Wednesday Journal 080421

W E D N E S D A Y

August 4, 2021 Vol. 42, No. 1 ONE DOLLAR @oakpark @wednesdayjournal

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

Park district to demolish building on Madison St.

Oak Park site, adjacent to HQ, will be used for parking

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

The Park District of Oak Park (PDOP) is accepting bids to demolish a two-story office building adjacent to its headquarters. The park district bought building in 2019. Once leveled, the property will be converted into a parking lot for park district vehicles.

“We’re looking to approve bids in August or September,” said PDOP Executive Director Jan Arnold. “The expectation is that we would see it demolished in probably October, November.”

The park district purchased the property as is in 2019 at an agreed contract price of $477,560.

While only one building, it is split into two addresses, with the top floor at 228 Madison St. and the bottom 230 Madison St. “We purchased it with the purpose to demolish it for park district bus and van parking,” said Arnold.

A handful of spots will be reserved in the new surface parking lot for overflow visitor parking from the planned community recreation center which is intended to be built just across Madison Street. Arnold expects that about eight to 10 park district vehicles, which includes its two 15-passenger busses and one minivan, will be parked at any given time. The park district estimates the demolition will cost around $150,000 to $200,000 depending on the amount of environmental remediation See DEMOLITION on page 15

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

PROGRESS: Ashlie Stapleton, project manager with Pepper Construction, leads the way through a crowded hallway in Oak Park and River Forest High School.

Parts of Phase 1 of Imagine OPRF almost near completion

New welcome center, student common area about ready to go

By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter

Portions of Phase One of Oak Park and River Forest High School’s major renovation project are expected to be completed before Aug. 16, the first day of school. That means staff and

students will be walking into a school building featuring a new welcome center and student commons.

The first phase, a roughly $32.6 million project, is part of Imagine OPRF, a master facilities plan that aims to address the school’s lack of investment in the Scoville Avenue campus over several decades as well as rethink student gathering places and classrooms to reflect current needs. The district is working with FGM Architects and Pepper Construction Company on a long list of capital enhancements, ranging from revamping the See CONSTRUCTION on page 15

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Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

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About Ronald Reagan, rebellions and structural racism — an interview with Daniel S. Lucks

L

ast week, I was in a Starbucks in Western Springs reading an abridged version of the 1968 “Kerner Commission Report” that was published this year (it’s introduced and edited by the New Yorker’s always insightful Jelani Cobb) when a white guy walked up to me, almost in disbelief.

Most people don’t know what the Kerner report is, yet alone have read it, he said. The report and the commission behind it, Commentary both established in 1967 by President Lyndon Johnson to investigate the civil disturbances or rebellions that took place in America’s inner city ghettos between 1964 and 1967.

It’s a particularly prescient document but also ironically forward-thinking and still lightyears ahead of our own era.

The commission was 11 people — 10 of them men and nine of them white, including its namesake, former Illinois Gov. Otto Kerner. And yet, this was what they concluded in their monumental, if by now forgotten report: “Segregation and poverty have created in the racial ghetto a destructive environment totally unknown to most white Americans. What white Americans have never fully understood — but what the Negro can never forget — is that white society is deeply implicated in the ghetto. White institutions created it, white institutions maintain it, and white society condones it.”

The white man spoke about the report for a bit (and honestly, I didn’t quite know where this was headed) before mentioning his own book published last year by Beacon Press called “Reconsidering Reagan: Racism, Republicans and the Road to Trump.”

To his delight, I told Daniel S. Lucks — who grew up in Western Springs and was here visiting for a few weeks from California, where he currently lives — that I just bought his book several weeks ago and had read the first few chapters.

That serendipitous encounter turned into an interview on Monday in Oak Park, where Lucks talked about the connection between the Kerner report and his book about Reagan, whose policies and presidency the author believes foreshadowed the culture and identity clashes we’re living through today.

The following is an excerpt from our conversation.

MICHAEL ROMAIN

What’s the main point of the book?

This is the first full-length study of Reagan that focuses on his civil rights legacy, which I deemed to be racist — both his politics were racist and his policies were racist.

And I argue that he planted a lot of seeds for this Trumpism that is going on now.

Reagan was a very significant president. He was transformational in many ways. He did to conservatism what Roosevelt did to the New Deal. Reagan was instrumental arguing that government is not the solution, but the problem.

Some of these suburban conservatives who were com-

plaining or lamenting that Trump suddenly hijacked the beloved party of Reagan. My book argues that, no, the conservative movement was infected with a virulent strain of racism from its inception and that Reagan practiced the art of racial polarization in a very subtle way. So, in my view, Trump didn’t come out of nowhere. This is a logical culmination of a broader trajectory of the conservative movement that was formed in the 1950s.

You write about the “new conservative movement” emerging in the 1960s, around the time of the ghetto rebellions, and these people like William Buckley and Barry Goldwater, who Reagan sort of looks up to. You say they were meldn ing a new conservative coalition between rn anti-New Deal Republicans and Southern Democrats “to challenge the regnant New w Deal consensus.”

Which is to say they were leveraging the fear of Black and Brown people thatt whites had into a new governing coalition. I think we see this in the aftermath of George Floyd with Republicans now attempting to invigorate their Trumpist base while using Critical Race Theory as a dog whistle to possibly peel away from President Biden just enough white votes in suburbs where Democrats did really well, so they can be poised to take back Congress and the presidency in 2022 and 2024.

I think conservatives would obviously dismiss my book as Critical Race Theory, but they don’t really know what it is. I wasn’t so fluent with the term either, but I’ve read enough of American history to know how slavery and racism are so intertwined with the founding of America and American’s national story that you can’t really divorce them.

So, yeah, I think so. One of the reasons I think that Republicans have been so successful in appealing to a lot of middle-class and working class whites who vote against their political interests is because they want to preserve their white privilege. Race kind of trumps a lot of their common class interests.

I don’t know how well it’s going to work among suburbanites who are educated. I’m not an optimistic person. I’m very pessimistic, particularly about global warming and authoritarianism, but I do think that educated, wealthier people who have some college, particularly women, I think they are a little bit more evolved on race than their parents.

And yet, Reagan’s impact wasn’t just on conservatives.

Reagan also charmed liberals into moving against the kind of explicit government interventionism that was inherent in the New Deal. Right now, for instance, I couldn’t imagine Joe Biden or Barack Obama or Kamala Harris being as frank about this country’s racial quagmire as the authors of the Kerner Commissioner report.

You know, Reagan, by his sheer charisma and political

success was able to alter the trajectory of American politics. Just by dint of his personality, he was able to repudiate liberalism and a lot of people agreed with it in this country, particularly a lot of white people. This idea that people can rise and fall on their bootstraps, which really ignores how racism is embedded in society — in housing, in employment, in health care, in education.

You just can’t wipe out racism by the stroke of a pen. You really need government efforts and a public commitment.

You argue that this blatant refusal to do anything substantial about structural structura racism was Reagan’s hallmark and one of his primary legacies, but you also write about Reagan’s tendency to create his own “alternative facts,” if you will — to a n degree that was brazen (at least d back then) even by the standards b of your typical politician.

Reagan often made up spurious or apocryphal stories about how he was, wa you know, in Europe and liberated ate concentration camps, when he was wa never on European soil during World War II. Wo He H also talked incessantly on the campaign trail about a fictitious cam welfare queen who had 50 aliases wel and 30 Social Security cards and 20 Cadillacs and blah, blah, blah.

C Reagan Reag was a good actor and, as time went on, he often had a difficult time distinguishing fact from fiction. And, distin you know, he concocted a lot of stuff. k Reagan was a serial fabulist and Rea that’s a really big problem in our politics now. You look at Covid and the Republicans’ lackluster response to it, and that’s a reverberation to Reagan’s callous disregard to AIDS. It was considered a gay disease and Reagan didn’t want to upset the evangelicals, who were called the Moral Majority back then. You look at his hostility to the environment. Reagan thought trees caused more pollution than cars. So, you see that same kind of mentality now among Republicans with global warming.

How did Reagan differ from Donald Trump?

I think he was very different from Trump in some ways.

I think on a personal level, he was probably a nice man. He had good manners. He had class. Unlike Trump, he didn’t regard his political opponents as enemies. They were his opponents.

I think Reagan would have been kind to any person who was African-American. I never met him, but I’ve known a number of people who met him personally, even those who vehemently disagreed with him, always said he was a nice man.

But whether or not Reagan was personally racist is immaterial, because his policies were.

CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com

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Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

BIG WEEK August 4-11

Off the Wall Mural Ribbon Cutting

Mindful Vagabond: Atypical Globetrotting

Saturday, Aug. 7, 10:30 a.m., 914 North Blvd., Oak Park See the latest project of the Oak Park Area Art Council’s Off the Wall summer program, the mosaic mural, Parrot Pandemonium. The project was led by previous Off the Wall artists and worked on by local youth. It included apprentices Perhaje Cannon, Lauren Edwards, Lauren Atchley and Greta Olson; senior apprentice Hasani Cannon; assistant to the master artist Atlan Arceo-Witzl; and Carolyn Elaine, master artist.

Saturday, Aug. 7, 2 to 3:30 p.m., Zoom with the River Forest Public Library Come along on Brian Michalski’s 22-month solo backpacking journey as he worked and volunteered his way through Australia, Southeast Asia, India, Cuba and elsewhere. Also learn insider info on planning, budgeting, dealing with culture shock, realities of hostel life, testing physical and emotional limits, coping with setbacks, visa tips and more. Brought in partnership with River Forest Township. Register: riverforestlibrary.librarymarket.com/ events/mindful-vagabond-atypical-globetrotting

Interactive “Finding Nemo” Friday, Aug. 6, 7:30 to 9 p.m., River Forest Public Library Lawn Kids of all ages are invited for a special after-hours showing of Finding Nemo with a few surprises. Held weather permitting.

Register: riverforestlibrary.librarymarket. com/events/interactivefinding-nemo. 735 Lathrop Ave.

Thursday Night Out Through Sept. 9, 5 to 8 p.m., Downtown Oak Park More than twenty restaurants offer a variety of drinks, appetizers, entrees and desserts, available through ticket purchases and special menus. Diners may eat inside, take carry out or dine al fresco. Four dine-around tickets per $20 booklet. Each dine-around ticket buys one Thursday Night Out (TNO) menu item. Buy two ticket booklets, receive a $5 DTOP gift certificate for participating shops on any TNO. Booklets available at the tent on Lake and Marion.

Thursdays through Saturdays, 8 to 10 p.m., and Sundays, 7 to 9 p.m., through Aug. 21, Austin Gardens See Oak Park Festival Theatre’s Shakespeare classic while enjoying the summer weather. $35; $25, seniors; $15, students; free, ages 12 and under; $5 chair rental (or bring a chair or blanket). Tickets/more: oakparkfestival.com/tempest. 167 Forest Park Ave., Oak Park.

Wednesday Morning Movies

Black History Self-Guided Bike Tour

Illinois Storytelling presents Traditions and Truth Saturday, Aug. 7, 7 p.m., Virtually with Dominican University Chicago Join this monthly open mic for Folktales, Fairy Tales, and Personal Stories with a featured storyteller. Those wishing to tell their own stories (7-10 minutes) may also join in. Free; donations encouraged. RSVP and sign up/more: jdelnegro@dom.edu, facebook.com/ILstorytelling

“The Tempest”

Concerts in the Park – Sons of Chicago Sunday, Aug. 8, 6 to 7:30 p.m., Scoville Park Enjoy family-friendly music courtesy of the Park District of Oak Park. Grab a blanket, pack a picnic and listen to a variety of music each Sunday through Aug. 29. This week, Oak Park band members Sons of Chicago perform blues and soul. Up next: Aug. 15 – Ethan Bell Band, country rock Aug. 22 – Chicago Cuatro Orchestra, Puerto Rican/ Latin sounds Aug. 29 – Jaime Clay, soulful blues and R&B vocals Free. Drop in event. Lake and Oak Park Ave. More: pdop. org/events/summer-concerts

PHOTO BY BRYAN WAKEFIELD

Go Anytime with Guidebook from Oak Park River Forest Museum For Juneteenth the museum debuted this free, self-guided bicycle tour of sites that tell some of the many stories of African-American life in Oak Park. The guidebook includes photos, stories and a map that has stops at the site of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, the homes or home sites of several prominent Black residents and more. More/view the guidebook: oprfmuseum.org/events/black-history-bike-tour

Nineteenth Century Charitable Association Programming Available anytime During the 2020/2021 Season, the Nineteenth Century Charitable Association recorded a wealth of programming originally presented live on Zoom for members and guests. It is available for viewing on their website. See music, Writing Matters talks with authors, history and art talks and more. View here: nineteenthcentury.org/misseda-program-view-our-recordings

Aug. 4, 9:30 a.m., Lake Theatre Take in an affordable and sensory-friendly family movie. This week’s feature film is The Croods: A New Age. Up next: Aug. 11, Pokemon: Detective Pikachu. $2 (No convenience fee if ordered online.). Walk ins welcome.

Tickets/more: classiccinemas. com/wednesdaymorning-movieseries. 1022 Lake St., Oak Park.

School Supply Collection Weekdays through Aug. 6, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Oak Park Township Office Donate to students in need so they are prepared for the 2021-2022 school year. New supplies, such as paper, notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons, markers and folders, are accepted in a donation box at the Township Office. Or order and ship from an Amazon wish list: tinyurl.com/r7tubzke.

Coordinated by Youth Services. Questions: 708-445-2727, mgale@oakparktownship.org. 105 S. Oak Park Ave.

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

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Before the month ends, Oak ant to get a rise out Park’s village board will choose of readers? Just a consultant to lead the search report on the latest to replace Cara Pavlicek as vilplan to hire a consullage manager. Pavlicek is headtant for some project ing to Northbrook as its manor another. Traffic studies. Arager. This week a committee of chitectural reviews. Rethinking the village board reviewed five policing. Hiring a new superinapplicants, cut two and will now tendent. interview the final three before “You just need to use some making a recommendation to common sense,” is the refrain. the full board.

“Just wasting taxpayer money,” Think about it. Oak Park is the shout. “This town is filled has a village manager form of with professionals who would government. That means Oak volunteer their time,” is the Park is hiring from the pool bold claim. “Your darned study of active village managers. is just going to wind up on the Assume we don’t want a rookie for a town shelf,” is the often truthful rejoinder. so complex as Oak Park. Assume we don’t This cynicism is fed by what is certainly want a person taking one final lap before a historic overuse of consultants in Oak retirement. Know for certain we want a Park. Maybe it is fed, too, by the common manager with a mindset on equity, hopecontagion in this nation against anyone fully expertise in an urban/suburban town. with expertise. God keep us from people And we need a person who is motivated to who actually know something. move but isn’t being actively pushed out the Here’s my concern about consultants door. We’ll want to ensure there are women though. It is a closed loop. And inside that and candidates of color in the mix. loop too often are people who benefitted That pool isn’t very big. And they all from working in government service, reknow each other. Inevitable. tired fairly young from a public service job State Farm with a decent pension, want to keep their Bloomington,Also, IL Oak Park’s village board is working to hire a consultant to do something in the hand in the game and make some money, 2001290 police department. Some call it an “audit,” know all the likely candidates from the though that seems like an odd term. Some conferences they attended. want a “reimagining” of public safety. A Let’s focus on recruiting new village long span between those two visions. And managers and school superintendents. It is again, inevitably it seems, the two firms something River Forest and Oak Park are being vetted as recently as Monday night very familiar with these days. We just hired by the board have listed out the teams they a new superintendent at OPRF. District want to assign to the project. Heavy on 97 just picked the superintendent search people retired from law enforcement. firm it will use to find the district’s next All consultants now spell out their “comleader. That firm is Hazard, Young, Attea & munity engagement” processes. Baseball, Associates. Same firm that OPRF just used. hot dogs and community engagement are One of the people Hazard, Young assigned now required as “listening” is the new to both these searches is Constance Collins. “listen up.” But the need for genuinely open She’s an Oak Parker and, oh yes, a former minds in education, in policing is so proD97 superintendent. found that the tension between hiring the Certainly her hometown experience has usual suspects for recruiting and consultadded value and also drawbacks. D97 has ing and finding fresh takes on intractable plowed through multiple superintendents issues is central to each choice our elected in the past 15 years. It is a big-time, hard bodies make. job. I’d have to think for a while to come up with a list of Collins’ accomplishments.

DAN HALEY

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

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Oak Park narrows search for the search firm to three On quest for village manager, Oak Park to interview three firms as finalists

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

As the end of Village Manager Cara Pavlicek’s time with Oak Park draws near, the village board is ramping up efforts to fill the soon-to-be vacant position permanently.

Out of the five respondents to the village’s request for proposal (RFP) for executive search firms, three will be interviewed for the task of finding Pavlicek’s successor.

The five proposals were reviewed during a July 29 meeting of the board’s Personnel Committee. Village President Vicki Scaman serves as ex officio chair with Trustees

Chibuike Enyia, Lucia Robinson and Tim Taglia as members. GovHR and Baker Tilly were quickly established as the frontrunning candidates, with Slavin Management Consultants coming up third.

