSKI10633124S983104 DONALDXNEKROSIUS19910633124S983104 DANIELLRICHARDS10633124S983104 PRESTONFAIRCHILDJR10633124S983104 MARVINPOPE10633124S983104 MARYABARTOLUCCI10633124S983104 CHARLESMCDONALD10633124S983104 MARIALIMONCIELLO10633124S983104

DEYGERJNAVARRETEALV10633124S983104

TRIBBIA&LINDAWATI10633124S983104 MARVAESIMMONS10633124S983104 PATRICIAMFRAUSTO10633124S983104

PATRICIAMFRAUSTO10633124S983104

JAMESSTRAIT10633124S983104

IKRYUNGPARKP2510633124S983104

WILLIAMMULLER10633124S983104

JESSICAWINSKI10633124S983104

JESSICAWINSKI10633124S983104

MANEETANGSRITRAKUL10633124S983104

WENDYSSTRODE10633124S983104

WILLIAMMULLER10633124S983104

MONTY&PATGREGOR10633124S983104

WENDYSSTRODE10633124S983104

MARYABARTOLUCCI10633124S983104

ALISONWAGNER10633124S983104

MARIACECILIADAHN10633124S983104

VICKIANDERSON10633124S983104

SANDRACURTIS10633124S983104

TBLACKWELLSKOLIAN10633124S983104

RICHARDBOYKIN10633124S983104

STEVEJINMAN10633124S983104

MICHAELNITTI10633124S983104

JONATHANBAUMGARTEN10633124S983104

JONATHANBAUMGARTEN10633124S983104

LYNNEVDESLAURIERS10633124S983104

PETERGLISUZZO&CARA10633124S983104

MFERREIRA&GSPINA10633124S983104

MICHAELANIKOKULHANEK10633124S983104

OAKPARKCENTERINC10633124S983104

MICHAELLI10633124S983104

ALEXANDREKHANILOV10633124S983104

SKBRIDGELANDLLC10633124S983104

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SKBRIDGELANDLLC10633124S983104

NICOLASJIMENEZ10633124S983104

JEANJOHNSON10633124S983104

PAULNOWAK10633124S983104

CHETHANHENRYNIMMYTH10633124S983104

MAWAD10633124S983104

MICHAELFWELSH10633124S983104

MONTY&PATGREGOR10633124S983104

LORISADOWSKI10633124S983104

JIUNGUANGLIN10633124S983104

MICHAELANIKOKULHANEK10633124S983104

LAURAYCAMPOS10633124S983104

ANAHITAKANGA10633124S983104

RICHARDBOYKIN10633124S65720902

JACOBARLINGTONNUETZE1168600S1204045628

JAMES&STACYPFLUECKE11710263S1436858470

CHAMPANERI&MORIARTA1268600S1204066403

JENNIFERAHAJDUK2287740S1083651740

KRISTENJHALVORSEN32217200S191818244

MELISABYRD32417200S191818244

RALPHGERBIE3286450S903042451

INGOFSCHAEFER3326450S903042451

LAURENSALINY4178709S281718105

MICHAELOLEAVY4366350S17652126873

NICHOLASSTONE6115040S705636137

WILLIAM&DEBRAOZANIC6214939S691532774

JOHNPFORBES7143150S441030590 JASON&LINDSAYJOHNSO11653780S529225796

ROOSEVELTRD

ASSOCIATEDTIRE&BATT620012722S1781131189

ASSOCIATEDTIRE&BATT62086250S5000047946

ASSOCIATEDTIRE&BATT62106250S5000040023

ASSOCIATEDBLDGPRTNSP62143125S2500022760

ASSOCIATEDTIRE&BATT62163125S437543315

COOKCOUNTYLANDBANKAUTHORITY6336EX00 WENMIAOLLC66008487S1188276914

HENRY&WINNIECHAN66326250S4000094645

ROOSEVELTRDW

MJCERMAKLLC612010175S5386754672

ROSSELLAVE

THOMASMGUENTHNER11166800S1037041090

SCOVILLEAVEN

SANJEETRPARMAR16610320S1341668855

STEVEN&DANANASRALLA2168944S1162763635

MARKEKELLY31112040S16856102361

SCOVILLEAVES

ANDREWSCOTHAMMERSCHM1428750S1225041156

KENNETHSPEARLMAN2218750S1225072750

KWALLERJWORLEYHOOD2387000S980066150

JAMESAWHITE3118750S1225068704

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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

