W E D N E S D A Y
September 29, 2021 Vol. 42, No. 9 ONE DOLLAR @oakpark @wednesdayjournal
JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest
Senior Living
Fall 2021
Special section Page 19
Options on table for how Catholic parishes might merge Renew My Church process lists multiple scenarios in Oak Park By TOM HOLMES Contributing Reporter
Members of Oak Park’s four Roman Catholic parishes were given a handout last weekend outlining the next step in the ongoing Renew My Church process being implemented by the Chicago archdiocese. The strategy is aimed at addressing decades of attendance decline, aging and declining numbers of priests, and weakening financial support for aging physical facilities. The stated goal of Cardinal Blase Cupich is to attempt to use the situation as an occasion for renewed vision and energy in the archdiocese. The handout repeatedly stated that no final decisions have been made on how the four parishes might be merged or potentially shuttered. Instead, the working document outlined five scenarios for members to comment on at upcoming meetings in each of the four parishes — Ascension, St. Giles, St. Edmund and St. Catherine-St. Lucy. While the decision-making processes of the Catholic Church are often characterized as hierarchical and top-down, Rev. Carl Morello, currently the pastor at St. Giles and the administrator at Ascension, said the Renew My Church process is also bottom-up. “It is the desire of the Cardinal that folks from the communities should be involved in giving feedback See CHURCHES on page 18
ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
LEGACY ENDANGERED: Faith Julian, who lives in the home on North East Avenue that her father, Percy Julian, purchased in the 1949, says she’s in danger of losing the property, which is tax delinquent and must undergo significant repairs.
Back taxes have Percy Julian home in peril Famed chemist’s daughter starts GoFundMe campaign
By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter
Just before chemist Percy Julian and his family were to move into their Oak Park home in 1950, someone broke in, poured kerosene on its floors, then
threw a firebomb through the bedroom window belonging to his 6-year-old daughter Faith. The racist attack failed to intimidate the Julian family into abandoning their plans to live in Oak Park. The Prairiestyle house on Chicago Avenue was damaged, but still standing.
Seventy-one years later, Faith Julian, the sole surviving member of her family, faces the prospect of losing that home again. During a recent phone interview with Wednesday Journal, Julian said she was See JULIAN HOME on page 18
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Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
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Take TikTok out of schools
ast week, we reported that sometimes you win, some“devious licks,” the latest times you lose. And that’s how TikTok trend sweeping the these platforms are designed. country, had made its way … They’re exactly like a slot to Oak Park and River Formachine. est High School. Basically, the “Well, the one thing we know is viral video trend encourages slot machines are addictive. We TikTok users to show themselves know there’s a gambling addicdestroying school property. tion, right? But we don’t often talk “In the last two weeks,” F. about how our devices and these Amanda Tugade reported, “OPRF platforms and these apps do have students have ‘ripped off ’ more these same addictive qualities than 100 soap dispensers from baked into them.” the walls of the high school’s Teenagers already thrive on dopamine rushes. The Curbed restrooms. ...” Commentary writer is right. Kids have always A recent article published in been kids. But this time really Curbed dismissed the predictable is different. Kids nowadays are literally adult reactions to this trend as mere “grownhaving to experience the frustrating and up hysteria” nerve-wracking complexities of adolescence “To read through the media and instituin a mediated reality premised on exploittional responses to the trend is to encounter ing and mining for profit their most debased an adult population that willfully misunimpulses. derstands, and forgets, what it’s like to be a “Our brains are changing based on this teen, and what you often end up doing when interaction with digital technologies and one you’re told not to do something,” writes of these is time compression,” Albright said. Brock Colyar. “Our attention spans are lowering.” But this hot take is ridiculous because The anecdotes of college students she “devious licks” isn’t just another case of works with are chilling. When an acquainteenagers doing teenager things. tance of Albright’s asked his students about Articles like these only help out companies their five-year plans after graduation, “the like Facebook and ByteDance (the owner of students looked at him like he was insane. TikTok), which are hell-bent on disguising the fact that their platforms are inherently ad- Five year plan? What are you talking about, that’s like an eon! And they couldn’t even dictive and their business model is centered conceptualize a five year plan.” on ensuring that users, especially young Albright recalled another student who, consumers, are strung out. “after listening to a presentation by a 62-yearIn 2017, Sean Parker, the co-founder of Napster and Facebook’s first president, was pretty old senior vice president at Huawei, put up her hand and asked, without irony or humor, frank about Facebook’s design. how she could start at his level,” Forbes re“The thought process was all about, ‘How ports. “Predictably, that did not go over well.” do we consume as much of your time and Short, entertaining, novel and capable of conscious attention as possible? … And that an immediate response from millions of means we need to sort of give you a little other people anywhere in the world — the dopamine hit every once in a while, because TikTok video is the latest perfect crystallisomeone liked or commented on a photo or a post or whatever, and that’s going to get you to zation of our current digital moment. And “devious licks” is this moment’s contribute more content, and that’s going to logical conclusion. When you’re addicted, get you more likes and comments. It’s a social you’re always needing to up the ante. validation feedback loop. … You’re exploiting What’s even crazier? What’s even wilder? a vulnerability in human psychology.” What’s even more devilishly entertaining? Social media expert Sinan Aral outlined And for the lucky few who get to monetize more precisely how the brain works on social their content, how can I turn the reacmedia in his 2020 book The Hype Machine. tion my video gets into money? And more “The dopamine system makes us crave money? And more money? rewards by stimulating feelings of joy, But addiction, alas, eventually makes you euphoria, and ecstasy,” Aral writes. “When sick. psychologists James Olds and Peter Milner In June, the New York Times reported on gave rats the ability to stimulate their own the recent wave of TikTok influencers (or reward system by pushing a lever, they found creators of popular content) who found fame the rats would drop everything, stop eating on the platform last year but have already and sleeping, and push that little lever again burned out. and again until they died from exhaustion.” From the Times report: “This app used to be Julie Albright, a USC professor and author so fun,” a TikTok creator known as Sha Crow of Left to Their Own Devices: How Digital said in a video from February, “and now your Natives are Reshaping the American Dream, compares social media platforms like TikTok, favorite creator is depressed.” The Times quotes the venture firm SignalInstagram, Snapchat and Facebook to slot Fire, which claims that more than 50 million machines. people consider themselves influencers — “In psychological terms [it’s] called random “the fastest-growing small-business segment” reinforcement,” she told Forbes. “It means
MICHAEL ROMAIN
COURTESY OF CLAUDINE SANDERS JAMES
A photo in an Edutopia.org article showing a teacher using TikTok to teach students grammar basics. The article points out the teacher’s 900,000 followers she amassed on TikTok, but is light on data about whether or not the TikTok lessons have improved students’ learning. in the country thanks partly due to the migration online that was driven by the pandemic. Earlier this month, the Wall Street Journal reported that researchers inside of Instagram (which is owned by Facebook Inc.) were forcing company executives to face some hard truths. “‘Thirty-two percent of teen girls said that when they felt bad about their bodies, Instagram made them feel worse,” the researchers said in a March 2020 slide presentation posted to Facebook’s internal message board, reviewed by the Wall Street Journal. “‘Comparisons on Instagram can change how young women view and describe themselves.’” Despite knowing that their technologies are inherently addictive, depressing and driven mainly by entertainment — companies like Facebook and ByteDance routinely downplay the risks associated with their products and even have the gall to sell them as educational. Google “TikTok educational” and it quickly becomes apparent that the company is making a PR push to re-brand its drug as beneficial for kids. You’ll find articles uncritically pushing the company’s selling points. “From 60-second micro lessons to brain breaks, teachers are finding creative ways to meet students where they are. Increasingly, that’s on TikTok,” according to a glowing article on Edutopia.org. The article shows an older woman teaching students “the basics of grammar” on TikTok to “more than 900,000 of her followers.” I know of another, much more effective tool that has taught generations of students how to master grammar absent the distractions. It’s called Strunk and White’s The Elements of Style. This is whole charade is ridiculous and the kids, digital natives who have an organic, intuitive feel for these technologies in a
way that adults never will and in a way that doesn’t even need to be taught, know it’s ridiculous. Which is precisely why that photo looks like it was pulled straight from an Onion article. Here is my caption for it: “Students, as you post your ‘devious licks,’ please caption them in complete sentences.” The patent absurdity of this push to brand TikTok as educational is revealed by one of the platform’s creators, Alex Zhu, the cofounder and co-CEO of Musical.ly, which was acquired by ByteDance in 2017 and merged into TikTok. In a 2016 interview with venture capitalist and podcaster Josh Elman, Zhu said he intended to start a company “in the education space.” His vision was to “make educational content mobile-first and bite-sized. This turned out to be a ‘complete failure.’” Zhu derived a major lesson from his failure and his decision to make Musical.ly instead. “If you want to build a new user-generated content platform or social network, then the content has to be extremely light. The content creation and consumption need to happen within seconds, not minutes. “Education is a little bit against human nature. If you look at how people use their phone, the majority of people are using their phone to communicate and entertain (playing games, using social media, or messaging). It’s pretty hard for a new startup to try to change human nature. It’s better to follow human nature than to fight against it.” There’s a simple remedy for this corporate mendacity and the consequent addiction and vandalism it encourages. Remove the smart phones and the social media platforms from schools altogether. It’s obviously time to detox.
CONTACT: michael@oakpark.com
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Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
Side Yard Sounds Friday, Oct. 1, and Saturday, Oct. 2, 7 p.m., Compound Yellow On Friday, see Sam Prekop and Levinson/Mahlmeister. The evening features heavily in the experimental/ ambient/electronic realm. Both acts employ modular synthesizers and other electro-acoustic processing devices. Saturday brings Vine Street Alternative, a high-energy jazz trio. $15. Tickets/more: facebook. com/compoundyellow. Or, at the door with Venmo, PayPal, cash or check. 244 Lake St., Oak Park.
OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM
BIG WEEK Sept. 29-Oct. 6
Saturday, Oct. 2 and 9, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., Downtown Oak Park Marion Street transforms into an interactive, open street with live music, activities, food and beverages, kids’ entertainment and more. Bring your pets, chairs and yard games. View schedule/more: downtownoakpark.net/event/see-you-Saturday. Marion St. between Lake and North Blvd.
Thursday, Sept. 30, 7 to 8 p.m., Barbara Hall Meeting Room, River Forest Public Library Hear librarians talk about new and upcoming books for inspiration on choosing what to read. Also, share what books are on your recommendation list. 735 Lathrop Ave.
Sunday, Oct. 3, 2 to 3:30 p.m., Barbara Hall Meeting Room, River Forest Public Library
It’s the 150th Anniversary of the fire that nearly destroyed a city. In a multi-media storytelling event, William Pack weaves together technical details of the fire with vivid firsthand accounts from those who lived through the blaze of 1871. Brought in partnership with River Forest Township. 735 Lathrop Ave.
CounterBalance
Friday, Oct. 1, and Saturday, Oct. 2, 7:30 p.m., Streaming with MOMENTA Oak Park
This dance concert celebrates the power of physically integrated dance and features five new works choreographed by Maggie Bridger, Julia Cox, Anita Fillmore Kenney, Sarah Najera and guest artist Lauren Reed of Aerial Dance Chicago. The program will also showcase the latest works by Ginger Lane and Robby Williams. Additional viewing link sent the week of Oct. 4. Free to $20 (pay-what-you-can to full price). Tickets/more: momentadances.org/counter-balance-2021
Repair Cafe BILL MCMURRAY
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Lullaby of Broadway Monday, Oct. 4, 1:15 p.m., Ballroom, Nineteenth Century Club and Livestreamed
Hear Chicago-based baritones Evan Bravos and Bill McMurray sing musical favorites from Rogers and Hammerstein to Bernstein, Sondheim and beyond. Brought by The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association. Socially distanced seating; masks required. Proof of vaccination/testing also required. $15, requested donation; free, members. More/Register for livestream: nineteenthcentury.org. 178 Forest, Oak Park.
Tuesday, Oct. 5, 5:30 p.m., Parking Lot, Forest Park Bank Sarah’s Inn is raising awareness in October for Domestic Violence Action Month. Learn how to engage with the community this month related to domestic violence prevention. Hear from a Sarah’s Inn client, a Youth Committee member and others. 7348 Madison St., Forest Park.