The committee found the proposals from the other two respondents, Carmona Strategic Solutions and Koff & Associates, unsatisfactory, feeling the firms lacked experience.

Those two organizations were subsequently removed from consideration.

“Interestingly enough, Carmona and Koff & Associates were the most expensive,” said Scaman.

Oak Park is looking to spend under $30,000 plus travel expenses on an executive search firm, according to Scaman. Carmona valued its services at $38,500, while Koff & Associates set a fee of $36,800 for theirs.

Robinson preferred Baker Tilly and GovHR because “both fit generally within what’s allocated for the search firm expenses,” cost-

ing $27,500 and $22,000 respectively. The two firms also offer 12-month guarantees against termination or resignation of the appointed village manager. Slavin offers no such assurance and priced its services at $23,901.

While the personnel committee will interview all three firms later this month, GovHR held the initial edge on its main competitor for its approach to community engagement, which was favored by committee members.

GovHR proposed the village hold seven public meetings, as well as circulating a community-wide survey. Baker Tilly’s plan for community involvement largely favored internet surveys and web-based participation over town halls.

“I would like to encourage, perhaps, Baker Tilly to be more robust in their engagement because I do think that can be beneficial to the community,” said Taglia, Slavin’s proposal lacked a plan for community engagement specific to Oak Park. The firm’s

approach, as described in its introductory letter, relied more on meetings with stakeholders than internet tools.

GovHR and Slavin Management both have worked with the village of Oak Park in the past, with the latter firm having conducted the 2012 village manager recruitment process which resulted in Pavlicek stepping up from interim to permanent manager. Baker Tilly has no experience in Oak Park, but the firm’s proposal included four Illinois municipalities in its comprehensive list of clients.

The personnel committee will interview all three firms sometime in the month of August and aim to provide a recommendation to the village board by Aug. 30. The three firms will all be interviewed by the full board during the same meeting.

Pavlicek’s last day in Oak Park will be Aug. 19. The board has chosen Lisa Shelley, deputy village manager, to serve as interim manager.

Oak Park undecided on police audit firms Walker-Peddakotla still resolutely against hiring a consultant

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

The Oak Park Village Board is not yet settled on BerryDunn or Hillard Heintze, the two firms it interviewed last July to facilitate an overall assessment of the training, accountability and community engagement practices of the Oak Park Police Department.

Trustees shared profoundly different opinions of the two firms during the Aug. 2 board meeting. Trustee Lucia Robinson favored BerryDunn, which suggests a coproduction policing model, but Trustee Jim Taglia didn’t want Oak Park to serve as the model’s guinea pig and leaned toward Hillard Henitze, as did Trustee Ravi Parakkat.

Meanwhile, Trustee Chibuike Enyia thought each candidate qualified while Trustee Susan Buchanan was underwhelmed by both firms.

The strongest opinions came from Trustee Arti Walker-Peddakotla, who wanted to scratch the whole thing.

“Arti, I’m very sensitive that this is a very difficult topic for you, but we’re also really counting on your leadership here,” Village President Vicki Scaman told her.

Walker-Peddakotla has been resolutely unsupportive of hiring a consultant from the start, voting against the proposition when it was first presented to the previous village board at its June 22 meeting a year ago. She has maintained her stance, never

Walker-Peddakotla took issue with both wavering.

To her, data-driven policing means more “My thoughts on this issue have not surveillance of Black and Brown communi- firms employing former law enforcement changed since we started discussing this ties. She listed the demands made by activ- professionals as reform consultants, a view ists: the implementation of a non-emergen- she shared with Buchanan, and compared topic,” said Walker-Peddakotla.

She said she had done extensive research cy response team and a racial equity policy the situation to having gas company lobbyists direct the spending of sustainability funds. into BerryDunn and Hillard Heintze in her with accountability measures.

Walker-Peddakotla believes none of the “The CEO of Hillard Heintze is the former capacity as an elected official but also as a law student. Walker-Peddakotla had much firms who responded had the capability to superintendent of Chicago’s police departcarry out such demands. She re- ment and was the superintendent of Chicato say to the board, starting minded the board that she asked go’s police department when Jon Burge was first with her problems with the BerryDunn and Hillard Hein- there and torturing people,” she said. the request for proposal (RFP) tze teams if they had ever recomTerry Hillard, a co-founder, not the firm’s itself. mended rerouting cerCEO, was superintendent “This process seems backtain calls for services to of the department during ward to me,” she said. organizations outside Jon Burge’s tenure on the The village issued the RFP of the police. force. A famously disgraced last October under the lead“Neither said yes,” ex-commander and detecership of the previous village she noted, which called tive, Burge reportedly torboard. The language used in ARTI WALKERPEDDAKOTLA tured more than 100 crimi“alarming.” the RFP failed to reflect the Village Trustee Neither, however, nal suspects, coercing them goals of the current board. gave her a firm negainto making confessions.

“Were there other providtive either in response Walker-Peddakotla also ers that could help us better VICKI SCAMAN to her question at the mentioned that former Oak Park Police address our — this board’s — Village President July 12 meeting. Rob Davis, super- Chief Rick Tanksley worked for Hillard goals who never even respondvisor of the Hillard Heintze’s law Heintze. ed because this board’s goals enforcement consulting practice, “This is not the right move,” she said. weren’t put in that RFP?” she agreed with Walker-Peddakotla Tanksley left the firm in 2018 to head seasked.

She said the village has not given “more that police are not always best suited for curity at Occidental College in Los Angeles.

Parakkat told her he did not believe having progressive, forward-thinking” organiza- certain calls.

“We definitely believe that there are any former law enforcement officials was necestions a chance to respond. The ability of the current board to amend the RFP to align bet- number of calls that are being handled by sarily a bad thing, that the village could beneter with their goals she finds unsatisfactory. police departments across this country be- fit from their knowledge of police operations.

To help the board make a more informed “If the RFP is being amended, why not cause they’ve historically handled them just let other people apply for this and see that are better handled by other agencies,” decision, Scaman directed staff to ask both said Davis. firms to flesh out their plans for community who else responds?” she asked.

BerryDunn’s Michele Wienzetl, mean- engagement, as well as their ideas for alterWalker-Peddakotla also told the board she wanted to make the community the driving while, who would serve as project manager, native calls for service. Each trustee found force in redefining community safety by told her the firm would merely present the that approach agreeable, except for Walkerhaving the village take into account the de- information to the board and allow them to Peddakotla, who told the village president, make the determination.

“Absolutely not.” mands of police-reform activists.

“Arti, I’m very sensitive that this is a very difficult topic for you, but we’re also really counting on your leadership here”

“This process seems backward to me.”

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

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Fenwick bidding for Dominican’s Priory Campus

River Forest Park District may have interest but didn’t submit letter of intent

By F. AMNDA TUGADE Staff Reporter

Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 is not the only organization eying Priory Campus, a roughly seven-acre site in River Forest owned by Dominican University.

Officials from Fenwick High School submitted a letter of intent to Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL), a real estate company in Chicago that partnered with the university as its commercial broker, said Rev. Richard Peddicord, president of Fenwick, in an email to Wednesday Journal. The deadline to send in letters of intent was July 30.

Peddicord declined to comment on the school’s proposal to buy Priory Campus but shared what the property could be used for if the university selected Fenwick. The site, located at 7200 Division St., could transform into another athletic court or field. Fenwick has long leased the athletic fields that surround the Priory Campus from the Dominican Friars religious order.

For 19 years, Dominican University has owned the property known as Priory Campus. The university bought it from the Dominican Friars religious order in 2002. The campus is home to three buildings, totaling 102,941 square feet, said university spokesperson Jessica Mackinnon.

If Fenwick were to acquire the property, it may use the additional space for administrative or athletic offices, spiritual retreats, alumni gatherings and reunions or Fenwick arts and music programs, Peddicord wrote in an email. He went on to say that a newly formed feasibility committee would be in charge of “envisioning how the Priory space can best be” used to meet students’ needs.

Aside from Fenwick, River Forest Village President Cathy Adduci speculated that the River Forest Park District and

Priory Campus, 7200 Division St., River Forest West Cook YMCA may be other organizations interested, according to the Oak Leaves. The site is currently zoned for non-taxable public and recreational uses, which means it is not available for housing and commercial developments.

Michael Sletten, executive director of the River Forest Park District, confirmed the district “may have an interest in this property” but it did not submit a letter of intent before the July 30 deadline.

“The board has yet to have any discussion on this issue,” Sletten said in an email to the Journal. “Dominican was so-

liciting bids on the property until the end of July, and we were seeing if any offers were made and accepted.”

Representatives from West Cook YMCA could not be immediately reached for comment.

JLL Managing Director Thomas Kirschbraun and Dominican’s Mackinnon declined to comment on the number or names of other entities which submitted letters of intent.

“Due to confidentiality obligations, I cannot disclose the active bidders or status of negotiations,” Kirschbraun wrote in an email to Wednesday Journal.

OPRF’s plan for Priory Campus ‘remains to be seen’ Last week, the OPRF school board announced it was seeking to buy Priory Campus.

Elected officials voted unanimously to approve a letter of intent to purchase the property at 7200 Division St. after a two-hour closed session at a July 27 special meeting.

The letter of intent allows the district to start negotiations with representatives from JLL. The university had one week, or until Aug. 3, to decide whether to accept the district’s letter as it is written or with any changes to the terms, according to a press release issued by the district days following the meeting.

Because the high school campus is landlocked, district officials see a potential in the Priory site and to finally address longterm facility needs. Priory Campus is about two miles away, or a six-minute drive, from the high school, 201 N. Scoville in Oak Park.

“I’m excited,” Superintendent Greg Johnson said. “I think that it is exactly what a school district like ours should be looking into.”

Johnson added submitting a letter of intent is the first step to opening the negotiations process with the university, so

“nothing is certain.” “This is nothing that is guaranteed for the community or for students by any stretch, but we do need to do our due diligence,” he said.

If Dominican accepts the letter, the board plans to vote on a finalized letter of intent at a special meeting on Aug. 12. The board’s approval “would mark the beginning of goodfaith negotiations toward a legally binding purchase agreement,” the release stated.

Under the district’s current terms, the university would have to take the Priory site off the market for at least 30 days after the final letter has been approved.

The district is seeking to buy Priory Campus at $6 million – or $7 million, if the seller demolishes all existing buildings on the site before closing, according to the letter of intent. The letter also stated the district has three business days to make a $25,000 escrow deposit, once it has signed an agreement to acquire the site.

Under a due-diligence clause, the district has six months, or 180 days, to assess the site and conduct any studies to learn more about its condition. The district wants to maintain its right to terminate the agreement and receive its deposit back, if it is “not satisfied” by the studies or is unable to

secure the financing or necessary permits “for its intended use,” the clause also stated.

During that six-month period, board member Fred Arkin and board President Sara Dixon Spivy said they would like to bring families, students and residents in on the discussion to help decide the best use of the site. At this point, the district has yet to decide what the site will be used for. “[We have] nothing really concrete at this point,” Johnson said. “We know that we have a host of needs that were defined by our IMAGINE [OPRF] process. Exactly how that might translate into this property, it’s just too early to say anything. That’s exactly what we intend to explore over the next several weeks and months.”

Echoing Johnson, Arkin said the potential use of the site “remains to be seen.”

Priory Campus could be transformed into an athletic field or host the school’s special education programs, he said of the range of possibilities.

In a previous interview with Wednesday Journal, former university President Donna Carroll said the Priory property looks like an “egg on a pedestal.” The campus is surrounded by athletic fields, which have been long leased by Fenwick High School

from the Dominican Friars.

The site has been up for sale over the last couple months, as Dominican University’s use of the facility has withered over the past years.

Arkin and Johnson said if the district acquired the property, plans for OPRF’s second phase of renovations at the main campus could be changed. The bulk of those second phase projects involve revamping a majority of the school’s athletic facilities, they said.

The district has also not decided on how it will pay for the property or its possible renovations.

“That’s part of what we have to consider moving forward, exactly how the financial implications will play out for our school district,” Johnson said. “What we know right now is that our board, our administration are interested in having conversations about what this plan could do for us.

“We think that it is something that could really benefit our students, and there are a lot of details that need to get worked out.

What exactly we would use the land for, what exactly the financial implications would be for our district moving forward – those are all things that have to be explored.”

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Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

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ART BEAT

Bobbie Raymond lives on in bronze bust Oak Park Art League will display sculpture in its courtyard

By MICHELLE DYBAL Arts Editor

Small in stature, but bigger than life in attitude and impact, Bobbie Raymond left a legacy that lives on in Oak Park and beyond.

Now she will forever be remembered with a bronze bust, permanently displayed on a stone pedestal in the courtyard at the Oak Park Art League (OPAL), 720 Chicago Ave., Oak Park.

A plaque on the pedestal lists Raymond’s many contributions: founding the Oak Park Regional Housing Center, which was instrumental in achieving racially diverse communities that became a national model; an artist and teacher at OPAL; a children’s book author; patron of the arts; involvement in the OPRF High School Alumni Association’s student scholarship program, and more.

Raymond was a lifelong Oak Parker, born in 1938. She died in spring 2019. Later that year, her family donated much of her art-

work, which was sold at an OPAL retrospective exhibition of Raymond’s paintings, prints and drawings. It included figural forms, landscapes and botanicals, particularly orchids. Some of the funds raised, about $2,000, went toward the memorial sculpture project, according to David Sokol, who worked with a team of “friends and volunteers.” Those who focused on the sculpture included former village president Larry Christmas, Camille Wilson White of the Oak Park Area Arts Council, and Sokol, who was a friend of Raymond. Others involved were Charles Raymond, Bobbie’s son; Carollina Song; Sandra Burns, Bobbie’s friend and attorney; and OPAL Executive Director Jill Kramer Goldstein. Another $24,000 was raised by the committee in a campaign for the memorial. Sokol said, “Approximately 70 individual and foundation donors contributed.”

The funds covered the artist’s fees and all costs to erect the memorial sculpture as well as a fund for maintenance. The sculptor is Mike Vest, an Oak Parker and OPAL member who knew Raymond. According to Sokol, Vest made “many sketches and models” and was in close contact with the committee.

“Bobbie and I were friends at OPAL, and

we shared an interest in art and particularly figure drawing,” Vest said in a press release.

“I remember Bobbie telling me, ‘If you can draw the figure, you could draw anything.’

Well, Bobbie was a lot more than ‘anything,’ and I do hope she was right and that others will enjoy the result of my many Bobbie drawings of 2020.”

Raymond was a fixture at OPAL for 40 years. She was responsible for keeping “Life Drawing” as a staple there and led the class for many years. It is still offered today.

The memorial sculpture seems to capture the woman while she is speaking, perhaps saying something important, making an impact.

Her impact continues. The committee is expecting there will be funds remaining after all the bills are paid related to the sculpture and plans to use those for scholarships for the arts, according to Sokol. Raymond’s artwork will live on in the community too.

“Pieces of Bobbie’s art were accepted by the [Oak Park] Art League, The Nineteenth Century Charitable Trust, the Oak Park Regional Housing Center, and the OPRF High School Alumni Association,” Sokol said.

Join the Bobbie Raymond Memorial dedication ceremony on Friday, Aug. 13, 7 p.m. It takes place in conjunction with the

opening reception for the exhibition “Art & Music” at OPAL, which is also celebrating its centennial. Questions: 708-386-9853, oakparkartleague@gmail.com.

Photo provided

LARGER THAN LIFE: Grassroots activism led to a memorial for activist extraordinaire Bobbie Raymond, by sculptor Mike Vest.

Sugar Beet snags approval for window graphics Will not need village board approval

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Sugar Beet Food Co-op, 812 Madison St., will be livening up its storefront with colorful graphics mounted across eight of its windows. The colorful design, featuring a prominent red truck, won the approval of Oak Park’s Community Design Commission in a 4-2 vote July 27.

Lissa Dysart, the grocery store’s marketing manager, told the commission the main goal of putting up the signage is to bring “awareness” and “energy” to the business, adding that Sugar Beet can’t adhere or affix any signage to the exterior of the building, limiting placement options.

“For our exterior sign that sticks out on Madison [Street], that actually had to be built through the glass window into the steel structure within the store,” said Dysart, who called it a “huge undertaking.”

The grocery co-op is located in a historic building along the “Motor Row” section of Madison Street. The glass-front space the shop occupies once served as a car show room, according to Dysart. However some will remember the building in more recent decades before its restoration being clad in Dryvit and serving as a regional headquarters and studio for Comcast.

“We have a significant amount of glass facing Madison [Street] that, in our retail setting, is actually not transparent into the interior because of the way that the floor space is and how it has to be set up for retail grocery,” Dysart told

the commission.

Dysart shared that Sugar Beet wants to “utilize the exterior in a way that’s interesting and engaging with the public” with the hope that the graphics will “create a vivacious connection with the community.”