CALENDAR NUMBER: 12-24-Z

HEARING DATE: July 10, 2024

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

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

APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on a special use permit application filed by the Applicant, Journey’s Community Center, Inc, pursuant to Article 8 (“Uses”), Section 8.3 (“Use Restrictions”), Table 8-1 (“Use Matrix”) and Article 5 (“Commercial Districts”), Section 5.4 (“RR District Dimensional and Design Standards”), Subsection K (“Uses”), Table 5-12 (“RR District Use Restrictions by Building Type”) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance to offer onsite outpatient psychotherapy services and small group mental health workshops, classified as medical/dental clinic uses, at the property located at 6632 Roosevelt Rd., Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-

18-424-037-0000 (“Subject Property”) in the RR Roosevelt Road Form-Based District.

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

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

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

Published in Wednesday Journal, June 12, 2024

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

VILLAGE OF OAK PARK ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

CALENDAR NUMBER: 11-24-Z

HEARING DATE: July 10, 2024

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

LOCATION OF HEARING: Room 201 (Council Chambers), Oak Park Village Hall, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, Illinois, 60304

APPLICATION: The Zoning Board of Appeals (“ZBA”) will conduct a public hearing on an application filed by the Applicant, Claire and Anuj Gangopadhyaya, seeking variance requests for:

1) An increase in the maximum building coverage to 42%, where the maximum building coverage allowed is 40% of the lot per Section 4.3 (Table 4-1: Residential Districts Dimensional Standards) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance, and 2) An increase in the maximum impervious surface area of the lot to 75%, where the maximum impervious surface area allowed is 65% per Section 4.3 (Table 4-1: Residential Districts Dimensional Standards) of the Oak Park Zoning Ordinance to permit an enclosed porch addition to an individually owned townhome, located at the

premises commonly known as 741 N. Marion Street, Oak Park, Illinois, Property Index Number 16-06-307-049-0000 (“Subject Property”), in the R-5 TwoFamily Zoning District.

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

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

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

Published in Wednesday Journal, June 12, 2024

HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI

Deadline: Monday at 5 p.m.

LEGAL NOTICE

The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed proposals from qualified consultants at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 27, 2024 for the following: Village of Oak Park Drinking Water Reservoir Inspections Project Number: 24-113

Proposal documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oakpark.us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.

Published in Wednesday Journal June 12, 2024

Advertisement of Bidding Request for Bids for the Park District of Oak Park “947 RidgelandRoofing Replacement”.

Owner: Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St, Oak Park, IL 60302

The Park District of Oak Park will accept sealed bids for the “947 Ridgeland – Roofing Replacement” located at 947 S. Ridgeland Ave. Oak Park Il. 60304. The project generally consists of removal of the existing roofing membrane, repairs to sub framing and sheeting and new roofing material. The Park District of Oak Park will receive individual sealed Bids until 10:00 am (Central Daylight time), on Friday, June 28th , 2024 at 218 Madison St., Oak Park, Illinois. The bidding documents and requirements will be available on the Demand Star bidding website as of 5:00 pm on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. A non-mandatory pre-bid walk-thru is scheduled for Friday, June 14th at 10:00 am (Central Daylight time) at 947 S. Ridgeland Ave., Oak Park, IL 60304. Bid bonds will be required by bidding contractors. Copies of the bidding specifications are available on June 12th at 5pm via the Demand Star website at: On the DemandStar website at https://www.demandstar.com/app/ buyers/bids/462626

For additional information, contact (Nelson Acevedo at Nelson.Acevedo@pdop.org or (708) 725 2053) or Chris Lindgren at chris.lindgren@ pdop.org or 708-725-2050) . Only the bids prepared in compliance with the bidding documents will be considered. This project must adhere to the Prevailing Wage Act of 2024. The Park District of Oak Park encourages DBE, minority and women owned business firms to submit bids for this project.

Park District of Oak Park

By: Sandy Lentz, Secretary Park District of Oak Park 218 Madison St. Oak Park, IL 60302

Published in Wednesday Journal June 12, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICE STATE OF ILLINOIS VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD

Notice of Public Hearing Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission June 27, 2024 at 7:00 PM

NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, June 27th, 2024 at 7:00 p.m. in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois for the purpose of considering a request for a final planned development application for a property located at 8845 Burlington Ave, Brookfield, Illinois 60513 (PINs 15-34-433-001-0000; 15-34-433-002-0000; 15-34-433003-0000) by Three Green Vegetables represented by Elizabeth Diaz for a proposed 12-unit, 3-story new construction residential condominium building with enclosed parking.