See You Saturdays
Book Buzz
The Essential Great Chicago Fire
Domestic Violence Action Month Kick Off Rally
Saturday, Oct. 2, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Fox Center Bring broken items such as toasters, vacuum cleaners, mixers, clocks, lamps and more for repair and a skilled crew of volunteers will work to fix the electronic items for free. The repair success rate at all the cafes worldwide, which numbers more than 1,000, is 60 percent. Volunteer to be on the repair crew, here: mrobinet@ameritech. net. More on Repair Cafes: repaircafeusa.org. Have an item to repair - drop in on the first Saturday of the month. 624 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park.
Art for Social Change: Made to Disrupt Tuesday, Oct. 5, through Thursday, Oct. 28, Oak Park Art League (OPAL) See artwork grounded in the desire to create social awareness or change on any number of social issues: voting rights, environmental justice, racial injustice, immigration, identity, hunger and food insecurity, political imbalance and gun violence or other topics. This exhibition aims to highlight work that makes the viewer feel uncomfortable, that encourages deeper reflection and pushes for true social change. Opening reception, Friday, Oct. 8, 7 to 9 p.m. Gallery Hours: Tuesdays through Fridays, 1 to 5 p.m., Saturdays, 1 to 4 p.m. 720 Chicago Ave., Oak Park.
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FolktoberFest Thursday, Sept. 30, 7 p.m., Friday, Oct. 1, 6 and 7 p.m., and Saturday, Oct. 2, 1 and 7 p.m., Zoom with Music & Potlucks Participate in one, some or all of this multi-day event featuring an Acoustic Neighbors Showcase and artist workshops. Includes music and workshops with Oak Parker Jenny Bienemann, Chicago musician Steve Dawson and Midwest troubadour Mark Dvorak. $5 - $20 per event. $30, weekend pass. Tickets/more: musicandpotlucks.org/folktoberfest
Beyond 100: A National Juried Exhibition Through Thursday, Sept. 30, Oak Park Art League (OPAL) While OPAL celebrates in centennial year, this exhibit represents work that best demonstrates artist’s use of materials and mastery of skill in their chosen medium. Artists from across the nation who work in all mediums are included - drawing, painting, mixed media, digital/new media, printmaking, photography, ceramics, fiber, glass, sculpture. Gallery Hours: Tuesdays through Fridays, 1 to 5 p.m., Saturdays, 1 to 4 p.m. 720 Chicago Ave., Oak Park.
Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
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Cop shoots at vehicle during ‘rowdy’ funeral procession Police refuse to release any information regarding investigation By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter
A rowdy funeral procession on Roosevelt Road led to an Oak Park police officer firing at one of the vehicles Thursday, Sept. 23. Oak Park police were monitoring the route after learning of the procession from an undercover police officer from a neighboring community. That undercover officer reported at about 12:50 p.m. seeing an individual participating in the procession waving a handgun out of a passenger’s side window of a westbound vehicle, according to Commander Paul Kane of the Oak Park Police Department. Kane said the procession was a gang member’s funeral. Police tried to stop the vehicle near Clarence Avenue, but the driver instead accelerated toward one officer, who fired once into the vehicle, according to police. The driver then fled south in the vehicle on Clarence Avenue. Wednesday Journal reached out the Oak
Park Police Department on Sept. 27 for an update on the investigation, asking how many police departments were involved in the incident, which ones took part in the chase, when and where the chase ended and if the officer who fired the weapon is now on administrative duty, as well as if the state police are investigating officer’s discharge of the weapon. The newspaper also asked if the Oak Park police had any license plate numbers of vehicles involved in the funeral procession, if they have found the car the officer shot at and if there was any indication anyone was wounded. The Oak Park Police Department declined to answer any of these questions, directing Wednesday Journal to refer to the original statement provided by the police. Wednesday Journal followed up by asking how answering the questions asked by this publication would derail the investigation but got no reply from the police. The original statement provided by police was sent to Wednesday Journal on the afternoon of Sept. 24, one full day after the incident took place, despite Wednesday Journal making multiple calls and sending multiple emails to police officers requesting information the day of the incident.
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Soccer teams unite to Run Tough for Owen Fenwick’s Ethan Briggs, Owen Petrzelka’s cousin, connects Friars and Huskies
By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter
The athletic rivalry between Oak Park and River Forest and Fenwick High Schools is usually competitive and intense. The boys’ soccer match on Sept. 25 between the two — won by OPRF 1-0 on a first-half goal by Easton Bogard — was certainly no exception. But it is what happened afterwards that makes both schools proud community institutions. Players and coaches from both teams walked from the Dominican Priory in River Forest to the house of Owen Petrzelka in Oak Park as part of the 2021 Run Tough for Owen virtual 5K. They were honoring Owen, a 6-year-old who died Oct. 6, 2020 of a rare aggressive brain tumor called Diffuse Intrinsic Pontine Glioma, or DIPG. It is a cancer primarily found in children between the ages of 4 and 11 and the long-term prognosis is poor for those who contract it. The survival rate is virtually zero. The walk raises money for the ChadTough Defeat DIPG Foundation. “On Easter Sunday (in 2020), Owen scooted to my parents’ house, and then that Tuesday
(April 17, 2020), he just couldn’t stand,” said Amanda Shaker, Owen’s mother. “We rushed him to Lurie for an MRI and discovered the tumor in the brain. He was an awesome and active kid until he wasn’t.” Shaker is the cousin of Fenwick player Ethan Briggs, who came up with the idea for the walk. “Ethan and his teammates have been incredibly wonderful. They’ve been very generous with their time,” she said. “They’d come over and play video games. They were a light for our son. (Owen) was awesome and made an impact on my cousin, his friends, and the greater community.” Briggs was originally going to do the walk by himself, but then Shaker and the family asked if his teammates and head coach Craig Blazer would join him, and they agreed. Then OPRF head coach Jason Fried reached out and asked if he and his team could come along. According to Shaker, the response was “a quick and enthusiastic yes.” “It’s a big game and rivalry, and Owen would have been so proud,” she said. “I went to both Fenwick and OPRF (as a student), and Adam (Petrzelka; Owen’s father and Shak-
er’s husband) is a Huskie. I think it’s really great for kids these days that in your world, there’s something fierce about a rivalry like this. But if you’re able to step back, there are bigger and more important things going on in the world than a friendly rivalry that can get heated. You can do kind things for other people and even if you’re rivals, you can do them together.” Adam Petrzelka was grateful for the outpouring of support from both the Friars and Huskies. “It’s great to see young people step up like this,” he said. “It’s been a very difficult time, but it’s great they know what to do in times like this. It says a lot about this community. It’s spectacular.” “It’s also a reminder to teammates and opponents that everyone’s going through a lot,” said Shaker. “(Fenwick) would go to practice and then come here to take care of our son. They showed a lot of strength just by showing up.” Both Petrzelka and Shaker want to ensure that Owen is not forgotten, and events like Saturday’s go a long way towards doing so. “Owen made an impact on a lot of these
players last year, and he is continuing to do so,” Shaker said. “He’s inspired them to be kind and do things that bring folks together. As a parent who’s lost a child, you want to make sure they’re not forgotten, and so doing something like this helps ensure Owen has a legacy of kindness that we want to pass on.” “There’s more to it than a game,” said Petrzelka. “Coming together for this walk and to help us spread awareness will help Owen’s legacy carry on.” Until his diagnosis, Owen, who attended Mann Elementary, led an active life. He was a player in the EDGE Soccer Program, and Shaker believes the courage, strength, and sense of humor he displayed in his final months will forever impact the family and community. “He had a laugh that made us tell people he was okay. He laughed so hard and it was contagious,” she said. “He had some wonderful lines we called ‘Owenisms.’ Among them were, ‘Always be kind’ and ‘It’s our job to make people happy.’ He loved having friends and playing sports. Ethan and his friends were a huge part of his life. He was excited to be a part of this community.”
Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
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Sewer repair subsidy program recommended River Forest would offer 50% reimbursement for lateral fixes up to $7,500
By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter
Help appears to be on the way for River Forest property owners facing costly repairs to sewer laterals that run from their properties to the main sewer under the street. Officials reached consensus at the Sept. 27 village board meeting to support a recommendation to create a sewer lateral repair subsidy program. A formal proposal is expected to be considered at a village board meeting in October. Similar to the current lead service line replacement program and the sewer backflow prevention program, the sewer lateral subsidy program would offer property owners reimbursement of 50 percent of the repair cost with a maximum reimbursement of $7,500 per property owner. The issue was raised at the July 12 village board meeting when residents of the 1400
block of Monroe Avenue brought their concerns regarding a sewer issue on their block. In addition to cost concerns, residents questioned a village ordinance requiring property owners to repair breaks in the sewer lateral from the property to the junction with the main sewer line even if it is past the curb. Jeff Loster, village engineer, explained at the Sept. 27 meeting that an informal survey of west suburban municipalities showed that the majority of those responding have policies similar to that of River Forest. He said responses were received from 13 of the 19 municipalities contacted, with eight reporting the responsibility to maintain a sewer lateral in good working condition from the building to the sewer main falls to the property owner, as is the policy in River Forest. During a brief discussion, officials were generally supportive of the recommendation but expressed concerns about its impact on residents.
Village President Cathy Adduci stressed the importance of educating residents on the issue and the need to help them find qualified contractors. Trustee Bob O’Connell wanted to know what “the most equitable thing” for residents would be. Loster said the village has approximately 3,000 sewer laterals in total and the approximate cost to complete a typical repair within the roadway is around $10,000 to $15,000. In response to a question from Trustee Respicio Vazquez regarding location of damage, Loster indicated the majority are between the property and the curb, adding, “We don’t get a lot in the roadway.” Loster added that the village experiences one or two sewer lateral repairs per year but expects that number to increase if the subsidy program is adopted. In response to a question from Trustee Katie Brennan, Loster explained that he believes
advertising the shared cost will generate more interest. Other program details would include ongoing maintenance, such as root clearing and debris removal would be the responsibility of the property owner from the building to the sewer main; only structural damage such as pipe collapse or separation of connection at the main under the roadway would qualify for reimbursement; the location of the damage is to be determined by a plumber/contractor hired by the property owner and verified by village staff, the cost of which could be reimbursable, based on the program’s maximum reimbursement criteria; the property owner would be responsible for hiring a licensed contractor and would need to apply for a permit through the village’s online permit portal; work would need to be warrantied for a minimum of three years; and all applicants and payments would be continually tracked to monitor program participation on an ongoing basis.
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Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM
New TikTok trend calls students to steal, vandalize school property ‘Why do you want to destroy what is your home for so many hours a day?’ asks D200 spokesperson By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter
A new TikTok craze encouraging students to steal or damage school property has found its way to Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 and two middle schools, and school officials have asked parents to step in and talk to their children to help end the destruction. The viral video trend, which has taken over the TikTok social media platform and uses the hashtag “devious licks,” has prompted teens across the country to target school bathrooms, damaging soap dispensers, toilet paper holders and more. In the last two weeks, OPRF students have “ripped off ” more than 100 soap dispensers from the walls of the high school’s restrooms, said Karin Sullivan, director of communications and community relations. They have also tried to remove the bathroom stall doors, pull hand dryers and toilet paper holders off the walls and purposely urinate beyond the toilet, she said. Sullivan said the acts of vandalism have mostly occurred in the boys’ restrooms. “It’s very disheartening to see the school property being treated this way, but even more than that, [it is] creating extra work for our buildings and grounds [staff],” she said. “It really shows a lack of respect for them and the pride that they take in keeping the school clean and operational. They do a phenomenal job.” The same incidents have also transpired at two Oak Park District 97 middle schools, Gwendolyn Brooks Middle School and Percy Julian Middle School. Amanda Siegfried, senior director of communications, said soap dispensers and full rolls of toilet paper were placed in the toilets at Brooks and Julian. Garbage from a bathroom’s waste bins was found “shoved into a toilet,” wrote Julian Principal Jeremy Christian in a letter sent home last week, notifying parents of the incidents and pleading for help. Christian wrote that through social media, he was able to catch five students who vandalized the school’s bathrooms, and does not condone this type of behavior, which is “unsafe and unsanitary.” To the schools’ knowledge, no items have been reported stolen at Brooks, and any items stolen at Julian have been returned, Siegfried said. She also said that
ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
The halls of Oak Park and River Forest High School the incidents began tapering off last this week. Lynda Parker, OPRF assistant superintendent and principal, sent a similar letter home to parents earlier last week. In the letter, Parker wrote she was saddened to see this “happening during a time when having soap available for handwashing is also a critical mitigation associated with diminishing the spread of COVID. It is unfortunate that this is a trend that has picked up traction with some students.” “It has proven to be destructive and costly as our custodial staff works to keep up with the cleanup and replacement of products in these spaces,” she wrote. “While many students may think this is a harmless prank, it is theft/vandalism and will carry the consequences of such.” Sullivan said school officials have yet to catch or identify any students who have committed acts of theft or vandalism or view TikTok videos. “We really expect our students to behave better than this, and we really need our parents to partner with us and reinforce these expectations,” she said. “This is their school. Why do you want to destroy what is your home for so many hours a day?”
ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
Eyes on the ball
Alastier Hilton, of Oak Park, practices his tennis serve at the Taylor Park tennis courts on Division Street in Oak Park, Monday.
Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
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Big success, big frustration as OPRF homecoming tix run short 2,000 tickets sold out in 36 hours
By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter
Desmond Murphy couldn’t wait to go to the homecoming dance. About a week before the event, Murphy went out with his father and picked out a new suit, tie and dress shoes. All he had left to do was buy a ticket, a task that seemed easy enough but became the barrier. Tickets were sold out in just a day and a half of going on sale, forcing dozens of students such as Murphy to hang up his suit and put it back in the closet. “He was really, really disappointed, and I can imagine, you know, he’s a 14-year-old boy,” said Lauren Murphy, Desmond Murphy’s mother, adding this would have been her son’s first dance at Oak Park and River Forest High School. Lauren said she knew Desmond “will be OK,” but “I can’t imagine how heartbreaking this [was]. For some kids, this [was] a really, really big deal.” Tickets to OPRF’s homecoming dance – which was held Sept. 25 – were set to go on sale from Sept. 13 to 22. The first two days of the sale were reserved for upperclass-
men, which meant Desmond, along with other freshmen and sophomores, had to wait until Sept. 15 to buy their tickets. But on that morning, the first day ticket sales opened for all OPRF students, all the tickets were sold by mid-morning, said Director of Student Activities Susan Johnson. All 2,000 tickets were sold in about 36 hours, she said. Johnson said OPRF typically sells about 2,000 tickets to the homecoming dance each year, but this was the first time the school sold tickets exclusively to OPRF students and capped the sale. And, that decision to limit the number of tickets was due to the school’s chosen venue, said Johnson. This year’s homecoming dance was held outdoors in an “alley area” near the south end of the high school, which could safely host a maximum of 1,000 students at a time, she said. That’s why this year’s dance was also split into two shifts, so each group of students could be easily accommodated. Normally, the dance would be held inside the field house, but that was not a viable option because of COVID-19, Johnson said. “It wasn’t necessarily a safe thing for us to put 2,000 people in one room together
ALEX ROGALS/Staff Photographer
this year, so we moved our homecoming outside,” Johnson said. “We had to come up with a plan to give them the size of the event, the impact of the event, while still moving it outside and keeping them safe.” She said this year’s outdoor dance looked like a music festival. The hired deejay company would set up shop at one end of the alley, close to the football field, its large stage boasting colorful lights and booming speakers. The school also sought to offer a few spots for food, games and lounging, Johnson said. That way, students had the chance to visit the “stage area and be part of the major party, or they can go to a couple of these common areas and still have fun outside
and be safe,” Johnson said. Plans were approved by the Oak Park Department of Public Health, and school officials also mailed several letters to residents who live near the school, notifying them of the outdoor festivities. On Sept. 23, two days before the homecoming dance, school officials released a brief statement, addressing the sold-out tickets. “While we did offer our seniors and juniors first priority for ticket purchases, more freshmen and sophomores bought tickets than upperclassmen,” school offiSee HOMECOMING on page 10
OPRF alums who boomeranged back Many return to work at the school that formed them
By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter
To many faculty, staff and students, Therese Brennock is a decorated educator who has dedicated years to building Oak Park and River Forest High School’s Special Education Department. Brennock is best known for launching the school’s work-study program with Rush Oak Park Hospital for students with social-emotional disabilities. She’s a fast talker, a go-getter who lives for long work days, and is by no means a quitter. Brennock retired in 2015 but returned to OPRF months later as a job coach and teaching assistant for the high school’s Community Integration Transition Education (CITE) program, which helps students with special needs adapt to life after high school. And if you ask Brennock where she gets all this energy, this will to work, she’d tell
you she’s always been that way. Back in high school (at OPRF), Brennock was a “B” student, a social butterfly who picked up a parttime job at Señor Taco, a local restaurant on Madison Street in Oak Park that has since transformed into a popular fast-food chain, Popeye’s Louisiana Kitchen. “We fairly ran the place with this guy who owned it,” said Brennock, adding she quickly learned the ins and outs of business management and customer service. She remembers working about 20 hours a week to help her family make ends meet — with shifts ending at 11 p.m. — and enjoying every minute of it. “I was a big worker bee, but I did go out a lot whenever I could,” recalled Brennock, laughing. “I went to as many parties as I possibly could as I got older, like junior and senior year.” A 1977 OPRF graduate, Brennock is one of 49 alumni — and counting — who are working at their alma mater to uplift and inspire
the next generation of students and to give back to the community that helped shape them. As Brennock looked back at her high school years, she remained candid about being an average student who “didn’t care about school,” just wanted to work and make money. The only classes she liked were her business classes and recalled being able to type 60 words a minute, a hot skill that made her a prime candidate for the workplace. She also honed her abilities to talk to people. She learned better hands-on instead of being a bookworm, a trait she takes into account with her own students. Faith Cole, another OPRF alumna, echoed Brennock. “I wasn’t this amazing student, but I did love school,” said Cole, who graduated from OPRF in 1999 and is the school’s newest director of student services. PROVIDED
See ALUMS on page 14
Therese Brennock, Class of 1977
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Once again, FLW Races run in virtual format
Race now or race later, parks aiming for 600 runners, walkers By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter
The Park District of Oak Park (PDOP) has opted to make its 45th annual Frank Lloyd Wright Races virtual for a second year in a row due to the high rate of COVID-19 cases in the community. After months of being on the fence, the park district made the decision to not hold the running event in person, citing safety and logistical problems. “The rules for an event like that would be everyone, regardless of vaccination status, would need to get COVID tested within 48 hours prior to the race, so the likelihood of everyone doing that is pretty slim,” said Maureen McCarthy, recreation superintendent for the parks. In non-pandemic years, the event is held on one day, where all participants compete against each other in either the 5k, 10k race or, for kids, the youth mile. Prior to COVID-19, about 2,500 people came out to run or walk in the races. Those who participate this year will still be able to run the courses, which passes several Frank Lloyd Wright-designed homes, but at their own pace and on their own timeline. While the event itself is scheduled for Oct. 17, registered participants can run or walk the routes on that day or any day before then. People can register up until Oct. 17. Running and walking in the Frank Lloyd Wright Races has become a yearly tradition for many Oak Park families, according to McCarthy. She added that some people have participated in the event every year since its inception. As with last year, the park district wanted to still give people the opportunity to simultaneously engage in physical activity and support the community. “We’re excited to be able to still offer it in any format for the people that truly love the tradition of it,” said McCarthy.
HOMECOMING
Big demand, short supply from page 9 cials wrote. “We also limited tickets to only OPRFHS students, no guests, to ensure that this experience is enjoyed by as many Huskies as we can accommodate safely.” Other parents such as Katherine Murray Liebl were still upset that there were just not enough tickets to go around and wondered whether organizers considered hosting the event at another outdoor venue so more students could have attended. She suggested maybe the school could have hosted two separate homecoming dances
FILE 2015
ON YOUR MARK: Runners get ready at the starting line for the 10K run of the Frank Lloyd Wright Races in 2015. Registration costs $18 per person, which includes the cost of a long-sleeved T-shirt. The fee is less than it would be if the race was being held in-person. Before deciding to go virtual, registration was much as $48. Those fees helped cover the costs of signage, timing, staffing, policing presence, renting space at Oak Park and River Forest High School and water, in addition to the T-shirts. By going virtual, those other expenses have been eliminated. The park district has given the option of receiving a full refund or refunding the difference to those who signed up and paid the
in-person registration amount, before it was decided to make the races virtual. All the proceeds of the races go toward the park district scholarship program, which helps Oak Park families in need pay for such programming offered by the park district as after school-care, summer camps and pool passes. “A good chunk of people just donated their money back to go to the scholarship fund, which was really generous,” said McCarthy. So far about 700 people have registered to participate in the virtual Frank Lloyd Wright
races. Last year, the first time the event was held virtually, about 600 people participated. McCarthy told Wednesday Journal smaller turnout is expected for virtual events. “We’re hoping to hit the 600 number that we hit last year; that would make us happy,” said McCarthy. While being glad the event can at least go on in a virtual capacity, McCarthy called it “very disappointing” that the Frank Lloyd Wright Races won’t be happening in person this year. “We really hope next year will be better and we can go back in person,” said McCarthy.
or closed the dance to just the upperclassmen. “To have some kids from some classes able to go and some kids from some classes not able to go just really highlights feelings of exclusion,” said Liebl, whose son, an OPRF sophomore, was also unable to snag a ticket. “In my mind, [the dance left] out kids who didn’t have access to the money right away or maybe they weren’t sure about whether or not they could go, or they could have been feeling anxious or weren’t sure how to go through the process of doing this,” she said. Johnson said OPRF could not throw two separate homecoming dances because it hired the deejay company for only one event, which was already divided into time
slots, and “we couldn’t add in a third shift. We couldn’t make it another day.” The school also explored the possibility of hosting the dance on the football field but decided that location was not the best fit. Johnson said the field, which is made of artificial turf, has weight restrictions and was unable to accommodate the deejay company’s set up. The whole production would have been “so tamed” and brought down to a smaller scale that “we felt like our students would not be able to have a great experience if we did it” on the field,” Johnson said. Students would also have been asked to wear proper shoes to prevent damaging the field. In a statement, school officials issued an apology for students, saying “we have to prioritize the health and safety of our stu-
dents, and we are sorry that the pandemic has created conditions leading to disappointment for our students who weren’t able to secure tickets.” For parents such as Liebl, she said she understood that in life “you’re not always going to get what you want,” but not being able to go to a school dance shouldn’t have fallen into one of those teachable moments. “You don’t always get to be on the team you want to be on. You don’t always get the grade you expected,” Liebl said. “You don’t always get all of these different things, but there are certain things that I feel like you should be able to count on. You should be able to count on your school making something like a dance accessible to everyone who wants to go.”
Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
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Greenways Plan is not forgotten Oak Park board members frustrated over lack of progress
By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter
Having already gone through a sizeable chunk of the 228-page, 5-year recommended Capital Improvement Plan (CIP) during its Sept. 15 meeting, the Oak Park Finance Committee met Sept. 27, with some village trustees in attendance, to tackle the remainder of the CIP, such as water, parking, sustainability, and community development block grants (CDBG) funds. During discussions of the sustainability fund, Trustee Susan Buchanan, who attended the meeting but is not a member of the Finance Committee, shared her frustration that the long-awaited and pushed-for Greenways Plan, which is listed as “Bicycle Boulevards” in the CIP document, was not closer to being implemented. “I’m feeling impatient about it,” Buchanan said. “The Greenways program is now 6 years old.” The plan was created in 2015 by the Active Transportation Alliance and backed by Bike Walk Oak Park, a community organization advocating safe spaces for cycling and pedestrians. Bike Walk is in the process of
becoming a registered 501c3 nonprofit. For several years, the project has been placed on the backburner, relegated to low priority status within the CIP. This year, the recommended CIP plan has listed its priority status as “D,” meaning the project is “optional but beneficial to the village in social, cultural or aesthetic ways.” A “D” designation is the second lowest priority ranking. As a bicyclist herself, Buchanan told the board she would really like to have a safe route to ride up to downtown Oak Park and to village board meetings. She wanted the village board to consider a pilot program of protected bike lanes — with one going north to south and the other going east to west. She said the village has not made enough progress to create safer spaces for cyclists, other than the bicycle lanes put on the Madison Street, but she hasn’t seen any other byways to ride in the village. “I would really like to push on this for climate change, for safety,” she said. Trustee Ravi Parakkat, misunderstanding Buchanan, initially disagreed with his fellow trustee’s desire to make bicycle paths a higher priority, given that the costs of implementing them would come out of the revenue accrued by the single-use bag fee,
which supports the sustainability fund. “I’d like to push back on that,” Parakkat told Buchanan. “We would probably have to find funds elsewhere.” Buchanan said she did not mean to sound like she was in favor of using the sustainability fund. She has maintained that stance since November of 2020 when she voted against utilizing the plastic bag tax revenue to fund Greenways, believing the program should fall under the umbrella of transportation instead of sustainability. Trustee Arti Walker-Peddakotla, also not a member of the Finance Committee, agreed with Buchanan but did not care where the
funds came from. “We urgently need this,” said Walker-Peddakotla, adding it should be included in the discussions of the Transportation Commission work plan. “We need to get Greenways implemented in Oak Park and it shouldn’t be a matter of we’re still in the planning process on this.” The village board will meet virtually this Thursday with the Finance Committee, wherein it will present a shortened review of the CIP components and the associated funding recommendations to board members. No vote will be taken, but direction will be provided to staff.
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Oh, rats! Oak Park takes steps to reduce vermin Keep trash contained, pick up after pets, village says
By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter
With the exclusion of Rizzo the Rat, Gonzo’s wisecracking sidekick on the Muppets, rats are unwelcome guests in people’s homes and gardens. Luckily the village of Oak Park is taking steps to mitigate the vermin after seeing growth in rodent activity this season, beginning with the village board unanimously voting Sept. 20 to spend more money on rat control by increasing its contract with Pest Management Services Inc. from $21,120 to $31,120. “If you’re seeing rats in the daytime, that means we totally have too many rats,” Pub-
lic Health Director Theresa Chapple-McGruder told the board. “They’re uncomfortable in the burrows they make and so they’re coming out of their burrows in the daytime,” she said. “That’s not natural behavior.” While there is no way the village can ever rid itself entirely of rats, the village is increasing extermination efforts. ChappleMcGruder explained that the village’s hired contractor doesn’t just do rat abatement and poisoning but also performs property assessments to determine what is drawing rats to the area. Pest Management Services also evaluates the property for cleanliness and searches
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for rat burrows, while looking out for any possible food and water sources attracting the rodents. Dog droppings, which ChappleMcGruder called “rat caviar,” also attract rats, making it important for people to clean up after their pets. In an interview with Wednesday Journal, Chapple-McGruder elaborated on the village’s rat situation, sharing her main theories as to why there has suddenly been such an increase in the long-tailed rodents. Her first theory, not surprisingly, has to do with the COVID-19 pandemic. “As human behavior changed, it impacted the rodent behavior,” she said. With areas opening up again, and people engaging in more social activities, such as picnicking and going to restaurants, it has increased the food sources. That also increases the amount of trash put out. More refuse accounts for ChappleMcGruder’s second theory. “Trash is definitely a food source for rats,” she said. During the height of the pandemic, families were sheltering in place, eating at home, cooking at home, working from home, doing basically everything at home. “They’re making more trash because
they’re home a lot,” she said. “That has led to an increase in food sources for the rats.” Which drew rats to residential areas and away from their former haunts — restaurants, which were operating at a far lower capacity during the pandemic. There has been construction on quite a few properties in Oak Park this past summer, which also means more garbage. Construction season typically starts in spring and lasts into autumn, allowing rats to feast on tossed trash for months. “We have been working with our new construction sites. Anything new that’s happening, [the construction companies] have to have a rat abatement program,” said Chapple-McGruder. Along with increasing its extermination efforts, the village is also working with waste management companies to re-evaluate the frequency of waste pick-up. Chapple-McGruder did have some good news. The Public Health Department has started to map rat sightings, as well as alerting neighbors when the vermin have been spotted near their homes. That’s better than seeing a rat scamper across your porch when you head out to grab the morning paper.
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River Forest schools score high on vaccination rate 97.2% of District 90’s faculty and staff are fully vaccinated
By F. AMANDA TUGADE Staff Reporter
More than 95% of River Forest School District 90’s faculty and staff are fully vaccinated, according to recent data collected by the district. To be exact, 97.2% of District 90 employees are fully vaccinated, said Dawne Simmons, communications and community outreach coordinator. The district learned about its high vaccination rate after requiring workers to disclose their vaccination status in compliance with Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s latest mandate. “It feels really positive that our staff members take the COVID-19 situation seriously, and they are committed to the safety of our students, our families and even our residents,” Simmons said. District 90 employs a total of 219 workers, and 213 of them submitted proof of their vaccination status by Pritzker’s Sept. 19 deadline, Simmons said. Two school workers have already received the first shot of the two-dose COVID-19 vaccine, while the remaining four employees have qualified for religious or medical exemptions. Once the two employees complete their vaccination series, the district’s vaccination rate
“More importantly, they have actively taken action to protect themselves, their students, families and colleagues, and by extension the entire River Forest community during this pandemic.” ED CONDON
D90 superintendent
will jump to 98.2%, said Simmons. In an emailed statement to Wednesday Journal, Supt. Ed Condon praised the district’s current vaccination rate and said employees understood the seriousness of the COVID-19 pandemic. “More importantly, they have actively taken action to protect themselves, their students, families and colleagues, and by extension the entire River Forest community during this pandemic,” Condon wrote. “This affirmation of our employees’ commitment to the community strengthens the
Oak Park sees 60 new COVID cases
COVID-19 infections still high in Oak Park as weather change since Sept. 15 By STACEY SHERIDAN Staff Reporter
The summer season’s spike in COVID-19 is continuing into fall. Just one day after this year’s autumnal equinox, the village of Oak Park reported Sept. 23 that 60 more residents have tested positive for the virus. While that number is technically a de-
crease from the 61 positive cases reported by the village Sept. 15, one fewer case is neither an encouraging nor substantial reduction. The people in newest batch of cases range in age from children younger than four to adults in the octogenarian set. Nearly half the cases are residents under 19, including more than 40 percent in children under 12 and therefore ineligible for vaccination, according to the village. Roughly 69 percent of Oak Park’s population is fully vaccinated with 73 percent having received one dose of a two-dose vaccination series, according to data from the Illinois Department of Public Health.
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bond between our staff and the community, where each works together on behalf of our students. This vaccination rate is truly remarkable.” Simmons also shared that the district is now working on creating a way for parent volunteers and daily substitute teachers to upload their COVID vaccination records. Since February, the district has teamed up with a local Jewel-Osco and the Village of River Forest to host vaccination clinics
for faculty and staff, students between the ages of 12 and 15, and seniors 65 and older. As Simmons reflected on District 90’s high vaccination rate, she emphasized that employees took the initiative and made a pledge toward health and safety. “This is a commitment our staff members have made to themselves, our students, the families of our students and to the greater community,” she said. “It speaks to the dedication of our people to this.”
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ALUMS
Calling all alums
Working at their alma mater
Therese Brennock, a board member of the Oak Park and River Forest High School Alumni Association, and John Costopoulos, the association’s liaison, are encouraging other OPRF alumni to step forward, connect with and become part of the organization. To learn more about the association, visit https:// www.oprfhs.org/alumni.
from page 9 Throughout high school, Cole was on different sports teams, including basketball and track & field. She even joined the water polo team because she “thought it was easy, and I’d be good at it — both were wrong.” Cole said her coaches and teachers played an integral role in her growth, as they often saw “past what I was trying to do and expected more from me, but then also met me where I was at.” And that’s a message she relays to her colleagues now. “We do things when we need to be loved,” Cole said, noting she sees different versions of herself in other students, extending a bridge of compassion and empathy. JOHN COSTOPOULOS Melody Brown, Class of 1980 an administrative assistant, and John Costopoulos, a science teacher, also spoke about their experiences working in a place that constantly reminds them of their former selves.
PROVIDED
Melody Brown, Class of 1994, front and center. Like Brennock and Cole, Brown and Costopoulos remembered high school as a pivotal moment for them. Brown was a cheerleader who loved celebrating Homecoming Week and going to school dances, and Costopoulos, a self-taught guitar player, hung out with other students in band and orchestra. “In the back of my head, I always hope that the experiences they have, whether in my class or other classes or activities, are going
to be the things that [the students] don’t forget,” said Costopoulos, who graduated from OPRF in 1980 and began teaching at his alma mater in 2003. “I want them to have those experiences where they remember.” And their journeys back to OPRF are nothing but short stories. Brown, a 1994 OPRF graduate, said she went to her niece’s basketball game once and an OPRF cheerleading coach spotted
her reciting along with the chants. That coach invited Brown to help with practice. “I came to practice Monday, and I have been coaching since then,” said Brown. She has been a cheerleading coach for roughly 17 years. Costopoulos, on the other hand, came back to Oak Park to be near his family and took a substitute teaching position at OPRF, which later turned into a full-time gig. As they continued to take a stroll down memory lane, some of them offered a piece of advice. “Be stress-free and have fun,” Brown said. “We were so dumb thinking about boys, and we put so much stress on things that don’t matter. Just enjoy your friend group, and do things, and be part of the school. Make changes.” Others like Cole kept it simple. “You’re enough, and you’re worth it,” she said.
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Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
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W O R L D
The Unity Temple Restoration Foundation (UTRF), the Unity Temple Unitarian Universalist Congregation (UTUUC), and the Frank Lloyd Wright Building Conservancy celebrated UNESCO’s designation of the Wright-designed temple as a World Heritage Site with the unveiling of a plaque (upper left) on Sept. 25 at the corner of Lake Street and Kenilworth Avenue. (Upper right) Heidi Ruehle, executive director of the UTRF, addresses the crowd. (Lower left) Ed McDevitt, president of the UTUUC board, delivers remarks.
H E R I T A G E
S I T E
C E L E B R A T I O N
PHOTOS BY SHANEL ROMAIN/Contributor
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Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
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C R I M E
Victim carjacked at gunpoint While sitting in a black 2014 VW Passat, parked in an alley in the 400 block of South Kenilworth Avenue at 9:03 p.m., Sept. 25, the driver was approached by a man who pointed a black handgun through the driver’s side window, demanding the victim get out of the car Once the victim got out of the vehicle, the man with the gun hopped into the driver’s seat while a second man got into the front passenger seat. The two drove off eastbound. The estimated loss of the car is $9,000. Police reports describe the first offender as being Black and short, wearing a white mask and a gray-and-white Nike windbreaker. The second offender is described as short and Black and was last seen wearing a white mask and a dark hooded sweatshirt.
Robbery As a man walked westbound on Garfield Street at 3:30 a.m., Sept. 22, he was approached from behind by two teenage boys who demanded the victim’s property; the victim turned over his house keys, car keys, his identification and his credit card in the 700 block of Garfield Street. The offenders fled on foot southbound on Oak Park Avenue then westbound on Lexington Street.
Motor vehicle theft ■ A man met with a prospective buyer, between 6:40 p.m. and 7:10 p.m., Sept. 21 in the 100 block of South Humphrey Boulevard, to sell his black 2012 Dodge Charger. The man handed over the keys and title after the offender gave him the cash, which turned out to be fake. The estimated loss is $9,500. ■ Someone removed an unlocked gray 2015 BMW M2351, with the keys inside, from an unlocked garage in the 600 block of North Kenilworth Avenue at approximately 5:41 p.m., Sept. 25. The Chicago Police Department recovered the vehicle at 12:26 a.m., Sept. 26 in the 1500 block of North Lavergne Avenue without apprehension and the vehicle was returned to its owner.
