Wednesday Journal 091124

Dream Team

Oak Park’s total would rise from $13.8 to $14.4 million

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

A certified public accounting firm, Lauterbach & Amen, recommended that the village increase its contribution to the police and fire pensions from about $13.8 million to $14.4 million. The police and fire pension funds pay for retirement benefits for those respective public service workers. According to Robert Rietz, principal of actuarial services at Lauterbach & Amen, the changes are needed because of fluctuations in staffing and the number of people receiving reSee PENSION on pa ge 13

STORY BY JESSICA MACKINNON, PAGE 9

TODD BANNOR

@wednesdayjournalinc @wednesdayjournal @oakpark

Pilgrim Community Preschool receives environmental grant

The Oak Park school receives one of 23 Illinois community grants

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

Pilgrim Community Preschool is one of 23 Illinois communities or organizations to receive up to $10,000 each as part of a 2024 environmental grant program.

ComEd and Openlands, a leader in environmental conservation, partner in the Green Re gion Grant Program to help support preservation of nature, combatting climate change and creating safe habitats across northern Illinois, according to a ComEd news release. The program was created in 2013.

At Pilgrim Community Preschool, 460 Lake St., the plan is to enhance outdoor classroom space, expand greenspace and provide informational signage with the grant money.

The release states the school intends to install a rain garden and encourage young leaders to be environmental stewards

The preschool is a private, nonprofit entity that serves Oak Park and neighboring communities, according to its website. The preschool is housed at Pilg rim Church.

“At ComEd, we are dedicated to lifting the communities we are privileged to serve, which includes ensuring residents have access to cleaner and more sustainable public spaces,” said Melissa Washington, senior vice president of customer operations and strategic initiatives at ComEd, in the release.

The 2024 grants total $200,000 distributed among the 23 recipients. According to Openlands, nearly 1.6 million people have benefited from the program’s space

improvements since its inception. Those improvements include Americans with Disabilities Act-accessible trails, restored land and new trees. And more than 280 conservation projects have already received about $2.3 million through this annual grant, according to the release.

“By focusing on pollinator habitats, tree planting, seed research, and the maintenance of natural areas, we not only enhance public spaces but contribute to biodiversity and resilience against climate change,” said Michael Davidson, chief executive officer of Openlands, in the release.

A few other recipients of the 2024 grant dollars include the Fox Valley Park District, the Village of Bolingbrook, the Forest Preserve Foundation and the Lake Forest Open Lands Association.

New CAVA restaurant opens in River Forest

The restaurant chain sells Mediterranean-inspired foods

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

CAVA, a “fast-casual” restaurant chain that sells Mediterraneaninspired foods, opened a new location in River Forest on Friday. The new restaurant is in the River Forest Town Center at 7211 Lake St. and is open from 10:45 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. Locals looking to try it can expect bowls, pitas, dips and dressings on the menu.

“Our mission is to bring heart, health, and humanity to food, and everything we do at CAVA is grounded in that spirit of generosity, to our guests, our team members, and our community,” said Louie Lovejoy, regional director for CAVA. “We couldn’t be more excited to be in River Forest and expand our presence in the Chicago market.”

The River Forest location will employ 30 to 40 locals, according to a CAVA news release. Hospitality is a priority for hiring at CAVA.

This is the third CAVA location in the greater Chicagoland area, according to the release. Others are in Chicago’s Wicker Park neighborhood and in Vernon Hills.

Before opening Friday, CAVA invited neighbors to try a free meal and accepted donations to a local cause, the Greater Chicago Food Depository. CAVA does this for each new location, according to the release.

CAVA also matches donations up to $1,000. Since 2019, CAVA has

raised more than $500,000 in donations for local causes , according to the release, most of which are aimed at “improving food security in local communities.”

The River Forest opening supported the Greater Chicago Food Depository, a local food bank working to end hunger by addressing root causes such as poverty, inequity and racism. According to the release, before the opening, CAVA also worked with Launch Out Into the Deep to donate meals to locals. The food donation program has been part of CAVA’s work since 2023 to help address food insecurity, the release states.

WEDNESD

AY

of Oak Park and River Forest

Editor Erika Hobbs

Digital Manager Stac y Coleman

Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan

Sta Reporters Amaris E. Rodriguez, Luzane Draughon

Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor

Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora

Contributing Editor Donna Greene

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

Shrubtown Cartoonist Marc Stopeck

Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead

Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea

Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza

Marketing Representatives

Lourdes Nicholls, Ben Stumpe

Business & Development Manager

Mary Ellen Nelligan

Circulation Manager Jill Wagner

Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs

Publisher Dan Haley

PROVIDED BY C AVA

Habakkuk Theatre Returns: Rosemary with Ginger

Saturday, Sept. 7 – Monday, Sept. 30, Doors: 6:30 p.m., Show: 8 - 8:40 p.m., Monse’s Tapas Bar

Habakkuk Theatre is back with its rst in-person production since the pandemic, partnering with Monse’s Tapas Restaurant in Berwyn for Edward Allan Baker’s Rosemary with Ginger, directed by Dado. Press is invited to attend performances during the rst and second weekends. 6609 Roosevelt Road., Ber wyn

Supported Storytime and Family Social Hour

Thursday, Sept. 12, 6:30-7:30 p.m., Oak Park Public Library

Designed for children with disabilities ages 3+ with caregiver support. Classes are structured with visual schedules and include fun picture books and songs, with ne and gross motor movement activities. Sensory supports like lap weights and dget toys are available to help children be successful. Siblings are welcome. Learn more and register at https://oppl.org/ calendar 834 Lake St., Oak Park

Sound Meditations in Oak Park

Friday, Sept. 13, 8–9 p.m., Ahimsa Yoga Studio

Join Ahimsa School of Sound Healing facilitators in Oak Park for a relaxing sound meditation experience. Lie back as the frequencies of the instruments interac t with your body, helping you let go of what no longer serves you and nd deep relaxation. No prior experience needed. Purchase tickets at https://tinyurl. com/458x393t, 441 South Blvd., Oak Park

Juliann Wang and Graham Nelson

BIG WEEK September 11-18

Compiled by Brooke Duncan

Under the Spanish Sky

Sunday, Sept. 15, 5 – 8 p.m., Cooper ’s Hawk

Wine Club members are invited to enjoy an evening of Spanish-inspired small plates, including goat cheese croquettes and bacon-wrapped dates, culminating in a seafood paella. The event begins with a Sangria greeting, followed by a glass of Garnacha, the Wine of the Month. 950 Lake St., Oak Park

Yappy Hour

Thursday, Sept.12, 6:30 - 9 p.m., Cheney Mansion Grounds

Let Freedom Ring

Tuesday, Sept. 17, 3 p.m., First United Church of Oak Park

Join the George Rogers Clark Oak Park-River Forest Chapter of the Illinois Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) for a bell-ringing ceremony celebrating the 237th anniversary of the U.S. Constitution signing. DAR chapters across the U.S. will ring bells at 3 p.m. Central Standard Time to honor Constitution Week. 848 Lake St., Oak Park

Soup & Bread West

Tuesday, Sept. 17, 6–9 p.m., Rober t’s Westside

Saturday, Sept. 14, 7 – 9 p.m., Compound Yellow Side Yard Sounds presents a musical performance by Juliann Wang and Graham Nelson. Enjoy an evening of live music in the unique setting of Compound Yellow. BYOB. Purchase tickets at https://tinyurl. com/5n7hrdam, 244 Lake St., Oak Park

Your favorite springtime event has moved to fall. Bring your prized pooch for social hour on the lawn at Cheney Mansion. Drinks and hors d’oeuvres will be served as you mingle with other owners, while taking in the beauty of your Oak Park surroundings. Enter our ra e, enjoy a human and doggy bar, take a tour of Cheney Mansion, and enter your furry friend in a pup cup eating contest. This program is in partnership with the Animal Care League, helping homeless animals since 1973. $10 of your registration fee goes to support the Animal Care League. Ages 21 and over. To register, visit https://pdop.org/event/yappy-hour, 220 N. Euclid Ave., Oak Park

Enjoy a meal of hearty soups, salads, breads, and desserts provided by local chefs from Oak Park, River Forest, and Forest Park while listening to the Szurko Trio. In celebration of the halfway mark to St. Patrick’s Day, there will be a short performance by the Bentley School of Irish Dance. This event supports the Pine Avenue Church Food Pantr y, working to address food insecurity in Austin. Pay what you can at the door and bring shelf-stable food items for donation. 7321 Madison St., Forest Park

Listing your event

OPRF alumnus brings a cappella group to pilot education program for students

Radius will per form for choir students at OPRF

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

Aca-scuse me? An OPRF alumnus is returning to his old singing ground and bringing his a cappella group and the vocally dynamic style of singing in a performance geared towards students.

Gabe Schonman, a 2018 graduate of OPRF, is one of the founding members of Radius, a Chicago-based, five-member vocal band. The group will not only be performing at the high school for choir students but also piloting its new educational program “The History of a cappella.”

Radius will be performing and teaching on Friday, Sept. 20.

Meredith McGuire, choir director at OPRF, said it was always exciting to have alum retur n and give back to the community

“I’d like to think that when for mer students come back to share their lived experiences, they are showing current students what is possible,” McGuire said. “This is an especially strong message as it is coming from a person who was in their exact position not too long ago.”

Schonman, a for mer member of Take 5 –a boy only a cappella choir group at OPRF, said the idea for Radius came during the COVID-19 pandemic after a failed audition in Boston in 2020.

Schonman connected with others who also did not make the cut and a few weeks later they were singing virtually together and posting their videos online

They be gan recording a couple of songs a week and continued to post them online.

“We were all stuck inside with nothing to do so we kept it going and now it has turned into this,” Schonman said.

By July 2020, the members had received ne gative COVID tests and met up to record an EP

“That was the beginning of it all,” Schonman said. “People really liked what we were putting out and we really liked making music with each other.”

After graduation, the group did a 10-day tour across the Midwest, including stops in Indianapolis and Columbus, before deciding to pursue singing professionally.

Since then, the group has performed across the country including various festivals. It won the 2023 National Harmony Sweepstakes, the nation’s premier vocal competition.

“It has been a really cool trying, but rewarding time for sure,” Schonman said.

The idea for an education program came from other a cappella groups, such as Face -- a group out of Colorado, who provide a similar experience, Schonman said.

“We have wanted to do this for a while,” Schonman said, adding high school students have been their most rewarding audience.

Schonman said the group has gone through some member changes so this also serves as a great way to build a new foundation with the new members.

Radius’s “The History of a cappella” will cover the style of singing -- unaccompanied by instruments, from the first Gregorian Chants through current times, including some “Pitch Perfect” moments – reflecting the popular 2012 musical comedy movie centered around a cappella.

McGuire said OPRF has a strong history of a cappella dating back to 1998.

“I think it’s really important to see what a cappella looks like at the professional level,” she said. “It will be exciting for our students to gain a better understanding of this art form.”

Crowd participation, beat boxing, and singing along can be expected.

“We want to build a show that is obviously educational but also entertaining, not

BY

Radius members, le to right: Michael St. Peter, Ben Boutell, Sam Baker, Lucas Faria de Sá Tucker and Gabe Schonman.

just for the adults that are watching, but for the kids,” Schonman said.

The show will feature popular songs, including “Wannabe” by the Spice Girls.

“I think once we are in front of the students, any time you are in front of an audience it breathes new life into it,” Schonman said.

Because this would be a pilot run, Schonman said the group will be welcoming feedback from the audience to figure out what works and what doesn’t.

The group will also be recording the pro-

gram and performance for their highlight reel, which will be used to book more shows and opportunities to bring the educational program to other schools in the Midwest.

“What we learned from our experience is that if you want to book stuf f, people will take your word for it, but they also want to see it,” Schonman said. “This is something we are building from the ground up and we want to have video of it.”

More info rmation on future shows can be found on Radius’ Insta gram page, @ radiusvocals

PROVIDED

GABE SCHONMAN

River Forest o cials want resident input

Neighborhood Dialogues kick o this week

By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter

River Forest officials say they are pleased with the response from residents to their call for neighborhood dialogues to discuss economic development in the village as they kick of f the program this week.

Under the program, village residents will host small group conversations that will include 10 to 15 of their neighbors in their homes.

“People in River Forest want solutions,” Village President Cathy Adduci said. “People don’t want controversy.

“We know what the concerns are. What are the solutions? What can we do moving forward?”

She said officials are targeting the south end of the village, specifically in the Madison Street and Lake Street corridors

“The village understands there may be questions and ideas about future economic development,” Adduci said in a village e-newsletter last month announcing the program.

“Residents living near the Madison Street and Lake Street corridors may have a specific interest in this topic due to their proximity to commercial activity.

“The goal is for the Village to develop a commonsense

path forward re garding future development needs and overall planning, with weigh-in from residents.”

Leading the project is Rick Jasculca, owner of Chicagobased JT Strategic Communications, a public af fairs who has lived in the village for almost 50 years and has done work for the village in the past.

“There’s a lot of concern about economic de ment,” he said. “We want to help the village find a pathway to the future.”

Village Administrator Matt Walsh said he is not aware of any other municipality using a similar approach.

“We’ re targeting smaller groups because that makes it easier to get input,” he said. “We felt prioritizing meeting in homes would work best.”

Jessica Spencer, assistant village administrator, said officials have received “an excellent response” to the for residents to serve as hosts for the dialogues. Residents interested in hosting or attending a session are asked to contact her by email at jspencer@vrf.us.

“We’ re very pleased with the eng agement from the residents,” she said. “We are eager to be gin.”

Walsh said “several” sessions are being finalized and officials are open to scheduling more.

Jasculca said James Chase and Nell Brennan of JT

‘It will be a combination,” Jasculca said re garding facilitating the dialogues. “He and I will be taking turns.” Adduci said Walsh and Spencer will attend the dialogues but not any elected officials.

“River Forest is a great community,” she said. “This is exciting.”

Term limits referendum in River Forest o the ballot

Language viewed as too vague, appeal possible

By ROBERT LIFKA Contributing Reporter

Barring a successful appeal, the proposed referendum on term limits in River Forest is off the Nov. 5 ballot.

The River Forest Electoral Board voted Sept. 4 to rule that the proposed referendum petition is invalid primarily because the language is too vague and ambiguous. Retired Appellate Court Judge Mathias Delort replaced River Forest village President Cathy Adduci in the unanimous vote.

Representing a neighbor group, River Forest resident Deborah L. Borman, as principal proponent, filed petitions July 15 seeking placement of the question: “Shall the terms of office of the Village President of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois be limited so that, effective upon the passage of this question as certified by the election authority no person may serve as Village President for more than a total of eight (8) years?” be placed on the ballot at the Nov. 5, 2024, Presidential General Election.

The 90 petition sheets contained 753 signatures, well past the required 396 signatures By state statute the number of signatures required is not less than 8% of the number of total votes cast in the previous gubernatorial election. In 2022, 4,941 votes were cast locally in that election.

River Forest resident Carolyn A. Kilbride filed an objection to the petitions Aug. 12, leading to an electoral board hearing Aug. 20. By state statute, the initial electoral board consisted of the village president, village clerk and longest tenured village trustee, Cathy Adduci, Jonathan Keller and Respicio Vazquez, respectively. However, toward the end of the hearing, Adduci recused herself, citing a possible conflict of interest. At the request of the remaining two members of the electoral board, Delort was appointed Aug. 23 by the Cook County Circuit Court as a public member to fill the vacancy in the seat of the chairperson. Borman declined to discuss possible next ste ps

“It’s just an opinion,” she said. “There’s an appeal process.”

In addition to finding the petition language

to be vague and ambiguous, the electoral board ruled that the petition “legally fails to use language that does not create doubt, that it cannot stand on its own terms and is not self-executing.”

Discussion re garding whether the language was vague and ambiguous centered on the limitation of “eight years” and the effective date of when the results of the election would be certified by the county election authority.

Ross Secler, attorney for Borman, defend ed the use of “eight years,” contending tha “Voters will find the question clear and understandable.” However, Thomas Jaconetty attorney for Kilbride, asked why different language was not used, such as “two four year ter ms.”

Jaconetty also pointed out that, as written, if the referendum is approved, the eight- year limit would be in effect in November, in the middle of Adduci’s third term as village president. If she chose to run for re-election 2025 and 2029 and was successful each time she would be removed from office in November 2028, approximately 115 days short of the completion of her fifth ter m.

“The problem is with ‘eight years,’” Delort said. “There is no precedent to cutting an office holder off in mid ter m.”