Legal Description: Lots 17, 18, and 19 in Block 29 in the Subdivision of Blocks 27, 29 to 34 Inclusive, in Grossdale, a Subdivision in Section 34, Township 39 North, Range 12 east of the Third Principal Meridian, in Cook County, Illinois.

The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/ or written comments.

The proposed final planned development application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the public hearing to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Kate Portillo, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513 or at kportillo@brookfieldil.gov. Please reference PZC Case 24-12. Oral or written public testimony may be given during the public hearing.

Individuals with disabilities requiring accommodation to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708) 485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (South) entrance of Village Hall.

By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman.

Published in RBLandmark June 12, 2024

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION MORTGAGE ASSESTS MANAGEMENT, LLC F/K/A REVERSE MORTGAGE SOLUTIONS, INC Plaintiff, -v.-

ANDREW C. CRAWFORD, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA - DEPARTMENT OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT

Defendants 2021 CH 05362 827 N. GROVE AVE OAK PARK, IL 60302 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on March 22, 2024, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on June 24, 2024, 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 827 N. GROVE AVE, OAK PARK, IL 60302 Property Index No. 16-06-305-0200000

The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

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

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

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

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Con-

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

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, examine the court file, CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100, BURR RIDGE, IL, 60527 (630) 794-9876 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. CODILIS & ASSOCIATES, P.C. 15W030 NORTH FRONTAGE ROAD, SUITE 100 BURR RIDGE IL, 60527 630-794-5300

E-Mail: pleadings@il.cslegal.com Attorney File No. 14-20-03979 Attorney ARDC No. 00468002 Attorney Code. 21762 Case Number: 2021 CH 05362 TJSC#: 44-840

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 # 2021 CH 05362 I3244734

GREATERWESTSIDE

Think you’d never qualify to buy a house? Think again

NACA is a solution for people with low credit scores or low but stable income

By DELANEY NELSON Special Projects Reporter

Founded in 1988, the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America provides more than 30% of housing counseling throughout the country. The HUD-certified nonprofit serves homebuyers and homeowners in nearly 30 states, including Illinois. NACA provides mortgages to low-to-moderate income

people looking to buy homes in low-to-moderate income communities. Bank of America has committed $15 billion to NACA’s Best in America Mortgage program, which boasts no down payment, no closing costs, no private mortgage insurance and a below-market fixed rate to eligible individuals.

Amarilis Wise, who directs NACA’s Chicago office, spoke with Austin Weekly News about the work the organization is doing to promote economic justice and make homeownership accessible to historically marginalized groups.

Why is the NACA mortgage program unique?

Wise: Why do we say NACA is the best mortgage in America? NACA is the first housing counseling company in the United States to counsel people to buy a home in the right way. We’re a housing counseling company. The actual lender is the Bank of America — we have an agreement with them until 2026, which says whoever buys a home through NACA, they

See NACA on page B2

Spanish Coalition for Housing to host annual housing expo this month

By DELANEY NELSON and FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ Special Projects Reporters

The Spanish Coalition for Housing will host its 23rd annual “Camino a Su Casa” housing exposition this month to connect prospective homebuyers with the resour need to start their home-buying journey

The organization will host 30 exhibitors, including HUD-approved housing counselors, lenders, real estate attorneys, home inspectors and government officials. To Joseph Lopez, CEO and executive director, the event is an opportunity for community members to start building their home-buying team.

“We’ll have those lender partners who have affordable lending products that are safe and affordable for first-time homebuyers, our realtor partners who understand the mission of not only getting folks in their homes, but ensuring that it’s affordable and sustainable for the long term,” Lopez said. “There’s all mission alignment with our partners in the work that we do. The community values that, to say, ‘Spanish Coalition for Housing is hosting this event. We know that the resources at this event are valuable resources, have been vetted and are within that trust ecosystem.’”

The event, which will be held on the West Side on June 22, will include information sessions about grants for down payment and closing cost assistance. The first 60 attendees will receive free credit checks.

For folks who are not yet ready to start the home buying process, the expo is still a helpful opportunity to learn more about the steps to homeownership, meet counselors who can pr epare them for their journey and connect with credit and financial coaching if needed, Lopez said.