Theft ■ A black Sig Sauer 9 mm handgun was removed from a bag while the victim was at work, sometime between 11 p.m., Sept. 17 and 11 p.m., Sept. 19 in the 100 block of South Marion Street. The estimated loss is $700. ■ The catalytic converter was cut from a 2012 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport between 3
a.m., Sept. 17 and 12:45 p.m., Sept. 19 in the 100 block of North Kenilworth Avenue. ■ Someone cut the catalytic converter from a 2007 black Toyota Prius parked in the first block of Washington Boulevard between 6:30 p.m., Sept. 20 and 1:27 a.m., Sept. 21. ■ Two packages containing women’s clothing were removed from the porch of a building in the 600 block of South Humphrey Avenue between 3 and 5:30 p.m., Sept. 20. The estimated loss is $100.
Criminal damage to property ■ Someone broke the rear driver’s side window of a silver 2016 Nissan Sentra, parked in the 1100 block of Westgate Street between 7:59 p.m., Sept. 19 and 7:15 a.m., Sept. 20. Estimated damage is $500. ■ Someone cut the break line on the front passenger tire of a black and silver Nissan parked in a garage in the 1100 block of South Boulevard between 10 p.m., Sept. 19 and 11 a.m., Sept. 20. ■ The driver’s side window of a 2018 BMW was damaged after someone threw a rock at it between 9:15 p.m., Sept. 20 and 7:15 a.m., Sept. 21 in the 700 block of South East Av-
enue. The estimated damage is $200. ■ The plate glass window on the northwest corner of Fleet Feet Sports, 10 N. Marion St., was broken at approximately 4:59 a.m., Sept. 24. The estimated loss is unknown at this time. These items, obtained from the Oak Park Police Department, came from reports Sept. 17-27 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.
Compiled by Stacey Sheridan
We want to know which businesses courageously opened during a pandemic had amazing curb-side service supported first responders tirelessly worked for social justice have closed and why we will miss them! and spread the love for our business community
Submit stories to info@oprfchamber.org
Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
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ART BEAT
A memorial to the victims of deadly force By MICHELE DYBAL
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Arts Editor
rt, at times, speaks volumes. In the case of Gina Lee Robbins’ latest art exhibition, messages are whispered and shouted from her work. It consists of two separate installations, “Encounters” and “Relics,” which together make up “Tangled Up in Blue,” which is described as a meditation on Chicago-area encounters with law enforcement during the past 22 years that ended with a fatality. It is on view at Waubonsee Community College’s Sugar Grove Campus. “When I got the news of 13-year-old Adam Toledo’s murder in Chicago last March, it went through me like an arrow,” Robbins says in her artist statement. In his photo, she saw a child reminiscent of children she has taught and her sons’ soccer teammates and classmates. This made her want “to understand how it is that interactions with law enforcement can have such lethal results.” “Generally, when an incident really upsets, or confuses me, I seek out data to make sense of what seems completely senseless,” said Robbins, an Oak Park resident for 20 years who moved to Forest Park this summer. “I wanted to understand why the use of deadly force would be necessary, in this case and in general. I looked at accounts of law officers killed on duty, and in my research came across an organization that collects media reports of fatal encounters in the presence of law enforcement.” Robbins turned to the nonprofit fatalencounters.org, which works to create “an impartial, comprehensive and searchable national database of people killed during interactions with
Photo Credit: Tonya Whitlock
ROUNDS: Close up of a section of the art installation, “Relics,” by Gina Lee Robbins. police,” according to their website. She pored over every story of a life lost in the presence of law enforcement, ultimately focusing on Cook County in this century. “These included fatalities due to officers using deadly force, officers using less than deadly force, bystanders or pursued suspects being killed in a vehicular pursuit, suicides and incidents of fatal violence or vehicular homicide — often due to DUI — by off-duty officers,” she said. “Encounters is the result of my journey through this data,” Robbins’ says in her statement. “As I read each story, I rolled a small wad of porcelain clay in my hands. When I finished, I said the deceased’s name aloud, and made a fist, squeezing the clay in my palm. I repeated this process for all 624 individuals whose stories were reported.” She also wrote each name in a notebook. In a final touch before firing, Robbins rubbed cobalt carbonate onto her hands and “loosely touched” the clay wads, which left remnants of blue after firing. For the installment, the individual pieces, each about 2.5 inches long,
Photo credit: Gina Lee Robbins
MEMORIAL: “Encounters” reflects on fatalities at the hands of law enforcement.
Photo credit: Gina Lee Robbins
REMEMBRANCE: “Tangled Up in Blue” is exhibited at Waubonsee Community College’s Sugar Grove Campus through Oct. 14. were strung on steel wire by the year each incident occurred. The wires are draped from the ceiling in the exhibit space, approximately 14 x 8 feet, suspended from a height of 8-9 feet. “Relics is a more qualitative look at those stories, focusing on what might have been left behind by some of these victims,” Robbins said. Her artist statement fills in the details. “I collected 13 items that were significant to the stories reported: a box cutter, fork, pellet gun, spent firecrackers, cardboard sign, beach ball, knife, automobile debris, pizza box, dust mop, screwdriver, stroller wheel and sleeping bag. I shrouded each element individually, using cotton sheets and burlap that I had hand-dyed and torn. I then bound them with yarn and military thread in various shades of blue, working reclaimed 9 mm bullet casings into those whose stories involved the use of deadly force.” The resulting elements in the display, each measuring 5-40 inches, placed on the floor of the exhibit, look bound, some evoking mummification. All are stained with police blue. Bullet casings haunt the scene. Robbins found working on this project differed from some of her other artmaking.
“This project was quite draining for me,” she said. “I have completed many other sculptures and installations that involved repetitive action, even some that also used sculptural elements to quantify data. But with this project, I really focused on the qualitative aspects behind the numbers. ... During the hours it took to create the pieces for both works, I couldn’t focus on anything but the stories and individuals affected. I couldn’t listen to background music, podcasts or audiobooks, which are all usual accompaniments to my art making. “Although this is a representation of my very personal processing of these stories, I am sharing them in hopes that someone else might be equally impressed by the sheer numbers, or have their curiosity piqued by the ‘relics,’ leading them to also look a little more closely at the data and join me in questioning this system that is meant to keep us feeling safe,” she said. “We as a species are such innovative problemsolvers. There has to be a better way.” See Tangled Up in Blue through Oct. 14, Dickson Art Project Space, Waubonsee Community College’s Sugar Grove Campus, Route 47 at Waubonsee Dr., Sugar Grove. The exhibit is viewable at all hours through the windows that enclose the project space.
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Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
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CHURCHES
Multiple scenarios proposed from page 1 on the scenarios that have been created. When folks have some input and see the reality of what is happening, they are more ready to accept something may change, something has to change,” he said. The confusing part is that the five scenarios each have multiple sub-scenarios making a total of at least 14 options, depending on how you count them. Additionally the scenarios use certain Catholic terms such as “canonical parish” or “worship site” that can make it difficult to discern exact intentions. Among the options: ■ Any steps taken by the archdiocese will leave schools at St. Catherine-St. Lucy, Ascension and St. Giles open, though possibly with some form of shared leadership. ■ The number of fully independent parishes is likely to be reduced from four to either three or two as the result of mergers. ■ There is an option to craft a single united parish in Oak Park that would maintain multiple worship sites but share a clerical and lay leadership structure. ■ The parish most likely to close is St. Catherine-St. Lucy though the church may or may not be retained as a “worship site.”
JULIAN HOME
Repairs also needed from page 1 told by employees in the county and township assessor’s offices that her home will be in the annual sale of properties with delinquent taxes, scheduled to take place Nov. 5. According to a GoFundMe she created after being told her home was going up for tax sale, Julian owes $117,040 in unpaid property taxes on the historic home. “I know that my parents — they’d be turning over in their graves at the thought of this house going up for tax sale,” Julian said, during a tearful phone interview with Wednesday Journal. The Julian family fought to protect their right to live in Oak Park. When they moved into their home after it was firebombed (twice), they were greeted with threats of violence and verbal abuse. These days, Oak Park is proud of its association with Percy Julian, whose groundbreaking work in the field of medicine includes the invention of inexpensive steroids and led to the development of the birth control pill. Percy Julian Middle School was named in his honor. However, Percy Julian, a Harvard University graduate, and his wife Anna Julian, the first Black woman to receive a doctorate degree in sociology from University of Pennsylvania, received warnings against sending their three children to Oak Park schools. Faith Julian recalls being threatened with gang rape and spat on by classmates. A bust of her brilliant father today sits
Here are possible combinations among the scenarios: parishes remain: Ascension, St. Giles, and a merged St. Edmund and St. Catherine-St. Lucy. ■ Two parishes remain: Ascension and St. CatherineSt. Lucy merge into one parish. St. Giles and St. Edmund merge into one parish. ■ Two parishes remain: Ascension, St. Catherine-St. Lucy and St. Edmund merge. St. Giles remains freestanding. ■ A single Oak Park parish with one existing parish designated to hold all sacramental records, some form of shared leadership and with the church at St. Catherine-St. Lucy either remaining as a worship center or being shuttered. In a message to members of St. Giles where he is pastor, Morello wrote: “We invite you to lend your voices and efforts to the possible ways in which our communities are being called to the Renew My Church Process. Renewal requires envisioning, planning and creating new ways to bring Jesus Christ to others. To that end, we are sending you some offered scenarios showing potential models of how our parishes could be configured. “These scenarios are being shared with you for your review and will be discussed at meetings scheduled for each parish community on either Oct. 3 or Oct. 4.” Reflecting criteria set by the archdiocese, Morello said the scenarios need to be evaluated considering: ■ Needs of the parish ■ Parishioner count and Mass attendance (800 minimum per weekend)
Upcoming parish meetings
■ Three
in front of the main Oak Park Public Library, the same building where Faith, now 77, learned on Sept. 14 that her family’s East Avenue home was up for tax sale. “I was just floored,” said Julian, adding she didn’t receive any prior notice of her home’s status. Having no computer of her own, she returned to the library and set up a GoFundMe account to save her home. Julian said she used online tutorials to create the campaign. She owes $117,040 in delinquent taxes from the years of 2018 through 2020, the GoFundMe states. Wednesday Journal could not independently verify the home’s tax sale status by our print deadline. And officials with the county and township assessor’s offices could not be reached for comment. “I’ve never done a GoFundMe, but I’ve read other people’s GoFundMe [campaigns], and sometimes, when I was able to years ago, I used to contribute,” she told Wednesday Journal. According to her GoFundMe page, she needs $36,445 in the next four weeks to save her home from being listed in the 2018 tax sale, scheduled for Nov. 5. If she raises that initial amount, Julian will have until the end of April of 2022 to raise the rest of the funds needed to satisfy the tax debts. The campaign has a total fundraising goal of $1.1 million, which she itemized per expenditure, including $49,493 in projected property taxes for 2022. A very private individual, Julian fell on hard times after suffering a decline in her health. In 2017, she had three major surgeries and was confined for four months in rehabilitation. Another four months of inhome nursing care followed. “My wounds failed to heal, so I spent the
■ St. Giles: Monday, Oct. 4 at 7
p.m., McDonough Hall p.m. ■ St. Catherine-St. Lucy: To be announced ■ Ascension: Monday, Oct. 4 at 7 p.m. in the Pine Room ■ St. Edmund: Monday, Oct. 4 at 7
Church locations ■ Ascension, 808 S. East Ave. ■ St. Catherine-St. Lucy, 38 N. Austin Blvd. ■ St. Edmund, 188 S. Oak Park Ave. ■ St. Giles, 1045 Columbian Ave.
■ Pastoral manageability — structures need to be realistic to manage. ■ Parish financial stability and facilities safe and accessible In a Monday email to Wednesday Journal, Morello said, “One of the joys for me, in working with the teams from each of the four parishes, is seeing the dedication each parishioners have for their parish and the wisdom and talent that we have to offer, together, for our larger community. I am thinking ‘stronger together!’ This has been a joy and a blessing, as well as just getting to know some people from each parish on a deeper level.”
Faith Julian’s GoFundMe campaign Donations can be made to the cause through Faith Julian’s GoFundMe campaign, which can be accessed online at the following address: https://bit.ly/3ibgbcI.