As planned, the window graphics would cover between 26 percent and 94 percent of the surface areas of its multiple windows, necessitating a zoning variance. Village code stipulates that window signage affixed to or painted on the inside of a window cannot occupy more than 25 percent of the surface area of each window.

Some of the store’s original graphics, which exceeded 25 percent of window space but were granted zoning relief, have been damaged after being shot out by pellet guns, Dysart told the commission.

The commission largely liked the design, but it failed to impress village staff. Oak Park Zoning Administrator Mike Bruce told the commission the village’s project review team, consisting of staff representatives from various village departments, liked the appearance but felt it had too many images and its multiplicity of signs could pose as a distraction to motorists.

Commissioner Richard Katz, who complimented the “liveliness” of the graphics, thought cell phones provided a bigger distraction to drivers than the window displays. He also felt the images didn’t distract from the hours of operation section of the graphics.

“The information is fairly large and clear, which I think is necessary under these circumstances,” Katz said. “I have no objection to it myself.”

Sugar Beet’s use of color in the graphics garnered the appreciation of Commissioner Cynthia Ross, who thought it popped nicely against the limestone. Ross called the design “Fanciful and fun,” especially for people walking by.

Not every commissioner felt similarly to Katz and Ross, however. Commissioner Julie Kuhn, who voted against approving the Sugar Beet’s request, felt the window designs looked more like an art installation instead of a sign promoting a business.

Commissioner C. Scott Smith felt and voted similarly. He took issue with the choice of font, stating he felt it didn’t indicate a business. Looking for assurance that it was a “widely appreciated aesthetic,” Smith asked if Sugar Beet did any outreach to get feedback on the design from outside of Oak Park government Dysart replied the design was shared internally and with the store’s board of directors, which consists of a wide array of people in the community, and the reactions to it have been widely positive.

With the affirmative votes from Katz, Ross, Commissioner Jonathan Kirk and Chair Juan Betancur, the Community Design Commission approved the request with the condition that Sugar Beet separate part of the signage so as not to cover the metal portion of its doors, moving the hours of operation language to the window of the door.

Sugar Beet will not have to get final approval from the village board before installing the new window signage as only the concurring majority vote from members of the Community Design Commission is necessary to grant a variance under village code.

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Forest Park CVS at Circle and Harlem closing Final day is Aug. 13

By IGOR STUDENKOV Contributing Reporter

The only CVS in Forest Park, at 7216 Circle Ave., will close on Aug. 13. The nearby CVS inside Target’s Oak Park location, at 1129 Lake St., will remain open, and all of the prescriptions will be transferred there.

In a statement to the Review, CVS didn’t elaborate on the rationale for the closing, saying only that it was a “difficult business decision.” It pointed to the fact that it had several locations near Forest Park, so it could continue to serve village customers.

The village still has a Walgreens at 7200 Roosevelt Rd. and a pharmacy at the Forest Park Walmart, 1300 Des Plaines Ave. “We made the difficult business decision to close the CVS Pharmacy store located at 7216 Circle Ave.,” it stated. “The closure of this store is not a reflection of the hard work and dedication of our employees. In fact, every effort is being made to place them into comparable roles at other CVS locations nearby. We are committed to Forest Park and the Chicagoland area and continue to serve the local community with outstanding service at our other stores nearby.”

According to CVS’ store locator tool, the

pharmacy chain has several locations near Forest Park. Aside from the Target pharmacy, it includes a standalone Oak Park location at 6748 Roosevelt Rd. and a North Riverside location at 7200 W Cermak Rd. The sign taped to the store front door as of July 29 stated that the prescriptions would be transferred to the River Forest location at 7929 W. North Ave., the statement indicated the Oak Park Target location.

The Forest Park CVS is located on the village’s northeastern tip, across the street from Oak Park and across the CTA/Metra railroad embankment from River Forest. It was among the more transit-friendly locations in the area, located directly south of Harlem/Lake Green Line el station’s west entrance, and within walking distance of Metra Union Pacific Line’s Oak Park station and stops for CTA bus route 90 and Pace buses 307, which serves Harlem Avenue corridor in Oak Park, and 317, which primarily serves the Madison Street corridor in River Forest.

According to a CVS’ May 4 press release, the company’s overall profits were up by 3.5 percent. The company’s retail revenues increased by $525 million, or 2.3 percent, though the statement noted that COVID-19 testing and vaccinations offset what would otherwise be a loss.

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D97 school board hires firm for supt. search

Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates back in Oak Park to help D97 find its next leader

By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter

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The District 97 school board selected Hazard, Young, Attea & Associates (HYA), an executive search firm in northwest suburban Schaumburg, to conduct a national search for the district’s next superintendent, according to a news release issued July 28 by the district.

In a 5-0 vote, board members moved to hire HYA during a special meeting held July 21.

Board President Jung Kim was absent from the meeting, and board Vice President Jeremy Duffy abstained from voting. Duffy did not attend the July 13 meeting where HYA and two other firms, BWP & Associates and School Exec Connect, hosted presentations on their services.

HYA has had more than 30 years of experience in leading executive searches and education consulting, the release stated. A representative of HYA, Constance Collins, is an Oak Park resident and former D97 superintendent. This January, the firm was hired by Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 to facilitate its superintendent search.

According to the release, the board said the following on hiring HYA: “The board ultimately selected HYA because of its commitment to equity and robust community engagement, its excellent record for successful superintendent placements, its national reach and its strong track record of recruiting diverse candidates with demonstrable accomplishments on educational equity.”

Kim could not be immediately reached for additional comment.

During the July 13 meeting, Collins and

HYA President Glenn “Max” McGee appeared in front of the board to talk about what their firm could offer, walking members through the process to find the next superintendent.

Collins and McGee spoke about their commitment to bringing in diverse candidates, a mission that aligns with the district, and partnerships with organizations, including the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) and the National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE). Collins said she is currently an active member of NABSE. Collins also shared with the board its “signature approach,” a four-phase search process that would begin with engagement.

The first step is dedicated to developing the application for the position and creating a timeline for the hiring process. The firm also looks to piece together its engagement process, which aims to build focus groups, forums and surveys so that families, faculty and other community stakeholders can be part of the conversation.

The other steps – recruiting applicants, selecting a candidate and transitioning that candidate into the role – come after. According to HYA’s presentation, the first three phases could take roughly a month or so to complete. The transition phase, the final step of the process, could take about a day or two and centers on outlining goals and a 100-day plan for the incoming permanent superintendent. Other optional services for the late phase include leadership coaching, superintendent evaluation or strategic planning, Collins said.

“These days overlap,” McGee told board members at the meeting. “As soon as a letter of agreement is signed, we begin recruiting candidates right away.”

In the coming days, District 97 board members plan to work with HYA to establish a timeline for the search, put up a job post and work on the community engagement process, the release stated.

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

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Parents chime in on COVID-19 school guidelines Oak Parkers call for more action on mask-wearing, vaccinations

By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter

Later this month, hundreds of students in Oak Park and River Forest will be returning to school for full-time, in-person learning. As district officials from the two communities prepare to release their plans on COVID-19 for the school year, parents are weighing in on existing guidance that could help keep their children, as well as staff and other students, safe.

Parents like Brian Straw and Josh Vanderberg hope schools continue to require staff and students to mask up.

Both fathers of young children have seen other parents on Facebook arguing for relaxed mask rules in schools.

“Even if you’re over the pandemic, the pandemic isn’t over yet,” said Straw, of Oak Park. “Both of my children are under 12. They can’t get vaccinated.”

Vaccinations against COVID-19 are free and available to anyone over the age of 12. Straw, who has a 6-year-old son and 2-year-old daughter, said wearing masks can help slow the spread of the coronavirus and is “such a small task, particularly for children who have become very used to it at this point.”

On July 28, the Oak Park Department of Public Health reported 25 new cases of COVID-19 and began recommending

ate a new, “reasonable” policy to help students residents — even those who are fully vaccinated when they are absent from school to “continue — to wear masks indoors. The surge of new COlearning as best as they can.”

VID-19 cases “likely include some breakthrough In early July, the Centers of Disease Control cases among fully vaccinated individuals,” acand Prevention (CDC) updated its safety guidecording to the health department’s site. lines for K-12 schools, including a new definition Oak Park health officials explained that fully on “close contacts.” The CDC previously idenvaccinated people with COVID-19 experience tified “close contacts” as individuals within at “mild” symptoms, do not require hospitalization least 6 feet of a person with COVID-19 for more and are often asymptomatic. But they warned than 15 minutes in a 24-hour period. In schools, that the delta variant of the virus is highly constaff and students who are correctly masked and tagious and it is important to think about those BRIAN STRAW within 3-6 feet away from a confirmed case are who are not eligible to get a vaccination.

Oak Park parent no longer considered “close contacts.” “[Wearing] masks is a given,” said Vanderberg, Other Oak Park parents have joined Vanderan Oak Park resident. Only one of his three chilberg and spoken up for the need to educate dren was old enough to get the shot and recently families on getting vaccinated. Robin Kalish, a received the first of the two-dose Pfizer vaccine. mother from Oak Park and a pediatrician, enAs the new school year approaches, Vanderberg and Matthew Arata, another Oak Park parent, said they courages local parents, caregivers and other adults to reach are keeping an eye on how administrators handle quaran- out and talk to their physicians or other medical professiontine measures, determine close contacts, and accommodate als about COVID-19 vaccines.

Last week, Oak Park health officials reported that only students, faculty and families impacted by the coronavirus.

Arata said he wondered if there’s a way for school officials 56% of Oak Parkers — roughly two-thirds of the population — have been fully vaccinated. Those numbers are lower to help encourage families to keep their children home if than communities such as Evanston where 78% of residents they are not feeling well for reasons other than COVID-19.

Students can only access remote learning if they are un- are fully vaccinated. Over in River Forest, only almost 62% able to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and are under quaran- of its population is fully vaccinated.

“I think what we need to do in Oak Park is double down tine by a local public health department, according to the Illinois State Board of Education. Students have to meet both on the vaccine,” Vanderberg said. “I would really love to see criteria to qualify. leaders of the school districts work together in concert to Arata said he would like to see if school officials could cre- get everybody vaccinated.”

“Even if you’re over the pandemic, the pandemic isn’t over yet.”

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Left turn unlikely at Madison and Austin One reporter’s quest for a left turn signal

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

Oak Park is known for its architecture, but those who spend much time in the village have come to know it even better for its traffic. The intersection of Austin Boulevard and Madison Street has the capability of making a person 10, even 15 minutes late to their destination, even if the commuter left with plenty of time to spare – all because the traffic lights lack a left turn signal.

Wednesday Journal reached out to Village Engineer Bill McKenna to discover why the village of Oak Park has denied drivers the opportunity to safely, and also legally, turn left. His answer was simple.

“The traffic signal at Austin and Madison is owned and under the City of Chicago’s jurisdiction,” said McKenna.

Even the earliest of birds are denied the worm when it comes to that intersection.

At certain times of the day, drivers can sit through multiple cycles of red light, yellow light, green light and never find a window in the traffic allowing them time enough to make the otherwise basic left turn.

More often than not, drivers end up run-

ning the red as a last resort, basically within full view of the police department, conveniently located on Madison Street steps away from the intersection in question. Having a left turn signal would seem to make sense, but McKenna shared the reasoning behind not having one.

“Typically, this is to allow for more through traffic to flow through the intersection,” he said, noting that in Chicago lots of intersections do not have dedicated left turn signals.

While not under the control of the village of Oak Park, McKenna said the intersection, along with accident data, would be evaluated as part of its post-road diet traffic study of Madison Street later this fall and winter. If the study finds a left turn signal warranted, then the village would bring that determination to the city of Chicago for discussion, according to the village engineer.

“Adding a left turn signal here would require signal improvements and there currently are no funds budgeted for signal improvements at this intersection,” said McKenna.

The village engineer did not foresee the city of Chicago having any concerns about adding a left turn signal at the Madison Street and Austin Boulevard “if it was needed and should the village agree to pay for it.”

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He noted that the addition of a left turn signal is nothing as simple as flipping a switch.

“It would potentially require full replacement of the traffic signal at the intersection which could cost $400,000 so this would be a budgetary concern for the village and only be recommended if needed from a safety or traffic congestion standpoint,” said McKenna.

To date, the village has not received any complaints from drivers about the lack of

a left turn signal, according to McKenna.

However, complaints have been made verbally, at least by this reporter, while waiting for an opportunity to turn left onto Madison Street and then again upon entering the newsroom to find solace in the commiseration of colleagues.

To file a more formal complaint, drivers can swing by village hall, at 123 Madison St., on the off chance the traffic eases up to allow cars to make a left turn.

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

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Oak Park recommends masks in indoor public spaces

Citing potential for breakthrough COVID cases in vaccinated individuals

By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter

The Oak Park Department of Public Health has recommended all people, including those who have completed a full

COVID-19 vaccination series to wear masks inside all public places, citing the 25 new positive cases among village residents as of July 28.

“The new cases reported today by the Oak Park Department of Public Health likely include some breakthrough cases among fully vaccinated individuals,” reads a news release sent July 28 from the village of Oak Park Individuals with breakthrough cases can still spread the highly contractable Delta variant, the most dominant strain of CO-

VID-19 virus, to others, according to the release, including to children 12 and under who are ineligible to receive the vaccination at this time. Breakthrough cases typically are mild or asymptomatic and do not require hospitalization, per the Oak Park Department of Public Health.

While vaccination remains key to preventing COVID-19 from spreading, the village of Oak Park has also reported that the rate at which residents are getting vaccinated has slowed significantly, causing concern among local public health officials. All

approved vaccinations have demonstrated efficacy against all variants, including the Delta.

About 56 percent of all Oak Park residents and two-thirds of those eligible have received vaccinations, only a slight increase from the previous week, according to the release.

“Oak Park’s numbers are well below other communities such as Evanston which is reporting that 84 percent of eligible residents have received one dose and 78 percent are fully vaccinated,” the release states.

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Just open on North Avenue, Snoopy’s struggles Veteran restaurant owner fights for survival of his young business

By MELISSA ELSMO Oak Park Eats Editor

Nick Apostolakos, owner of Snoopy’s, 6217 W. North Ave, has more than 40 years of hotel, bar and restaurant experience. But he wasn’t prepared for the challenges opening a restaurant post-pandemic would bring.

Snoopy’s, with its dependable menu of hot dogs, gyros and burgers, is the first solo venture for the industry veteran who has been a partner in two prior restaurants.

Apostolakos is a devoted husband and father to a college-aged daughter and he built the business to be his family’s primary means of support. Though he named his daughter after a Greek goddess, Snoopy’s is named after Apostolakos’ Maltese-Shitzu mix. Naming the restaurant after his fourlegged friend, however, proved to be the easiest aspect of the new endeavor.

A brief search led Apostolakos to the North Avenue property in June 2020. He was attracted to the location situated on a busy throughfare because of its proximity to both Chicago and Oak Park — he was also drawn to the ample parking available in the strip mall and ease of entry and exit. Having run a similar business on Grand and Austin in Chicago he thought the space would draw customers craving well-made fast food with a focus on quality and freshness.

He invested $75,000 to update the former hot dog stand. The hefty personal invest-

ment was intended to set the family up for success. He spent four months on the renovation but waited an additional seven months before Snoopy’s was given the green light by the Village of Oak Park to open for business. The delays in approvals proved costly and inconsistency in business from day to day have already thrown the future of Snoopy’s into question.

“For a restaurant to survive it needs regular customers,” said Apostolakos matter-offactly. “We have been open for seven weeks and things are difficult. I am feeding the restaurant with my own money, but I never miss a payroll.”

His cook recently left his position to take a higher paying job at another restaurant. As much as Apostolakos wanted to be able to pay a higher hourly wage Snoopy’s does not have enough daily revenue to pay a higher hourly rate. Swings in daily business are baffling to the business owner—one day he can generate a couple thousand dollars in revenue and the next he is lucky if he brings in $300. The feast or famine aspect of the restaurant world is unfamiliar to Apostolakos who was regularly bringing in $3,000 per day at his previous establishments.

“I can’t help but wonder if I had been able to open six months ago if I would have been

Photos by Melissa Elsmo

HOPEFUL: Nick Apostolakos (above), owner of Snoopy’s, 6217 W. North Ave., is looking for consistent customers to support his new business. Snoopy’s serves up high quality gyro dinners and sandwiches as well as hot dogs and fresh 7-ounce burgers.

doing well today,” said Apostolakos. “It is hard to know for sure, but everything is different now — labor costs are high and so are ingredient prices. I am struggling to get ingredients, too.”

On the positive side Apostolakos credits his best and busiest days to local support from residents interested in supporting small businesses. Snoopy’s experiences big business boosts from positive posts inside the Takeout 25 Oak Park Facebook group.

When customers praise his offerings on the platform it translates to a notable rise in business. When interest in the powerful posts wane, however, so does business.

In the meantime, the owner has hired a new chef who will be enhancing Snoopy’s menu of Greek and American fare with more vegetarian options. Diners should also expect to find tacos, burritos, rice and beans on the menu in the coming days. Apostolakos expects the added variety will appeal to potential customers.