Jaconetty also raised the hypothetical scenario of an individual who served a full fouryear term as village president, chose not to run for re-election but was appointed to ser ve the remainder of his successor’s term if the successor leaves before the end of his term due to such circumstances as death or relocation. He could run again but, if elected, would not be able to serve the full four-year term.

In supporting the motion to rule the petition to be invalid, Vazquez contended that “River Forest voters will be confused” by the language.

Keller said similarly, “The intent is being conflicted by the language.”

In addition to challenging the validity of the petition due to vague and ambiguous wording, Kilbride’s objection raised questions about markings of the “yes” and “no” boxes in the headings of the petition sheets and notarizations of a majority of the petition sheets. However, the board members voted unanimously to strike and dismiss those objections. A final objection that the petition contains less than the statutorily required number of signatures was unanimously over ruled.

Ioften find that although people have created an estate plan, they do not know when to use their documents. So, the documents sit in a binder unused. Avoid this problem. Learn when to use your documents. So, let’s go back to the basics.

Power of Attorney Healthcare

- this document lets you name someone to make medical decisions for you if you become incapacitated. Do not keep this document in a binder. Share it! You should email a copy of this document to the people you named as your agent and tell them to create a folder in their email account and move the email to that folder. This way if you have a medical emergency, your health care person can easily provide your Power of Attorney Healthcare document to the medical staff providing your care. (In an emergency, you do not want to burden your named person to go back to their home or yours to obtain a copy of this document.)

Power of Attorney Property - this document lets you name someone to make financial decisions for you if you become incapacitated (like paying your bills). It would be helpful to share this document or at the very least tell your named person where they can locate this document. Plus, you need to tell your named person where they can find a list of your financial accounts (Chase, Fidelity, etc.) particularly your banking information.

BACK TO THE BASICS

Will and Testament

- this document lets you name a person to gather your stuff/assets and distribute them, name people or organizations to inherit your stuff/assets, and name a guardian for minor children. The original version of this document should never be hand altered and it should be kept in a safe place. You should tell your executor where the original of this document is stored. It should only be kept in a safe or safety deposit box if the person you name

THERESA CLANCY Estate Planning Attorney

as executor has access to it. (This document does not allow your estate to avoid probate court if you own real estate or have assets worth more than $100,000 that are not beneficiary designated including businesses.)

Trust - this document lets you insulate your assets from probate court including real estate and businesses, delay distribution to young beneficiaries, and avoid estate tax for couples. This document should be named as beneficiary or

contingent beneficiary on checking accounts, life insurance, as an additional insured on homeowner’s insurance, and it should be named as account holder on savings and brokerage accounts. Plus, shares of businesses should be assigned to the trust. It would be helpful to share this document with your successor trustee or at the very least tell them where they can find this document. Plus, you need to tell your successor trustee where they can find a list of your financial accounts and other assets that are in the trust or beneficiary designated to the trust.

e Hulefelds: Together by divine intervention?

43 years later, they ’re still dreaming

By JESSICA MACKINNON Contributing Reporter

Frank and Annette Hulefeld are a match made in heaven — perhaps literally.

T he Oak Park couple, who have been married for 43 years, were brought tog ether in a way that some could attribute to divine intervention — specifically, a dream and a vision. T hese were happenings that came after years of chafing against roles that didn’t fit — in Frank’s case, the priesthood, and in Annette’s case, an unhealthy mar riage

The couple first became friends through their re spective roles at St. Ignatius Church in Ro gers Park. Prior to Father Frank’ arrival from a church in Cincinnati, a nun shared with Annette that she had had a dream in which Jesus said he was sending Father Frank to St. Ignatius just for Annette. Annette didn’t give it much thought. However, she remembers seeing him for the first time at a prayer meeting and thinking, “That’s one good-looking dude of Jesus!”

realized that a priest’s single life was not right for him. When he eventually left the priesthood in early 1981, his father war ned him that he was going to lose his soul and spend eternity in hell.

“I felt that I was becoming something that I didn’t want to be and preaching things I didn’t personally believe,” he said. “I was meant to be a lover. I still think I would have been a great priest, but I had fallen in love with Annette and had to be married to her — and my church wouldn’t allow that. And Annette would make a great priest, too; but of course, the church won’t allow that either.”

Annette was working through her own issues — including bouts of chronic physical and mental illness resulting from childhood abuse, a difficult ivorce and poverty. Following a nervous breakdown, she was forced to give up taking care of her sons and ag reed to let them live with her ex-husband, something she calls the hardest decision she ever made. She wrote about her difficult life in her 2019 memoir, “Rooted in the Stars, Planted on the Earth.”

a friend’s backyard, filled with flowers collected from local funeral homes.

While the Catholic Church won’t accept either of them as priests, Frank and Annette have devoted their adult lives to youth ministry. At 85, Frank is one of the longest serving volunteers with St. Giles’ Appalachia Service Project for teenagers. He was sold on the program the first time he went 15 years ago.

“When I came back from that trip, I felt so alive and wanted to keep that feeling all year long. I developed a deep bond and camaraderie with the teens — we were all just friends working together. I loved them — and they loved me,” Frank said.

According to Frank, the home re pair work they do is empowering for the teens as well as for the residents with whom they work

care of me,” Annette said, laughing. “They were my guardian angels.”

Annette worked with a crew that was building a new ramp for an elderly disabled man and his chronically ill wife. She spent most of her time in the trailer, building a strong connection with the couple, Fred and Carol.

Fred had owned a trucking company but lost everything when he got sick. The new ramp allowed him to get back into his yard to tinker with his tractors. On the last day of the trip, the teenagers tied flowers to the ramp and surprised Fred by blasting on a boombox “Old Rugged Cross,” a favorite song that he hadn’t heard in decades.

Shortly after Frank became the parish priest, Annette was hired as the church’s director of social service and volunteer progr ams, based on her experience serving seniors and the homeless in the community. T he two served as sources of support for each other during debilitatin g personal challenges

Frank grew up in a very religious family that revered priests and was proud of his chosen vocation. But after two decades, he

A second spiritual encounter seemed to confirm that she and Frank were destined for each other. A mentally ill man whom Annette was helping insisted that he had had a vision in which God told him that he had a man for Annette — and the man was Father Frank. This time, she listened.

Annette moved to Oak Park in 1979 to be closer to a job and joined St. Giles’ Family Mass community; Frank followed her. They were married in September 1981 in

“The service we do isn’t just fixing up someone’s home. We touch more than just their property. Many of the people live isolated lives and suddenly they have these teenagers descending on them, bringing so much life and energ y,” he said.

This summer, Annette, with no small amount of trepidation, joined him for the first time.

“I was a little reluctant to step into ‘Frankhood’ because the teens love him so much, but the kids in the youth group insisted that I had to go. I told them I was too old and couldn’t even use a hammer — but they told me not to worry and that they would take

“Sometimes I get a little down by what I see in the world, but those wild, zany, kooky, loving kids know that developing relationships can change the world. They need adults who can be friends with them and see and respect them for who they are. They healed many of the wounds I had [from giving up her sons]. They made me feel important,” Annette said.

Annette now has a positive relationship with her sons. Frank, according to Annette, wakes up with a song and goes to bed with a song. And they are still as much in love as they were more than 40 years ago.

“My life has been dramatically changed because of my relationship with Frank,” said Annette.

“Mine, too! And I have never looked back,” said Frank.

PROVIDED

Annette Hulefeld (far right) with her crew of teenagers, dur ing the Appalachia Service Project.

PROVIDED

Frank Hulefeld at work.

Patrick Brown chosen as designer for new Field Recreation Center

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

Park District of Oak Park has chosen Brown of ORG, Inc., to rebuild the Recreation Center, a classroom facility in Field Park, at 935 Woodbine Ave. design competition was announced bruary, after which 26 architects or architectural firms submitted designs for conideration. The winner was promised a $1.8 million contract to complete construction. Inc., is a Chicago-based architecture studio. Brown founded the studio that does esign, planning and construction. His winning design for the competition onstruct a 4,600-square-foot facility on the northwest corner of the park, according to a PDOP press release. The ne w enter will have a “natural play area” as ell as constructed pl aygrounds.

own’s intention is for the new center to improve pick-up and drop-off access, visibility and neighborhood connections, according to the release. T he new facility will still have classroom space, but with large windows to provide natural light.

“This project is a perfect reflection of our core values,” said Jan Arnold, executive director of the PDOP, in the release.

“It not only meets the needs of our growing community but also exemplifies our deep commitment to inclusivity, sustainability, and innovative thinking at every level. We couldn’ t be more excited to see this vision come to life.”

A highlight of the design is Brown’s plan to build a performance stage to showcase performing arts. It will be the first one that the PDOP has, according to

the release. T he center will also have a kitchenette, storage and restrooms

Chris Lindgren, the PDOP superintendent of parks and planning, also said in the release that the design reflects a commitment to innovation.

“Ideally, we hope they [Oak Park community] find a building which re presents their shared vision and ambition for the future, a new marker of progress and point of pride,” Brown said in the release. “Practically, we hope they [Oak Park community] find an efficient, functional, and beautiful neighborhood park building which will serve many generations.”

Brown competed with submissions from organizations across the United States, according to the release. A jury of architects, designers and building experts helped select the winner. Designers were given two options in the competition: to preserve or to rebuild the center. Brown chose to rebuild, as did 18 other submissions.

In the first phase of the competition, the design teams’ identities were hidden from the jury. Residents were able to share their feedback with the judges through a QR code by viewing the designs at the Community Recreation Center between April 26 and May 5.

After the feedback was reviewed, the judges narrowed the choices down from 26 to three. Then a new panel with three of the original jurors, PDOP leadership and a PDOP board commissioner selected the winner.

T he original Field Center was also designed and built in 1926 after a similar competition. Frank Lloyd Wright submitted a design at the time, but he lost to John Van Bergen.

Oak Park board deb

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

As part of the first formal budget discussion for fiscal year 2025 on Sept. 3 at the Oak Park village board table, trustees debated the best approach to setting the overall tax levy.

The levy is the amount of money a local government raises from property taxes. Trustee Brian Straw seemed to think a less conservative approach to the levy is best, to ensure village services are properly funded and performed long term. But Trustee Ravi Parakkat said there are plenty of factors to discuss when setting a levy, seemingly favoring more of a conservative approach.

This budget kick-off meeting was held ahead of when Village Manager Kevin Jackson will present the board with a draft 2025 budget. The draft is expected in October according to village officials. Before that, Jackson and Donna Gayden, the village’s interim chief financial officer, will meet with department directors to discuss their financial needs and budgets.

T he fiscal year for Oak Park is Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 of each year. T he budg et for 2025 is expected to be approved in December. Fo r 2024, trustees approved a budg et b alanced by spending down about $6 million from reserve s.

“[We’re] always looking for ways that we can achieve more with less,” Jackson said. “Ways to actually reduce costs, or manage costs, is always in the fore ground, and still yet, how we can provide the best services possible to the residents.”

But Straw said, “if it takes a little bit more

for us to achieve more of our board goals, then I’m OK with us doing more with more.”

The levy

The 2024 budget included an increase of 3% in the property tax levy. In 2023, the levy increase was zero.

Having a levy hike at zero is not necessarily a good choice, said Gayden. Because the levy increase that year was zero, the village gets $1 million less in revenue each

subsequent year, she said. She has not yet made her recommendation for the levy for the 2025 budget, but it likely won’t be zero.

“I want you all [the board] to think about that the next time you think about not passing a levy: What it does for all future levies,” Gayden said Sept. 3.

When the village had a levy increase of zero percent, Gayden said the decision was partially made because the fire and police pension payments had decreased. But those pension payments were

increase again and now have

Earlier at the village board’s meeting Sept. 3, trustees heard recommendations from a certified public accounting firm that it increase the contribution to the fire and police pensions from $13.8 million to $14.4 million in the coming year.

But the decision to zero out a levy hike in 2023 was also made, Parakkat said, because of additional revenue sources at the

LU Z ANE DRAUGHON

Willard School gets nod from Apple for use of teaching tech

D90 is now part of Apple learning cohor t

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

Willard Elementary School in River Forest was declared an Apple Distinguished School for its innovative use of technology.

The award is given by Apple, a technolog y company, to schools that demonstrate innovation, leadership and educational excellence using technology and reflecting Apple’s vision for learning. The program is by invitation only.

After a rigorous application process, the District 90 school was selected for the 202427 program team.

Willard is one of 32 schools in Illinois selected for this honor.

According to the Apple Distinguished Schools program overview, found on the program’s website, the school and school administrators will not only be honored

with the award but also have access to collaborate with a worldwide leadership network of “like-minded peers,” be eligible to participate in professional learning opportunities, eng age with the Apple Education team and be included in the Apple Distinguished Schools Worldwide Directory among other benefits.

Being pa rt of a global network and having access to other like-minded schools and school administrators will benefit Willard in its continued ef fort toward greater technolo gy knowledge and integration, said Christine Gerges, interim principal at Willard.

“Educators are constantly growing,” Gerges said. “We learn to g ether and grow to g ether.”

According to Kevin Martin, director of technology for D90, the district was approached to have all three schools apply for the program but after consideration the district decided to pursue the application solely with Willard due to the rigorous application process.

Martin said in the future the district will pursue the program for all three schools. According to the program’s website, to be eligible schools needed to have an established a one-to-one program using iPad or Mac programming for students and educators in two or more grades, deeply inte grate Apple apps, educational apps and other digital resources into the curriculum to create new opportunities for learning, have faculty and leadership be highly proficient in their use of Apple products, and have an established leadership team dedicated to advancing learning.

Martin said the district be g an introducing one-to-one progr amming to eighth graders at Roosevelt Middle School about 11 years ago before making their own way to reach all the lower grader levels. Now the district uses technolo gy throughout all grades.

Shanna Castillo, instructional technology specialist, said students use technology that promotes problem solving along with being adapted into the teacher’s curricu-

lum to meet the needs of lesson plans.

Usage has varied from using technology to connect with pen pals in Argentina, creating and printing 3D models for various projects, and even having first graders develop a “mock city” for their lesson plans.

Gerges said the district’s technology inte gration specialists, one shared by Willard and Lincoln Elementary and one designated for Roosevelt, work with teachers to develop and target the use of technology to address curricular content that is appropriate for each grade level.

“We aren’t going to stop lear ning,” Gerges said about the plans to continue to drive the district forward with the use of technolo gy. “We aren’t going to stop growing.”

Supt. Ed Condon said he was thrilled Willard was reco gnized for “its innovation and thoughtful approach” to incorporating technology into instruction.

“This honor reflects the sustained commitment and passion that our team of educators and technology experts brings to students every day.”

THE THREAT OF MISINFORMATION AND DISINFORMATION

Speakers:

• Michael A. Spikes, lecturer at the Medill School of Journalism, Northwestern University

Tuesday, Sept. 24, 6:30 pm

Oak Park Main Library, Veterans Room

Admission is free and open to the public

• Anne Sullivan and Barbara Laimins, co-chairs of the League of Women Voters of Illinois Mis/Disinformation Task Force.

Upcoming League Coffee and Conversation Programs

Thursday, Oct. 10, 9:30 am, Highlights of the League’s 100 years in Oak Park and River Forest Thursday, Nov. 14, 9:30 am, How to Talk Politics at Thanksgiving after the Election

Michael A. Spikes

PENSIONS

Police and re funding from page 1

tirement benefits, which includes eligible surviving spouses of public service workers. These pensions are funded through the property tax levy.

In fiscal year 2023, the Oak Park Fire Department hired eight members, while four members retired, and three retirees and one member with a disability died, all of whom had an eligible surviving spouse for retirement benefits. One surviving spouse also died that year.

For the Oak Park Police Department in 2023, three members were hired, five retired, one became disabled and 10 terminated their employment. Also, five retirees p assed aw ay, four of whom had an eligibl e surviving spouse. Th re e surviving spouses also p assed aw ay.

A ll of these changes affect the recommended c ontributions to p ension fund s.

Both pensions also have a minimum contribution mandated by the state. Oak Park has, on averag e, exceeded those minimum contributions for the last five years.

line, because we’re currently so understaf fed,” Trustee Lucia Robinson said. And Trustee Brian Straw said hiring is going well for police, who have been significantly understaffed. So, he said he’d like the village board to take that into account, potentially by contributing even more to the pension fund than the firm’s recommendation.

“If we know that there’s going to be some cost, and we think that there’s going to be a year where we’re hiring 10, 15 new officers, that would be a significant additional cost,” Straw said. “I don’t want that to create a spike if we can smooth it out by predicting it.”