Stacey Sheridan
next two years in weekly wound care,” she wrote on her GoFundMe. After several surgeries, she was left with permanent disabilities that require her to use a walker. She lists her medical expenses, which include her hospital bills, insurance and medicine, at $32,645. Having exhausted her savings and without any income, social security or pension, Julian’s family home has fallen into disrepair, making her situation more dire. She has racked up credit card debt amounting to $210,568 and $188,000 in loans. Plus, an estimated $312,000 worth of repairs is needed on the house. Her GoFundMe page states that the village of Oak Park “has cited [her] with code violations for needed repairs” on the home and that the village plans to take legal action against her if she cannot produce signed repair contracts from qualified construction companies. “In order to produce signed contracts, a down payment is required, and I don’t have the money,” Julian wrote.
Oak Park Development Customer Services Director Tammie Grossman confirmed that the village has given her until Nov. 1 to get repairs made. “We have not issued citations but did give her a date to get everything fixed before we issue citations,” Grossman wrote in an email to Wednesday Journal. Julian called her current situation her “worst nightmare” and told Wednesday Journal she would be homeless if she fails to raise enough money to save her home from the tax sale. She is trying to remain optimistic. “My parents named me ‘Faith,’” she said during the phone interview. “And I guess they named me ‘Faith’ for a reason. I don’t want to focus on losing hope. I feel that it’s important to keep hope alive and to keep my faith.” As of Sept. 27, her GoFundMe had raised $2,855. The GoFundMe platform, while free to use, has a transaction fee of 2.9% plus $.30 per donation. For that reason, some people have opted to donate the money to her directly, according to Julian. She is not on social media but asks those who are to please share her GoFundMe campaign with their friends and followers to help spread the word. If she is able to save her home and preserve her father’s legacy, Julian has promised to pay her good fortune forward. “He really believed that everyone should be able to live where they choose,” Julian said of her father. “I know that my parents — it would be their very last wish that the house my dad worked so hard to stay in gets saved from tax sale.” To access the GoFundMe online, visit: https://bit.ly/3ibgbcI.
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Welcome to The Altenheim! A historic property offering apartment living for individuals over 55.
Come take a tour and explore the many advantages of living at The Altenheim SIGN A LEASE WITH US and receive COMPLIMENTARY FIRST MONTH’S RENT Studio Apartments • 1 Bedroom & 2 Bedroom 7824 West Madison Street, Forest Park
708-366-2206
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The Altenheim is a not-for-profit rental community for individuals who are 55 years of age and older. The Altenheim has been and continues to be a Home, not merely just a place to live. While much has changed in society over the past 136 years, The Altenheim’s culture of caring and respect has remained constant. The Altenheim’s dedication to its mission of providing quality housing in a comfortable setting is as strong and true today as it was at the time of its dedication in 1885.
The community is situated on a beautifully wooded site, our buildings, Arborwood and Briarwood; offer the finest in independent living. Designed for those individuals who desire the freedom of a carefree lifestyle, Arborwood and Briarwood apartments feature all the comforts of home within an atmosphere rich in history and charm. Located just 10 miles west of downtown Chicago in the village of Forest Park, The Altenheim is conveniently located near major highways and local public transportation. Known for its big city access and small town charm, Forest Park is a friendly community with much to offer. The local library, park district, community center, and village hall are all walking distance.
The inscription at the top of the Briarwood building heralds that, “when you enter tranquility awaits you”. The Altenheim is tucked away amongst the mature trees that line Madison and Van Buren Streets. Some say that The Altenheim is a well-kept secret and upon We invite you to come for a visit so visiting find it to be a hidden Gem where that you may experience the charm come take a tour life is fully and vibrantly lived. and many advantages of living at The and get an exclusive offer just for you. Altenheim. Turn Over to Learn More.
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It’s Time to Put Aside the Housework, Yardaside Work, and It’s time to put the housework, yard work, and Home Maintenance home maintenance.
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he team at Cantata Adult Life Services know that for many seniors, the burden of home The team at Cantata Adult Life Services ownership is possible – but itthe can be a know that for many seniors, burden lothome of work. We understand that– seniors of ownership is possible but it havebebetter things dounderstand than shovelthat can a lot of work.toWe snow, mow lawnthings or clean their house. seniors havethe better to do than Cantata’s Independent Living shovel snow, mow the lawn orcommunity, clean Wye Valley, a hassle-free life style. their house.offers Cantata’s Independent We offer seniors a carefree wayoff ofers living Living community, Wye Valley, a with, holistic classes, hassle-free lifedining style. plans, We offfitness er seniors a day trips,way dynamic activity carefree of living with, calendars, holistic dining housekeeping services, laundry plans, fitness classes, daylinen trips,and dynamic servicescalendars, and so much more. activity housekeeping services, laundry and so Wyelinen Valleyand offers a trueservices senior living much more. community where residents receive
Enjoy Food, Fun, and Friends at Wye Valley Independent Living! Rental savings of $8,800 or more in 2022! Call today!
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the services that empower them to live Wye Valley offersachieving a true senior independently, theirliving Best Life. community where residents receive There is a myriad of opportunities to the services thatValley. empower them toshown live socialize at Wye It has been independently, achieving their Best that loneliness and the lack of socialLife. There is a myriad of opportunities to networks affect mood and wellbeing. socialize at Wye Valley. It has been shown Isolation and chronic loneliness can lead that loneliness and the lack of social to severe health issues for many seniors. networks ect mood and wellbeing. Living in aaff vibrant community like Wye Isolation and chronic loneliness can lead Valley can help reduce the symptoms of to severe health issues for many seniors. depression linked to chronic health issues Living a vibrant and community like Wye such asindementia heart disease. Valley can help reduce the symptoms of At Wye Valley residents live health in a isdepression linked to chronic community environment with friends sues such as dementia and heart disease. and staff encouraging participation in social The activity At Wyeevents. Valley residents livecalendars in a com-offer a dynamic and diverse opportunity for munity environment with friends and residents to take up new hobbies, join staff encouraging participation in sociala new fitness class, attend parties events. The activity calendars offor er ajust enjoy a movie and snacks on “The for Big dynamic and diverse opportunity Screen”. to take up new hobbies, join a residents
every day. Our residents enjoy delicious meals that are tasty, nutritious and healthy. from meals our elegant dining offThe ers view nutritious prepared by room highlights our gardens cover highly trained chefs. The that menus areCantata’s 10-acreweekly, campus, each dinner varying butmaking “favorite items” are not a meal relaxing social offjust ered everybut day.a fun Ourand residents enjoy event. Residents to invite delicious meals thatare areencouraged tasty, nutritious friends andThe family members join them and healthy. view from ourtoelegant in theroom mainhighlights dining room our private dining ourorgardens that dining room for a meal or to celebrate cover Cantata’s 10-acre campus, making a special milestone. each dinner not just a meal but a fun andWe relaxing social event.care Residents offer customized servicesare which encouraged to invite friends and can include doctor and nurse “infamily room” members to join them in the main dining visits. Residents can receive a continuum room or our private dining room for of care services. This allows them toa stay in meal or to celebrate a community, evenaifspecial needs milestone. should change over time. We have support services We offer customized services whichof that help residents care manage activities can include doctor and nurse “in room” daily living including bathing, dressing, visits. Residentsgrooming. can receive a continuum and personal The bottom line ofiscare services. This allows them … It’s better for a senior to beto instay an inindependent a community,living evencommunity if needs should prepared change over time. We have support to support the health needs that may services that help residents change from time to time.manage activities of daily living including bathing, Moving into Wye Valley will help bring dressing, and personal grooming. The Peace of Mind reliable bottom line is …with It’s better fortransportation a senior to to local shopping, dining be in an independent livingexcursions, community events and doctor appointments. No more prepared to support the health needs shoveling the car out of snow, de-icing the that may change from time to time. windshield, or driving through heavy rains. Trustedinto transportation gets youbring where Moving Wye Valley will help you need to get go when you need to get Peace of Mind with reliable transportathere. tion to local shopping, dining excursions,
The and staffdoctor at Cantata/Wye ValleyNo offers events appointments. assistance that focuses on independence more shoveling the car out of snow, and fun. The team knows that fun is an de-icing the windshield, or driving important component of aging well and through heavy rains. Trusted transportaOurfidedicated helpparties new clients ourgets communities a variety of ways new tness class,staff attend or just tion you wherehave you need to get go quickly plug-inand to the independent living when of accomplishing those goals. The staff enjoy a movie snacks on “The Big you need to get there. environment, making new friends, getting The strives programs enable Screen”. staff to at provide Cantata/Wye Valleythat offers to know staff members by name, and our residents to live more carefree, more assistance that focuses on independence Our dedicated staffto help new community clients and fun. The team knows thatnew fun is an feeling connected a larger confidently, and with more friends. quickly plug-in to the independent important component of aging well of people who are in the same chapter Retirement should feel like homeand living environment, making newclient’s friends, our communities haveofa homeownership. variety of ways of their life. This helps improve without the hassles getting knowand staffoverall members by name, ofCantata’s accomplishing those goals. The staff physicaltohealth wellness. communities celebrate freedom and feeling connected to a larger comstrives to provide programs that enablenew The simple pleasure of dining with from obligation, helping you pursue munity of people whobrightens are in thethe same our residents live more more friends each evening day. interests andtomost of all carefree, …fun with friends chapter of their life. This helps improve confi dently, and with more new friends. Wye Valley’s spacious dining room offers who quickly become family. client’s physical andby overall wellRetirement should feel like home nutritious mealshealth prepared highly ness. without the hassles of homeownership. trained chefs. The menus are varying Cantata’s communities celebrate freeweekly, but “favorite items” are offered The simple pleasure of dining with dom from obligation, helping you pursue friends each evening brightens the new interests and most of all …fun with day. Wye Valley’s spacious dining room friends who quickly become family
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Celebrating Seniors Week is Coming May 12-19, 2022
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Not-for-profit embarks on second decade of honoring, educating & serving older adults in Oak Park, River Forest & Forest Park
he Celebrating Seniors Coalition is gearing up for a May 2022 return of its weeklong series of educational and entertainment programming throughout Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park. Organizers have set Thursday, May 12th through Thursday, May 19th as Celebrating Seniors Week, with a variety of in-person meetings that have been the cornerstone of activities over the years. Founded in 2010 and with its first Celebrating Seniors Week in 2011, Celebrating Seniors was founded by Dr. Jim Flanagan, a longtime member of the Oak Park and River Forest Township Senior Services Committee. A dedicated core team of volunteers has supported the group’s efforts to dispel outdated and inaccurate myths about what it is to be a senior in our society. Among other endeavors, the group has annually honored a “60 Over 60” Class. That effort has fixed the spotlight on more than 650 older adults in the three villages who have made, and continue to make, significant contributions to the community. Organizers will be enlisting community members—possibly high school students—to help chronicle 2022’s “Seniors Over 60” Class.
The organization has long had robust partnerships with government bodies from the three villages, as well as Dominican University, Concordia University Chicago, social service agencies, businesses, and individuals. More recently, the group has developed a strong liaison with The Sheridan at River Forest, a senior living community that opened in May. In the spring, The Sheridan at River Forest hosted a donations-for-desserts fundraising effort that generated about $650 for the coalition. Those funds were used to help an older adult in financial need. Since its inception, Celebrating Seniors has helped dozens of people with needs such as a new refrigerator, help with repair work around their home, or the addition of a necessary piece of furniture. To learn more how to volunteer, how to nominate someone for the 2022 “Seniors Over 60” class, or otherwise support the Celebrating Seniors Coalition, please visit www.CelebratingSeniors.net.
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Go to celebratingseniors.net/nominate/ and tell us about that significant someone.