“I need a little bit of help right now and want people to know Snoopy’s is here,” said Apostolakos. “We are starting to see some regulars and would obviously welcome even more.”

With a little consistency Apostolakos is hopeful Snoopy’s will make it long term.

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

CONSTRUCTION

School opens Aug. 16 from page 1 welcome center and student commons areas to improving the special education spaces.

The welcome center – an area near the school’s main entrance designed for both se-

curity and to greet staff, students and visitors – will now include a new waiting area, front desk and four-panel video walls, said Karin Sullivan, director of communications and community relations.

Before the renovations, the waiting area in the welcome center was just a row of chairs lined up against a wall “that were kind of in the way,” Sullivan said. The center will also have some cubby units used to hold lunches, books or other items dropped

off by parents and caregivers.

“The flow’s just going to be a lot smoother.

It’s more open. It’s more welcoming,” Sullivan said.

The student commons, formerly known as the student center, is a large open space inside the welcome center. That area will soon serve students better, offering more seating and room to gather, Sullivan said. The commons will also have an ADA-compliant ramp to accommodate those with disabilities.

The Book of Learning – a 10-foot by 12-foot limestone sculpture – will act as a showpiece in the commons, tying the space together. The artifact, which was brought out of storage, weighs about five tons and will be encased in glass for protection.

“OPRF is very tradition-oriented,” Sullivan said about the preserved centerpiece.

“People are very proud of the history of OPRF. So, it’s really exciting to have this literal piece of history on display now.”

During the planning process for Imagine OPRF, students had called for more informal gathering spaces, Sullivan said.

The staircase in the newly dubbed student commons will lead students to an expanded balcony, providing another place for them to hang out, eat lunch or study, Sullivan said. That space can also be converted into a classroom for teachers, she said.

15

By early August, OPRF will have eight all-gender bathrooms, and renovations to 16 of the total 76 classrooms will be finished.

Classroom renovations include new doors, flooring and ventilation systems.

Remaking of the south cafeteria and student resource center are major ongoing projects and are anticipated to be finished

by January 2022. The old cafeteria has been demolished, and the building of its threestory 45,000-square-foot replacement building – which includes the cafeteria and the resource center – began last summer. The addition will feature a new basement right underneath the cafeteria, Sullivan said.

She said OPRF did not have a basement or a designated storage space. School staff and employees often converted their conference rooms or classrooms into makeshift storage spaces for supplies, uniforms and other equipment.

This month the first phase of improvements for the special education spaces will be done. Staff and students will have a new sensory room and meeting room. Creating an ADA-compliant restroom and revamping other special education classrooms and administrative offices comprise the next list of projects for phase two.

For more information or updates on Imagine OPRF, visit the school website at www. oprfhs.org/about/facilities-master-plan.

ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer

FINAL PUSH: With cranes on the outside, workers are spread throughout OPRF including in the revamped Student Commons where the “Book of Learning” has been brought out of storage to take center stage. The sculpture is 10-feet by 12-feet and made of limestone.

DEMOLITION

Parks add parking from page 1 required.

Currently, the park district houses its vehicles across the street on the parcels where the planned community recreation center will be built. The land for the center was donated to the park district by local philan-

thropists Mary Jo and Stephen Schuler in 2019.

The park district held off on demolishing the building next door to its main building at the time of purchase, instead allowing two non-profit organizations to use the space.

Yemba Inc. occupied the top floor, while Western Suburban Special Recreational Association (WSSRA) took the bottom. Arnold made it clear that there was no renter-landlord arrangement between the park district and the organizations and no property taxes were being paid on the properties.

“We did not have renters,” said Arnold.

Western Suburban Special Recreational Association (WSSRA) took the bottom. WSSRA used the facility to operate its programming for children with special needs. Yemba facilitated programming from upstairs, as well as had their leadership offices there.

“There was no charge to WWSRA because they’re a partner of ours,” said Arnold.

“There was a nominal fee being paid by Yemba to help cover the cost of utilities.”

Both organizations were made aware from the start of the park district’s intention to

convert the building into parking, according to Arnold. Yemba has since moved its offices to a new location and WSSRA is in the process of relocating.

The park district made the decision to move forward with demolition after experiencing problems with the building’s heating and cooling system. The building is also prone to rain penetration.

“In order to prevent any damage to our existing facility, the time was for it to come down,” said Arnold.

16

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

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Man carjacked in own garage An Oak Park man was the victim of an armed vehicular hijacking on his own property July 26 in the 1000 block of Clinton Avenue. The man was backing his silver 2021 Volkswagen Atlas into his garage at 6:26 p.m. in the evening, when two offenders came in through the open garage door. The first offender brandished a black handgun at the victim and demanded he get out of his vehicle. The second offender hopped in the driver’s seat and drove the vehicle out of the garage.

Oak Park detectives recovered the vehicle, which was valued at $30,000, on July 28 in the 600 block of May Street in Chicago.

and 10:35 a.m., July 26. The estimated loss is $25,000.

Battery

Criminal property damage

After approaching and beginning an argument with an Oak Park juvenile, a male offender hit the victim on the left side of face then fled on foot in an unknown direction at 5:04 p.m., July 28 in the 1100 block of Lake Street.

■ The front gate of a residence was broken in the 200 block of South Cuyler Avenue at around 6:31 p.m., July 23. The estimated damage is $400.

■ Someone shattered the glass of door number four of CTA 5193 at an unknown time on July 26 at 1116 South Blvd. The estimated damage is $400.

These items, obtained from the Oak Park Police Department, came from reports July 27 through July 30 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.

Burglary Someone entered a residential garage after breaking a window and then removed a gray and black EGO slow blower, a gray and black EGO lawn mower, and a gray and black EGO lawn edger between 1 a.m. and 8 a.m., July 24 in the 500 block of North Cuyler Avenue. The estimated loss is $1,200.

Motor vehicle theft Someone removed a vehicle parked in the 400 block of Harlem Avenue between 8 a.m.

Theft ■ A package containing a 32-inch Dell curved computer monitor was taken from its place of delivery in the 100 block of Washington Boulevard around 3:37 p.m., July 15. The loss is estimated at $372.

■ An unlocked black specialized bicycle was taken from a back yard in the 600 block of North Ridgeland Avenue between 8 p.m., July 26 and 5 p.m., July 27. The estimated loss is $750.

Compiled by Stacey Sheridan

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

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Homes

What you get for the money: $850,000 edition Summer 2021 continued red hot real estate market

By LACEY SIKORA

T

Contributing Reporter

he summer real estate market has been hot in the near west suburbs with houses selling for more money and in fewer days than this time period last year. In June, Oak Park homes were on the market for nine days and sold for a median sales price of $413,000. In River Forest, average market time was eight days in June, with a median sales price of $525,000.

A look at what a budget of $850,000 buys you in both villages shows that buyers willing to spend well above the median price points will find bigger homes with plenty of bedrooms and bathrooms.

19

The higher price tag often includes some fun extras as well. From outdoor spaces to entertain to renovated kitchens or restored original details, many of these homes offer a bit more for the money.

In the heart of Oak Park, 142 S. Kenilworth Ave. recently listed for $859,000.

The four-bedroom, 3.5 bathroom home was under contract within days of hitting the market. Designed in 1887, the Asa S. Burrows home is a stick style Victorian and has been featured on the Wright Plus Housewalk.

The home boasts a remodeled kitchen with a designer stove, bullseye woodwork and transom doors. The wraparound porch and turret offer quintessential old-house charm. The home measures approximately 3,400 square feet and had a 2019 tax bill of $15,626.

See HOT MARKET on page 20

@VHT STUDIOS

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$859,000: 142 S. Kenilworth Ave., Oak Park

20

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

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Gas hot water radiant heat and central air. Tear-off roof and windows are 10 years old. Home is handicapped accessible...................$699,900

$859,900: 830 N. Kenilworth Ave., Oak Park

HOT MARKET Luxurious living from page 19 Up the street about a mile, 830 N. Kenilworth Ave. is a four bedroom, 2.5 bathroom house offered at $859,900. The stucco home has roughly 3,000 square feet of living space and plenty of Oak Park details from the built-in bench in the entry to the stained-glass windows.

The gourmet kitchen was designed by Jean Stoffer, and a backyard patio and basement rec room offer entertainment options.

The home had a 2019 tax bill of $20,012.

In northwest Oak Park, the home at 835 Belleforte Ave. recently listed for $835,000.

This home has four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms. The home was doubled in size dur-

ing a 2012 renovation project and includes an updated kitchen that opens to a family room.

The house is a Victorian farmhouse style that was built in 1895 and includes a front porch and spacious outdoor patio. The home offers over 3,100 square feet of living space and had a 2019 property tax bill of $23,442.

In River Forest, 1339 Ashland Ave. is listed at $850,000. The French provincial style home has four bedrooms and 3.5 bathrooms.

Built in 1936, the house offers a panoramic view of Constitution Park through its front bay window.

The original wrought-iron staircase offers old-world style, while the kitchen has been updated with granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances. The house offers over 3,900 square feet of living space and had a 2019 tax bill of $15,680.

The home at 1409 Thatcher Ave. in River Forest is listed for $880,000 and has four bed-

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$859,900: 830 N. Kenilworth Ave., Oak Park

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

21

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ZILLOW.COM

$850,000: 1339 Ashland Ave., River Forest rooms and four bathrooms over 4,400 square feet of living space. Designed by mid-century architects Keck and Keck in 1952, this home has an addition and two decks and a screened-in porch. The home boasts four fireplaces and a finished attic. Property taxes in 2019 were $27,191.

Also in River Forest, 1503 Monroe Ave. is listed for $825,000. Built in 1941, this French provincial style home has limestone walls.

The four bedroom, 4.5 bathroom home has been newly renovated.

The kitchen and bathrooms are new, and a separate family room and living room offer space to spread out. The house comes with a wine cellar and over 3,200 square feet of living space. Taxes in 2019 were $18,021.

$835,000: 835 Belleforte Ave., Oak Park

1101 N ELMWOOD AVENUE OAK PARK

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22

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Sunday, August 8

CONDOS

ADDRESS

OFFICE

LISTING PRICE

TIME

Condo/Townhouse 127 Washington Blvd, #3, Oak Park . . . . . . BHHS Chicago. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$209,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Open Sun 12-2 320 S. Maple Ave, Unit D, Oak Park . . . . . . Baird & Warner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$429,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Open Sun 1-4

MULTI-UNIT

417 Wisconsin St, 2W, Oak Park . . . . . . . . . . Baird & Warner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $135,000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Open Sun 2-4

ADDRESS

OFFICE

LISTING PRICE

TIME

426 & 428 Hannah, Forest Park . . . . . . . . . Baird & Warner. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .$599,900 . . . . . . . . . . . . . Open Sun 12-2

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

C O N S C I O U S

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Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

VIEWPOINTS

23

Rush Limbaugh, scaredeer p. 28

A G I N G

In the land of post-adulthood

en years ago, my sister gave me and my family a calendar. It is 183 pieces of two-sided paper sitting in a plastic frame. Each page has a day/date/month/year on both sides. Every morning we move the front piece of paper to the back of the pile, revealing the next day/date/month. It’s usually my wife who performs this daily ritual. After six months, we flip the whole pile so the back sides of each page are revealed for the rest of the year.

It’s a very practical system. To me, the key element to each page is an amazing 5-inch, square, color picture of an awesome bird, mostly birds I never even knew existed, let alone seen. The bird pictures are so colorful, striking and enjoyable that, on Dec. 31, we flipped the whole pile back over and started the calendar all over again.

Of course, the year was incorrect all year long, and the day of the week was wrong almost every day.

But the bird pictures were more than just right for the whole year.

An amazing splotch of creation and color right there on our kitchen counter. And they have remained just so for the past 10 years because we are still flipping that same calendar every day.

This morning, the year and day were wrong, as usual. The beautiful bird picture was of an American Golden-Plover (pluvialis dominica). This amazing little bird has a black face and chest and a white forehead with a thin white stripe running along the sides of its head and down over its “shoulders”. Incredibly, the top of its head and its body are dappled everywhere with small yellow and gold hearts!

The design is almost unobtrusive, but once my eyes focused on the small golden heart-shapes, I could not stop staring. They are absolutely amazing. This day was the first time I really saw the American Golden-Plover. The picture had been in my face 10 times, but I’d never appreciated it.

After examining and just staring at the picture, a thought popped into my mind: “I’d love to see this spectacular little bird up close in the wild.” What a novel idea, to make special trips into the habitat of birds to watch them. Then I thought about doing that with some friends or like-minded people.

And then I quickly realized that’s what bird-watchers do! Duh. I do feed birds in my backyard, but I’m no birdwatcher, traipsing through the woods with binoculars, and I never have been. As I age, however, I am changing, and possibilities emerge. The really cool thing is that I’m becoming aware of that changing.

The declinist view of our aging is that it’s all downhill.

The truth is that there are always possibilities open to us in our 3rd third of life. We don’t always see them, like it took me 10 years to see the amazing picture of the American Golden-Plover.

In the land of post-adulthood, life can keep getting better.

MARC BLESOFF

Why antiracism is key to sustainability

B

utterflies symbolize hope and renewal, and their existence is vital to the health of our planet. We all need hope and renewal and a healthy planet, so it’s fitting that 2021 is the Year of the Butterfly in Oak Park.

Many people and organizations have been working to make this initiative happen and thrive, with events and opportunities happening through the fall. Our planet is for all of us, and achieving true sustainability requires a coalition.

Our coalition includes the Brooks Earth Action Team, West Cook Wild Ones, Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory, Interfaith Green Network, and Oak Park Public Library. We’re also guided by the Illinois Monarch Project, a coalition of agencies, organizations, and individuals committed to helping monarch butterflies thrive throughout Illinois.

All these organizations are uniting to bring full awareness to the community and save our pollinators from extinction, to create a sustainable environment.

True sustainability requires a coalition — and it also requires antiracism.

Black and Brown people often live in the communities most impacted by climate change and environmental injustice. The history of redlining in federal housing policies has pushed Black and Brown families into neighborhoods that are mostly asphalted, heated areas, with less access to greener spaces.

Racism and economic inequality often block Black and Brown children and families from accessing resources and learning related to sustainability. For example, the chronic stressors of food insecurity and systemic racism in health care lead to chronic

diseases, strained finances, and lack of time to spend on figuring out how to live an environmentally friendly life.

The Oak Park Public Library is committed to antiracism in all our work, including sustainability efforts in the Year of the Butterfly. As a public institution, we aim to be good stewards by supporting the planet and the people through ecological and cultural literacy.

The library is developing empathy toward “intersectionality” through environmental education and outreach. We are actively and intentionally providing resources, learning, and programming to all people. This includes storytimes, book discussions, free milkweed seed kits, a garden bike tour, and summer reading program challenges.

The library is also a restorative practice organization. We strive to be good stewards of the natural lands of Illinois that have belonged to Native Americans, and restore both the planet and ourselves.

In May, we added new pollinator gardens outside the Main Library and Maze Branch. These build on the Community Sensory Garden at Maze, which has been used since 2019 to provide an inclusive space and encourage meaningful intergenerational interactions with individuals about the environment. The new pollinator gardens also will provide impactful ways to learn about food growth and, eventually, create seed distribution centers accessible to anybody.

Learn more about these initiatives at oppl.org/ butterfly and oppl.org/anti-racism.

Beronica Puhr is a middle-school librarian at the Oak Park Public Library.

BERONICA PUHR One View

24

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

O U R

V I E W S

Airbnbs’ pros and cons

R

aise your hand if you’ve used Airbnb or Vrbo to book a stay on what we vaguely recall as vacations or long weekends.

More space than a hotel room and the intimacy of being embedded fully in a destination you want to genuinely experience.

Whether you are visiting Savanah, San Antonio or Oak Park, there is a lot to be said for the private home rental experience.

But, as with any phenomenon driven by big tech, there is reason to be cautious; there is reason for local government to consider regulations, taxation and, more broadly, the impact of private vacation rentals on the overall housing climate of their towns.

Oak Park is currently looking at new regs around Airbnb and its competitors. The spur, not surprisingly, was an Airbnb rental at an Oak Park two-flat in May that went badly sideways. It appeared to be a party hosted by younger people that ended with two dozen shell casings littering Lombard Avenue and one person shot with a non-lifethreatening injury.

So, yes, let’s find ways for village government to get a clear handle on just who in town is renting rooms, apartments/condos, houses as a vacation spot or one-night party room. An annual license seems minimally appropriate. The amount proposed in an ordinance being reviewed by the village board is $350 a year. There is also talk of increasing the tax levied on these rentals that would put Oak Park in line with other communities.

Here’s the larger issue that needs to be considered: Oak Park clearly has issues with affordable housing. Tough to get entry into Oak Park.

Tough to stay and pay the high taxes. Apartments and condos are the entry point of least financial resistance for many. If, for instance, condo owners are now renting, via Vrbo, a unit they might have in the past sold because they can now cover costs and make a few bucks while waiting for the unit to appreciate, then that takes an affordable unit of housing out of play.