Rietz ag reed that would be a reasonable consideration for the board to offset dramatic increases over time.

“We all talk about ho w safety is one of the core responsibilities of village government,” Straw said. “Taking care of our pension liabilities for our police and fire goes to that core safety responsibility.”

“Taking care of our pension liabilities for our police and re goes to that core safety responsibilit y.”

BRIAN STRAW Oak Park trustee

For the next fiscal year, Lauterbach & Amen recommended the village contribute about $6.8 million for the fire pension and about $7.6 million for the police pension, for a total of $14.4 million. T he statemandated minimum contributions were less, at about $5.5 million and $6.3 million respectively

The recommendation, if adopted, means the police pension contributions would increase by $294,832 and fire would increase by $357,330 from the previous year. Combined, this is about a 4.7% increase. Neither Oak Park pension fund board have submitted their requests for funding yet, according to village of ficials, but they are expected to ask for this recommended amount.

“I would imagine that we would see these numbers have some pretty significant fluctuations at some point down the

Oak Park also has unfunded liabilities, or unpaid debt, Rietz said, for each pension fund. For fire, it’s about $70.9 million and for police, it’s $80.5 million. This is due to be paid of f within the next 17 years, Rietz said.

Today, Oak Park is paying about $8 million in retirement benefits for firefighters and about $10.5 million for for mer police officers for a total of about $18.6 million. But that’s expected to increase

In five years, Rietz said expected benefit payments could total about $22.5 million, a 21% increase. And then those payments are expected to be about $26.2 million in 10 years, a 41% increase. That’s based largely on how many employees will become eligible to retire in those upcoming years.

“The costs that you’ re paying today are from yesterday’s workers,” Rietz said. “There’s going to be a point where today’s dollars are paying for today’s workers. That’s the concept that we’re trying to target. ”

The village board is not expected to approve a final budget for fiscal year 2025 until December. The fiscal year for Oak Park is Jan. 1 to Dec. 31 of each year.

Illinois Holocaust Museum honors Dominican administrator

Amy Omi, an assistant director for justice, equity and inclusion, is among 3 honored with the inaugural Luminary Award

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

Amy Omi, assistant director for justice, equity and inclusion at Dominican University was honored by the Illinois Holocaust Museum for being and creating a positive change in her community on campus.

Omi received the inaugural Luminary Award from the Illinois Holocaust Museum’s Young Professional Board and was presented with the award Tuesday, Oct. 10 at the Young Professional Board’s 10th anniversary fundraiser

Omi was honored for her work with Dominican’s Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation Center, which aims to resist racial injustice and social inequity on campus and the community.

Omi began her career at Dominican 14 years ago and has served in her current role for the past three years.

“Dominican University and the Sinsinawa Sisters have a very strong social justice commitment,” Omi said. “I had the freedom to really explore those areas of social justice and I got more involved in those activities and programs.”

During that time, Omi’s initiatives created Racial Healing Circles, a practice where participants learn to “see themselves in each other,” according to a news release. Omi also helped create affinity circles, where groups were able to share needs and concerns. Both were open to students, faculty and staf f of Dominican.

Circles come from indigenous practices, Omi told Wednesday Journal, explaining they is important to be mindful and give gratitude to those “who really developed this as a way of life” for centuries.

“We just need ways to be able to listen better, to get to know one another and understand that sometimes these misunderstandings are just the way we were socialized,” Omi said.

According to officials, Omi was instrumental in launching the College Leadership Summit: Make Your Voice Count, which is now held annually at the Illinois Holocaust Museum in Skokie.

A for mer volunteer with the Illinois Holocaust Museum, Omi said she helped develop the program for almost three years.

“It is such an honor to have contributed to the development of this incredible prog and to be recognized by the Illinois Holocaust Museum for my involvement,” Omi said in a statement. “As a restorative tice practitioner, I am deeply committed to building community across culturally and spiritually diverse traditions, and doing so in collaboration.”

As the assistant director for the office of justice, equity and inclusion, Omi does wo around LGBTQ+ competency as well as crit ical whiteness to help understand race as social construct.

“Me as a white person, a lot of my focu has been on doing my own self-reflection to better understand how I have been socialized into a way of being and perceiving the world that has an inter nalized sense of dominance,” Omi said.

food insecurity in Chicago by delivering fresh produce to people’s homes.

Being recognized by YPB is the “coolest thing,” she said.

“There is a rise in antisemitism, there is a rise in Islamophobia, so how do we as everyday citizens take responsibility for that?” Omi said. “We have a role to play.”

How do you counteract that? By eng aging and building relationships, intentionally, with people who are different from us, she added.

“Otherwise, we risk losing the very democracy that was so hard fought after,” she said.

Annual LemonAid fundraiser to commemorate 9/11 attacks

The event raises awareness and funds for local charities

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

Since 2002, the LemonAid fundraiser has commemorated the 9/11 attacks by selling lemonade and raising awareness and funds for local charities that serve children. This year, the event will take place from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. Sept. 11 on the 700 block of Bonnie Brae Place in River Forest. In the past 23 years, LemonAid has raised more than $500,000 for 26 local charities, according to organizers.

Attendees at the event can expect lemonade, popcorn, cotton candy, music, g ames, photo booths, face-painting, bubbles and foam pits. The Wonder Works Children’s Museum and Collaboration for Early Childhood have each been chosen as a LemonAid beneficiary. No set d onation is required to attend. But any amount c an be d onated at the event or in advance online, according to a news release. Corina Davis and Mike Davis have p ledged to match Wonder Wo rks Children’s Museum donations

“We are thrilled to have the opportunity to honor these three luminaries for the impactful work they are doing in their communities to make a positive change in the world,” said YPB co-chairs AJ Greenberg and Melanie Lachman in a statement. “Their day-today actions can inspire people of all ages to combat hatred, prejudice and indifference, and serve as a reminder that every one of us has the ability to take a stand.”

“It is a lot of fun, it is a lot of work, but I enjoy it,” Omi said.

decided to do something positive to commemorate 9/11. They held a lemonade stand the first year, during which more than 80 locals, including kids, participated. In 2002, LemonAid raised $400. In 2021, organizers raised more than $100,000. Each year’s money that was raised, and the charity to which it was donated, is listed online.

AMY OMI

Man steals jewelry, credit cards from Oak Park residence

On Sept. 7, a man between 20 and 30 years old broke into an Oak Park residence on the 1400 block of North Harlem Avenue by damaging the kitchen screen window Once inside, the man stole a Nordstrom credit card, a Macy’s credit card, a 16-inch rose gold necklace with an “Isaiah” name pendant and money. The estimated loss and damage are $250.

Criminal damage to vehicle

Someone slashed the front and rear tires of an Oak Park resident’s 2010 Toyota Corolla between Aug. 29 and 31 on the 300 block of Wesley Avenue. The estimated damage is $300.

Criminal damage to property

Someone damaged a business side door, door lock and door frame Sept. 6 on the 700 block of Lake Street. The estimated damage is $2,000.

Motor vehicle theft

■ Someone stole a Chicago resident’s blue 2016 Chevrolet Traverse Sept. 4 on the 1100 block of Thomas Street. The car had no re gistration plates. The person may have obtained the car keys from a previous burglary. The estimated loss is $15,000.

■ Someone, through an unlocked door, got into an Ohio resident’s black 2014 Jeep Cherokee between Sept. 6 and 7 while it was parked in the lower level of a parking garage on the 100 block of Forest Place. The person located the key fob left inside and stole the car. The estimated loss is $10,000.

■ Someone stole an Oak Park resident’s silver 2015 Lexus IS250 between Sept. 8 and 9 on the 900 block of South Elmwood Avenue. The estimated loss is $20,000.

Burglary

■ Someone broke the passenger side window of an Oak Park resident’s 2024 Ram transit work van between Sept. 2 and 3 on

the 1400 block of North Austin Boulevard. The person stole several DeWalt and Milwaukee tools. The estimated loss and damage are $4,150.

■ A man got into an Addison resident’s white 2020 Ram truck Sept. 4 while it was parked on the 1000 block of Hayes Avenue. The man stole several power tools, then entered a light blue Honda SUV with tinted windows. The estimated loss is $3,760.

■ Someone entered an Oak Park resident’s 2023 Hyundai Venue through an unlocked door Sept. 4 on the 1000 block of North Harlem Avenue. The person stole a Samsung tablet, cologne, a Rolex watch and a car key. The estimated loss is $5,300.

Arrests

■ A 32-year-old Berwyn man was arrested Sept. 2 on the 100 block of Garfield Street on an active warrant out of DuPage County for a traffic accident.

■ A 19-year-old Chicago man was arrested for assault to a Maywood resident and

retail theft Sept. 5 on the 800 block of Madison Street.

■ A 30-year-old Oak Park man was arrested Sept. 6 on the 1100 block of Wesley Avenue on two counts of disorderly conduct. He was given a citation and notices to appear then released.

■ A 41-year-old Chicago man was arrested Sept. 7 on the 1100 block of South Boulevard for battery and aggravated assault to a Maywood resident. The man was given a citation and notice to appear then released.

These items were obtained from Oak Park Police Department reports dated Sept. 2 – 9 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest Compiled by Luzane Draughon

ART BEAT

OPRF students perform at Chicago Jazz Festival

The two musicians are part of the Midw

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

Two Oak Park and River Forest High Schoolers took their jazz skills to new heights, playing at the 2024 Chicago Jazz Festival in August.

Freshman Spencer Mamola,14, and senior Brett Linzing,18, b oth performed with the Mi dwest Young Artists C onservatory C ombo Saturday, Au g. 31 at the Harris Street T heater’s Rooftop Te rr ac e, a ve nue in Millennium Pa rk .

The Chicago Jazz Festival is orchestrated by the Jazz Institute of Chicago and has grown to be a Labor Day weekend tradition promoting all for ms of jazz through free, high-quality music programming. According to the City of Chicago’s website, the festival showcases local Chicago talent along with national and international artists to continue to appreciate “one of the city’s most beloved ar t forms.”

“It was a great performance,” Linzing said. “I loved the environment and the ambiance. Just everything about it.”

Linzing began playing drums in third grade, saying he always found himself drawn to music.

“I have always been fascinated by rhythm and music in general,” Linzing said.

He started at School of Rock Oak Park and joined the Oak Park and River Forest High School Jazz Ensemble when he got to high school. He is a Jazz Ensemble member. Spencer, who plays guitar, said he also joined School of

But it was

during the pandemic that he found his passion for jazz music and began to audition for conservatory programs, including Midwest Young Ar tists Conservatory.

For Spencer, jazz is unlike anything else.

“You can play a lot of things and get away with it,” Spencer said. “The theory involved in it is so deep.”

With the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory, the region’s largest youth music ensemble program, Spencer and Linzing performed five pieces at the festival.

“It went really well,” Spencer said, adding the energy of the crowd was really nice. “We had a few hiccups here and there but everybody performed really well.”

Linzing said that even from the back of the stage where he was playing drums, he could tell the crowd was into the performance.

“I really enjoyed finally putting this summer long project together with these members of our small ensemble,” Linzing said.

For Linzing, the experience was very “uplifting and positive,” which allowed each musician to express themselves in many dif ferent ways.

A highlight was having the opportunity to perform so-

los, which both OPRF students said they enjoyed.

Spencer said he loves to see how he can develop over the course of a solo.

“Not necessarily playing the same thing but changing over the course of the solo into something entirely different,” Spencer said, adding he strives for not only making it sound good but also it being inventive

For Linzing, it’s the journey.

“Once it is your turn to solo, all the doors of creativity have opened and it is now your time to shine but also to highlight and for other band members to highlight and accentuate you,” he said.

Linzing said he hopes to encourage others to start playing music, saying it is never too late to start and to express oneself both creatively and musically with other people

Spencer said he hopes to pursue music as well, adding that jazz music has been one of the best for ms of self-expression.

As part of MYA, the students said they will have the opportunity to par ticipate in more concer ts including a Jazz Combo Concert on Oct. 19 at Madame Zuzu’s in Highland Park and fall concerts for all ensembles at Northwestern University’s Pick-Staiger Hall Oct. 20.

PROVIDED BY GRETCHEN JAMES-HALTER

Members of the Midwest Young Artists Conservatory include OPRF students Spencer Mamola and Brett Linzing on the far right.

PROVIDED BY GRETCHEN JAMES-HALTER

OPRF senior Brett Linzing performs on drums during the 2024 Chicago Jazz Festival

Hank’s takes giardiniera from the Windy City to the world

The Oak Park native’s dream came true in a jar

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter

Back in the early 2010s, Hank Tibensky cast of f his corporate suit on a mission to introduce Chicago Italian beef to New York City. It was all going well until the pandemic shut his restaurant down — but it didn’t put him out of business.

Instead, he re grouped to sell his signature giardiniera nationwide.

This Oak Park native’s dream became a reality in 2015 after he opened Hank’s Juicy Beef. It was the first Italian beef joint in the city, according to Tibensky. The store developed a following of Midwestern ex-pats, such as comedian Bo Burnham and actor Joseph Sikora. But New Yorkers were hankering for Hank’s too. Busta Rhymes, he said, was a re gular.

Italian beef was a revelation to the east coast, and the giardiniera was a hit, too.

“I was making all the jars,” Tibensky said. “I was chopping up all the ve ggies and pickling it in the walk-in fridge.”

This was no Johnny-come-lately project for Tibensky. He learned his craft from uncles Frank and Vito, who ran Vito’s on Chicago’s west side at North Avenue and Pulaski Road. Their place was known for Italian beef and pizza for more than 40 years.

“So, it’s really a family thing. We use eight ve ggies, all grown in the Midwest. They’re pickled in brine for six months, then we bring in Serrano peppers, which are pickled in Mexico. It’s really a good Chicago, Midwest, taste.”

When the pandemic closed the doors at Hank’s Juicy Beef ’s — and Manhattan became a ghost town — Tibensky tried to keep it afloat. Eventually, he had to let his lease go, just as he felt the flavors were catching on.

Trying to figure out what to do next, Tibensky realized that his giardiniera was a product that the rest of the nation just didn’t know it needed yet.

Rebranding as Hank’s Giardinera, he set out afresh with the motto “From the Windy City to the World.” Th e ve g an, certified kosher, gluten-free medley is now made locally in Cicero.

T he brining process takes six months.

“That’s where you get the extra crunchiness and crispiness to it,” Tibensky said. “That crunchy factor, I think helps to differentiate from other giardinieras. My only problem now is educating everyone else what Chicagostyle giardiniera is.”

He got a big boost from a certain TV show that has made

Italian beef a topic of conversation from coast to coast: The Bear. His connection to The Bear also runs de eper.

“We catered beef for T he Bear cast at a party in New York,” Tibensky said. “And I got to hold two of the Emmys that T he Bear won. It was incredible!”

His garden-in-a-jar comes in two strengths, mild and hot. With both on hand, Tibensky started doing demos in grocery stores, giving out samples, advising that the relish goes not only on beef, but also on pasta, pizza, hamburgers and other dishes. Tibensky said that his mom, Linda, goes through two jars of the mild variety each week. She especially loves putting it on her scrambled eggs.

With perseverance, Hank’s Giardiniera has caught on. It is now stocked at Sprouts Far mer’s Market grocery stores in 23 states and at locations in New York and Michig an. Locally, it’s on the shelves at Ca rnivore

“Not only do we stock it,” Brad Knaub, co-owner of Ca rnivore, said. “We serve it in our Chicago combo brat. We use it because Hank is a son of Oak Park; he’s a nice guy; and the giardiniera is really good. Everyone needs a bit of zip standing by in the door of their fridg e.”

“It’s a Chicago secret,” Tibensky said. “Everybody in Chicago believes it’s everywhere, but when I tell them there’s no giardiniera out there, people are like, that can’t be. I’ve been trying to get the word out for 10 years, across the country. When you put giardiniera on food, it just otherworldly. Oh gosh, it’s good.”

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Hank Tibensky holding a bottle of ho t gardiniera.

HANK’S GIARDINIER A

Hot and mild bottles

BUDGET

Fiscal

Year 2025

from page 11

time, specifically federal American Rescue Plan Act dollars. But Gayden pointed out that those one-time revenue sources would eventually run out.

Straw said he’s interested in a levy increase that will maintain village services and account for historical levels of inflation over the past four years. It doesn’t

Do

Ihave to be a drastic increase, he said, just something to put Oak Park on a good path forward. Straw also said some Oak Parkers have expressed concerns about village services decreasing, with changes to fall leaf collection being cited.

“We’ve not reduced any services as a result of not having revenues, at least in the last three years that I’ve been on the board,” Parakkat later said.