To learn more about Celebrating Seniors—as well as how you can volunteer or otherwise support our efforts, please visit www.CelebratingSeniors.net
Specialized Memory Care that Honors the Whole Person erra Vista is a memory support community designed exclusively for those living with dementia or Alzheimer’s. Construction involved a unique collaboration of dementia care experts including medical professionals, architects and landscape designers, all having the knowledge and experience to create a specialized community. This barrier-free community with secured exits allows residents freedom to walk, explore and live without the frustration of “dead ends” or closed doors in their direct pathways. Exploration extends to the multisensory InnerWalk™ … the most expansive outdoor, dementia-capable courtyard in the region. This 18,000 square foot enclosed space has extra wide walkways to encourage exercise, social interaction and cognitive activity. An indoor 300-gallon freshwater fish aquarium featuring brightly colored African Cichlids helps engage residents and provide a calming effect often alleviating disruptive behaviors and reducing blood pressure. Montessori-Inspired Approach Terra Vista focuses on enabling individuals with impaired memory to actively use their
Do you know someone who has made a positive impact on our community? Is that individual at least 60 years old? Honor them by making a nomination for the 2022 “Seniors Over 60” Class!
existing capabilities to engage in meaningful activities that can be recalled as familiar. Life Stations throughout the community include ‘Gary’s Garage,’‘The Vintage Closet,’ and cooking, sensory and laundry folding stations. All stations feature easy-to-read, simplistic cueing signs designed to foster independence. Robust Art Therapy Featured in the Chicago Tribune and on CBS Chicago and FOX Chicago, Terra Vista’s art therapy program gives residents the opportunity to express themselves creatively. Their unique Masterpiece Program includes a dedicated art studio where projects help to increase fine motor skills, boost selfesteem and lessen anxiety. Finished artwork decorates hallways and provides pride for residents and families. Specialized Dining Terra Vista’s dining rooms feature expansive picture windows with natural lighting and beautiful views for a more pleasant and longer lasting dining experience. Adaptive utensils and specialized dishware with contrasting color rings around the edges help increase food consumption and encourage nourishment.
TERRA VISTA
TERRA VISTA OF OAKBROOK OF OAKBROOK TERRACE TERRACE A memory care assisted living community
Adesigned memory care assisted living community for those living with dementia designed for those living with dementia
Terra Vista’s exclusive memory care community is the first
Terra Vista’s exclusive memory care community is the first of its kind in the Chicagoland area. Home to the most of its kind in the Chicagoland area. Home to the most expansive outdoor multisensory courtyard in the region, expansive outdoor multisensory courtyard in the region, the campus was designed based on research by a unique the campus was designed based on research by a unique collaboration of dementia care experts. The result… An collaboration of dementia care experts. The result… An award-winning community dedicated to resident success. award-winning community dedicated to resident success.
Leader Leader Innovation Innovation Family Family Experience Experience Visit or or callcall us us today Visit today to learn more
to learn more
info@TerraVista.org info@TerraVista.org 630.534.0886
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1635 S Ardmore Ave 1635Terrace, S Ardmore Ave Oakbrook IL 60181
Oakbrook Terrace, IL 60181
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Growing Community Media & A Tribe Called Aging Present
wabi sabi F I L M F E S T I V A L
Our FREE GIFT to the community watch it free on ZOOM in your own home
Appreciating the beauty of impermanence, a quarterly Film Series encouraging everyone to embrace and respect our aging population and the transformation of our society.
Fast-
Forward Friday, October 1 • 10am
If you could see your family’s future, would you change anything? FAST-FORWARD, a documentary film narrated by Rosario Dawson, follows four millennials and their parents as they travel through time to meet their future selves. Wearing an MIT-produced “aging empathy suit” and working with professional make-up artists, they grapple with the realizations, conversations and mindset required to age with intention. Family dynamics are an important aspect of purposeful aging. Being intentional and talking about your future 20, 30 or 40 years ahead of time with your closest relatives is never premature or off-limits. With expert commentary by medical and aging professionals, we see sons and fathers, daughters and mothers laugh, cry, and have heartwarming ‘aha’ moments together. They revisit their plans, make big changes, and approach the rest of their lives with a whole new perspective. FAST-FORWARD is a story that shows how intentional aging is possible when intergenerational loved ones converse about their needs, communicate from the heart, and plan for the process ahead. Ultimately, the families learn they have more control over how they age than they thought. Following the film we will be joined by director Michael Eric Hurtig for a live Q & A!
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Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
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Oak Park Plan Commission poised to recommend accessory dwelling units Group will vote on recommendation at an Oct. 7 public hearing
By LACEY SIKORA
A
Contributing Reporter
t its Sept. 2 meeting, the Village of Oak Park’s Plan Commission was poised to recommend an ordinance to the Village Board on accessory dwelling units (ADUs). While the majority of the board agreed to a motion to revise the proposed ordinance, a vote on the revision will not take place until the Oct. 7 meeting. In 2020, a previous village board charged the Plan Commission to consider ADUs. Craig Failor, Oak Park’s village planner, is not sure what the motivation was for draft-
ing zoning changes to permit ADUs under the umbrella of economic development, but he thinks that may have been based on the area’s abundant supply of large homes. ADUs would allow some residents to age in place with separate units for caregivers or family. “ADUs seem to be becoming more and more prevalent in large cities,” Failor said. “Chicago just passed an ordinance allowing them.” Over the summer, Failor prepared workshops to inform the Plan Commission about various aspects of ADUs and looked to other “Evanston has a great ADU ordinance which is something we are going to be look-
ing at and following,” he said. Based on those workshops, the Plan Commission asked Failor to create zoning changes that would permit ADUs with the following caveats: Only one ADU will be allowed per single-family home; no ADU can exceed 1,000 square feet; no additional parking requirements for an ADU beyond the two parking spaces required for every single-family home; and there must be a separate entrance for ADUs that are created in an existing home’s attic or basement. Previously, in 2017, the Village allowed coach house dwellings built above garages to be used as ADUs. The Sept. 2 proposed ordinance expanded
the permitted forms of ADUs to allow attics or basements in single family homes to be converted. The proposal also contemplates standalone ADUs, which are not connected to an existing home or garage. On Sept. 2, the Plan Commission reviewed the proposed ordinance and discussed the ramifications of passing such an ordinance.
ADUs are not affordable housing Iris Sims, who chairs the Plan Commission, stated the purpose of the zoning changes in Oak Park is not related to affordable housing. While other states, such as See ADUS on page 26
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Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
ADUS
Revisions coming from page 25 California, are authorizing ADUs as one approach to create affordable housing, she said that is not the intention in Oak Park. Instead, she said that in Oak Park, the purpose is to provide adaptability for homeowners -- current and future -- to give them the flexibility to deal with situations like aging parents or adult children returning home. She noted that ADUs are expensive endeavors and, therefore, unlikely to become a significant part of affordable housing stock. Failor says that while River Forest is considering permitting ADUs as part of its affordable housing ordinance, in Oak Park that doesn’t make sense. He says that a conversion of existing space could start at $50,000, and building a “mini-house” would likely run $100,000 to $200,000. “It’s not cheap,” he said. In November 2020, David Schwartz, founder of Chicago Granny Flats, stated that a stand-alone ADU from his company started at $150,000 for the simplest model and increased in price from there. Plan commissioner Paul Beckwith noted that he while he would like the commission to do as much as possible to keep low-income people in Oak Park, the ADU ordinance does not address that.
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Parking, density, zoning concerns Commissioner Lawrence Brozek, raised concerns about parking and density in certain neighborhoods. “If 10 single family homes could produce 10 ADUs, already deficient parking could be aggravated,” Brozek said. He suggested that just as a new, mid-rise building that added 10 units to a neighborhood would need zoning review, it could be that each ADU should require zoning review. Commissioner Jon Hale, also agreed that not requiring additional parking for ADUs could be problematic, especially in areas of the village where parking is already scarce. Brozek questioned whether a single-family home with a separate ADU in the attic or basement would in essence become a multifamily home. Commissioner Jeffrey Clark asked what the practical difference would be between such a building and two-flat. Hale clarified that an ADU would not be permitted to be a converted second-floor of a residence, which would create a two-flat, because there would be two dwelling units of roughly the same size. Hale also questioned whether owners of ADUs would be permitted to lease them on short-term rental platforms, such as Airbnb. The village is currently working on rules for short-term rentals, and Failor says that absent any restrictions in the ADU ordinance, there is nothing to keep them from
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being used as short-term rentals. As proposed, like the 2017 Coach House ordinance, the ADU ordinance would allow ADUs to be built adjacent to or within single family homes with a lot size of at least 6,500 square feet. Sims remarked that that requirement was seen as helpful in maintaining the integrity of neighborhoods composed of primarily single-family homes. Commissioner Thomas Gallagher said that neither the Plan Commission nor the village board should be in a position to disenfranchise a homeowner based on lot size. Others noted that the lot size requirement would prohibit ADUs in many sections of the village.
Property tax ramifications Several commissioners raised questions about what would happen to the assessment of a single-family home if an ADU was added. Failor reported that he asked Oak Park Township Assessor Ali ElSaffar about this issue, and ElSaffar said that, technically, an ADU would have a separate list of attributes and its own value that would figure into a home’s tax assessment. At this point there is not data on how coach houses currently used as ADUs effect local tax bills. Gallagher expressed concern that the tax question should be settled. “[Cook County Assessor and Oak Park resident] Fritz Kaegi lives right down the street. … We ought to be able to talk to him
about this,” Gallagher said. “If I build a coach house or ADU in my attic, what will go up? “I doubt the answer would make a material difference to our decision on this ordinance, but I would not want the village to make a decision or enable something that ends up hurting a member of the community,” he added. “If someone builds an ADU for additional income and gets hit with a huge assessment increase, we have blood on our hands.” Commissioner Jeffrey Clark, raised the example of a large home with an attic converted into an ADU and asked what would happen if a family of three moved into the attic, but the assessment was lowered when the house was split into two units. Under this scenario, said Clark, “We’re adding people using services but they’re not paying for it. This puts more pressure and more burden on the village,” A majority of the board, minus Brozek, agreed to ask Failor to revise the language of the proposed ordinance to remove lotsize restrictions and allow ADUs to be constructed as detached structures or in the first-floor of a garage. The revised ordinance will be voted on at the Plan Commission meeting on Oct. 7 at 7 p.m. The public hearing will be conducted remotely and streamed live on VOP-TV and oak-park.us/commissiontv. The commission’s recommendation will be passed on to the Oak Park Village Board, which has final say over whether any recommendation would be adopted.
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Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
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29
SPORTS OPRF soccer tops rival Fenwick 1-0 at Priory
Bogard’s goal, Huskies defense the difference By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter
The boys soccer teams from Oak Park and River Forest and Fenwick high schools renewed their annual rivalry on the pitch at the Dominican Priory on Sept. 25 in a match that was an intense struggle with a large and vocal standingroom crowd. OPRF sophomore Easton Bogard’s goal with four minutes to play in the first half was all the Huskies would need as they defeated the Friars 1-0 before a large standing-room crowd. “I don’t remember how Josh [Dennis] got the ball, but he passed it across to the top of the box,” Bogard said. “I used my body to turn towards my left foot, and I just spun and shot.” Bogard is the Huskies’ leading goal scorer, and OPRF coach Jason Fried says it’s because of the improvements he has made with his decision-making. “His biggest progression is recognizing when to distribute [the ball]. We’re always telling him when he should distribute, or when he should go at them,” he said. “Easton is getting more effective with that, and it’s great to see.” Moreover, Bogard feels he has matured and adapted to the speed of the high school level. “I’ve gotten more confident and used to the atmosphere,” he said. “Overall, I’m getting a little quicker, too.” Another key to the Huskies’ victory was their excellent team defense. OPRF didn’t allow Fenwick (6-5-2) much possession inside their offensive half. In fact, the Huskies kept the majority of the play in the Friars’ end of the field, and Fried cites his defense as the biggest reason for the team’s success this fall. “We had another clean sheet. Our guys thrive on them,” he said. “We’ve challenged them to get clean sheets for three games in a row, and they’ve done two. So far, so good.” Fenwick co-captain Jack Powers managed to break away for a couple of scoring opportunities, but both times he was stopped by OPRF goalkeeper Clark Turk. “The difference between them and us is that they put
CAROL DUNNING/Contributor
OPRF’s Easton Bogard (14) blasts a shot toward goal as Fenwick goalkeeper Greg Price leaps to try and make a save. Bogard would score the only goal of the match to send the Huskies home winners. away their opportunity and we didn’t,” said Powers. “I had a couple of chances, [but] I couldn’t do it today.” With the field being tilted against him, Fenwick goalkeeper Greg Price kept his team in the match with several clutch saves, drawing praise from coach Craig Blazer. “Greg was the man of the match. He was big-time,” Blazer said. “He’s been getting better every half and we’ve acknowledged it. He’s worked really hard.” Both Blazer and Fried also remarked on the strong fan turnout for a game featuring the crosstown rivals.