Trustee Ravi Parakkat raised that issue in a July board discussion. Tammie Grossman, the village department head who covers this issue, did not disagree that the issue is real. She said having new license and reporting requirements could help the village gauge how to balance short-term and long-term rentals to achieve multiple goals.

An initial ordinance may be passed shortly but we’d say this is an ongoing housing issue that is going to need review and ought to be considered within the new board’s goals on affordable housing.

Shared vision at Priory Campus We report today that Fenwick High School and possibly the River Forest Park District are now in the mix with OPRF High School in bidding for Dominican University’s Priory Campus.

We’ve known from our first article on this topic back in June that zoning limits would make for a small pool of possible buyers but with 7 acres of open land available in our landlocked villages, that interest would be high within that small pool.

This could be a moment for creative collaboration. Some key points: Combine Dominican’s 7 acres with the 13 acres still owned by the Dominican Friars and long leased to Fenwick for athletic fields and you have 20 acres. Huge space by local standards. All three known bidders need and want more space for athletics. The Priory parcel is very oddly configured, sitting right in the middle of the acreage with no access point of its own and limited parking. While Dominican is motivated to sell, it isn’t in a rush and doesn’t need to maximize the sale price through a bidding war. The Dominican Friars, like all aging religious orders, may well be interested in liquidating their stake in the property.

So could the university play a role as a mediator among the interested parties and look at the parcel holistically? What does OPRF actually need? Fenwick? The park district has been looking for indoor rec space for decades.

Complicated? Sure. Impossible? Not hardly.

V I E W P O I N T S

If we could return for a day to say goodby the full force of love break your heart wide Having just returned from a memorial service for a revered high school teacher, open? Would you summon, from God knows I thought of this column from August of where, the grace to forgive yourself for your 2013: imperfections and all your loved ones for o one knows what happens after theirs? we die. Many don’t think much Would you come to terms with the fact that about it. Far more pressing than our inability to comprehend all this during life after death, some would life is not some unconscionable tragedy but argue, is life before death. simply the melancholy of our fate?

But what if the afterlife, presuming Would you understand at last what it there is one, included an opportunity to means to be fully human? make a return visit — a day on Earth, In Our Town, Emily soon realizes why one day of your choosing, as part of your she was warned against a return visit. Her intensive, post-mortem life review? Maybe mother-in-law, who died some years before, in the present. Maybe a day from the past. advises, “At least choose an unimportant day.

Your past.

Choose the least important day in your life. It Which would you choose? will be important enough.”

That was the choice facing Emily Gibbs, the young Emily chooses her 12th birthday. She finds it all-toowife who has died in Act 3 of Thornton Wilder’s classic wonderful at first, but is quickly overwhelmed. She not American drama, Our Town. Despite grave warnings only relives the day but watches herself relive it. from the other members of Grover’s Corners Cemetery “I can’t bear it,” she says finally, gazing at her — who warn her it will be too painful — she decides to parents. “They’re so young and beautiful. Why did they go back anyway. ever have to get old? Mama, I’m here. I’m grown up. I What would it be like if you were granted one final love you all, everything — I can’t look at everything visit to life? Would everything seem too precious to hard enough!” bear? Would “the world” be Later she says, “I can’t go on. revealed as Eden reborn, as It goes so fast. We don’t have the kingdom of heaven, which time to look at one another.” we — and every other person Then she breaks down. alive at this moment — cannot “I didn’t realize. All that fully appreciate because we’re was going on and we never too busy living? Relieved of all noticed. Take me back — up the tasks, responsibilities, details, hill — to my grave. But first: worries, and minor dramas, Wait! One more look. Goodhow would life look? by, Good-by, world. Good-by Would you stand astonished Grover’s Corners … Mama and by the beauty of sunlight Papa. Good-by to clocks ticking basting a brick building in the … and Mama’s sunflowers. morning? Would you spend And food and coffee. And newall afternoon mesmerized by ironed dresses and hot baths clouds shaping and reshaping … and sleeping and waking up. overhead, or listening to Oh, Earth, you’re too wonderful songbirds or smelling cut grass for anybody to realize you.” and the natural cinnamon The ultimate definition of scent from a stand of blacklife: Too wonderful for anybody eyed Susans?

Photo from the original Broadway show of to realize.

Would you notice people She asks the Stage Manager/ “Our Town” (1938), Act 3 bustling toward the train to Narrator, “Do any human go to work? The leaves of a beings ever realize life while graceful old elm swaying in they live it — every , every minute?!” the breeze? A kid chowing down on a breakfast burrito “No,” he replies, then pauses. “The saints and poets, as he winds his way down the sidewalk toward school? maybe — they do some.”

The simple elegance of a young woman reading in the By the end of Our Town, it is clear why playwright park? The remarkable peace of the world when you’re Edward Albee, author of Who’s Afraid of Virginia not in any hurry?

Woolf? fame, no sentimental slouch by any stretch Seeing the world you thought you knew, anew? Would of the imagination, said of Wilder’s masterpiece, “It you see more than you ever thought possible? Would is not a Christmas card. It is not a cute play. It’s one it all be too extraordinarily beautiful for one person to of the toughest, saddest, most brutal plays I’ve ever appreciate in a lifetime, much less a day? come across. And it is so beautiful. There are scenes in Would you savor the personal interactions around Our Town that it’s hard for me to think about without you, the laughter, the older woman on a bike singing wanting to cry. It’s that beautiful a play.” happily aloud? Would you see people more clearly and understand them better without the burden of And it’s that beautiful a life. If you died and were judgment? Would you experience a profound sense of given the chance, would you return for just one day compassion that makes you realize this must be what more? the great religious figures were talking about?

If you ever come across someone standing on a street Would you (invisibly) visit loved ones? Would corner, taking it all in, lost in their surroundings, let unresolved relationships put you through the greatest them be. sorrow you’ve ever known? Would you suffer deep They might just be visiting. regrets about missed opportunities? Would you let And saying one last goodby.

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Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

T

A country in distress

he platform of the Republican Party does not exist, according to their leadership. But like so many other false statements, they do have a platform: Donald Trump. He is whom they support; he is whom they follow. Some party members say that although they are Republicans, they don’t like Trump, and will not vote for him. But as long as they leave leaders like McCarthy and McConnell in office, they are just as guilty of moral somnolence as are rabid Trump supporters. Even Christians who have Jesus in their hearts and the gospel on their lips, but who remain silent on issues such as racism, are hypocrites.

Our country is in serious retrograde due largely to Republican opposition to several key congressional initiatives, including infrastructure legislation and voting rights. And in terms of the safety and health of Americans, Republicans deny the dangers of climate change, and the efficacy of vaccinations for protection from COVID-19 (though they are softening that position). Their opposition to federal voting rights legislation is because it’s designed to counter the actions already taken by 17 states to increase voting difficulty. Additional damaging Republican positions include declaring Obamacare unconstitutional, terminating the DACA program which gives illegal immigrant children born here the right to citizenship, implying support of the Jan. 6 Capitol insurrection by opposing an investigation, promoting tax cuts that benefit only the wealthy, and supporting Trump’s position that the 2020 presidential election results were fraudulent.

These are all salient points that cry out for explanation: How can anyone — Democrat or Republican — embrace such a capitulation to cruelty, obduracy and sybaritism, driving this country further into its dystopian condition?

America was the world’s leading country among the free world’s economies and democracies. We were admired, and considered a model for others, and when we spoke at the U.N. or European Union, they listened. The Republican attitudes toward the Paris Climate Accord and on nuclear disarmament were seriously flawed and served to greatly unsettle our allies.

The Biden Administration has moved to correct both positions, but the trust of other countries, notably in Europe, is yet to be fully realized.

The right to vote stands as the golden crown of a democracy. Having voting rights in a dispositive mode is at the very heart of our freedom package. The actions already taken by 17 state legislatures, designed to curtail voting rights, specifically among African Americans, are giant steps that weaken the underpinning of our democracy. In fact, the new laws not only increase the difficulty of voting, but also place the Republican legislators in charge of election administration, including the right to overturn election results. It is reported that 43 states in all either have — or are considering — toughening their voting laws. These shameful, insensitive actions limiting voting rights to specific groups of citizens are considered the most serious threats to our unity and democracy since the Civil War. Where are the voices? How can any person with a sense of decency support these frightening, thoughtless actions being embraced by the Patriarchy that is the Republican Party. Trump, McConnell, McCarthy — they are the enablers. If the voices are silent, then the silence here in our community, as elsewhere, is deafening.

Our village had notable voices now silenced by death — Bobbie Raymond, Sherlynn Reid, Ginny Cassin, Vernette Schultz — and others who would never be silenced. We are as much under attack here as across this land.

The challenges faced by Oak Park are deeper than those visible on the surface. But one notable achievement will never be distorted: Oak Park showed the entire country how to peacefully and productively and successfully welcome racial diversity.

Let us continue to share God’s glory under freedom’s crown: We have a dream this nation will arise, And truly live according to its creed, That all are equal in their Maker’s eyes, And none shall suffer through another’s greed.

TOM LYNCH

One View

We have a dream that truth will overcome The fear and anger of our present day; That Black and White will share Our Common Home, And hand in hand will walk the Pilgrim way.

(Text: Michael Forster) Tom Lynch is the founding executive director of the Oak Park Visitors Bureau, member and president of the board, and a lifelong Oak Park and River Forest resident.

Editor and Publisher Dan Haley Senior Editor Bob Uphues Equity Editor/Ombudsman Michael Romain Staff Reporters Stacey Sheridan, F. Amanda Tugade Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora Food Editor Melissa Elsmo Arts Editor Michelle Dybal Columnists Marc Blesoff, Jack Crowe, Doug Deuchler, Mary Kay O’Grady, Kwame Salter, John Stanger, Stan West Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Mark Moroney Business Manager Joyce Minich Marketing Representatives Marc Stopeck, Lourdes Nicholls Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner E-MAIL jill@oakpark.com Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs

Growing Community Media BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, 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, fire you to action.

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

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

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

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

‘ONE VIEW’ ESSAY

■ 250-word limit

■ 500-word limit

■ Must include first and last names,

■ One-sentence footnote about yourself,

municipality in which you live, phone number (for verification only)

■ Signature details as at left

your connection to the topic

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

H O W

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ADDRESS 141 S Oak Park Ave., Oak ParkIL 60302 ■ PHONE 708-5248300 EMAIL Dan@OakPark.com ■ ONLINE www.OakPark.com Wednesday Journal is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $1.00.

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Advertising rates may be obtained by calling our office. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 10138). Postmaster, send address corrections to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, Il 60302. © 2021 Growing Community Media, NFP.

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Food, family and fun at Taste of Elmwood Park Outdoor festival brings four days of festivities and music to Central Park

For more than 30 years the Taste of Elmwood Park has been a signature event for our sister suburb to the north. After taking a pandemic related pause in 2020, the four-day food-focused celebration is back with a wide variety of dishes to please every palate.

The Taste is free to attend and will be held at Central Park at 75th Avenue and Fullerton from AuFood Writer gust 5 to 8 in Elmwood Park.

“The Taste is a fun community event where local restaurants, businesses, neighbors and friends come together for a weekend of food, fun, and entertainment,” wrote Angelo “Skip” Saviano, Elmwood Park village president. “Participation by our village’s finest restaurants has been outstanding, and the crowds continue to grow as talk of the taste spreads.”

More than 20 unique food vendors will be showcasing signature menu items at the festival and several participants have their brick-and-mortar homes in Elmwood Park.

Thanks to a stretch of “restaurant row” eateries situated on North Avenue and a cluster of establishments on “the circle,” Elmwood Park is known to many as a local dining destination — the Taste of Elmwood Park is an ideal place to enjoy affordably

MELISSA ELSMO

priced restaurant favorites.

A bevy of reputable Elmwood Park establishments including Donny G’s, Café Cubano, New Star, Gringo and Blondie and Armand’s are set to bring Italian, Cuban, Japanese, Chinese and Mexican fare to hungry festival goers next week.

“Send everyone you know to the Taste of Elmwood Park,” said George Diamond, manager of Eggsperience, 16 Conti Pkwy. “I am going to be there for four days.

We’ll have gyros, kebabs, Greek fries and Baklava.”

In addition to Greek fare, the Taste of Elmwood Park is bringing New Star’s best loved eggrolls and crab rangoon to the masses. The crab rangoon will come two per order and the eggrolls feature a bounty of BBQ pork, shrimp, and vegetables in a pleasing peanut sauce.

“They are the best around because we use best quality meat, vegetables and peanut butter,” says Jinny Zhao, owner of New Star. “And our crab rangoon is made from real crab, too.”

Gringo and Blondie plans to offer elote style corn and their namesake tacos -- “The Gringo” features slow roasted barbacoa beef, pickled onions, cilantro and cotija cheese. Angelo Lollino, chef-owner of Mas-

Greek Fries topped with feta cheese and oregano will join other Greek delights on the menu offerings from Eggsperience.

GRAB A SLICE: Armand’s Pizza as well as their popular artichoke casserole will be available at the Taste of Elmwood Park.

Gringo and Blondie will be offering their Barbacoa tacos and elote style corn at the Taste of Elmwood Park next weekend.

Donny’s G’s is a mainstay at the Taste—they’ll be serving up arancini rice bowls, baked artichoke hearts and spicy parmesan wings to hungry festival goers.

All photos Melissa Elsmo

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ou Thank Park! d o o Elmw @gringoandblondie

Cooling house made gelato will be available from Massa Café Italiano. sa Café Italiano will be serving up scoops of his award-winning gelato to help attendees cool off on a hot day.

Folks looking for classic Elmwood Park fare can happily grab an Italian Beef with sweet or hot peppers from Johnnie’s or snag a junior sized pork sandwich from Russell’s Barbecue. Both restaurants are institutions in Elmwood Park and synonymous with dining in the area.

The 75th Avenue Market, featuring Sergio’s Seafood, made its debut at the Taste in 2019 and will return to the festival again this year. Attendees can expect to enjoy raw and baked clams, fresh shucked oysters, grilled octopus, and other Italian seafood specialties at the tent designed to mimic seafood markets in the Bronx.

The experienced fish handlers behind Sergio’s Seafood possess the skillset necessary to serve up seafood safely in a hectic festival environment.

Baked clams, cooked on site, are expected to be crowd pleasers.

They are topped with breadcrumb filling enhanced with garlic, Parmesan and butter while raw clams and fresh oysters will pair beautifully with fresh horseradish sauce and homemade cocktail sauce.

The Mayor’s Cup Bocce Tournament, The Taste Lounge and Yoga in the Park are also featured events during the family friendly experience. Several bands will entertain festival goers all weekend long with the event running Thursday, Aug. 5 and Friday, Aug. 6 from 5 to 11 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 7 from noon to 11 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 8 from noon to 10 p.m.

Russell’s Barbecue will be slinging junior pork sandwiches like the one shown here as well as beef sandwiches, rib tips and smoked wings.

Discover more culinary delights at OakPark.com

/gringoandblondietaqueria

A FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED. FIND US ON RESTAURANT ROW! massacafe.com gringoandblondie.com

Toasty Cuban Sandwiches brimming with pork, pickles, cheese and mustard are a signature offering from Café Cubano.

ON A ROLL: New Star will be at the Taste of Elmwood Park serving up

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WALLY PHILLIPS

RUSH LIMBAUGH

Rush Limbaugh, scaredeer

Wednesday Journal’s July 21 edition included a full-page spread in Viewpoints by Ron Moline regarding his admiration and enjoyment of the late, uneducated, self-anointed, radio host Rush Limbaugh. I was reminded how much my dad, a fundamentalist Christian, also listened to his program. My mother, on the other hand, was practical-minded as she tried various methods to grow vegetables in the dry, red clay. On one visit

home, I approached her garden and was surprised to hear Rush’s familiar voice droning on and on. When I asked for an explanation, she said, “I put the transistor radio in a plastic bag and turn the volume up to scare the deer away!”

From my viewpoint, that seemed like both a suitable application and audience.

Cynthia Breunlin Oak Park

Editor’s note: Ron Moline can explain his intentions if he wishes to, but I ran the piece because it acknowledged, and was insightful about, Limbaugh’s effectiveness with his audience. He did not express admiration for his appalling methods. Those of us who find him appalling, would do well to understand why he was so popular. On the other hand, I wholeheartedly agree that the best use of Limbaugh’s bombast is scaring away garden marauders.

Give Wally Phillips equal space!

One thousand words (or whatever) to commemorate the six-month passing of that wellknown Oak Parker (not) Rush Limbaugh?

I hope you don’t think he endowed Rush Hospital.

I have a 750-word memorial piece on the 13th anniversary of the passing of Wally Phillips.

As soon as I get it to 1,000 words, I’ll send it in.