The differing perspectives on the levy between Straw and Parakkat resulted in a spat at the board table where Village President Vicki Scaman had to bang her gavel to bring the meeting back to order.

“What we’ve done tonight is continue to learn what the consequences of our decisions mean but we can still very much disagree on how that affects people’s everyday lives,” Scaman said at the end of the discussion. “It doesn’t need to be debated every time the topic comes up.”

Parakkat later said the board should all bring their perspectives and have a healthy debate

Trustee Cory Wesley said Gayden is looking to smooth out revenue over time, whereas Parakkat is looking at real time revenue. And the board needs to decide which approach it wants to take in its tax

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

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

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

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

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

levy policy, Wesley said.

“[A real time approach] might allow us occasionally to do a 0% levy but also means that occasionally we might have to do a 7% levy,” he said. “That’s a policy decision more than it is an argument.”

And Trustee Susan Buchanan pointed out that if the board decides to set a lower levy, it means they will have less money to achieve their goals or “wants” beyond the “needs” the village provides in its services

“I see this current board as one that’s been very forward looking and we’ve added a lot to our goals that cost money,” Buchanan said. “I strongly support that forward looking, innovative, doing more to improve the quality of life and I’m willing to pay for those.”

Other budget considerations

Trustee Lucia Robinson also asked Gayden for suggestions on increasing other sources of revenue for the village, which the interim CFO said she is working on. One change to revenue Robinson mentioned is the loss of the state grocery tax, which means Oak Park stands to lose about $1 million in revenue per year. But the village will also start receiving revenue from the electric vehicle charging station fee implemented at the end of August.

Additionally, any remaining ARPA funds the village has in the bank need to be committed by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026. Jackson said the village is trying to determine if the leftover funds could be classified as lost revenue rather than allocated to a specific fund, so trustees have more flexibility with the deadline.

Trustees will also have to take the fiveyear projected capital improvement plan into consideration when approving a 2025 budget. This plan lists upcoming village projects and their associated costs. The next CIP is expected to be approved in November Buchanan expressed her desire Sept. 3 to prioritize funding sustainability initiatives in the upcoming fiscal year such as promoting energy ef ficiency in buildings, investing in educational outreach to residents and businesses and expanding the Oak Park Climate Action Network’s climate coach program into a technical assistance center These recommendations would cost about $900,000, she said, but seem to be the “bare minimum” of what Oak Park should be doing for sustainability.

The board will have more opportunities to provide direction on the levy, pension contributions and other budget considerations throughout the next few months of meetings before the final approval, expected in December.

OPRF shares Convergence plan to address antisemitism claims

By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ Staff Reporter

Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 has shared a detailed plan re garding its partnership with the nonprofit Convergence, which aims to address claims of antisemitism at the high school.

In a written statement of commitment emailed to district families Aug. 13, Supt. Greg Johnson announced the high school’s plan to create an inclusive environment following discontent and accusations of antisemitism during the last school year.

That plan included a partnership with Convergence, a nonprofit organization fo cused on solving social challenges through collaboration.

In the Convergence proposal to OPRF, provided to Wednesday Journal by the district, the organization provided a threephase approach to address the “challenges” and help enhance skills of district and community members to aid in the bridging of divides to solve problems.

The three phases are:

AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ

sion for navig ating the tension around the Israeli-Palestine conflict at the campus and develop and implement recommendations to improve campus culture.

“It is critical that the issues explored during the dialogue sessions are framed in a way that promote dialogue, helping participants focus on the most pressing challenges,” Convergence re presentatives said in the proposal.

According to the proposal, discussions are recommended to be framed as a way for team work to help identify the best practices and implement programs and policies.

The problem-solving groups are expected to convene beginning in October 2024 and last throughout the remainder of the project.

Phase Three

Convergence proposed ongoing consultation services to help support the implementation of the recommendations that came from the problem-solving group.

■ Conducting a comprehensive assessment

■ Convening and facilitating a collaborative problem-solving group

■ Supporting the implementation of consensus recommendations

According to Karin Sullivan, executive director of communications for D200, the district “committed” to its relationship with Convergence on Aug. 9 and a final written ag reement is still in the process of being for malized by the business office.

The district is currently in phase one, Sullivan said.

Sullivan told Wednesday Journal on Aug. 29 that the decision to work with Convergence derived from “doz ens” of meetings Johnson had with Jewish community members including parents, students and staf f.

“Given Convergence’s expertise in building trust and bridging divides around complex, contentious issues, we’re confident that their process will help move us toward our ultimate goal:

creating a safe and welcoming environment for all students, where differences are respected,” Sullivan said.

According to Sullivan, the partnership with Convergence is under the threshold of $35,000 in cost, which means the district did not need a vote from the board of education.

The cost of the program is quoted at $29,400 but does not include travel costs, which would be covered by OPRF.

Tom Cofsky, board president, did not respond to requests for comment by time of publication.

Phase One

This phase includes interviews with up to 30 key stakeholders including administrators, staf f, faculty, staf f, students, parents, and community leaders. According to the proposal, the OPRF administration will be selecting who to include in the stakeholder interviews.

The results will be summarized by key themes.

“The assessment will develop a compre-

hensive understanding of both specific and broad issues affecting the campus community,” Convergence re presentatives said in the proposal. “This includes the impacts of the events of October 7th and the ongoing war in Gaza, as well as broader concerns related to feelings of belonging, support, and the overall welcoming nature of the campus culture.”

Phase one is expected to take approximately 45 days following the signing of the ag reement with OPRF.

Phase Two

In phase two, Convergence will host a series of meetings of a “collaborative problem-solving group.” The group will be composed of 15 to 25 people and should reflect a diverse population of the campus community, including district faculty and staf f, administration, parents, students, and community leaders.

The group will discuss how to foster understanding of diverse perspectives, improve relationships, create a shared vi-

Support would be dependent on what the recommendations are but can include:

■ Facilitating strateg y planning sessions to help develop actionable steps

■ Design and facilitate specific dialogue such as conversations between students, administrator, faculty and staf f

■ Conduct listening sessions with other groups not included in the project

■ Develop a “sustained dialogue” program on campus

■ Develop dialo gue-focused curriculum that would be inte grated into faculty lesson planning

■ Deliver training to campus community members

“We are in the early stages, but so far it has gone very well,” Sullivan said. “We look forward to the moving on to additional steps in the process as quickly as we can.”

Jeff Weissglass, a for mer D200 school board member and board president, is on the board of Convergenc e. Weissglass is also a donor to Growing Community Media NFP.

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter

Looking for a Mexican restaurant that focuses on authentic, fresh ingredients?

Check out Taco Town, located at 7446 W. North Ave., Elmwood Park, on the 75th Avenue side of the building in the former Senor Jefe location, across from Johnnie’s Beef.

Opened in January, it is the dream come true of Diego Silva, who had his eye on this strip of Elmwood Park since he started his career in the food business when he was still a teen. After opening his first Taco Town location in Arlington Heights three years ago, Silva started thinking about expanding. Restaurant Row seemed ripe for his menu.

“We see it as offering more of a variety here,” Silva said. “We like to keep everything served fresh. Everything’s always cycling through. I feel like people love the simple things, so we don’t really have lots of ingredients that go into our meats. It’s just the simple, authentic ingredients.”

Start the day with breakfast burritos, tacos and plates – all of them loaded with eggs and ham, steak or chorizo.

For lunch and supper decisions get se-

Get fresh at Taco Town

Mexican restaurant in Elmwood Park has authentic offerings

rious with a choose-your-own-adventure.

First pick your base: taco, torta, burrito, tostada, bowl or salad. Then settle on your protein. There are 16 different options, including vegetarian ones.

“We serve all the basics, from steak to lengua,” said Silva.

Also on the menu is a more tongue-incheek offering: the gringo burrito.

“I didn’t expect it to become a favorite, but we sell a lot of them,” Silva said. “It comes with fries inside. It’s really different, but it’s really good.” Crinkle-cut French fries nestle inside a burrito wrap with a protein choice, lettuce, avocado, beans and Taco Town’s special sauce.

“We give it a little spice with Valentina hot sauce. A lot of Mexican people have that in their household,” Silva explained.

Dinner plates come with tortillas and a side of rice, salad and beans. Offerings

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Taco Town, located at 7446 W. North Ave., Elmwood Park.

The Gringo Burrito at Taco Town.

The Chilli Rellenos plate at Taco Town.

include steak, chicken, shrimp and chili rellenos.

“We have a couple of different things that come as a twist,” Silva said. “Like the birria ramen, which is basically ramen noodles, and we put our beef in it and we top it up with cilantro onions.” It’s an Asian dish translated into Spanish.

You expect delicious horchata in a place like Taco Town, but the extra surprise is the pineapple water made on site. Notes of cucumber and the slightest hint of jalapeno mix with the crisp, refreshing pineapple juice.

Churros are on the menu. But don’t miss the dessert empanadas and tres leches cake made by Silva’s mother-in-law.

The dining room is on the small side, with only tables for four and a few barstool seats. Most of the business is take-away. If

you’ve got a lot of mouths to feed, 20 taco trays are also available.

Taco Town is a dream come true for Diego Silva. Ever since his early days working in restaurants, “I really liked working with food and I really like connecting with people. I just fell in love with the business side, too.”

Lucky for all of us that he brought that passion to Elmwood Park!

tacotownmexicangrill.com

RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR

Grab a Churro at Taco Town.

Diego Silva, Taco Town owner.

email: erika@growingcommunitymedia.com

515 Auvergne Pl., River Forest

Wright’s Winslow House Hits the Market

By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter

When Frank Lloyd Wright’s Winslow House last sold in 2016 for $1.375 million, the home had been in the same family for almost 60 years. When it hit the market this week, the new owners, Sue and Arthur Vo gt, won’t have lived in the house quite as long, but their tenure has had a significant impact on the preservation of the home.

Then 26 years old, Wright’s design for the house at 515 Auvergne Pl. in 1893 was his first major solo commission. Fresh out of the offices of Adler and Sullivan, the influence of his mentor Louis Sullivan is evident throughout the house.

William Winslow was a manufacturer of decora-

tive ironwork. He collaborated with Adler and Sullivan on their projects, including the Carson Pirie Scott department store on State Street in Chicago.

Winslow designed much of the metalwork in the house, including the elaborate sconces that still grace the living room and entry. At the rear of the home, a staircase boasts two newel posts that Winslow originally created for Sullivan that eventually made their way into his own home.

Details like these drew the Vogts to the home in a retirement venture that was one part a journey to the Midwest and one part architectural preservation.

“The kids were all grown. We didn’t know where to go next. We were looking for an adventure,” Sue Vogt said.

See WINSLOW HOUSE on pa ge 25

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WINSLOW HOUSE

Midwest Preservation

from page 23

The couple had lived in Chicago in the 1970s and seen the Winslow house at that time. In 2016, Arthur, an architect by trade, read an article by Aaron Betsky that mentioned the house was for sale.

“I saw the ar ticle, and called Sue and said, ‘Want to move to Chicago?’” he said.

The couple decided to move from the Boston area and take on the challenge of renovating the home. They describe finding a house that was tired. It had been on the market for four years as an estate sale after the long-time owners had passed away.

The home had no air conditioning, a messy driveway and landscaping, and mechanical systems that were dated.

On the plus side, the for mer owners’ long tenure had preserved many of the original details of the house, which was added to the National Re gister of Historic Places in 1970. The art glass windows, woodwork, built-ins and several pieces of original furniture all remained. The hardwood floors had been well-preserved by their decades spent under carpet.

Throughout the home, the original art glass remains. Some with organic patterns echoing nature and some with more geometric designs.

After adding air conditioning the first summer, the Vo gts also re placed all of the mechanical systems in the house, adding a new boiler and zoned heating, a whole house water filter, a whole house generator and re-doing the mechanicals in the coach house, as well.

The front door opens to an impressive entry with a room-spanning, signature Wright inglenook. The iron-spotted brick fireplace is flanked by two original benches, and decorative woodwork in an intricate carved pattern arches around the fireplace nook.

Sue Vo gt pointed out another detail. Affixed to the wall in the inglenook is one of several iron thermometers that Winslow designed for the home. At more than 130 years old, the mercury still works.

T he library walls are lined with original, Wright-designed bookcases with a beaded detail in the wood. Built-in benches open to reveal hidden storag e. T he woodwork details continue in the formal living room, which has another nook with a window seat.

In the dining room, there is another nook with a wall of art glass facing the expansive yard. Separating the nook from the eating area is a set of pillars and benches. The original benches were removed by the second owner, but armed with photos of the originals, Wright’s great grandson, Lloyd Natof, rebuild them after the Vo gts commissioned him to do so.

The tops of the wooden pillars feature a carved leave motif.

“Sullivan was really into nature and leaf forms. I think Wright took inspiration from that,” Arthur Vo gt said.

On the second floor, the Vogts remodeled two full bathrooms and added a second-floor laundry. In the second-floor family room, they removed a whole-house fan in the window, found the original stained glass in the garage, and restored the window

The Vo gts focused their restoration effor ts on the outside of the home, too. After installing water mitigation systems, they re-landscaped the entire yard with the aid of landscape architect Carol Yetken of

CYLA Design Associates, Inc.

The Vo gts say Yetken was inte gral to understanding how the landscape should function around the home. Arthur pointed out that she removed any plantings that obscured the limestone façade, noting that Wright was adamant that nothing be planted against the foundation of the home.

“She referenced plants that would have been here in the 1890’s and carefully selected a Burr oak with Y-shaped branches like the one that was there in original photos,” Sue Vo gt said.

The Vogts updated the driveway with a permeable brick laid in a herringbone pattern. They also renovated the coach house, which was designed by Wright one year after he designed the home. Arthur noted

that the space originally housed carriages and horses, and that Winslow operated his Auvergne Press from the structure, creating catalogues of his metal works.

Sue and Arthur Vo gt are ready to move onto their next chapter in retirement, and they said they hope that the next owner will love the house as much as they have They’ve listed the home with Elizabeth August of @ properties Christies International Real Estate for $1.985 million.

“It’s a house you can just move into. Everything is done,” Arthur Vo gt said.

He added that there really is no other house in the world like this one.

“The attraction to this house it that it was really a laboratory between Sullivan and Wright.”

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A summer of joy in Paris and Chicago

Summertime is always the best of what might be American poet Charles Bowden (Born in Joliet)

There were two political conventions this summer

The Republicans nominated Trump — again. I didn watch it. I would have preferred to put needles in my eyes. As I’ve written before, despite his wealth, Donald Trump is currently the neediest public person know: a walking, talking, haranguing, lying egomaniac

MARY KAY O’GRADY

The Republican Party may very well self-destruct as a result of nominating him again.

There were two other good excuses to spend too much time in front of the TV this summer: the Olympics in Paris and the Democratic Convention in Chicago.

VIEWPOINTS

I don’t normally watch much sports on TV, although I started watching football when I decided to follow my grandson’s college team and wound up tuning in to Bears games. Maybe it’s because there never seems to be anything good at The Lake, mostly kids’ movies and adventures, which don’t interest me

By the way, I hope those movies are enough to keep the theater open. If we lose the Lake Theatre along with the Book Table and Cozy Cor ner, downtown Oak Park is in real trouble. My daughter and husband go to the new Comedy Club frequently, so that’s a plus, but it’s not a place you can go when you’re just out for a walk or eating out.

Back to joy and the Paris Olympics. The opening ceremony knocked me out. I had tears in my eyes when Céline Dion sang Edith Piaf ’s “L’Hymne à L’amour.” It was just stunning to see a beautiful city I have visited many times and watch those young athletes from all over the world display their work ethic and incredible talents

My only discomfort was finding out that many of the girls have breast reduction surgery so they can compete more effectively. It’s noticeable. I guess it’s the same as movie stars having breast augmentation so they can “compete more effectively,” but it seems dicey to me. I know women have worked hard to have control of their bodies, but to cut your body to win a race?

It was a shock to see a few basketball teams from other countries make the USA work for it, not to mention LeBron James and Steph Curry on the same team. Steph Curry is, of course, adorable.

See MARY KAY O’GRADY on pa ge 31

When I was a kid, the Saler no family bought the tavern just down the alley from us on 16th Street. I was 12 when, in 1966, they reopened it as a pizza restaurant. Among other things, the small building’s conversion improved the alley’s aroma … the smell of those delicious, baked cheesy pies wafted along the garages, drifting north, toward 15th.