“(It’s an opportunity) to share critical information to community members around the basics of homeownership, and make it accessible and meet the community where they’re at — bringing our lending partners, our realtor partners, our government partners,

and all the programs under one roof,” Lopez said. “It’s bringing all those resources in one location and dedicating the time and resources to connect prospective homebuyers.”

The expo will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Plumber’s Union Hall on West Washington Boulevard. The event is free and open to the public.

Are you a new homeowner? Are you currently going through the home-buying process? We want to hear from you! Contact Delaney Nelson at delaney@austinweeklynews.com.

COURTESY OF SPANISH COALITION FOR HOUSING

COURTESY OF SPANISH COALITION FOR HOUSING

About 400 people attended the 2023 Camino A Su Casa housing expo.

NACA

Continued from page B1

will not be required to pay any down payment. If you want to put down a down payment, that’s fine — but it’s voluntary. The other important stuff is the closing costs: title insurance, appraisal, all those expenses that a buyer must go through when they buy a house, NACA pays for all of that, so they’re saving all that money that sometimes people are not able to even have the capacity to save for to become a homeowner

The regular median or lower-income people, it’s very hard for them to save for a down payment or save for their closing costs. Here, NACA gives you the opportunity to buy a house. We have people that have a credit score (as low as) 500. Why? Because what we evaluate is the behavior. You have to be paying on time at least the last 12 months of your liabilities, right? Some people have hardships in the past. Maybe they lost a job, they have charges they couldn’t pay two, three, four years ago. They do not need to pay it [back]. They just need to explain it. Any medical bills, even if it happened just two months ago — you don’t need to pay, you need to explain it. So those things open the door for much more low- and moderate-income people that normally will be rejected, or be treated with a much higher interest rate at any regular mortgage company or bank. So that’s why NACA is the best mortgage in America. No down payment, no closing costs, no interest in the credit score, no PMI.

Can you talk about NACA’s work in the Chicago area?

Wise: A lot of the members go for multifamily units. Others just want the house, right? We have communication with certain areas where they are building houses — not much in Chicago — but there are new construction houses, right? We do a lot in the suburbs. We also have our own in-house realtors that members can use if they want. They can bring their own realtor, or they can use one of NACA’s. They know the market, they know how to deal with NACA. They negotiate with the seller, know what to ask for, and can help the member with the transaction. The market in Chicago is growing exponentially, especially over the suburbs.

What can NACA members expect?

Wise: My counselors really go through, “did you upload your pay stub? Do you have a bank statement?” They are not just loan officers, they’re counselors. And I’ll tell you: the percentage of foreclosure with NACA loans is 0.00012. So almost nobody that buys a home through NACA goes into foreclosure, and this is because we do it in the right way. What does “the right way” mean? Very simply: You go to the bank. You get approved for $300,000 based on your

income. You go look for a home where you can make the monthly mortgage payment. You need to check with your counselor, what is your budget? How much can you afford, at most, for a house? That amount is the amount we’re going to approve you for. We’ll give you an estimate for what that mortgage amount can buy

We do multifamily, which is awesome in Chicago. They do it a lot. A lot of members have become investors, because they buy a unit where they live, but they rent the other unit, and technically, they pay off the mortgage with the rent that they receive for the other unit, or units. So that’s awesome.

The other mortgage companies don’t have anything close to this. They may say, “NACA takes a lot of time with the process.” That might be true, but it really depends.

What advice would you give prospective buyers?

Wise: The first thing I will say is, have a stable income — whatever it is, a fixed income, a selfemployment income, or a W-2 income, you have to be stable for at least two years of employment history. [It does] not necessarily [have to be] in the

same company, but at least two years working and producing money, because your income is going to determine how much you can afford.

Also, budget. Where am I spending my money? How much money do I have? Most people don’t know where their money goes. They start to budget, and they didn’t realize how much money they were spending every day at Starbucks. People don’t realize that until they don’t put it on paper and do their budget. So for us at NACA, the budget is a must. Do your own budget to see how you’re doing and what you need to adjust. Or maybe you’re saving well. We don’t know. It depends on different people. But becoming a homeowner is a financial situation that you need to have in order, and make sure that the monthly payment you are going to sign for is affordable for you.

Also, people that pay their rent on time can pay their mortgage on time. However, sometimes people want to be approved for a higher amount than the rent, so they need to save more money to prove that they can.

It doesn’t just matter how much money you make — it’s about how much money you make and how much you spend.

How does a prospective homebuyer get involved with NACA?