Paul Clark, Oak Park

Brewpoint Craft 163 S Oak Park Avenue, Oak Park (708) 434-5479

Congratulations to Brewpoint Craft Oak Park on their opening! brewpointcoffee.com * craft coffee, charcuterie, cocktails Among the Celebrants: Melissa Villanueva, Brewpoint Craft; Dr. Mary Ann Bender, Weil Foot & Ankle Clinic; Bob Stelletello, Right at Home Oak Park / Hinsdale / Chicago; Lisa Soto, Oak Park Bank; David Bores, Vintage Home Restoration; Theresa Jurgus, Baird & Warner; Kelsang Chogo, Kadampa Meditation Center; Melissa Cleveland, Oak Park Bank; Heidi Ruehle, Unity Temple Restoration Foundation; Teri Miller, Beyond Hunger; Carla Taylor, Baird & Warner; Eric Mazelis, OPEDC; Chris Griffith, Oak Park Bank; Mark Walden and Liz Holt, OPRF Chamber of Commerce; Michael Glab, Nutriquity; Vicki Scaman and Cam Davis, Village of Oak Park. Photos: Todd Bannor, Bannor & Bannor

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Uninformed or misinformed?

Last week’s Viewpoints section includes a letter asking, “Where’s the balance?” The author rightfully takes on the media, invoking the radical contrast between CNN and Fox reporting. Finding balance, however, isn’t what one need seek by consuming any news outlet’s reporting.

Journalism, by definition, is reporting facts. Finding the evidence that constitutes an ultimate truth.

Of course, Fox news doesn’t practice actual journalism. But neither does CNN. Or MSNBC. Or CBS, ABC or NBC national newscasts. In that regard, they are all in a state of equilibrium.

Dogged journalism is not their modus operandi. It’s ratings. If you want news that is seeking evidence to get facts confirmed, one must dive deeper into the recesses of mass media. The surface is littered with glittered hype.

Remember (if you can) when two reporters from the Washington Post exposed the Watergate scandal that brought down the Nixon administration? That was about covering up a bungled break-in at the Watergate

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Backsliding to our future?

Hotel. Sounds so quaint a matter compared to the political carnage resulting from a corporate news media that has long since abdicated journalism’s goal of truth-seeking.

The lack of “balance” bemoaned by the aforementioned letter to WJ was on full display when virtually every major print and electronic news outlet was on board with the lie-infested justification to invade Iraq in 2003. The real facts of that matter were known then. But the Big Lie prevailed. Only because journalism allowed it to be repetitively spoken, unchallenged.

We have a new Big Lie littering the political landscape right now. And it’s so blatant that the term itself is invoked by Big Media, matter-of-factly. Better late than never, I suppose.

But as someone said long ago, “If you don’t read the newspaper, you are uninformed. If you do read the newspaper, you are misinformed.” Whoever authored that saying wouldn’t want to be around the so-called “news” these days.

Joseph Harrington Oak Park

The restaurants in Oak Park have been given the sidewalks, parking spaces, etc. to put tables out and serve customers. I know of no place where one can walk on the sidewalk, through the tables and be at a 6-foot, or even a 3-foot distance.

Combine this with two virus spreader events hosted every day by the village (swimming pools) and we will end up back where we started.

Kevin Durr Oak Park

‘Black Rednecks and White Liberals’

The purpose of this book is to expose some of the more blatant misconceptions poisoning race relations in our time.

Thomas Sowell

Author Thomas Sowell is a scholar. I interpret him as believing in culture over race. I strongly agree. Some people think race overrides culture. I have heard some experts say that race disdain appears in babies. As a former baby and child with people of different so-called races, I personally, absolutely know this is baloney.

If things aren’t going well, check your assumptions. Poor urban African-American neighborhoods have had a bad time for decades.

I argue that it is because America’s assumptions are wrong. Thomas Sowell challenges

America’s assumptions with scholarship.

Sowell’s book, Black Rednecks and White Liberals, contains essays that put forth the following ideas: Dysfunctional poor, urban Black culture traces back to “Cracker” culture in the mountains of the British Isles. Slavery was accepted as a luxury, not a wealth creator, in almost all human societies. Desegregation harmed Black education. Derrick Bell goes into detail about the last idea in his book Silent Covenants.

YouTube has dozens of 10-minute videos showing interviews with Thomas Sowell discussing various race and economic topics.

Actually, there is no such thing as race. The Human Genome Project proved this by the year 2000.

Robert Sullivan Oak Park

Experienced Piano Teacher (All levels and styles) Call Dr. Harry Steckman (708) 533-0969

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Giardiniera from Gaetano’s

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marinated in vegetable, olive, or soybean oil. hef Gaetano’s Artisan Foods in Forest Though folklore popularizes Italians as favorPark is rightly named: some of their best ing a “spicy meatball,” we Italians are somewhat stuff is made in-house, old time artisanheat-averse. You may find red pepper flakes on style, right there on Madison Street in some Italian tables, but you will rarely find the Forest Park. Gaetano’s is a local treasure. tongue-numbing hot sauce favored by many of Last weekend, we stopped by Gaetano’s to get us Americans. Incidentally, our love of chili heat some sausage, bread and giardiniera. The saumay be attributable to the influx of Mexican sage was coppa, a traditional Italian preparation immigrants into this country; chili peppers first of dry-cured pork shoulder muscle. The bread is appeared many centuries ago in what is now a new favorite, Toscanello, a thin, super-crusty Mexico, and ever since, chilies have been a big loaf that seems to have been named after the part of Mexican cuisine. We in the U.S. have long and thin Italian cigar of the same name. All come to seek out the burn (and, of course, the of Gaetano’s sausage (except for prosciutto de endorphin/dopamine rush of pleasure/pain) of a Parma) and breads are made in-house. hot chili pepper, so maybe that’s why giardiniera As you likely know, giardiniera is the vegLocal Dining in the U.S. usually carries much more chili heat forward condiment found at Italian beef stands & Food Blogger than giardiniera in Italy. everywhere, a combination of vegetables in oil.

The Dalanti site explains that “Chicago-style Giardiniera is a distinctly Chicago original food, giardiniera was invented … in 1925 by famous though there are antecedents in the old country.

‘Beef and Sausage Man’ Pasquale Scala. It’s also commonly According to Dalanti, a company that specializes in Italian served on Italian sausage sandwiches, meatball sandwiches, condiments, “Common vegetables in the Italian version, also Italian subs and pizza.” called sotto aceti, include onions, celery, zucchini, carrots and Though the exact origins of Chicago-style giardiniera are, cauliflower, pickled vegetables in red- or white-wine vinegar. as with so many foods, exceedingly difficult to determine with It is typically eaten as an antipasto, or with salads.” Note this complete accuracy, Pasquale Scala is certainly a contender. traditional European giardiniera is oil-free.

For years, the Scala Beef Packing Company has supplied In Chicago, however, giardiniera is a condiment, typically many of Chicago’s Italian beef stands. sprinkled on Italian beef sandwiches. Chicago-style giarAt Italian grocery stores throughout the area, you’ll find diniera is commonly made with chopped serrano peppers unique house brands of giardiniera. Scudiero’s in Melrose (called “sport” peppers in Chicago), with other assorted Park, for instance, where we get old-country style Easter pie, vegetables, such as bell peppers, olives, celery, pimentos, carrots, cauliflower and sometimes crushed red pepper flakes, all has their own brand of giardiniera, as does Serelli’s Finer

DAVID

HAMMOND

PHOTO BY DAVID HAMMOND

LOW HEAT: Coppa, bread and giardiniera from Gaetano’s Artisan Foods Foods on North Avenue. Serelli’s makes some of the hottest giardiniera I’ve ever had. Gaetano’s giardiniera, on the other hand, tends toward the milder end of the chili-heat spectrum, and it was a good team player along with the mildly seasoned coppa.

Not all the giardiniera at Gaetano’s is made in-house. I was there a few weeks ago, and Chef Gaetano told me that they ran out of their house-made stuff and on that day, they had giardiniera only from other sources. I asked him if he planned to make more of his own giardiniera, and he told me, “If I am living, I am making giardiniera.”

Keeping the memory of ‘Big Jim’ Horan alive

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f you haven’t visited the Fire Museum of Greater Chicago, you’re missing an important piece of local history.

The museum houses antique rigs and artifacts and is located in a former firehouse at 5218 S. Western. Our family recently donated a portrait of my great-grandfather, Fire Marshal James Horan, who was killed with 20 other firemen on Dec. 22, 1910.

It was the darkest day in department history, when a 6-story wall fell on the men, while they were battling a blaze in the Union Stockyards. The museum displays banner newspaper headlines of the tragedy and photographs of the victims.

Horan’s portrait now occupies a prominent spot in this display.

The portrait is a re-creation of the original, which hung in the office of Charles Comiskey, founder of the Chicago White Sox. Comiskey and Horan grew up together on the West Side. Comiskey went on to a career in baseball, while Horan quickly rose to become the head of the fire department at the age of 47.

A third boyhood friend, Fred Busse, was mayor of Chicago when Horan was killed. Busse reportedly wept when he heard the news. It also devastated Comiskey, who had built Comiskey Park that same year. A book titled, Shadows of Chicago, by Chicago firefighter Matt Drew chronicles the friendship and careers of these three remarkable men.

After Comiskey died in 1931, his family gave Horan’s portrait to my grandmother, Margaret Horan Conerty. Unfor-

JOHN RICE

tunately, the portrait had been damaged. In 1969, my uncle, Joe Conerty, commissioned an artist to recreate Horan’s portrait. She relied on the old portrait, plus drawings and photographs from the Chicago Historical Society.

My cousin John Conerty and I met at the museum on July 24 to present it. Our visit coincided with an open house at the museum. These are held on the last Saturday of each month, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and typically attract 30-45 visitors.

We received a warm welcome from the retired firemen and staff. The alarm was rung to summon them for the presentation. The museum’s president, Phil Little, was on hand to accept the gift. Phil’s father, Ken Little, had helped found the museum. Ken also co-wrote six books on the history of the CFD. Phil is justly proud of the beautifully restored facility.

I first saw the former firehouse when the city leased it to the museum in 2011 for a dollar a year. It was a wreck! The single-bay firehouse had been built in 1916 and remained active until 1973. After it closed, vandals and vagrants broke in and destroyed the interior. They ripped out plumbing fixtures, causing the basement to fill with water.

Volunteers raised over $25,000 to restore the floors and install new ceilings. Firemen also volunteered their time and expertise to perform much of the restoration. They made the ground floor presentable, before attacking the second floor.

The second floor has been converted into a research center, containing countless books and publications on fire department history. They don’t just cover CFD history.

They have archives on fire departments in the five collar counties. I reviewed their binder on the Forest Park Fire Department, which contains historic photos and articles I had never seen before.

Jack Connors, the museums secretary, wishes more suburban fire departments would visit the museum. Current fire personnel would be blown away by the vintage vehicles and equipment. They are positively primitive compared to today’s apparatus.

They can also view the handsome visage of “Big Jim” Horan. Now that I know the Comiskey connection, I understand why I became a Sox fan.

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M E M O R I E S

When play was the thing

hen I was in the middle grades, I was friends with eight neighborhood guys.

Four of them went to Holmes School and four went to parochial schools. Our neighborhood was a friendly one, and most adults knew the kids, but there was no adult interference with our games.

My friends and I got together most days after school, but in the summer we played every day, weather permitting.

One day after school, we were playing ball on the corner lot at Chicago and Oak Park Avenues, and the opposition batter hit a fly ball that just fell into fair territory in right field. I chased after the ball, picked it up, pivoted, cocked my arm, and like Mickey Mantle prepared to cut down the runner.

Unfortunately, I slipped in some mud, fell on my posterior, dropped the ball and watched the runner cross the plate with the winning run on what should have been, at best, a double.

The neighborhood guys played seasonal athletic games. We played field games on the corner lot, but we also played basketball on Eric Bourne’s driveway, where his dad had attached a basket over the garage door. Many times we played three-on-three.

We didn’t play touch football because tackle football (without protective equipment) was the game for us and, yes, we all sustained many cuts and bruises — but no broken bones — over the years.

Intentional roughness, however, sometimes caused tempers to flare.

The only time I ever saw my pal Eddie lose his temper was

when Eric Bourne tackled him harder than necessary and Richie Schue flopped on top of him. Eddie was gasping for breath while lying on the ground, and we thought that he was dying, but he was simply trying to get air into his lungs.

When Eddie regained his breath, he got up and pushed Richie to the ground and then threw a roundhouse punch at Eric that narrowly missed his jaw. If the punch had connected, Eric would have heard the birdies sing.

We also played warrior on battlefields and ranges that were really playgrounds and vacant lots. Our swords were rollers from window shades and our revolvers were six-shooter cap guns. We were so well armed, it appeared we were ready for a full-fledged battle.

When we played out cowboy dramas, not only did we have our trusty pistols but we also carried lassos that had once been clothes lines. We then ran around the neighborhood setting up ambushes and raiding our enemy’s hideouts.

We were not good at roping our foes with lassos, and we quit this technique of capture after Denny Douglas almost strangled Richie Schue when he lassoed Richie around the neck and tugged on the rope.

When we reached the junior high grades, our interests turned to different things, like school-sponsored sports and exploring Oak Park and River Forest by bicycle.

Though we all drifted apart, and the years have been many since we last saw each other, I will never forget those days when play was the thing.

JOHN

STANGER

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

31

Alone, scared, and among strangers Our family was devastated to hear the tumor in his neck was terminal and aggressive. Our father was given less than a year to live. He spent the next nine months fighting for his life. At his final check-up, he was given no more than two weeks to get his affairs in order. We didn’t know where to begin. His only request was, “When the time comes, please don’t leave me alone.”

Unfortunately, we did not discuss his final wishes. On Sunday morning, he woke up and had difficulty breathing. We called the ambulance because we didn’t know what else to do. He died in the ambulance on the way to the hospital but was revived before his arrival. When he arrived, he lay, unconscious and incoherent. Once his breathing was stabilized, he was moved into the ICU. There he would pass alone, scared and among strangers. He did not make it 24 hours.

I am now advocating for individuals to educate themselves and share their end of life choices with their family. Please take a moment and review the information that is available to you on: https://compassionandchoices.org/end-oflife-planning/learn/understanding-medical-aiddying/.

Be brave and have that uncomfortable conversation with yourself and your loved ones.

Block Party Gets Photo in Newspaper!

Are you having a Block Party this summer? Invite the Wednesday Journal! We’ll come with some donuts, a few newspapers and we’ll snap a shot of your group for publication.

We can only do one party per week, so reserve your shot today!

Contact Jill Wagner at 708-613-3340 or Jill@OakPark.com

Esther Grachan Oak Park

32

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

O B I T U A R I E S

Bob Walsh, 92 Owned Logos Bookstore

Robert J. Walsh (aka Bob, Grumpy, Boppa), 92, of Oak Park, died peacefully at home on July 28, surrounded by his family. Born on March 3, 1929 to Luke and Eleanor (nee Sharkey) on Chicago’s West Side, he attended Resurrection Grammar School, St. Ignatius High School, and DePaul University. After a quartercentury as an investment analyst, he and Marietta started their second chapter by opening Logos Bookstore of Oak Park.

The Christian bookstore flourished for the next quarter century and became a hub for family, friends, and community members to shop, work, and — most importantly — connect.

An active man of many tastes and talents, he loved golf, tennis, racquetball, “quiet time” in the morning, playing the piano and singing, butter pecan ice cream, apples and peanut butter, workouts at the

Y, his Catholic faith, crossword puzzles, CNN, fixing anything (especially with duct tape), riding his John Deere mower at his treasured Apple Canyon Lake house (“Nothing runs like a Deere”), soaking in the sun anywhere but especially floating on a raft at Apple, building huge bonfires, playing pool, going to the movies, and wintering in Naples, Florida. He was a longtime friend of Bill W. In 1976, Bob and Marietta helped found the St. Giles Family Mass Community. The Family Mass was a huge part of his life until the very end. He was also a proud Rotarian, mentored inner-city students, and advocated for an incarcerated man who became a friend. He was a welcome face at any occasion and will be sincerely missed by many.

Bob is survived by Marietta (nee Battaglia), his wife of 63 years. He was the father of the late Robert (James Jajkowski), Julie (Charles) Fabrizius, Marie (Kevin) White, Therese Cormack, and Elizabeth (Kirk Sweeney); grandfather of Luke (fiancee Kristen Contos) and Brian Fabrizius, Aidan and Hannah Walsh, Rebecca and Melissa Cormack, and Sean White; stepgrandfather of Anna Sweeney; brother of the late Mary Jean (late Robert) Connelly; brother-in-law of the late Vincent (Maureen) Battaglia; and uncle to many nieces and nephews.

A visitation and funeral Mass were held on July 31 at St. Giles Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations to Beyond Hunger (gobeyondhunger.org) or Honduras Educational Development Assistance Corp. (hedac.org) are appreciated.

Arrangements were handled by Drechsler, Brown & Williams Funeral Home.

Paul Thompson, 80 Technical theater set builder

Paul William Thompson, 80, died in Longview, Washington as a result of respiratory complications on the afternoon of July 28, 2021.