I had nothing against the tavern, but it was nice to know that our big, bullying neighbor, Harold, would no longer come staggering from it to his backyard gate, cussing at us occasionally as we played baseball. Once we hit a ball into his yard. He got belligerent enough to prompt Dad to run out from our rear porch and tell him to back off, which he did.

But Saler no’s accomplished more than improving the quality of alley life. They baked this delicious, signature pizza that, as far as I was concer ned, beat whatever else we had been buying — from outfits like Chicken Delight and Rene’s. The little tavern-tur ned-restaurant became a go-to place for families all around. It evolved as part of the neighborhood. People had fun there: my sister Mary and her friend Marge would challenge each other to see who could eat a Baby Pizza the fastest.

The restaurant’s family became familiar to people on the block. One of the owners’ sons came to our house for Dad’s CCD class. The restaurant expanded from the tavern’s lot, taking up more of the space between Clarence and Wesley.

Today, a Saler no’s resides in Oak Park on the north side of Roosevelt across from Maple Park. Just recently, we

Too much empathy?

minestrone. I ordered minestrone and a traditional, medium pizza. It was a Monday: the pies were half-priced. I took a lot home

When I anticipate eating there now, romantic images of the original place at the end of our alley drift up from my unconscious. I can imagine a pizza from back then almost like I’m holding a piece in my hand. In my mind, I’m tearing into that sumptuous, juicy cheese while sharing the pie with friends. The name Saler no’s carries its own glow. It changed our neighborhood for the better. Couched in all the memories, it means “pizza” like no other brand

When I’m physically there, the working reality of today’s place brings me to the present. After sitting in our booth for a few minutes, the older, romanticized aura from my youth lifted a bit, and the place showed what it is today: a thriving, friendly dining venue at 12th and Maple: different in size, design and staffing, with an expanded menu and more diverse clientele, compared with the original one on 16th. But it’s still about that pizza!

A couple of weeks before eating at Saler no’s, Maureen and I caught the production of Romeo and Juliet by Festival Theatre in Austin Gardens. In that famous play, Italian names matter too Tortured over how a family feud stood in the way of true love, Juliet proclaimed, “A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.”

In my case, with the history and memory that come with this Italian Oak Park restaurant, once located so close to my old home, it’s this pizza that, by any other name, would seem incomplete

Ask the victims

A taxing philosophy

Over the past handful of years, members of Oak Park’s village board have been having a foundational debate about property taxes and village government spending. That worthy discussion continues right now as the board and its staf f be gin to craft a budget for the next fiscal year, which launches with the new year.

A decade ago, under different leadership, the village board became more attentive to the impact of its spending on the overall amount taxpayers — residential, multifamily and commercial — were paying in property taxes. And that concern came with the stipulation that the vast majority of local property tax dollars go not to the village but to the two public school districts. Under Home Rule, village gover nment has nearly endless and inventive ways to fill its coffers with taxes on cable and cell service — now on pot — and also property transfer taxes and permits and fees.

At that time, though, the board imposed a voluntary target, which capped annual increases in its property taxes at 3%. And they stuck to it.

More recently, that 3% cap has been debated, relaxed, and debated some more.

When the board met Sept. 3 to talk about the year ahead, there were clear points of differentiation among board members. Several members said a cap was less important than seeing village services maintained and even expanded. Trustee Susan Buchanan argued that if the village is serious about its ambitious climate goals it will have to fund various climate initiatives. Trustee Brian Straw said residents have pointed to the controversial choice to ask them to bag leaves for collection as an indicator of services being curtailed.

Trustee Ravi Parakkat said in his three years on the board he has not seen services curtailed as a money-saving effort

And Trustee Cory Wesley, doing the summing up as he often does well, said that having a levy rise or fall from year to year, based on immediate circumstances vs. holding to a cap, is basically a “policy decision” for the board to make.

We have long argued that Oak Park has reached property tax saturation and have urged each local taxing body to find ways to contain spending through innovation and negotiating more realistic contracts with their staff members.

That said, the first days of a new budget planning cycle are the right time for these broader gover nance discussions

Listening tour in RF

Two related stories in today’s Jour nal out of River Forest as reported by our Robert Lifka: First, the effort to place a ter m-limit referendum for village president on the November ballot has been shut down. Possible it could be resurrected via an appeal. Second, the announcement that a series of small community meetings about economic development along Madison and Lake streets will be convened shortly as the village tries to find a forward path on development.

Both stories reflect a level of discontent in River Forest over development. Failure at Lake and Lathrop and bad execution of a Madison Street effort have soured some portion of the population. We’ ll be following both responses to that frustration.

England is a cup of tea, France, a wheel of ripened brie, Greece, a short, squat oliv e tree. America is a gun.

Brazil is football on the sand, Argentina, Maradona’s hand, Germany, an oompah band. America is a gun.

Holland is a wooden shoe, Hungary, a goulash stew, Australia, a kangaroo. America is a gun.

Japan is a ther mal spring, Scotland is a highland fling, Oh, better to be anything Than America as a gun.

YKEN

TRAINOR

Brian Bilston Viral Facebook post

et again. Yet again. Yet again. Yet again. Yet again

Killing our kids in school? No problem. That happened yet again, this time in Georgia. And it will continue happening until Americans stiffen their spines and vote out the mass-murder enablers, the politicians who, after each and every unconscionable event, stand before the cameras and microphones, bristling with feigned fury and say, like Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia did last week with the straightest of faces, “Gun safety legislation is the last thing we should be talking about on a day like this. Think about the victims and their families!” Or words to that ef fect. I’m sure that talking, or even thinking, about gun safety legislation is the last thing Gov. Kemp wants to do on a day like this. But he would also say that the next day and the next and the next. Every day, in fact, gun safety is the last thing a spineless politician like Brian Kemp wants to think about, much less talk about. He craves those NRA donations too much and is beholden to his real constituents, the ones with the money, not to the victims of the latest mass murder and their families and friends. So he hides behind the victims for political cover, like the craven coward he is.

We know he’s a coward because just recently Weakling Trump humiliated him at one of his rallies — in Georgia! — and within a couple of weeks, Kemp came crawling back and endorsed him anyway

But he stands as straight as a spineless politician can on this day and says to the cameras that the survivors don’t want to think about common-sense gun legislation that might protect their children and everyone else’s child.

Really, Gov. Kemp? Did you ask them? Yes, even on this day, the worst day of their lives. I’d be willing to bet that every single one of them is thinking about gun legislation that might have protected their children’s lives. Legislation banning assault weapons, for instance, the ban your party, the Re publican Party, allowed to expire 20 years ago this week and refuses to reinstate. Or if today isn’t a good day, why not ask them tomor row, or the next day, or the day after their kids’ funerals? I’m willing to bet it’s on their minds. I’m pretty sure they will all say they’re in favor of gun legislation that protects everyone’s children — today and every day for the rest of their lives.

I’ll bet they’ll say that an assault weapons ban sounds pretty good right now. Also a ban on highcapacity ammunition magazines. I’ll bet they’re in full favor of Universal Background Checks, and red flag laws, and mandating secure storage of firearms in the home, and a host of other measures that would in no way violate Second Amendment rights but would protect us from rampant gun rampages. Enforceable, consistent, nationwide laws with real consequences for those who violate them. In fact, polls show that ranks really high for most Americans.

And I’ll bet they’ re in favor of you not being a hypocritical weasel who only stands behind the victims for political cover and not to support them. Because if you supported them you would ask what should be done to protect kids from gun violence. And then you’d goddamn do something about it.

Here’s one thing I’m pretty sure they won’t say:

“Your thoughts and prayers are all we need.”

But you won’t ask them, will you? You’d rather grovel at the feet of Weakling Trump and the NRA, who believe gun rights are far more important than gun responsibilities and far more sacred than the lives of our kids.

But spineless politicians like you, Brian Kemp, aren’t really the main problem. The NRA isn’t even the main problem.

The real problem is American citizens who keep voting people like you into office — and who won’t vote cowards like you out of office when it’s obvious you won’t lift a finger, or even your voice, to protect your constituents — those would be the ones whose fists aren’t full of money.

Which is why yet again, yet again, and yet again, the satirical publication The Onion runs the same damning headline after each fresh massacre of the innocent:

“‘No Way To Prevent This,’ Says Only Nation Where This Re gularly Happens.”

SHRUB TO WN by Marc Stopeck

How’s your reparations IQ?

We could give you a quick quiz about re parations to assess your understanding of their dimensions, but we will spare you … and offer you a solution. We invite you to hear reparations experts share their insights on Sept. 15 and 22 at the First United Church of Oak Park Reparations has clearly surfaced in Oak Park, and now its supporters face several options. Should re parations provide financial assistance to individual African Americans? Or to educational institutions that might reduce conflict among races? Are underprivileged Black citizens the more deserving (e.g., renters rather than homeowners)? Will funding come from existing taxes or new ones? Is this a once-in-a-lifetime initiative or ongoing? Will the village likely end up in court defending against legal challenges? An independent task force of multiracial citizens has concluded its research and recently “asked” the Oak Park Village Board to act. The first proposed action includes an “official apology” to Black residents for the har ms that the local gover nment caused the Black community. Also, a “Restorative Justice Fund and Foundation” would be funded with $250,000 annually (50% of all affordable-housing taxes imposed on developments greater than 25 apartments)

and $350,000 in start-up funds. Finally, the village would acquire the Percy Julian home (up to $1 million market value) and convert it into a Black Inter-Cultural Center

As the village board prepares to act, First United Church has recruited an impressive roster of experienced leaders for two forums on Reparations in Oak Park

■ On Sept. 15, the speakers are Nancy Alexander, chair of the Oak Park Reparations Task Force, and Robin Rue Simmons, the Evanston leader most influential in the creation of that town’s program, the first of its kind in the country.

■ On Sept. 22, the participants are Susan Buchanan, currently the longest-serving village trustee, and Eric Samore, a law partner at Amundsen Davis.

All are welcome at 9:45 a.m. on the next two Sundays, Sept. 15 and 22, at First United Church of Oak Park (848 Lake St.).

Your re parations IQ can only improve, and you will be equipped to contribute to an important community decision.

Marsha Hubbuch, Jaymi Raad and Dale Sorenson Adult Education team at First United Residents of Oak Park/River Forest

WEDNESD AY

JOURNAL

of Oak Park and River Forest

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e goal of the Viewpoints section is to foster and facilitate a community conversation and respectful dialogue. Responsible community voices are vital to community journalism and we welcome them. Space is at a premium and readers’ attention is also limited, so we ask that Viewpoints submissions be brief. Our limit for letters to the editor is 350 words. For One View essays, the limit is 500 words. Shorter is better. If and when we have su cient space, we print longer submissions, but when space is limited — as it o en is — we may ask you to submit a shorter version or hold the piece until space allows us to print it.

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Religion and the upcoming election

Iwant to say a few words about religion, Oak Park, and our presidential election.

First, mainstream religions have experienced long-ter m membership declines, including my Catholic religion. Young people are increasingly opting out of traditional means of expressing spirituality, including attending church

JACK CROWE

This can be put down to a number of causes, including an increasingly secular society, scandals, including the sexual assault scandals like those in the Catholic Church, and backwardlooking religious leadership bent on preserving the past. Pope Francis cautions against church leaders being “museum keepers.”

In Oak Park, aging congregations have led to churches closing or cutting back, or merging, such as the four Catholic Churches in Oak Park being administered by one pastor. In the midst of this decline, however, some new shoots are sprouting, including the many religious communities and non-religious folks working together to meet urgent needs. One recent example is how the Oak Park community banded together to support undocumented migrants who arrived in the West Side of Chicago and Oak Park over the last year.

The Migrant Ministry at St. Edmund, the housewares and furnishings ministry at Boulevard Presbyterian Church, and the Oak Park Supports Facebook group, are fine examples of collaboration between secular and religious organizations to serve the poor And while young people tur n away from organized religion, at St. Giles/St. CatherineSt. Lucy, 150 high-schoolers attended an

annual summer trip to Appalachia to repair the homes of residents, making them water tight and safe.

Examples like this make me scratch my head when I read that 80 percent of Evangelicals nationally support Donald Trump for President. The man who rode down the golden escalator and classified migrants as “murderers and rapists” continues to do so as an applause line in his stump speech. And then there are JD Vance traditionalists, Catholics who seek to replace the Beatitudes with culture wars focused on transsexuals, cat ladies and book banning

Maybe their thought process began with overtur ning Roe v. Wade, but they now see a national ban on abortion in reach. So conservative Christians are almost all-in with Trump. This is so even as Trump reads opinion poll tea leaves and pretends to be both pro-life and in favor of what traditionalists and Evangelicals call “unnatural” interventions such as in vitro fertilization (IVF). And depending on the day, he is either for and against the F lorida ban on abortion after six weeks.

So we are at a fork in the road (again) politically. But maybe also religiously.

Maybe Vance is right that spirituality is nothing more than reciting a checklist of this or that political program under the guise of “family values” and Christian Nationalism.

But maybe our experience lately in Oak Park shows a different way forward, or a new way in.

Only time will tell.

Bike rack re dux

The very day that my Viewpoints letter about the shortage of bike racks was published (Aug. 14), I received an email from Karin Sullivan, executive director of communications at the high school. She offered several corrections, and I am compelled to share them here.

First of all, the bike racks on Scoville were moved to the west side of the building; they were not eliminated. That was good to hear. She also reminded me that the school was, and continues to be, open to having additional bike racks on my parkway, and on my neighbor’s. However, it is up to me to work with the village, not up

Why vote?

Are you the kind of person who thinks, “My one vote won’t make a difference”?

Not so fast.

This election, as we are told often enough, will be a close one. Remember Bush versus Gore? Remember hanging chads? Every vote mattered then, and it does now.

“I just don’t want to”?

Imagine for a moment you live in Peru, where voting is mandatory. The fines for failing to vote are significant. To ensure voters poll only once, your forefinger is dipped in ink that lasts at least 24 hours. Everyone carries a voting card, stamped by gover nment officials.

This is not our flavor of voting. There are different ways to conduct liberal democracies, and none of them are perfect. But the Peruvian model exposes a distrust between the individual and gover nment that feels, well, foreign.

Where we live, you matter, your actions matter, as do your inactions. We prefer to make common cause for the common good, a system that allows individual choices to be freely acted on, where each of us has the freedom to make the time and effort to vote

This experiment in democracy is really a test of the mettle of each generation. Do we deserve this gift of a gover nment design that stands firm but also changes like a living thing? Moving amoeba-like from right to left and back, shaped by every one of us, voting A, voting B, or not voting? It all matters.

Why vote? Because our system of governance is fragile, based on the most gentle of ideas, that it is possible to live in peace amid a bouquet of ideas, that truth and justice are real and matter, and the whole of our nation is derived from the behavior of its individuals

Make a plan to get infor med … and vote on Nov. 5.

Karen Muriello Oak Park

Time will tell

A hearty “Thank You” to the staff and USPS management for finally taking action on their property at the south branch of the U.S. Post Office at 1116 Garfield Street. It has undergone a transformation — from a weed-choked building with out-of-control shrubbery to a nicely landscaped exterior that almost … almost … brings it back to its opening condition 20+ years ago. It has been long overdue.

A few years ago a group of us took it upon ourselves to tackle the overgrown bushes, unwanted trees and weeds around the building and along the fence to the circle drive with the drop-off box (since removed). Over the course of 2-3 years, we spent many evenings cleaning up and clearing out the tangled landscape.

In addition, the Oak Park Village Board and state Senator Don Harmon were contacted, to no avail. The grounds continued to look terrible.

Interestingly, within the past few weeks there seemed to be some movement and whether it was because of the recent road improvement project, or possibly my complaint via email to the USPS (https://emailus usps.com/s/postal-facility-inquiry) and subsequent follow-up with a staff person or was in the plans already (though I was not told so), I don’t know. For whatever reason, the grounds (other than the fenced section along Garfield) finally look presentable, manicured and tended to

The real question remains: Is this only momentary and will the grounds revert back to its unkempt state, or will we see consistent lawn maintenance?

Time will tell.

Be kind to our dogs

Bob Dame Oak Park

to the high school. She is correct, and I apologize for the misinformation. She also offered to put me in contact with someone at the village to pursue a request for the racks.

I will pursue this, hopefully along with my neighbor.

I’ll also hope that the high school will find a way to support us. Because while I understand that these additional bike racks are on my private property, it’s also the case that installing them would directly benefit the high school and the community at large

Catherine Baumann

OPRF High School neighbor

In response to Anita Morgan’s letter regarding dogs and property, I respectfully disagree [A truly dog-friendly village, Viewpoints, Aug. 28]. How one person can decide for all of us (including dogs) where it is appropriate for dogs to walk is just plain unkind

Let’s strive for kindness in our community. And your dog is welcome to walk on my lawn. Most of us do pick up after our dogs and that’s good.