Wise: If you want to use NACA, the first thing you go is to the website: www.naca.com. Then, we have two options: We have, every two weeks, a face-to-face homebuyer workshop in Chicago, which I love to do. Or, you can do a webinar by yourself in two, three hours. Then, you get your NACA ID, and you are able to have your own online portal where you can upload your own documents, you can call us, and you can make an appointment in the system. Now, I would love for people to call directly to the office and we take care of them, because I still love the face-to-face. Nothing compares to talking to people. Every counselor here has their own office. But they also take care of a lot of people virtually. Members can come to the office, which is at 4425 West 63rd Street.

Follow us each month in print and at https://www.austinweeklynews.com/ at-home/, where you’ll find additional resources and useful information.

Giving homebuyers “peace of mind”: What to expect when you’re inspecting

By DELANEY NELSON Special Projects Reporter

Picture it: You found a home you love, and your offer has been approved. Often, the next step is a home inspection. An inspection is not a test to pass, but rather an evaluation of what is and is not working properly, giving the buyer a clear picture of the property’s condition. An inspector will examine the heating system, central air conditioning, interior plumbing, electrical systems, roof, walls, ceilings, floors, windows, doors and foundation, among other things. Inspections typically occur after the contract or purchase agreement is signed, but before a buyer and seller close the deal on a property. Depending on the results of the inspection, the buyer can rescind their offer on the home or renegotiate the terms of the purchase. When faced with bidding wars for limited housing stock, some prospective buyers skip inspections to be a more competitive applicant. But homeowners — who end up responsible for expensive property surprises — often regret doing so. Plus, the benefits outweigh the cost: Inspectors generally charge somewhere between $200 and $500 for their services.

defects in their electrical system, defects in their plumbing, or just the overall condition of the home that they’re purchasing, giving them peace of mind of any defects or potential things that could come up later

What should a homebuyer expect from a home inspection?

Rodriguez: The inspection takes maybe about two hours, sometimes three, and they get a thorough report of my findings of the property.

What do you check during the inspection?

Carmelo Rodriguez became a licensed home inspector in 2016, with the goal of making the homebuying process a little easier for buyers in Chicagoland. He works as the master property inspector at Hometec Property Inspections.

Austin Weekly News spoke with Rodriguez about what homebuyers can expect going into an inspection — and what red flags to keep an eye out for

What exactly is a home inspection, and what is its purpose?

Rodriguez: A home inspection’s goal is to give clarity to the client, which is usually the home buyer, the purchaser. (That could be)

Rodriguez: I’ll check the roof. If it’s a shingled roof, I check for any missing shingles, any deterioration, any clogged gutters. I check windows, doors and siding. I check all the mechanicals, the heating system, the air conditioning system, the electrical system. I’ll check for proper drainage in the plumbing system. I also make a note of the age and model number of all the mechanicals, so (the buyer) can get an idea of the age of all the mechanicals. I basically test all the water and I test for water pressure. I’ll check the foundation. If there’s a crawl space, I look for any moisture accumulation in the crawl space, and I’ll check for any cracks in the foundation.

What are some of the red flags that you look out for during an inspection?

Rodriguez: Major electrical issues, like maybe an old electrical panel that could potentially lead to a fire hazard. I also look for foundation issues that can lead to flooding or settling, where it could cost them a lot of money in the long run to repair

What might an inspection look like for a unit within a building?

Rodriguez: That depends. If it’s a big complex that maybe has 30 or more units, [the inspection] is mostly focused just on their

unit. The common areas are not included in those inspections because those are homeowner-association issues. So, it’s mostly the dwelling unit within the walls when it’s a condo. Now, if it’s a building that’s maybe only three units or three condos, sometimes they would want me to check the roof, just because those could be added special assessments later, or things that could affect them later. So then I’ll go ahead and check the exterior, the roof.

What is your advice to prospective homebuyers?

Rodriguez: I would advise them to definitely get a home inspection. There’s instances where they might not want one, or think that they know somebody that can go and walk through with them, but there’s been instances

where they have done that and they regretted it. So I always encourage homebuyers to get into home inspection.

What should buyers look for in a home inspector?

Rodriguez: They have to be comfortable with who they speak with. There’s questions they can ask, like how long (the inspector) has been in business, what they’re going to be looking for, what’s included in the report, turnaround time, just basic questions.

Follow us each month in print and at https://www.austinweeklynews.com/ at-home/, where you’ll find additional resources and useful information.

Carmelo Rodriguez Licensed home inspector