Born in Chehalis, Washington on Nov. 25, 1940, he was the youngest child of four. He received his B.A. in English literature and an M.A. in technical theater at the University of Washington in Seattle. He briefly worked for the Portland Civic Theater before being offered a job as a professor in the Speech and

Drechsler, Brown & Williams

Robert P. Gamboney

Since 1880 Family Owned & Operated

I am there for you in your time of need.

All services handled with dignity and personalized care.

Charles Williams, Owner/Funeral Director

Cell: 708.420.5108 • Res: 708.848.5667

203 S. Marion St. Oak Park 60302 708/383-3191

I am affiliated with Peterson-Bassi Chapels at 6938 W. North Ave, as well as other chapels throughout Chicagoland.

Funeral Home

Theater Department at Wright College in Chicago. He moved his family first to Elmwood Park and then to Oak Park, where he was also involved in building sets for Oak Park Festival Theatre, Village Players Theatre, and Wright College. He then went on and built technical sets for commercials for McDonald’s, Chuck E. Cheese and local radio stations.

He was handy working with wood and, combined with his love of sailing and fishing, built a sailboat in the dining room of his house. He held large gatherings every year for the Fourth of July where he made Tandoori Chicken and Margaritas.

After retiring from Wright College in 1998, he moved to Sequim, Washington.

There he built his own house from the logs on his property. He eventually moved to Longview near the high school he attended and reconnected with old friends.

He also wrote a column called “The Man in the Kitchen” for a local paper.

Paul is preceded in death by his parents, Carl Roy Thompson and Elsie Marilla Butler/Thompson; his two sisters, Maxine Foister and Fran Nelson; and his brother, Chuck Thompson. He will be missed by his favorite and only daughter, Sonya Dobberfuhl; his son-in-law, Keith Dobberfuhl; his grandson, Joshua Mahn; his granddaughter, Audra Stupar; and his great-grandson, Matthew Warren.

Funeral Director

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Let the sun shine in...

Public Notice: Your right to know In print • Online • Available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year OakPark.com | RiverForest.com | PublicNoticeIllinois.com

Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.

HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI

BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 | BY E-MAIL: CLASSIFIEDS@OAKPARK.COM | CLASSIFIEDS@RIVERFOREST.COM PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

NOTICE TO BIDDERS AND INVITATION FOR BIDS VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD VETERAN’S MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN

RECEIPT OF BIDS The Village of Brookfield will receive sealed proposals for the Veteran’s Memorial Fountain project until 10:00 A.M. Central Daylight Savings Time, 11th day, August, 2021, at the Office of the Village Manager. Bids will be opened and read in the Edward Barcall Hall in the Municipal Building, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois, on 11th day, August, 2021, at 10:00 A.M., Central Daylight Savings Time.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION The work consists of site work and construction of a new fountain located at the eight-corners area in Brookfield, Illinois, including removals of existing concrete sidewalk, fountain pool, and concrete curbs; new concrete fountain pool, fountain mechanical equipment, LED lighting, memorial monuments, site furnishings, irrigation, and plantings. The work also includes reconfiguration and installation of new storm sewer structures and piping within the circle.

CONTRACT DOCUMENTS The bidding forms and documents are available from the Village website at www.brookfieldil.gov or from Accurate Repro, Inc., 2368 Corporate Lane, Naperville, IL 60563, 630-428-4433, www. hitchcockplanroom.com. A non-refundable fee equal to Accurate Repro, Inc.’s charge for printing the documents will be charged for each requested bid package. The Bid Package may also be examined at the Office of the Village Manager, at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois 60513. No bidding documents will be issued after 4:30 P.M. on Friday, August 6, 2021. Bid proposals must be submitted on the forms provided. Submission of a bid shall be conclusive assurance and warranty that the bidder has examined the plans, the site of the work and the local conditions affecting the contract and understands all of the requirements for performance of the work. The bidder will be responsible for all errors in its proposal resulting from failure or neglect to conduct an in-depth examination. The Village of Brookfield will, in no case be responsible for any costs, expenses, losses or changes in anticipated profits resulting from such failure or neglect of the bidder. The bidder shall not take advantage of any error or omission in the plans or proposal. Sealed envelopes or packages containing bids shall be addressed to the Village Manager and plainly marked “VETERAN’S MEMORIAL FOUNTAIN” on the outside of the envelope.

QUESTIONS, CHANGES, CLARIFICATION Any questions that arise must be made in writing and shall be directed by electronic mail to Carl Muell, Director of Public Works, Village of Brookfield at cmuell@brookfieldil.gov. The written questions, along with the Village’s response, shall be circulated to all known potential bidders without identifying the party submitting the questions. The cutoff for receipt of additional questions shall be 12:00 Noon, Central Standard Time on Friday, August 6, 2021, in order to facilitate preparation of any addenda.

No inquiry received after that time will be given consideration. Replies and/or addenda will be emailed to all known

potential contractors by 4:00 P.M., Central Standard Time on August 9, 2021.

Receipt of any addenda must be acknowledged in writing as part of the Bidder’s Proposal.

Bidders shall be responsible for ensuring that they have received any and all addenda. The Village of Brookfield shall not assume responsibility for the receipt by the Bidder of any addenda.

MBE AND WBE REQUIREMENTS This project is partially funded through the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity and has a goal of 24% Minority-owed Business Enterprise (MBE) and 10% Women-owned Business Enterprise (WBE) participation.

BID SECURITY Each proposal shall be accompanied by a proposal guaranty in the form of a bid bond, executed by a corporate surety company, a bank cashier’s check or a certified check payable to the “Village of Brookfield” for not less than five percent (5%) of the amount of the proposal.

The proposal guaranty checks of all, except the two responsive, responsible proposers which the Village determines in its sole discretion to be the proposers with whom the Village desires to commence negotiations for a contract, will be returned after the proposals have been checked and tabulated. The proposal guaranty checks of the two responsive, responsible proposers will be returned after the contract and the contract bond of the successful proposer have been properly executed and approved. Bid bonds will not be returned.

RIGHT TO REJECT BIDS The Village of Brookfield reserves the right to waive technicalities and to reject any and all proposals for any reason deemed in the best interest of the Village of Brookfield.

AWARD OF CONTRACT Unless all bids are rejected, the contract award will be made to the lowest responsive responsible bidder that the Village of Brookfield in its sole discretion determines to be in the best interest of the Village.

In determining who the lowest responsive, responsible bidder is, the Village of Brookfield will consider all factors that it, in its discretion, deems relevant in determining who the lowest responsive responsible bidder is.

LEGAL REQUIREMENTS Work performed under this contract shall be in accordance with Illinois Prevailing Wage Act (Illinois Compiled Statutes, Ch. 820, Act 130, Sections 1-12), Employment of Illinois Workers on Public Works Act (Illinois Compiled Statutes, Ch. 30, Act 570, Sections 1-7), Drug Free Workplace Act (Illinois Compiled Statutes, Ch. 30, Act 580, Sections 1-11).

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors 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, August 19, 2021 for the following: Village of Oak Park 2021 Watermain Valve Replacement Program Bid Number: 21-133 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/bid.

For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 358-5700 during the above hours.

Published in Wednesday Journal August 4, 2021

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y21007364 on July 20, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of TOTALLY LEGIT CARD CO. with the business located at: PO BOX 5292, RIVER FOREST, IL 60305.

The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: ELAINE D LUTHER 7723 ADAMS ST, FOREST PARK, IL 60130, USA Published in Forest Park Review July 28, August 4, August 11, 2021

NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the Board of Education of School District No. 91, in the County of Cook, State of Illinois, the tentative budget for said School District for the Fiscal Year 2022 will be available for public inspection at the District Office, 424 DesPlaines Avenue, Forest Park, Illinois, after 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, August 4, 2021. Notice is hereby given that a public hearing on said budget will be held at 6:30 p.m. on the 9th day of September, 2021, at the Forest Park Middle School Cafetorium, 925 Beloit Avenue, Forest Park, in this School District No. 91.

Dated this 4th day of August, 2021

Village of Brookfield, Illinois

Board of Education School District No. 91 County of Cook State of Illinois

____________________________ Timothy C. Wiberg, Village Manager

Monique Cotton Secretary

Published in The Landmark August 4, 2021

Published in Forest Park Review August 4, 2021

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING

HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Request for Proposals

The RFP will be available for download at the OPHA’s website (www.oakparkha.org) beginning on Wednesday August 4, 2021.

PUBLIC NOTICE Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: Y21007478 on August 2, 2021 Under the Assumed Business Name of HUFF RESOLUTION SERVICES with the business located at: 4909 W THOMAS ST, CHICAGO, IL 60651.

The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: DINAH HUFF 4909 W THOMAS ST, CHICAGO, IL 60651, USA.

Notice is hereby given by the Board of Education of Riverside Brookfield High School District 208, Cook County, Illinois, that a tentative budget for said school district for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2021, will be on file and conveniently available at the school district’s administrative offices at Riverside Brookfield High School District 208, 160 Ridgewood Road, Riverside, Illinois, from and after 8:00 a.m. on July 14, 2021.

Notice is hereby given that a public hearing on said tentative budget will be held at 7:00 p.m. on September 14, 2021, at Riverside Brookfield High School District 208, 160 Ridgewood Road, Riverside, Illinois.

Published in RB Landmark August 4, 2021

The Housing Authority of the Village of Oak Park (OPHA) requests proposals from qualified firms or organizations to administer its Public Housing Program and its Housing Choice Voucher Program, in accordance with regulations and guidelines set forth by HUD and administrative directives established by the OPHA. The selected respondent must have a demonstrated track record of providing similar services.

This comprehensive program will have several components that are defined in the RFP. In order to demonstrate capacity to perform the services required under this RFP, the respondent may subcontract, form joint ventures, or make similar arrangements. All information regarding planned subcontracts, joint ventures, or other alliances must be included in the Proposal.

The terms of this notice are subject to the terms set forth in the RFP. Proposals must be received at the above address no later than 3:00 p.m. on Thursday September 30, 2021. The OPHA reserves the right to postpone or cancel this RFP and to reject any and all proposals if the OPHA shall deem it in its best interest to do so. Questions regarding this RFP should be directed to: Phillip H. Snelling, Outside General Counsel, at 312-578-8100 or at psnelling@jjsgd.com.

Published in Wednesday Journal August 4, 2021

Published in Wednesday Journal August 4, 11 and 18, 2021

INVITATION FOR BIDS

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN by the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of North Riverside, Cook County, Illinois, that sealed bids will be received for the following improvement: 26th Street CDBG Water Main Improvements CDBG NO. 2007-096 The proposed project consists of transferring water services from an 8” water main to a 12” water main, including new 8” water main side street cross connections, hydrants, valves and restoration of all disturbed surfaces.

Said bids will be received up to the hour of 10:00 a.m. on the 19th day of August, 2021, at the office of the Village Clerk, Village of North Riverside, 2401 S. Des Plaines Avenue, North Riverside, IL 60546, and will be publicly opened and read at that time.

Plans and proposal forms are available for download only from QuestCDN via the Novotny Engineering website, http://novotnyengineering. com, “Bidding” tab, for a non-refundable charge of $30.00. Please contact Novotny Engineering (630887-8640) to obtain the QuestCDN password. The Engineer has been authorized to refuse to issue Specifications and Proposals to any person, firm, or corporation that he or she considers to be unqualified. Proposals must be submitted on the forms provided.

No Proposals will be issued to Bidders after 12:00 Noon on the 18th day of August, 2021. All proposals or bids must be accompanied by a Bid Bond, Cash, or Certified Check made payable to the VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE in the amount of not less than five percent (5%) of the total amount of the Proposal as a guarantee that if the Proposal is accepted, a Contract will be

entered into and the performance of the Contract is properly secured.

No bid shall be withdrawn after the opening of the proposals without the consent of the President and Board of Trustees of the Village of North Riverside for a period of forty-five (45) days after the scheduled time of closing bids.

The Bidder is specifically advised that the Village is a Subgrantee of the County of Cook of a grant made pursuant to the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 as amended, pursuant to an agreement entered into and between the County of Cook and the Village of North Riverside.

Payments to the Contractor will be made by the Village only after it has received the funds to make such payments from the County of Cook in accordance with the terms of the aforesaid agreement.

Further, in compliance with the Stevens Amendment to the Department of Defense Appropriation Act of 1989, the estimated percentage of the total cost of this project to be funded with federal dollars is THIRTY-THREE (33%) and the exact dollar amount of federal funds which will be set aside for this project will be based on the contract amount awarded under this offering.

APPLICABLE FEDERAL REQUIREMENTS All laborers and mechanics employed by Contractor or Subcontractor(s) on construction work for this project shall be paid wages at rates not less than those prevailing

on similar construction in the localAn explanation of the applicable ity as determined by the Secretary federal requirements previously of Labor in accordance with the mentioned is provided in the Davis-Bacon Act as amended Special Provisions of the Bid (U.S.C. 76-276a-5), and shall Specifications. receive overtime compensation The successful Bidder for the conin accordance with and subject struction of the improvement will to the provisions of the Contract be required to file a Performance Work Hours and Safety Standards Bond equal to one hundred percent Act (40 U.S.C. 327-333) and the (100%) of the bid, with sureties Contractor and Subcontractor(s) to be approved by the President shall comply with all regulations and Board of Trustees, which issued pursuant to these Acts and to the labor Secretary of Labor has, with respect standards specified in this Performance Bond shall be Section, con- the authority other applicable laws and Planditioned and functions set Federal forth in Reorganization Number 14 of 1950 (5 U.S.C. 113z-15) and Section 2 upon proper and faithful of the Act ofpertaining June 13, 1934, as amended (40 performance U.S.C. 276c). by the Contractor of regulations to labor standards. The Secretary of Labor the work specified in accordance All with Contracts and Subgrantees construction or repair shall include a provision for compliance with has, respect to the laborfor stanwith874) the Plans and Specifications the Copeland "Anti-Kickback Act" (18 U.S.C. as supplemented in Department of Labor dards specified thisPart Section, the therefore, according to the time Regulations (29in CFR, 3). authority and functions set forth in and terms and conditions of the Reorganization Plan Number 14with of Equal Contract; Each Bidder is required to comply Employmentand Opportunity forthe Community also that Bidder Development Block copy of which on file with the City Clerk and is available for inspection.

1950 (5 Grants, U.S.C.a113z-15) andisSecand Contractor shall properly pay tion 2 of the Act of June 13, 1934, debts incurred Contractor with "Section 3", which calls forall affirmative action by by thethe Contractor to train and hire as Compliance amended (40 U.S.C. 276c). execution thesmall work, includ- is required lower income residents of the project area andintothe subcontract withof local businesses, All on Contracts and Subgrantees for ing those for labor and materials this project. construction or repair shall include furnished.

An explanation of the applicable federal previously mentioned is provided in the Special a provision for compliance with the requirements The Contractor shall be required Provisions of the Bid Specifications.

Copeland “Anti-Kickback Act” (18 to furnish sufficient insurance or U.S.C. 874) as Bidder supplemented in The successful for the construction of guaranty the improvement will be required file a Performance of indemnity to thetoVillage Department of Labor Regulations Bond equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the bid, and withthe sureties to of North Riverside, Illinois, approved which Performance Bond shall (29beCFR, Partby3).the President and Board of Trustees, County of Cook, Illinois, against be conditioned upon proper and faithful performance by the Contractor of the work specified in accordance with the Each Bidder is required to comply any and all claims which might Plans and Specifications therefore, according to the time and terms and conditions of the Contract; with Equal Employment Opportuforpay damages to persons orContractor in the and also that the Bidder and Contractor shall arise properly all debts incurred by the nityexecution for Community Development property due to the negligence of of the work, including those for labor and materials furnished.

Block Grants, a copy of which is the Contractor or Subcontractor(s), shall Clerk be required insurance or agents, guaranty of indemnity to the Village on The file Contractor with the City and to is furnish sufficient or their officers, employees of North Riverside, Illinois, and the County of Cook, Illinois, against any and all claims which might available for inspection. or servants, during the construction arise for damages to persons or property due to the negligence of the Contractor or Subcontractor(s), of said improvement andofuntil Compliance withagents, “Section 3”, which or their officers, employees or servants, during the construction said improvement and the said as improvement hasPresident been and Board of untilfor the said improvement been finally accepted complete by the calls affirmative action has by the finally accepted as complete by the or Bids is Trustees of the Village of North Riverside.

The right to reject any and all Proposals Contractor to train and hire lower reserved.

President and Board of Trustees of income residents of the project the Village of North Riverside. The area andatto subcontract with local Dated North Riverside, Illinois, this 3rd day of August, 2021. right to reject any and all Proposals small businesses, is required on thisPRESIDENT project. AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES or Bids is reserved.

VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE

Dated at North Riverside, Illinois, this 3rd day of August, 2021.