What about all the deer, fox, raccoons and rabbits that share our beautiful village with us? Let’s not make up arbitrary rules and let’s have kindness for everyone

Jayne Gould River Forest

Democrac y in action or inaction?

Our neighbor group was pleased to read the Jour nal editorial, “A two-ter m limit?”

[Our Views, Viewpoints, Aug. 28]. The editorial acknowledged the conflict of interest in the River Forest village president serving on the village’s electoral board, convened recently to consider a challenge (objection) to the proposed referendum for term limits on the office of the village president.

The Jour nal editors properly recounted that at the outset of the Aug. 20 hearing, the village president stated she would recuse herself. The village president was not recused, however, until after she voted (2-1) to order a county-monitored record examination of the petition signatures [“River Forester seeks 8-year limit for village president,” News, Aug. 28]

Following a meticulous half-day-long signature count, attended by several resident volunteers on behalf of “Respondent,” and attended by paid individuals on behalf of “Objector,” the County determined that the referendum petition had more than enough valid signatures to be certified for the November ballot.

At the subsequent hearing on Respon-

dent’s motion to dismiss all counts, the convened Electoral Board easily dismissed Objector’s unsupported allegations of improper notarization and other claims.

It’s deeply troubling, however, that the same convened board, consisting of Trustee Vazquez, Clerk Keller, and a member of the public appointed by the Circuit Court, were unable to understand the plain language of the referendum question, language that confused no petition signer. The word “years” on the referendum question was straightforward: any years of service count against the ter m limit. The clear intention of the prospective referendum initiative applied neither to the next election nor to the current officeholder but sought to establish healthy ter m limits for the benefit of the constituency.

This board’s decision, viewed in the after math of the Appellate Court decision invalidating a recall vote that would have removed the embattled incumbent mayor of suburban Dolton, is deeply troubling Even more frustrating is that the public member appointed by the Circuit Court, who authored the Henyard decision, closed the

‘Dialogues’ divisive, ill-conceived

In River Forest’s Aug. 15 newsletter to residents, Village President Cathy Adduci announced a series of “Neighborhood Dialogues” to be held in private homes south of Lake Street. These private dialogues will be facilitated by a public affairs consultant with a specialty in crisis management, funded by village taxes and attended by Village Administrator Matt Walsh.

The intent stated in the online newsletter is to gather input and answer questions “to help the village develop a … path … to future economic development.” Input and explanations will be collected from the village president’s supporters without media and public access. The consultant and village administrator can direct messaging and lead residents toward the village’s intended plans.

The dialogues are to be hosted by 6-10 village-selected residents living south of Lake Street with attendance limited to 10-15 guests at each. Excluded are hosts residing on Lake Street and northward to North Avenue and uninvited residents, despite the village’s redevelopment and zoning plans for the North Avenue TIF district and two Lake Street corridor commercial districts.

lid on democracy in River Forest, leading to a ruling that an eight-year ter m limit for a village president was “vague and confusing.” (1)

River Forest voters signed the referendum petition so that our constituency can decide whether term limits make sense for our village. It’s time we ensure that the principles of fair leadership and accountability are upheld.

(1) Dolton voters overwhelmingly understood and approved two measures to remove Henyard from office. But the Illinois Appellate Court reversed, holding it was unable to understand three clearly worded referendum questions: “The verbal gymnastics necessary to draft the two referenda in a way that would allow Henyard to be removed midterm resulted in an enormously convoluted, confusing, and ambiguous question.” https://www.chicagotribune com/2022/09/30/column-appellate-courtrules-june-28-votes-to-recall-dolton-mayortiffany-henyard-are-invalid/ Deborah L. Borman River Forest

MARY KAY O’GRADY

anks to Kamala and Joe

from page 27

Other than that, the swimming was boring — the splashing made it hard to see who was winning — the diving was scary, and the gymnastics were terrifying.

Then the Democrats came to Chicago for their convention. These people were really happy and they made me happy. It was a bit like the Academy Awards of Politics, with all the stars and many new faces. (Too many, however, for me to stay up late every night).

I didn’t “get” the choice of Snoop Dogg as our guide(?)/commentator(?). I guess, as a certified PBS-watching-codger-ette, I would have preferred the wonderfully wry approach of someone like Jeffrey Goldberg, host of PBS’s Washington Week. Clearly I am not spending enough to have NBC aim its ads at my generation. Still … Snoop ?

These “dialogues” and a new program of quarterly conversations with residents are thinly-veiled campaign events. In her 12th year as village president and 18th year on the River Forest Board of Trustees, the village president held her first quarterly conversation in May, less than three months before scheduling her September campaign fundraiser.

Why hold these events exclusively south of Lake Street? These “dialogues” are divisive, intended to divide the northeast opposition to proposed traffic flows from the Madisonarea opposition to proposed zoning changes In the last election, Adduci underperformed her average in the five precincts in central and south River Forest (out of eight total). Despite persistent claims of “transparency,” these ill-conceived public relations events, never discussed with the full board of trustees, are clearly and timely designed to favor the village president and manipulate information for campaign purposes. Rather than village leadership again dividing and discriminating against residents, the best leaders unify residents.

Margie Cekander River Forest

‘Balancing act’ wasn’t balanced

After reading the Journal’s editorial [Balancing act at OPRF, Our Views, Viewpoints, Sept. 4], I could not help but wonder whether the editorial board reads its own jour nalism. The piece largely focused on the need to protect student freedom of speech. Yet Amaris Rodriguez’s well-reported piece on Aug. 30 indicated that many OPRF Jewish families have been concer ned about the antisemitic actions of specific faculty members and the resulting adverse impact on the educational environment.

The situation for Jews at OPRF became so hostile last year that a beloved, longtime Jewish faculty member resigned due to his colleagues’ antisemitic behavior and administrators’ lack of remedial action.

As an OPRF parent, I am relieved that the administration has finally acknowledged the problem and that they have committed to addressing community concerns on an ongoing basis. I only wish Wednesday Journal’s editorial board could do the same

Elyse Cutler River Forest

I won’t miss Bill Clinton if they decide to skip him at the next convention. Hillary Clinton is now the more important Democrat, and Obama is now clearly the party’s elder statesman … well, along with Michelle Obama. It used to be that wives of politicians were considered accessories. No more. These women have superb qualifications, want to serve, and refuse to just pour tea and smile

I did not watch the Republican Convention, but I read that Trump spoke for 90 minutes — an hour and a half! Since he’s a would-be dictator, with the support of Republicans, it’s useful to compare his speech to other dictators: Putin’s recent Q&A lasted for 4 hours, 47minutes; the late Fidel Castro once spoke for 4 hours, 29 minutes and Muammar Qaddafi for 1 hour, 30 minutes (same as Trump). Apparently dictators don’t have to worry about the audience walking out, a right I still hold dear.

Maybe the best part of the last few weeks was the rebirth of Joe Biden as a happy person. He stumbled through his debate with Trump and it was downhill from there, which was a terrible shock for him. He could not keep up. Now he has dusted off his ego, accepted that he must not seek another term, and has returned to guiding the nation — well — in his last months in office. He even looks better! Well-done, Mr. President.

And congrats for choosing Kamala Harris as your Vice President. I guess you knew she’d be our first female President long before we knew.

Thanks, friend.

Crack down on parking sco aws

Why can’t we do anything about the scofflaws who are illegally taking up spaces in permit-only areas?

• Residents pay to have a space available but are often forced to park on another street, and are eventually charged to do so!

• Some of these illegally parked cars have tickets they are ignoring, so the police seldom bother to write more tickets An officer told us this.

• The police refer us to the Parking Department. The department refers us to the police

• A police officer told us that Oak Park no longer puts boots

Martha Yount, 74

Wright docent, avid gardener, arts suppor ter

Martha Ann Yount, 74, died on Sept. 3, 2024. Born to Louis and Melvena Yount on April 1, 1950, in Jackson, Michigan, she lived a life rich with professional and personal accomplishments, including her never-wavering generosity toward anyone who came into her life. She graduated from Jackon High School, and earned Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) and Master of Business Administration (MBA) de grees from the University of North Texas in Denton. The family moved to the Dallas, Texas area in 1969, where Martha began her professional career. She was assistant director of Human Resources at Baylor Healthcare System in Dallas (1976-1985) then moved to Chicago in 1985 and spent two years as manager of Comp and Benefits at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago. She later bought a townhome in Oak Park and lived there for many years.

In 1987, she became associate director of Human Resources at University of Chicago Medicine, where she worked until 1993. She became vice president of Human Resources at the Gateway Foundation in Chicago, a post she held for over 22 years before her retirement in June 2016.

An active member of Scofield Memo-

on cars, and only a boot will be effective in solving this. One of the cars taking up a space in our permit lot has been in the neighborhood for about two years. When towing is threatened it’s moved to an adjacent street, where it’s ille g al to park from 8 to 10 a.m. The owner works on the car on the street, spilling oil and causing noise issues. Eventually the car was scheduled to be towed from the adjacent street, but neighbors report that when the tow truck came, the car’s owner came and raised a ruckus, and the car was not towed. This car’s owner has three non-permitted cars. I have heard that

OBITUARIES

rial Church in Dallas, she joined Moody Church after moving to Chicago in 1985. She loved music, and was a 10-year member of the choir at Moody. She was a member of the Community Choir in Oak and also found time to volunteer with reading literacy programs.

She loved all Frank Lloyd Wright tecture and visited countless houses and buildings throughout the country designed by him and his early mentor, Louis Sullivan. She served as a docent at Frank Lloy Wright Home & Studio for over 10 year

She served as a volunteer at the Oak Conservatory, doing everything from washing pots to planting. She also volunteered the flower and ve getable garden at Cheney Mansion, helping to harvest food that went to the food pantry and was a volunteer for the Park District project planting perennials and annuals in Scoville Park. She was the head of landscaping for the Bishop Quarter Town House Owner Association.

the license plates are not valid.

We understand that booting cars with only a few tickets may be draconian, but if Oak Park is going to continue to require those of us without garages to pay for street parking, Oak Park has a responsibility to make the spaces we pay for available to us. When we alert the authorities that the spaces are full, cars that don’t belong there should be ticketed. And when a car has more than a few tickets, it should be booted and then, if the tickets aren’t paid, towed.

Annette Finn, 88 Community volunteer

ter and then at Pilgrim Preschool. Her last job was working in the office at Kirk Eye Center until she retired.

S he tr aveled all over the wo rl d, with L ondon being her special love S he also suppor ted the ar ts and was a season ticket holder at seve r al theaters in the Chicago area.

Martha is survived by three siblings : Sarah Rawley, Louis Yount Jr., and Williard Yount; and by numerous cousins, nieces and ne phew s, plus great-nieces and -nephews.

A memorial service to celebrate Martha’s life is scheduled for 10 a.m., Sept. 28 at Lansing Avenue Baptist Church, 4000 Lansing Avenue, Jackson, Michig an 49202. In lieu of flowers, Martha has requested that donations be made to the “By the Hand Club for Kids” after-school program at Moody Church, 1635 N. La Salle Drive, Chicago, IL 60614.

Annette Finn, of Forest, 88, a caring wife, mother, grandmother and friend, died on g. 21, 2024. Born on Jan. 8, 1936, in Park, to Ella and Walter Oehmig, she was a smart cookie who started kindergarten in Hatch School at age 4. Her favorite activities as a child were to take the bus to Cubs games or the “el” train to Marshall Field’s with her friends. She graduated from Oak Park and River Forest High School in 1953, and loved attending her high school reunions. At the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana she became lifelong friends with three of her Sigma Kappa sisters, Merle, Penny, and Marilyn. In 1957, she graduated with a Bachelor of Science de gree in teaching.

At Illinois, she met Chuck Finn, whom she married in 1958. They celebrated almost 60 years of mar riage before he passed away. She taught second grade at Field School in Elmhurst, and then had three children, Jane, Doug, and Peter. When she wasn’t on the bleachers cheering her kids, she volunteered at Lincoln School and was a Girl Scout leader. She was also a member of Amity Children’s Aid and volunteered at West Suburban Hospital in the gift shop. When her kids grew older, she taught preschool at the River Forest Community Cen-

She and her husband joined the River Forest Tennis Club in 1969, and they spent many happy hours there. She played tennis into her 70s. After 50 years of membership, she became an honorary life member. She lived in the same house on Forest Avenue for 60 years and loved gardening. She always participated in block parties. She was a lifelong member of United Lutheran Church in Oak Park, where she helped start the annual Cookie Walk and the Sunshine Committee. She planted and cared for the gardens there for many years. Her other happy place was Sweet Pea Cottage at Norman B. Barr Camp, in Williams Bay, Wisconsin. She got to meet five of her great-grandchildren.

Annette Finn (née Annette Ellen Oehmig) was preceded in death by her husband, Chuck Finn, and her siblings, Ruth (Julius) and Bob (Marlene). She was the mother of Jane (the late Kevin) McCole and their children, Chris (Marguerite), Tim (Ellen), and Kate (Andy) Gordon; Doug (Jane) and their children, Maddie (Matt) Beld, Tom (Madison), and Caroline; and Peter (Grace) and their children, Lily, Liam, and Luke

A memorial service will take place at 4 p.m. on Nov. 2, at United Lutheran Church, 409 Greenfield, Oak Park, followed by a rece ption at the church. Livestream at https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88932085796. In lieu of flowers, donations to the United Lutheran Church-Memorial Garden would be greatly appreciated.

Arrangements were handled by Peterson-Bassi Chapels.

Hannah Jennings Oak Park

SPORTS

Trinity alum takes cross country reins

2016 graduate Erin Nelson is Blazers’ new coach

By MELVIN TATE

Contributing Reporter

Trinity High School has a familiar face taking charge of cross country this fall as Erin Nelson, a class of 2016 graduate, is the new head coach. She re places Johann Gonzalez, who led the Blazers the previous eight seasons.

“I am so excited for my first season as a head coach,” Nelson said. “The Trinity cross country program is something I hold close to my heart, having been an athlete for the team starting back in 2012. I have been in the same shoes as these girls and love working with them every day to be awesome student-athletes.”

Trinity is of f to a solid start. At the season-opening Elmwood Park Trial on the Trail, Aug. 28, junior Molly McGreal

placed third and set a new school record for a two-mile race with a time of 12 minutes, 17 seconds. Then at the Harvest Christian Academy Fall Classic in Elgin, Sept. 7, McGreal, who finished eighth in last year’s IHSA Class 2A state meet to become Trinity’s first-ever all-stater in cross-country, took second with a time of 19:30.39. Senior Jade Morelli, who also advanced downstate last fall, finished 19th in 22:53.35.

Other runners who competed at HCA were senior Alessandra Pineda (36th, 24:03.48), junior Gabby Alongi (45th, 24:59.70), senior Vanessa Ar re guin (54th, 25:39.44), freshman Charlotte O’Brien (65th, 27:36.28), and sophomore Emily Mielich (66th, 27:36.28).

“Our team is doing a great job so far,” Nelson said. “A lot of our athletes took charge of their own training plans and

showed the level of dedication that every coach dreams of having in an athlete. I’m excited to see their hard work come to fruition as the season develops.”

Among the highlights of Trinity’s schedule are the Riverside-Brookfield Invite, Sept. 21; the Pat Savage Invite at Niles West, Oct. 5; and the Lakes Sunset Invite in Lake Villa, Oct. 11.

When it comes to the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference White Division meet on Oct. 19, Nelson believes IC Prep and Wheaton St. Francis will be the teams to beat. She’s hoping newcomers like Alongi and O’Brien can help the Blazers challenge.

“We have a few new athletes to help round out a tough top-five,” Nelson said. “I am looking forward to seeing how they have an impact on our success. Our goal for the season is to build up the team ‘pack’

mindset while racing to not only achieve our team goals but each girl’s personal goals as well,” she added. “The start to our season has shown me that with a combination of the returning athletes and a few new ones, anything is possible.”

Fenwick cross country shows promise

Boys in rebuild, girls have plenty of experience

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

In recent years, the Fenwick boys cross country team has been successful, winning the IHSA Class 2A Championship in 2021 and having multiple runners merit All-State status. This season, however, head coach David Rill admits that the Friars are going through a bit of a rebuild. Even so, he’s optimistic.

“As far as how we’re going to do, I think these guys might surprise me a little bit,” Rill said. At the Hinsdale Central Invite, Sept. 7, senior Benicio Carideo finished 73rd out of 205 runners with a time of 15:59.20.

