WednesdayJournal_090617

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W E D N E S D A Y

September 6, 2017 Vol. 36, No. 3 ONE DOLLAR

JOURNAL

@oakpark @wednesdayjournal

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of Oak Park and River Forest

Albion needs supermajority vote Decision unlikely to reach Oak Park Village Board until October By THOMAS VOGEL and DAN HALEY Staff Reporter and Publisher

With a narrow Oak Park Plan Commission vote last week, the future, if any, of the Albion high-rise proposal for downtown Oak Park now likely rests with the full Oak Park Village Board. By a 5-4 margin, the Plan Commission, at its Aug. 29 meeting, denied the Albion proposal for Lake Street at Forest Avenue. This week, the commission is expected to meet to put its vote into writing, in the form of recommendations that will be forwarded to the village board for final action. Under state and local law, it will take a super-majority 5-2 vote by the village board to override the commission’s recommendation. Cara Pavlicek, Oak Park village manager, said on Sept. 1 that the Plan Commission recommendation will likely reach the village board agenda in October. She said the commission will need time to put its recommendation in writing, and the village board will need time to study it as well as the initial 500plus page Albion development application. That, she believes, pushes the board debate into next month. Pavlicek said the village board has 60 days to consider any recommendation from the Plan Commission. See ALBION VOTE on page 15

Pie panned?

ALEXA ROGALS/Staff Photographer

Judges Walt Pancewicz, left, and Melissa Elsmo, try a vinegar pie on Saturday, Sept. 2, during a bake-off at Oak Park Farmers Market in the Pilgrim Church parking lot. For a second helping, see Inside Report, page 3.

First, look inside, says panel on race

Boykin, Abu-Taleb host blunt talk on racism By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

In the wake of the recent Neo-Nazi white supremacist march in Charlottesville, Virginia Cook County Commis-

sioner Richard Boykin (D-Oak Park) and Oak Park Mayor Anan Abu-Taleb hosted a conversation about race relations at the Oak Park Public Library. The wide-ranging conversation occurred before and with about 75 people Wednesday evening. The recent appearance of swastikas and racial slurs at Pilgrim Congregational Church and swastikas at Oak Park and River Forest High School lent even more

immediacy to the subject that seems to be a perennial issue in Oak Park and beyond. “This is a conversation that needs to happen in our community,” Abu-Taleb said at the start of the discussion “We stand up against intolerance and discrimination in any form.” There were nine panelists including forSee RACE FORUM on page 13

IT’S STILL PATIO SEASON! Fire Pit, heaters and blankets available.

708.358.9800 | mayadelsol.com | 144 s oak park ave


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