By:

Joseph Mengoni President

PRESIDENT AND BOARD OF TRUSTEES

A T T E S T:

VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE

By:

(s)

Kathy Ranieri

Published in the Riverside/Brookfield Landmark, August 4, 2021

(s) Village Clerk

34

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

CLASSIFIED

(708) 613-3333 • FAX: (708) 467-9066 • E-MAIL: CLASSIFIEDS@OAKPARK.COM | CLASSIFIEDS@RIVERFOREST.COM

HELP WANTED

MARKETPLACE

River Forest Public Schools District 90

District 90 is seeking qualified and experienced applicants for the following positions:

• Speech and Language Pathologist (Roosevelt Middle School) • English Language Learners Teacher (Full-time at Roosevelt Middle School and Part-time FTE 0.50 at Lincoln Elementary School) • School Social Worker (Part-time FTE 0.50 at Lincoln Elementary School & Part-time FTE 0.50 Willard Elementary School) • Physical Education Teacher ( Part-time FTE 0.60 at Lincoln Elementary School)

For detailed qualifications requirements and job duties, please visit our website at https://www.district90.org/about/ employment for our complete list of employment opportunities.

Interested candidates should complete the online application available at www.district90.org. Please do not send hard copies of supporting documentation, i.e. cover letters, resumes, licensure, etc. to River Forest Schools District 90; instead, upload these materials onto the online job application system for proper processing.

BUDGET AND REVENUE ANALYST The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Budget and Revenue Analyst in the Development Customer Service Department. This position will Serve the public with professional administrative and analytical duties in the areas of budget preparation, purchasing, payroll, data analysis and process improvement. Provides, prepares and maintains records, and financial and statistical reports and analysis which assist in the Village’s ability to improve business processes and gain efficiencies through better use of technology. Budget duties include assisting in the development, analysis and application of performance measures with regard to Village services and resources; preparing, modifying, tracking and monitoring Village expenses and transfers; and conducting budget-related research and analysis. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http:// www.oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. First review of applications August 16, 2021.

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Administrative Assistant in the Public Health Department.

This position provides a variety of responsible administrative and analytical functions; records and monitors department budget and fiscal requirements of grant-funded programs; oversight of Accounts Payable process; prepares reports and serves as a resource for computerized office applications. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www.oakpark.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. First review of applications will be August 13, 2021.

TEACHER AND TEACHER AIDE MINI ME BUNCH seeks teacher and teacher aide to enhance and expand daycare serving children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Teacher must have at least Associates’ degree in Early Childhood Education. Minimum 1 year experience preferred in each position. Must love children and be outgoing, patient, flexible. Contact 773-521-9499 GRANTS SUPERVISOR The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Grants Supervisor in the Development Customer Services Department. This position will perform a variety of responsible for developing. Administering and coordinating activities related to Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and other grant-funded programs for the Village. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/ jobs. Position opened until filled.

PARK DISTRICT OF OAK PARK EARLY CHILDHOOD COORDINATOR Join our team to help lead our program take its next steps! Beginning in early August, the Early Childhood Coordinator will assist teachers and enrichment staff utilize an emergent curriculum to develop thinkers and doers that are innovative, resilient, and compassionate. Partner with the Early Childhood Supervisor to provide a wonderful educational experience for our young students and their families.

The ideal candidate has a passion for early childhood education, is nurturing, creative, responsible, communicates well with parents and colleagues, and collaborates with our team to provide a positive learning environment.

Director qualified according to Illinois DCFS regulations.

This is a part-time year round position, $17.50/hour, 28 hours/wk.

To view full job description and to apply. Go to www.pdop.org/jobs

HEPHZIBAH DAY CARE PROGRAM SITE SUPERVISOR Hephzibah Children’s Association offers after school day care on site at each of the Oak Park elementary schools.

The Day Care Program is accepting applications for a Site Supervisor for the 2021-2022 school year to provide supervision to childcare staff as well as care and supervision of 5-11-year-old children.

Regular days and hours are Monday through Friday from 2:30 6:00 PM, Wednesday 1:30 – 6:00 PM. Additional hours on school closing days, in coordination with the school district calendar. May work other hours during school holidays and for staff meetings.

Associate degree in child development or early childhood education, or the equivalent in child development or education desired.

Previous experience working with children required.

Program starts mid-August and runs through the school year.

Additional hours for staff meetings and on school closing days in coordination with the school district calendar.

Contact MJ Joyce at: mjjoyce@hephzibahhome.org Equal Opportunity Employer We are an inclusive employer and welcome people from all backgrounds to apply Part Time Positions Available for 2021-22 school year After-School Recreation / Day Care Worker Youth Development Specialist on site at Oak Park public schools The Day Care Program of Hephzibah Children’s Association is accepting applications for nurturing individuals to provide care and supervision of 5-11-year-old children in the After School Day Care program on site at Oak Park public schools. The days and hours are Mon – Fri from 2:30-6:00 PM and 2:00-6:00 PM on Wednesdays.

Plan and supervise arts and crafts, indoor & outdoor play, games, sports, homework help and more.

Requirements include: -previous experience working with children -6 semester hours in education, recreation, social work or related college courses desired Program starts mid-August and runs through the 2021-22 school year.

Contact MJ Joyce at mjjoyce@hephzibahhome.org Equal Opportunity Employer We are an inclusive employer and welcome people from all backgrounds to apply TEACHER AND TEACHER AIDE MINI ME BUNCH seeks teacher and teacher aide to enhance and expand daycare serving children ages 6 weeks to 5 years. Teacher must have at least Associates’ degree in Early Childhood Education. Minimum 1 year experience preferred in each position. Must love children and be outgoing, patient, flexible. Contact 773-521-9499 MAINTENANCE Hiring one Maintenance position at private health club in Oak Park.

Hours will be variable between 20 and 32 per week and may include some night and/or weekend hours.

Adult applicant should be out of high school and able to work with common power tools, including snow blowers, lawn mowers, drills and sanders.

Applicant should be competent in painting, basic repairs and janitorial duties.

This job requires climbing ladders and some heavy lifting- please do not apply if you cannot do physical work.

Interested parties, please email your skills and contact information to: Lisa Tanzer at: LisaT@tenandfit.com

Chicago

GARAGE/YARD SALES

WANTED TO BUY

HUGE YARD SALE 206 N. LOREL FRI 8/6 & SAT 8/7 9AM TO 4PM SUN 8/8 9AM TO 3PM

WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, flags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers – lead, plastic – other misc. toys.

Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400

SOMETHING OLD, SOMETHING NEW, SOMETHING MAY BE HERE FOR YOU! VARIETY OF ITEMS.

Forest Park

HUGE ANNUAL DOWNSIZING SALE! DON’T MISS THIS SALE: PART 1 - AUGUST 6/7/8 PART 2 AUGUST 20/21/22 9AM - 5PM 547 MARENGO AVE

Many quality items at reasonable prices. Much kitchen miscellaneous: gadgets and small appliances; much silver in excellent condition; fine crystal, especially stemware; several small area rugs and runners; small wool rug with appraisal; a few tools and garden items including vintage sprinklers; two snow plows several nice pieces of furniture, including glass cabinet; white porcelain cookware (unchipped); too much to list; must see to appreciate. No early birds.

Riverside

GIANT OUTDOOR SALE!!!

140 &142 NORTHGATE RD FRI 8/6 AND SAT 8/7 9AM - 4PM

4 families join in for much more than a typical “Garage Sale” Tons of mint condition/never-worn women’s clothes sizes 4, 6, 8, S, M, L - priced accordingly; Some vintage clothes; Multitude of lightly used clothes (no stains, tears, lint-balls, etc. - all good to wear); Lots of good quality, hand-made jewelry from a working artist - priced fairly; Oodles of beads and beading supplies at fantastic prices - all need to go; 2 sets of loud speakers in very good working condition, record player, radios, electronics - all working; House decorating items (candle holders, china plates, etc.); Kitchen wares; Garden hoses, electric lawn mower, push mower, carts, gardening tools; Space heaters, fans; Snow blowers; Tool sets; Furniture; Rugs; Some free items.

No junk, so items priced accordingly

ART SALE Brookfield

ANNUAL ART MARKET ART & THE UNUSUAL’S, 18 LOCAL ARTIST LAURA ATWOOD STUDIO BEADS & TRADING CO. 9142 BROADWAY SAT 8/7 10AM TO 6PM

Lots of Unusual things from around the World, Jewelry, Paintings, Pottery,Glass, Lotions, Candles, Collections& to much to list.

Please Join Us!

HELP WANTED CAREGIVER LIVE-IN CAREGIVER WANTED IN LA GRANGE (60525) EVERY OTHER WEEKEND, FRI 7PM - SUN 7PM $230-$260/PER DAY ($16.40-$18.50/hour) Minimum 10 hrs for sleep/breaks plus downtime BENEFITS: paid training with instruction booklets, meals, own bedrm, guest bathrm, extra pay for holidays & rare nighttime interruptions, Wi Fi, safe condo/area, indoor pkg, across from Metra. Team members assist with breaks, transfers, treatments, appointments, shopping, cleaning, etc. Final pay based on your experience, abilities & communication skills that you demonstrate during paid training. I am 69 yr educated female,105 lbs, a polio survivor who uses a tracheostomy, ventilator, oxygen, leg braces, wheelchair, speaking valve, assistive devices. CAREGIVER RESPONSIBILITIES: Must follow Covid requirements, infection control procedures, safety/sanitation practices. Transfer me using assistive devices.

Operate medical machines, suction trach, perform Foley & suprapubic care. Provide personal care, ADLs. Follow emergency procedures. CAREGIVER REQUIREMENTS: Healthcare experience, non-smoker, honest, respectful to all—regardless of differences, Covid vaccinated, speak/read/write clear English, communicates effectively, attentive to details, physically able to perform all tasks & use proper body mechanics to safely lift 50 lbs, pull, bend, stoop, reach. Need 2 strong references, clean criminal backgrd report & driving record, if owns car. Observe Caregiver tasks to decide if you want to do this job. PAID training: 3-4 days (4-hrs each) & on-the job.

CONTACT BONNIE (NO text) Leave message at 847-797-9410 or bfalcone4lb@gmail.com.

Lost & Found, Items for Sale, and To Be Given Away ads run free in Wednesday Classified. To place your ad, call 708-613-334

VINTAGE CLOTHING

Attic or closet full? I buy bulk vintage clothing and accessories 1940’s through 1990’s. Call Kim in Riverside

708-870-1002

CARS WANTED

CLASSICS WANTED CLASSICS Restored or Restored or Unrestored Unrestored

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

Collector James Collector James 630-201-8122 630-201-8122

CLASSICS WANTED NOVENAS

Restored or Unrestored Cars PRAYER & Vintage Motorcycles TO ST. JUDE May the Sacred Heart of Jesus be adored, glorified, Domestic / Import Cars:loved & preserved throughout the world now & forever. Sacred Heart of Jesus, Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari’s, Jaguars, Muscle Cars, Mustang & Mopars

pray for us. St. Jude worker of miracles, pray for us. St. Jude helper of the hopeless, pray for us. Say this prayer 9 times a day for 9 days. By the 8th day your prayer will be answered. It has never been known to fail .Publication must be promised. Thank you Jesus. Thank You St . Jude. G.K.

$$ Top $$ all makes, Etc. Collector James

630-201-8122

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

CLASSIFIED

35

(708) 613-3333 • FAX: (708) 467-9066 • E-MAIL: CLASSIFIEDS@OAKPARK.COM | CLASSIFIEDS@RIVERFOREST.COM R E N TA L S & R E A L E S TAT E

SUBURBAN RENTALS

SUBURBAN REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

Apartment listings updated daily at:

RIVERSIDE 3 FLAT FSBO

Three above grade 2BR apts. Unfinished basement w/ laundry & 1/2 BA. 4 car brick garage. Zoned for residential and office, if desired. Well maintained. $529,000

BY APPOINTMENT ONLY 708-446-1324

ROOMS FOR RENT

OFFICE /RETAIL FOR RENT

Large Sunny Room with fridge, microwave. Near Green line, bus, Oak Park, 24 hour desk, parking lot. $125.00. New Mgmt.

312-212-1212

OFFICE SPACE FOR RENT THERAPY OFFICE OAK PARK

Free wifi; flexible leasing, and offices nicely furnished right down to the Kleenex. Secure building & friendly colleagues, often giving referrals to other office mates. Shared Waiting room, Conference room & option to join Peer Supervision Group. Ideal for new practice or 2nd location.

708-383-0729

OFFICE /RETAIL FOR RENT RIVER FOREST–7777 Lake St. * 1116 sq. ft. * 1400 sq. ft. Dental Office RIVER FOREST–7756 Madison St. * 960 sq. ft.

OAK PARK–6142-44 Roosevelt Rd. * 3 & 5 room office suites FOREST PARK–7736 Madison St. *2500 sq. ft. unit Strand & Browne Strand & Browne 708-488-0011 708-488-0011

Find your new apartment this Saturday from 10 am – 4pm at 35 Chicago Avenue.

Or call us toll free at 1-833-440-0665 for an appointment.

STUDIOS, 1, 2 & 3 BR Best Selection & Service

OAK PARK & FOREST PARK

708-386-7355

MMpropMgmt.com

CITY RENTALS AUSTIN RENAISSANCE APARTMENTS

A HUD subsidized affordable Apartment property announces the opening of its waiting list for both One and Two Bedroom Apartments! Resident rent is approximately 30% of gross household income, some restrictions apply. Our property is located on Washington Blvd in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood.

Apartments offered with an occupancy of one to four persons. Properties feature modern kitchens, include appliances, and offer onsite maintenance. Austin Renaissance will accept requests for application packages by U.S. Mail postmarked no later than , September 15, 2021. Send or email a written request for an application package that includes your name, mailing address. Daytime telephone number, Email address, and the number of persons in your household to: Town Center Realty Group LLC, PO Box 64, Huntley IL 60142-0064 or Email requests to mrpaul.tcrg@gmail.com Application packages available by mail or email delivery only. No walk-ins accepted.

Town Center Realty Group LLC

HOME SERVICES CEMENT

CEMENT

MAGANA

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

COMMERCIAL INDUSTRIAL RESIDENTIAL

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

ELECTRICAL Ceiling Fans Installed

ELECTRICAL

A&A ELECTRIC

Let an American Veteran do your work

We install plugs for battery-operated vehicles We fix any electrical problem and do small jobs We install Surge Protectors • Home Re-wiring • New Plugs & Switches Added • New circuit breaker boxes • Code violations corrected Service upgrades,100-200 amp • Garage & A/C lines installed Fast Emergency Service | Residential • Commercial • Industrial Free Home Evaluations | Lic. • Bonded • Ins. • Low Rates • Free Est.

FLOORS

LANDSCAPING

KLIS FLOORING INC.

BRUCE LAWN SERVICE

New hardwood flooring installation & pergo. Sanding, re-finishing, staining. Low prices, insured.

Call: 773-671-4996 www.klisflooring.com

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

708-296-2060

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

FREE ESTIMATES Excellent References No Job Too Small

708-488-9411

Spring Clean-Up Aerating, Slit Seeding Bush Trimming, Lawn Maintenance brucelawns.com

708-243-0571

NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN UP

Evergreen trimming & more. Clean-ups.

Garden weed removal.

Storm Branch Tree Removal.

708-447-1762

PETS While you’re away, your pets are okay . . . at home

cat calls

Oak Park’s Original Pet Care Service – Since 1986

Daily dog exercising Complete pet care in your home )PVTF TJUUJOH t 1MBOU DBSF Bonded References

524-1030

PLASTERING McNulty Plastering & Stucco Co.

PAINTING & DECORATING

Small & big work. Free estimates.

Complete Plaster, Stucco & Re-Coating Services

CLASSIC PAINTING

Licensed, Bonded, Insured, & EPA Certified Expert craftsmanship for over 50 years

Fast & Neat Painting/Taping/Plaster Repair Low Cost

708/386-2951 • ANYTIME Work Guaranteed

708.749.0011

HAULING BASEMENT CLEANING

Appliances & Furniture Removal Pickup & Delivery.

708-848-9404

708-409-0988 • 708-738-3848 Sr. Discounts • 30 Yrs. Exp. Servicing Oak Park • All surrounding suburbs • Chicago area

Public Notice: Your right to know • In print • Online • Available to you 24/7/365

PublicNoticeIllinois.com

YOUR WEEKLY AD

REACHES SIX SUBURBAN COMMUNITIES:

OAK PARK, RIVER FOREST,FOREST PARK, BROOKFIELD, RIVERSIDE, NORTH RIVERSIDE, AND PARTS OF CHICAGO

36

Wednesday Journal, August 4, 2021

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

COMMUNITY AND TECH-DRIVEN REAL ESTATE IN OAK PARK, RIVER FOREST AND BEYOND. GAGLIARDO GROUP IS NOW POWERED BY COMPASS.

708.771.8040 gagliardogrp.com 7375 W. North Avenue, River Forest , IL

Compass is a licensed real estate broker and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only. Information is compiled from sources deemed reliable but is subject to errors, omissions, changes in price, condition, sale, or withdrawal without notice. Photos may be virtually staged or digitally enhanced and may not reflect actual property conditions.