“Benicio came back in good shape,” Rill said. “Given how he ran, I have high expectations for him this season. He’s a good kid, a hard worker, and a lot of fun to coach.”

Other returning Fenwick runners with

varsity experience are seniors Finnbar Munley (140th, 16:57.60) and Chris Zielinski (167th, 17:24.20), along with juniors James Kiesewetter (187th, 17:50.60) and Aidan Powers (168th, 17:25.30).

Newcomers to watch are junior Nicholas Casaccio (137th, 16:57.10), sophomore Burke Burns, and freshman Wolfie Bergetz, a River Forest resident who graduated from Roosevelt Middle and whose sister Romy, a junior, runs on Fenwick’s girls team.

“The times [at Hinsdale Central] were pretty good for the guys we have,” Rill said. “I was pretty excited to see that.”

“We have [Bergetz] and [Burns] in our top five right now,” he added. “They’ll still run down in the lower levels the next couple of weeks, but they look good.”

Development of the program’s younger runners, Rill stated, is the main goal of this season.

“We’ve been working hard and most of the guys had good summers and came back in shape, so we’re already ahead of the game,” he said.

Fenwick girls

The Fenwick girls started their season solidly at the Hinsdale Central Invite, Sept. 7, finishing 12th out of 20 schools with 299 points Sophomore Juliana Gamboa, who finished 14th at last year’s IHSA Class 2A state meet to gain All-State status, placed 13th in a time of 17:40.40. Fenwick’s other runners were freshman Bridget Brunick (37th, 18:49.30), sophomore Lily Kotynek (77th, 19:53.80), freshman Victoria Alegere (91st, 20:10.80), sophomore Teresa Urso (113th, 20:42.80), sophomore Isabelle Lefko (130th, 21:03.60), sophomore Allison Austin (141st, 21:13.50), junior Romy Bergetz (157th, 21:50.60), senior Emma Brennan (189th, 22:51.60), senior Megan McCann (192nd, 23:03.10), senior Francesca Reale (198th, 23:31.30), and senior Kyra Miller (204th, 23:51.60).

With the exception of Alegere and Brunick, all were part of last year’s team, which finished 25th in Class 2A. And that has secondyear head coach Latoya Zubowicz-Hill excited “Based on summer running as a team and

last season, there’s an expectation to work hard and support one another,” she stated “Our strength is the team learning to embrace the uncomfortable and finish races strong.”

Fenwick further gelled as a team by doing a service project at Mission of Our Lady of Angels on Chicago’s West Side. At a back-toschool party, Aug. 17, the Friars did art projects, served lunch, and played games with neighborhood kids.

“It was an amazing opportunity for us to get to know one another as people and be active in our neighboring communities,” Zubowicz-Hill said. “Our young ladies are special because not only are they talented athletes, but they are compassionate leaders.”

Some of Fenwick’s top invitationals are at Riverside-Brookfield on Sept. 21; the Peoria Invitational, which takes place in Peoria’s Detweiller Park, the state meet course, Oct. 5; and at Sterling on Oct. 12.

“The goals are to continue the momentum from last year and to keep building a culture of kindness, hard work, and success,” Zubowicz-Hill said.

Fenwick football rallies past St. Ignatius

Williams tosses three TD passes for Friars

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Junior quarterback Jamen Williams threw three touchdown passes and senior kicker Noah Sur booted two field goals as the Fenwick varsity football team rallied to defeat St Ignatius 34-24, Sept. 6, at Triton Colle ge

“It was similar to last week where there’s a lot of good stuff,” said Fenwick coach Matt Battaglia. “We’re making the right progress, but there’s still a lot of stuff to clean up on. We’re continuing to try to get to a point where we’re playing our best football.”

Sur kicked a 34-yard field goal in the first quarter, and Williams found senior WR/DE Nate Marshall for a two-yard touchdown in the second quarter. But Fenwick trailed 17-

10 at halftime.

In need of a spark, the Friars (2-0) got it when junior Myles Montgomery returned the second-half kickof f 90 yards for a touchdown to tie the game at 17-17.

“It was great to see,” Battaglia said. “That’s how we drew it up all week. Myles trusted his blockers; they got on their men, held their blocks, and I think Myles was untouched.”

After St. Ignatius (1-1) scored on the ensuing drive to re gain the lead, Fenwick immediately drew even again when Williams hit Marshall for a 5-yard touchdown.

With 9:27 to go in the fourth quarter, Sur gave the Friars the lead for good with a 22yard field goal. Following a short punt by the Wolfpack, Fenwick was gifted excellent field position on the Ignatius 43. Five plays later, Williams found Andrew Bjorson over the middle for a 24-yard touchdown that gave the Friars breathing room.

“From a game-plan perspective and

what we wanted to do on offense, Jamen played the whole game,” said Battaglia of Williams, who had shared time with senior Frankie Hosty the previous week.

“With how the flow of the game went, we never got a chance to get Frankie in. But Frankie’s still very much a part of this mix, and I keep saying we’ve got two starting quarterbacks.”

On the ensuing drive, St. Ignatius marched to the Fenwick 7. But on 4th and 5 with less than two minutes left, the Friars stopped a Wolfpack run 1 yard short of a first down, forcing a tur nover on downs.

Fenwick faces Joliet Catholic, Sept. 13 at 7:30 p.m., at Joliet Memorial Stadium.

T he Hilltoppers (1-1), IHSA Class 5A r unner-ups last year, have the most state championships with 15 and are tough to beat at home

Battaglia knows the Friars, ranked #21 in this week’s Chicago Sun-Times Top 25

poll, have their work cut out for them. But he’s relishing the challenge.

“We want to play the best competition we can every week because that’s going to make us a playoff-ready team,” Battaglia said. “That’s what we love about [the Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference]; we embrace it as a program.”

OPRF

Against visiting Morgan Park, Sept. 6, Oak Park and River Forest fell into an early hole, allowing three first-quarter touchdowns. The Huskies’ defense settled down the rest of the way, but the offense couldn’t generate much as OPRF suf fered its second consecutive shutout loss to start the season, 26-0.

The Huskies (0-2) open West Suburban Silver play against visiting Proviso West (2-0), Se pt. 13, at 7:30 p.m.

All-stater O’Connor, Huskies hopeful for another state berth

OPRF girls cross country returns four from 2023 sectional lineup

By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter

Oak Park and River Forest High school senior Liam O’Connor kept on coming at the end of the 2023 boys cross country season, all the way to earning his first all-state honors. O’Connor should contend for a top-25 finish again, Nov. 9, at Peoria’s Detweiller Park, and hopefully with his teammates

The Huskies are going for their third straight team state berth — something that hasn’t happened since 1979-81 — with three returnees from last year’s lineup that placed sixth at state. In the pre-season rankings by the three online cross country websites, OPRF was No. 12 in ILXCTF.com, No. 14 in ILMileSplit and No. 18 in IllinoisRunningNews.com.

“We’ re just hoping to put the pieces together,” OPRF coach Chris Baldwin said. “We’ve got the guys to make a strong run. We’ve got a lot to make that happen. I’m excited for what will come. I’m excited for these seniors and juniors.”

O’Connor finished 17th (14:39.92 for 3.0 miles) to earn top-25, all-state honors.

At state track in May, he was 14th in the 3,200-meter run (9:16.32).

“He has run his best in October and November,” Baldwin said. “Liam has done an impressive job of putting together his biggest races at the best time. He knows what to do. He’s continuing to progress his fitness.”

Seniors Finn Kelly (179th, 15:58.19) and Andrew Harmon (194th, 16:05.24) were the Huskies’ No. 6 and 7 state finishers. Kelly overcame an injury to race last season and currently is sidelined.

In their first major invite Saturday at Fenton, the Huskies were fourth (85 points). O’Connor (16:08.5 for 3.0 miles) and Harmon (16:16.9) were sixth and eighth.

“We sort of treated it as a little bit of a tuneup. We’ve got some guys nursing injuries and it was hot weather,” Baldwin said. “Liam and Andrew ran a controlled first mile, moved up a little bit. [Otherwise] we had six more kids who ran their first varsity race.”

Senior James Nacke (24th, 16:48.0) and juniors Bennett King (25th, 16:48.9) and Yonny Rafter (28th, 16:52.6) were sub-17:00.

Junior Julian St. Pier re (31st), senior Jack DeBeers (35th), junior David Schiff (36th),

senior Connor Schupp (38th) and junior Finn Cascarino (43rd) also were top 50. Injured junior Brady Creel and senior Jack Gallery did not race.

In the frosh-soph race, sophomores Connor Harmon (16:42.2) and Nick Houghton were second and ninth. Gus Singer has been the top-finishing freshman in the first two races.

OPRF girls

The 2023 OPRF girls cross country season ended with a strong team race at the 3A Lake Park Sectional.

The Huskies have continued the momentum, taking second (49 points) at Saturday’s Fenton Invite after graduating their two 2023 individual state qualifiers, Katie Stabb and Lenny Ster ritt.

“With the team that we have, we’re ahead of where we were last year,” OPRF coach Ashley Raymond said. “A lot of the girls maybe were not running [personal records Saturday], but if you think about the first weekend meet last season, they’re like a minute faster.”

Junior Violet Schnizlein and seniors Ma-

lie Cassel, Alana Gerona and Julia Chang were part of the sectional lineup that finished ninth, just two places and eight points from the last team state berth. Cassel, Schnizlein and Gerona were the Huskies’ No. 3-5 finishers and Chang No. 7.

At Fenton, Schnizlein (5th, 19:41.0 for 3.0 miles), Gerona (7th, 19:57.8), Chang (10th, 20:25.9), sophomore Isabella Crowe (13th, 20:30.8), junior Chloe Ko zicki (14th, 20:35.5) and senior Nora Butterly (15th, 20:35.8) all were top 15. Cassel (21st) and senior Grace Layton (24th) were top 25.

This past spring, Butterly and Schnizlein qualified for state track with the 4x800-meter relay and Ko zicki with the 4x400 relay. Others to watch include senior Tea Dassinger, sophomore Emily Jones and freshman Eileen Easton, third in Fenton’s froshsoph race (20:54.1).

“We’ re really focusing on running as a pack and trying to get as many people up front with Violet and Alana,” Raymond said. “We want to progress every week and run our fastest and most competitive at sectionals, walk away feeling like they left it all on the line there.”

PUBLIC NOTICES

PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR

STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY.

Request of Vughaingmeh Edwin Mbuh Case Number 20243005947

There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Vughaingmeh Edwin Mbuh] to the new name of: Edwin Mbuh Vughaingmeh

The court date will be held: On October 22, 2024 at 9:00 a.m via Zoom. https://Zoom.US.Download Zoom.Access Code: 967 0125 5353 Password: 680014

Published in Wednesday Journal September 4, 11, 18, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICE

PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE

STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY.

Request of Robert Mulloy Thompson

Case Number 2024CONC001473

There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Robert Mulloy Thompson to the new name of: Jack Mulloy Thompson

The court date will be held:

On January 9, 2025 at 9am via Zoom. Meeting ID 92302509713 Password 709022 Court room 1707.

Published in RB Landmark September 11, 18, 25, 2024

ADVERTISEMENT FOR NOTIFICATION OF BID FOR PROVISO SCHOOL DISTRICT 209 – PROVISO WEST ROOF REPLACEMENT

Gilbane Building Company Construction Manager, for and acting on behalf of The Board of Education of Proviso Township High School District 209, is receiving lump sum proposals from interested contractors for the Proviso School District Capital Improvements Project. This release includes the following:

Complete roof replacement at Proviso West High School.

Bid Release 18 includes the following bid packages: 07C Roofing Work.

1. The bid documents will be distributed to bidders on or about Monday, September 23, 2024

2. An in-person Pre-Bid Meeting and Site Walk-through will be held Thursday, October 3, 2024 at 10:00AM

3. The last day for bidders’ questions is Friday, October 11, 2024, 5:00PM

4. The proposals will be due on Thursday, October 17, 2024, at 10:00AM. via bidder’s account at Building Connected

To bid this project, bidders must be qualified by Gilbane Building Company. The prequalification application is to be completed online via Compass at https://compassapp.com/auth/register. Questions regarding the prequalification application procedure should be directed to Yvonda Royster at 312-

614-3913 or yroyster@gilbaneco. com.

Bid Security in the form of a bid bond in an amount equal to ten percent (10%) of the base bid is required from all Bidders. No other forms of Bid Security will be accepted. Guarantee Bonds in the form of a Performance Bond and Labor and Material Payment Bond in an amount equal to one hundred percent (100%) of the bid will be required from the awarded Bidder. The work will be done in accordance with the Contract Documents. “FAILURE TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THIS INVITATION TO BID WILL RESULT IN THE DISQUALIFICATION OF THE BIDDER”.

This contract calls for the construction of a “public work,” within the meaning of the Illinois Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130/.01 et seq. (“the Act”). The Act requires contractors and subcontractors to pay laborers, workers and mechanics performing services on public works projects no less than the “prevailing rate of wages” (hourly cash wages plus fringe benefits) in the county where the work is performed. For information regarding current prevailing wage rates, please refer to the Illinois Department of Labor’s website at: https://www2.illinois.gov/ idol/Laws-Rules/CONMED/Pages/ Rates.aspx. All contractors and subcontractors rendering services under this contract must comply with all requirements of the Act, including but not limited to, all wage, notice and record keeping duties.

The Proviso Township High School District 209 and Gilbane Building Company reserve the right to reject any or all bids. All information submitted as part of this process shall be considered public information under the State Freedom of Information Act unless specifically disclosed on the applicable information by the Bidder. Challenges to such exemptions shall be defended solely by the Bidder.

Published in Forest Park Review September 11, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICE STATE OF ILLINOIS VILLAGE OF BROOKFIELD

Notice of Public Hearing Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission September 26, 2024 at 7:00 PM

NOTICE is hereby given that the Village of Brookfield Planning and Zoning Commission will conduct a public hearing on Thursday, September 26th , 2024 at 7:00 p.m. in the Edward Barcal Hall located at 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois for the purpose of considering a request from Triana Calderon for a variation from §62-290 Required parking spaces in order to build a new garage for property located at 4431 Prairie Avenue, Brookfield, Illinois 60513 (PIN 1803409067).

Legal Description: LOT 3 IN BISHOP’S UNIT NUMBER 1, BEING A RESUBDIVISION OF PART OF AUSPITZ AND OAKES BROOKFIELD PARK, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF THE WEST ½ OF THE EAST ½ OF THE SOUTHEAST ¼, ALSO THE EAST 6.8368 ACRES (EXCEPT ROAD) OF THE SOUTHWEST ¼ OF THE SOUTHEAST ¼ IN SECTION 3, TOWNSHIP 38 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, ACCORDING TO THE PLAT THEREOF RECORDED MAY 13, 1968 AS DOCUMENT NUMBER

20488018, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

The public is invited to attend the public hearing and present oral and/ or written comments.

Written comments may be provided prior to 4:00 PM on the day of the public hearing to: Village of Brookfield, Planning and Zoning Commission c/o Libby Popovic, 8820 Brookfield Avenue, Brookfield, IL 60513, lpopovic@brookfieldil. gov, or 708-485-1113. Oral or written testimony may be given during the public hearing.

The application may be viewed at the Village of Brookfield Village Hall during normal business hours. Please reference PZC Case 24-14. Public hearings may be continued from time to time without further notice except as otherwise required under the Illinois Open Meetings Act.

Individuals with disabilities requiring a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in any meeting should contact the Village of Brookfield (708) 485-7344 prior to the meeting. Wheelchair access is available through the front (South) entrance of Village Hall.

By the Order of Chuck Grund, Planning and Zoning Commission Chairman.

Published in RB Landmark September 11, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICE

Attention NATIONAL GENERAL INS CO & COPART STK 60638933, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on 10/21/24, a sale will be held at 1510 Hannah Ave, Forest Park, IL, 60130 to sell the following articles to enforce a lien existing under the laws of the State of Illinois against such articles for labor, services, skill or material expended upon a storage furnished for such articles atthe request of the following designated persons, unless such articles are redeemed within thirty days of the publication of this notice. Our records show, your 2017, INFINITI, Q60 with the followingVIN JN1FV7EL8HM701349 was towed to our facilityper police ordinance. Our records show thatthe current amount due and owing is $320.00. If payment is not receivedwithin 30 days Nobs Towing Inc. will enforce a mechanic’s lien pursuant to Chapter 770 ILCS 50/3.

Published in Forest Park Review September 11, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICE

Attention ANGEL D VILLATORO RIVERA, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on 10/21/24, a sale will be held at 1510 Hannah Ave, Forest Park, IL, 60130 to sell the following articles to enforce a lien existing under the laws of the State of Illinoisagainst such articles for labor, services, skill or material expended upon a storage furnished for such articles atthe request of thefollowing designated persons, unless such articles are redeemed within thirty days of the publication of this notice. Our records show, your 2007, Chevy, SILVERADO with the following VIN 2GCEK13M771549181 was towed to our facility per police ordinance. Our records show that the current amount due and owing is $2000.00. If payment is not received within 30 days Nobs Towing Inc. will enforce a mechanic’s lien pursuant to Chapter 770 ILCS 50/3.

Published in Forest Park Review September 11, 2024

PUBLIC NOTICE

Attention POPULAR FINANCE & YAZMIN ESTRADA, NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that on 10/21/24, a sale will be held at 1510 Hannah Ave, Forest Park, IL, 60130 to sell the following articles to enforce a lien existing under the laws of the State of Illinois against such articles for labor, services, skill or material expended upon a storage furnished for such articles at the request of the following designated persons, unless such articles are redeemed within thirty days of the publication of this notice. Our records show, your 2011, GMC, TERRAIN with the following VIN 2CTFLVEC1B6253117 was towed to our facility per police ordinance. Our records show that the current amount due and owing is $320.00. If payment is not received within 30 days Nobs Towing Inc. will enforce a mechanic’s lien pursuant to Chapter 770 ILCS 50/3.

Published in Forest Park Review September 11, 2024

LEGAL NOTICE

The Village of Oak Park --Office of the Village Engineer, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302-- will receive electronic proposals until 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 26, 2024 for Project: 24-15, Bike Boulevard Pavement Marking and Signage Improvements. Bids will be received and accepted, and bid results posted via the online electronic bid service listed below. In general, the improvements consist of: the installation of pavement markings including polyurea, Methyl Methacrylate (MMA), and thermoplastic; the fabrication and installation of signs and telescoping steel sign supports and all appurtenant work thereto.

Plans and proposal forms may be obtained via the electronic service starting on Thursday, September

12, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. Plans and proposal forms can be found at https://www.oak-park.us/yourgovernment/budget-purchasing/ requests-proposals or at www. questcdn.com under login using QuestCDN number 9317130 for a non-refundable charge of $64.00.

The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue plans and specifications only to those contractors deemed qualified. No bid documents will be issued after 4:00 p.m. on the working day preceding the date of bid opening.

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

THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Bill McKenna Village Engineer

Published in Wednesday Journal, September 11, 2024

LEGAL NOTICE

The Village of Oak Park --Office of the Village Engineer, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302-- will receive electronic proposals until 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, September 26, 2024 for Project: 24-20, Bike Boulevard Concrete and Electrical. Bids will be received and accepted, and bid results posted via the online electronic bid service listed below. In general, the improvements consist of: thermoplastic, installation of signs and telescoping steel sign supports; concrete sidewalks and curbs; installation of RRFB systems; and all appurtenant work thereto.

Plans and proposal forms may be obtained via the electronic service starting on Thursday, September 12, 2024, at 4:00 p.m. Plans and

proposal forms can be found at https://www.oak-park.us/yourgovernment/budget-purchasing/ requests-proposals or at www. questcdn.com under login using QuestCDN number 9317132 for a non-refundable charge of $64.00.

The Village of Oak Park reserves the right to issue plans and specifications only to those contractors deemed qualified. No bid documents will be issued after 4:00 p.m. on the working day preceding the date of bid opening.

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

THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK

Bill McKenna Village Engineer

Published in Wednesday Journal, September 11, 2024

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION US Bank Trust National Association, Not In Its Individual Capacity But Solely As Owner Trustee For VRMTG Asset Trust Plaintiff vs. Anne S. Hiter; James C. Hiter; USAlliance Federal Credit Union d/b/a USAlliance Financial; TD Bank USA, N.A.; Unknown Owners and Non Record Claimants Defendant 22 CH 3421 CALENDAR 60 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on October 15, 2024, at the hour 11:00 a.m., Intercounty’s office, 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, IL 60602, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 16-17-328-003-0000. Commonly known as 1154 South Lombard Avenue, Oak Park, IL 60304. The real estate is: single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: At sale, the bidder must have 10% down by certified funds, balance within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, The Wirbicki Law Group LLC, 33 West Monroe Street, Suite 1540, Chicago, Illinois 60603. (312) 360-9455. INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3251240

Dear Illinoisans,

You may have seen news stories or social media posts announcing changes to how real estate commissions work. Some of what you’ve read and heard is fact, some is fiction.

Illinois REALTORS® represents the 50,000 licensed, professional REALTORS® throughout the state, and we want to take this opportunity to set the record straight and fully explain the changes.

Historically, the way a real estate agent has been paid has always been negotiable. In some cases, agents are paid directly by their buyer or seller client. However, in other cases, an agent may be paid indirectly, with the broker for the seller “sharing” a portion of their compensation with the buyer’s broker.

Until now, brokers have communicated the amount of shared compensation on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This is the platform where your broker will list your property and that feeds information to all the various real estate sites you’re used to seeing.

This competitive and highly efficient process has helped many buyers to obtain professional representation and to realize their dream of homeownership. State governments across the nation have long recognized this lawful process as good for consumers and that it promotes fair housing and housing access for more people.

Recently, class action attorneys targeted this practice of sharing compensation in lawsuits against the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR), as well as a number of real estate firms and individual REALTORS® throughout the country. Illinois REALTORS® members are members of NAR. The class action attorneys argued that buyers should pay their broker out of their own pockets exclusively.

Earlier this year, NAR reached a settlement with these class action attorneys, negotiating to retain consumer protections and options. The settlement also provides two industry practice changes, including:

(1) Beginning on August 17, 2024, brokers will stop including shared compensation information on the MLS. Shared compensation will still be allowed, it just cannot be communicated on the MLS platform. Instead, brokers will communicate this information, in writing, privately or on their own websites. The amount of compensation will remain negotiable, as it’s always been.

(2) Also, beginning August 17th, all buyers who are working with a REALTOR® will be required to have a written agreement detailing the work the broker will do for them, the rate of compensation and how it will be paid. Illinois REALTORS® has long provided and encouraged the use of these written agreements to protect everyone in the transaction.

www.IllinoisRealtors.org/Consumers

Buying a home is often the largest, most significant financial transaction of your life. That is why it’s so important to have a trusted professional help you. REALTORS® subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics and are market experts trained to help guide you in everything from setting up the appointments, to negotiating the offer, to organizing inspections, and coordinating the closing on your home.

Over the coming weeks, you’re certain to read or hear more about these industry changes. You may even receive a postcard in the mail from attorneys claiming to be involved in the lawsuits. For REALTORS® in Illinois, our highest priorities will always be fairness and transparency in every transaction and access to homeownership for EVERYONE. Today, we are emboldened to continue to be the strongest advocate for the buyers and sellers we serve every day.

Through every economic high or low and with every technological change, REALTORS® have been there to support their customers and communities, our state and nation.

For more than 100 years, Illinois REALTORS® has been there to help you achieve the American Dream of homeownership. Through every economic high or low and with every technological change, REALTORS® have been there to support their customers and communities, our state and nation. This period will be no different and you will continue to be able to rely upon your REALTOR® to be your trusted advisor in your next home sale or purchase.

For more information, visit www.IllinoisRealtors.org/Consumers or contact your local REALTOR®.

Sincerely,

Jeff Baker

Matt Silver CEO President

AT HOMEONTHE GREATERWESTSIDE

Property tax hike got you down?

An income-based circuit breaker program could help

ABy DELANEY NELSON Special Projects Reporter

ustin, West Garfield Park and North Lawndale residential property values were reassessed earlier this year, meaning some homeowners will pay more on their 2025 property tax bills than they did in 2024. They’ll be in good company. Cook County property taxes rose an average of 4% this year, marking the 30th consecutive year of hikes, a Cook County Treasurer’s Office analysis showed.

As property taxes rise, some policymakers and county officials are advocating for a new way to ease their financial burden: A circuit breaker program that serves low-income homeowners.

Economists classify property taxes as regressive because lower-income households pay a higher share of their income toward the tax compared with wealthier counterparts. In Illinois, the property tax system is based on assessed home value, meaning the 1.3 million homeowners who will pay more next year won’t all see the same percent increase on their bill. It also means property tax amounts are disconnected from homeowners’ ability to pay

The result? Lower-income homeowners struggle to keep up with property tax payments. The 19 highest tax rates in Cook County are in Chicago’s south suburbs, where the population is primarily lower-income Black

“The sticker

shock

is too late:”

Here’s what you need to know about your

property taxes

West Chicago homeowners have until Sept. 24 to file an appeal with the Board of Review

By DELANEY NELSON Special Projects Reporter

Overwhelmed by your property taxes? Got your tax bill in the mail and don’t know what to do?

Property taxes are used to fund state and local government programs, including public education. Illinois is known for its high property taxes, ranking eighth in the nation for heaviest reliance on the tax, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

In Cook County, properties are reassessed every three years. The assessor’s office splits the city of Chicago into several townships. The area of the West Side of Chicago, which includes Austin, West Garfield Park and North Lawndale, was reassessed earlier this year.

Your reassessment comes from the Cook County Assessor’s Office, while your annual tax bill — which comes in two installments, one due in March and another in August — comes from the Cook County Treasurer’s Office. In Illinois, property taxes are paid in arrears, meaning if your property is reassessed in 2024, you won’t see the new value reflected until the second installment of your tax bill in 2025.

Salvador J. Lopez, a practicing consumer rights attorney at Robson & Lopez LLC, advises homeowners to be aware of any notices they receive in the mail and to familiarize themselves with their township’s tax timeline.

A

“People say, ‘I’m going to appeal my tax bill.’ That’s incorrect. You can’t appeal your taxes. Your tax bill is what it is. It’s calculated based on the numbers that are provided from the state, the county, and municipalities, as far as how much they need,” Lopez said. “The sticker shock is too late. You can no longer appeal that bill. You can only appeal in 2024, which is paid in 2025.”

What you can appeal is the state-assessed value of your home. Once you receive your reassessment notice, you typically have 30 days to file an appeal with the Cook County

“There’s a lot of avenues for reducing and managing your taxes. You can’t make them go away, but chipping away 10% over time can make a big difference in a family’s budget.”

— Greg Hilton

Assessor. You may want to appeal if the property’s assessment appears too high or your reassessment notice includes incorrect property characteristics, among other reasons. This year, the deadline to appeal with the assessor’s office was June 20.

The second level of appeal is with the Cook County Board of Review. Homeowners on the West Side have until September 24, 2024 to file a complaint with the Board. Those in other townships should check the county’s website for deadlines. You can then appeal a Board of Review decision in circuit court or file with the Illinois Property Tax Appeal Board, though that process can take several years before a decision is made.

In between each triennial reassessment, homeowners can re-appeal if any of their property’s characteristics have changed drastically “There’s a lot of avenues for reducing and

managing your taxes,” said Greg Hilton, attorney and founder of Property Tax Solutions. “You can’t make them go away, but chipping away 10% over time can make a big difference in a family’s budget.”

While the first level of appeal is generally a manageable process for a homeowner, Lopez and Hilton recommend turning to a professional for help with a Board of Review complaint.

The property tax experts also have a key piece of advice for prospective homeowners: Ask about the tax bill before purchasing a property While a real estate agent cannot guarantee how much your tax bill will be, you can inquire about the property’s history, and tax records from previous years can typically be found online.

“There shouldn’t be any surprises,” Hilton said. Lopez stresses that the assessed value of your home does not impact your actual property value. An appeal will not decrease your property’s market value.

Because the reassessed value of a home is impacted by the assessed value of nearby properties, Lopez encourages homeowners to communicate with their neighbors about the assessment and appeals processes. If your neighbor’s assessed value is going up, yours is likely to go up as well, he said.

If you live in an area where surrounding property values have increased significantly since the last reassessment, Lopez recommends you be “uber-aware.”

“A lot of this is planning. If the tax is going to be unaffordable, maybe it’s time to put the property up for sale. I want to be clear, it is horrible that that’s a lot of the only option for a lot of people. But, you know, I say, ‘Look, I’d rather you sell it than lose it to foreclosure or lose it in a tax sale,’” Lopez said. “The more information you have, the better.”

TAX HIKE

Continued from page B1

residents, according to the treasurer’s office. This year, the area’s median bill grew nearly 20%. Fewer than a quarter of reassessed homes across the county saw their bills go down.

On average, middle-class Illinois homeowners spend 6% of their income on property taxes. Millionaires spend just 1%.

“Simply put, disparities of this magnitude are not fair or equitable, and we need to ensure we’re supporting the people who make our state run: the firefighters, teachers, social workers, and other working-class people who would benefit from desperately needed property tax relief,” Cook County Board of Review Commissioner George Cardenas told Austin Weekly News in an email. “By easing property tax burdens on working-class and lower-income households, people are better able to invest in their futures.”

A circuit breaker program could relieve this disparity by providing an income tax credit for property taxes that exceed a certain percentage of the homeowner’s income. Depending on the program, renters may also be eligible to earn credit.

Right now, many Americans are struggling with the cost of housing and

property taxes contribute to that, said Brakeyshia Samms, a policy analyst at the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy

“A lot of families are overloaded, and circuit breakers can kick in and help mitigate that problem by rebating a share of income for the property taxes,” she said. “These credits really are one of the most effective tools that promote property tax affordability.”

In 2012, Illinois implemented a circuit breaker program that provided credits to qualifying seniors and people with disabilities. The state legislature did not approve funds for the program for the 2013 fiscal year, ending the program.

More than half of U.S. states administer circuit breakers of some kind, although they vary widely in size and scope. Thirteen states make this type of credit available to working-age homeowners.

County officials are working with legislators and community groups to draft a program proposal for next year’s legislative session, said Cook County Assessor Fritz Kaegi. The state will have to decide on income criteria, home value cutoffs, timing and structure of the program.

“We want to be a leader in making sure that property taxes are fair to everyone,” Kaegi said. “It’s a good idea for the state to incorporate a circuit breaker program that provides relief for when bills increase, for the people who need it most.”

Homestead exemptions: How to save on property taxes

By DELANEY NELSON Special Projects Reporter

In the 2021 tax year, homeowners in Cook County saved $16.7 billion in exemptions, according to research from the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning and the University of Illinois Chicago Government Finance Research Center. Property taxes are a major expense for homeowners, and exemptions

are one way to ease that burden.

In the same year, total homestead exemptions equaled $16.7 billion. But, property taxes fund infrastructure and other needed services, so local governments try to make up the difference by raising tax rates for everyone.

The result is an asymmetrical tax burden distribution. Some residents — particularly in suburbs south of Chicago — have seen greater increases in their tax rate as a result of homestead

exemptions than others, research from CMAP and UIC shows. Take Park Forest, a south suburb that’s over two-thirds Black: The tax rate increase due to exemptions in 2021 was ten times higher than the county average.

Austen Edwards, a senior policy analyst with CMAP, says the practice of raising overall rates can erode the apparent savings homeowners get when claiming exemptions and raise costs for businesses.

“What we found was that there’s sort of a mixed picture when it comes to exemptions, that we are providing tax relief to each homeowner who claims the exemptions, but they’re paying a higher rate on the lower taxable value. And how that math works out for each homeowner depends on where they live in Cook County,” he said.

Edwards said tax policies try to be as neutral as possible. That is, they are supposed to treat similar taxpayers in the same way. But policies play out in different ways in different locations, based on the size, characteristics, property values, land use mix and share of homeowners who claim exemptions in each municipality.

“So the actual effects of an apparent uniform, neutral tax policy like homestead exemptions can vary widely across all towns and villages,” he said.

To address these disparities, the county established last year the Property Tax Reform Group, a working group researching solutions to these inequities.

HOW CAN YOU GET A PROPERTY TAX EXEMPTION?

Cook County offers eight exemptions for homeowners to reduce their property tax bill. The most common is the homeowner exemption, which saves homeowners an average of $950 annually.

You can apply for an exemption through the Cook County Assessor’s Office, which will review your application. If you think you missed out on an exemption in a previous tax year, you can file a certificate of error with the Assessor’s Office. Aside from the homeowner exemption, many Cook County residents may be eligible for other property tax breaks. Exemptions are available for seniors, low-income seniors, people with disabilities and veterans. Home renovations that improve the home’s property value are also eligible for a tax break.