“When I first started coaching at Fenwick, I asked the guys what the biggest rivalry was, and they said OPRF,” said Fenwick coach Craig Blazer. “To play on this field and have tremendous support, it’s really what you want high school athletics to be, and the guys handled themselves well. It’s a testament to both programs.” “It was fun. [The fans] were loud and positive on both sides,” added Fried, whose team improved to 9-2. “When we got that goal, we celebrated with the Dog Pound [OPRF student section]. It was a cool experience.”
OPRF volleyball’s Nelson dominates at the net Sophomore named in top 100 of her class in the nation
By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter
Sophomore Grace Nelson has been on quite a roll for the Oak Park and River Forest High School girls volleyball team for the past year.
She was named to the All-West Suburban Conference team in the spring and then enjoyed an outstanding summer with her club team, First Alliance/Lions Juniors. Her performances led to a few invitations to prestigious summer camps, including the Under Armour All-American and USA Developmen-
tal. Nelson’s efforts have paid off as she is currently one of the nation’s top 100 prospects in the Class of 2024. “I don’t really know,” said Nelson, when asked to explain the reasons for her success. “Both my school and club teams are uplifting.
I think it depends on who you’re with that helps you to be successful.” Nelson’s volleyball proficiency shouldn’t be a surprise given her family’s rich athletic background. Her parents, Ellen and Scott, and See VOLLEYBALL on page 30
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S P O R T S
Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
@ @OakPark
Welin back from injury and gaining speed OPRF senior sidelined by stress fracture still among fastest in the state
By BILL STONE Contributing Reporter
Oak Park and River Forest senior Josephine Welin completed the Palatine Invitational Saturday, walked roughly 60 yards behind the finish area and sat in the grass. Welin was exhausted and slightly nauseous from taking medication for sinus issues. Actually, it was a satisfying feeling. “It feels really good to finally push myself really hard,” Welin said. “I kind of like feeling that really tired feeling. Honestly, I’m just glad to be able to push myself again.” Welin is working back from a stress fracture, yet she’s already is running faster than at this same time in 2020, when she emerged as the top girls runner in the state. Welin (16 minutes, 56.9 seconds for 3.0 miles) was second to Lake Zurich’s Brooke Johnston (16:53.6) on Sept. 25 after making her season debut on Sept. 18 with a second-place finish (16:40.9) at Peoria’s Detweiller Park, where the Huskies hope to compete at the IHSA Class 3A state meet Nov. 6. After cross-training through the summer, Welin has run five times each of the past two weeks. “I think just proving to myself that even despite not feeling well and not running very much, I can still push myself and do well. [It] makes me feel excited for what the rest of my season has,” Welin said. “I definitely feet fit. I’ve been on the bike and in the pool but it’s not the same thing as running fitness. I feel like I will be ready when it’s time to be ready.” The Huskies also have high hopes after their strongest team in school history was limited by COVID-19 restrictions, which included no 2020 IHSA state meet. Senior Samantha Duwe, junior Avery Minnis and sophomore Lenny Sterritt also return from that postseason lineup. “[Welin is] almost back up to full volume, listening to her body and trusting the process that’s she’s going to get there by the end of the year,” OPRF coach Ashley Raymond said. “In general, she’s always paying attention to the
VOLLEYBALL
13 kills against Fenwick from page 29 her sisters, Allie, Kiley and Maeve, had excellent careers as OPRF student-athletes in multiple sports. Ellen (Iowa), Allie (Kansas), and Kiley (Illinois) played college volleyball; Scott had a minor league baseball career; and Maeve currently plays shortstop for the Northwestern University softball team. While Nelson is proud of her family’s athletic success, she doesn’t feel any pressure upholding the legacy. “They’re my biggest supporters; we all cheer for each other,” she said. “We’re all su-
details, and her recovery has gone smoothly. Even her physical therapist [said], ‘She did everything I told her.’ That’s pretty rare just for people in general.” Welin comfortably won last year’s IHSA sectional and the non-sanctioned, invite-only ShaZam Championships last November with course-record times. At the IHSA Class 3A girls state track meet June 12, Welin won the 3,200-meter run (10:36.6) and was second in the 1,600 (4:42.55). By the Illinois Meet of Champions June 20, Welin ran another great, but unfortunately painful 3,200 (10:03.72) for second. Welin had developed a stress fracture in the third metatarsal of her left foot. “After the race, I couldn’t walk,” Welin said. “We determined it was the [Nike] spikes I was wearing, the carbon fiber plate and the way I was landing on my foot. I tied them really tight and kind of pushed past the discomfort of wearing them. It’s OK, learned my lesson.” Returning to running in mid-August, Welin planned to make her competitive debut at Detweiller. Welin’s 16:40.9 was second to Class 2A Latin senior and Stanford recruit Ava Parekh (16:27.1). Welin held off Glenbard North junior Grace Schager (16:42.1). “Obviously, I was really nervous. It was my first race back and at it was Detweiller at a huge meet. It doesn’t really matter how I’m running right now. It matters how I’m running at state and sectionals,” said Welin, who has two college visits remaining. Sophomore Katie Stabb (33rd, 18:24.6), Minnis (39th, 18:30.9) and juniors Natalie Quinn (111th, 19:52.7) and Anne Stine (128th, 20:06.0) were last Saturday’s other top-five finishers for OPRF, which was eighth and fourth, respectively, in Peoria. “We’ve always been really close and always worked really hard together, pack running. I’m excited to see what we can do,” said Duwe, also returning from injury. “Josephine’s amazing. She’s been there for me and other people personally and always there for our team whenever it matters.”
per competitive, but it pushes us to be good.” OPRF girls volleyball head coach Kelly Collins is glad to have Nelson on her team, crediting her competitiveness in clutch situations. “When the game is on the line, we’re confident that when we give her the ball, she’s going to find a way to put it away,” she said. “Grace is an outstanding player. She’s skilled and can hit from anywhere on the court, has great versatility with her shots and is an allaround player that can play six positions.” Nelson’s dominance was on display Sept. 23 as the Huskies (14-9) defeated crosstown rival Fenwick High School (9-9) in two sets (25-23, 29-27). She finished with 13 kills, 10 digs, two blocks, and an ace. Nelson was at her best late in the second set, coming up with multiple kills as the Friars had set point three times.
COURTESY OF PAUL NICKOLEY
OPRF’s Josephine Welin returned for her first races of the fall in midSeptember after nursing a stress fracture she picked up running at the Illinois Meet of Champions in late June.
“She’s a super nice player; we have a lot of respect for [Nelson],” said Fenwick coach Kathleen O’Laughlin. “They were able to get her the ball at the right times, and she made some big-time plays. That’s what big-time players do.” But OPRF is far from a one-woman team, and the balance the Huskies have displayed has been critical to this year’s success. Against Fenwick, Rebecca Gutierrez had five kills and two blocks. Ella Olson contributed 10 digs, while Cate Wollmuth had five kills and five digs, Molly Brown had 10 assists and Maeve Moran had 13 assists. “We have a nice, balanced offense,” Collins said. “We rely on our middles -- Rebecca, Ella, and Reese [Garland] -- to step up. Everyone knows the ball is going to Grace, and we’ve got to make sure our system is balanced.”
“I think we’ve come together and shown that we can do our jobs,” added Nelson. “That’s what makes us good right now. We’ve developed a lot the last couple of weeks and it’s awesome to see.” Fenwick received strong performances from Elise Heneghan (12 kills), Shannon O’Laughlin (11 kills), Maeve Welsh (10 digs) and Audrey Hinrichs (5 blocks). “Our left-side hitters did a nice job tonight,” Kathleen O’Laughlin said. “They did were they were supposed to do. It was a tight match. We’re pretty evenly matched.” OPRF is vying for the West Suburban Silver conference championship, and Collins feels good about the Huskies’ chances. “We had a big win against Downers Grove North [Sept. 21] that allowed us to stay in the race,” she said. “We’re a contender and that’s where we want to stay.”
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M. Call Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at 613-3310 ktrainor@wjinc.com
A
Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
VIEWPOINTS
Thanks from the Wright Trust for Wright Plus p. 33
A mindful season
s summer sets with the end of another year of the pandemic, we look forward to autumn and the gifts of a new season ahead. We welcome the wonderful range of bright reds, yellows, and purples in the transformation of the leaves, along with the cooler, crisp, northern breezes. It’s a season of warm tea and comforting apple crumble. My favorite time of year. In the cooler months, we tend to seek out the warmth and familiarity of friends and family members. We have established “bubbles” of people we feel safe with during this pandemic, and since vaccines have become available late in 2020, some of our bubbles have grown to include more members. With the approach of autumn and then winter, our social bubbles are likely to shrink again as activities move back indoors. How can we cope with another winter of uncertainty and stress? Here are a few timely tips to help you transition to the colder months ahead.
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FENCED IN: Bill Loutos, owner of Al’s Grill, gives a tour of his back patio and shows off the sliding gate large enough for an emergency vehicle to pass through.
ANGIE
POTACZEK One View
Establish boundaries Yes, boundaries are healthy in every relationship. Be aware of when you feel stressed and know when you need to set limits regarding your physical space and the time you spend with others. Make sure you recognize the difference between being alone and feeling lonely.
Expect change Flow with adjustments. We have all had to learn how to change our expectations of each other, ourselves, and the world around us. Recognize that we have come a long way since the toilet paper panic days of early 2020.
Listen Be there for each other, fully. Make the effort to be intentional of the time you are with each other. Put down your phones and re-discover what it’s like to be in another person’s presence in real life. If you know people who have differing views than you about the pandemic, take the time to listen to their concerns. We all want to be heard and understood. If you have children, listen to their fears about returning to school during the pandemic. Ask them what they need from you to feel safer.
See POTACZEK on page 35
MELISSA ELSMO/Food editor
T
Al’s tiff a snapshot of what’s (still) wrong with village hall
he village of Oak Park has had a terrible reputation for starting or owning a business. Endless paperwork. Tough codes. Months of waiting for approvals. Surly inspectors. Even more surly residents. High taxes. Why deal with all that when you could go to Forest Park and be welcomed with open arms? I hoped those days were over after eight years of Anan Abu-Taleb’s helm as village president and his “open for business” priority. I heard that permits were going much faster, people in Village Hall were nicer, and you could see progress through Oak Park, such as downtown, Madison and Harrison streets. Now we have Tammie Grossman, director of community and economic development at village hall, throwing the hammer down on Al’s Grill and owner Bill Loutos because he installed a fence around his parking lot to protect his COVID-spurred outdoor seating furniture. Look, Loutos shouldn’t have put up a fence without a permit. But he shouldn’t have to wait three months for a permit for a fence, as he’s claimed the village told him (the outdoor dining season is only six months long at best!). My issue here isn’t in the technicalities Grossman is using as her excuse, but in the ivory-tower mentality at village hall. You’ve got a business and community gathering place fighting for its life and improvising to the edge of the zoning. And instead of finding ways forward, the village finds ways to aggravate. Can it get more obtuse than Grossman saying she emailed and called Bill, requesting he come to her to discuss it? How about going to Al’s to iron this out? (I looked it up on Google Maps and it’s a 5 minute drive, 9 minute bike ride from village hall.) Go there. Talk to Bill. Don’t
tell him what can’t be done, listen to what he needs and then see if there’s a way to help him. Like putting his fence at the top of the permit review pile. Then email the other businesses with temporary outdoor COVID accommodations, asking if it would help to extend. Would they like to have some type of permanent outdoor space post-COVID? Then talk to the board and see if they can make some accommodations, even temporary ones while it gets figured out. I mean, if village hall is going to cancel every business-boosting outdoor event for COVID despite an 80% vax rate and football stadiums coast-tocoast packed with 70,000+ people, find a way to make the village a hero, not a zero. The village board is analyzing and over-analyzing how to spend millions in federal funds to help small businesses in town harmed by the COVID pandemic. We pay the Oak Park Economic Development Corporation around $500,000 in taxpayer money to market Oak Park as a good place for business and to facilitate new enterprises. At the same time, the village is hassling a business to the point it’s in the local media. The next time someone complains about tax breaks for Vantage or Pete’s, or empty storefronts/commercial lots, show them the article about Al’s. Businesses aren’t the bad guys. They take tax burdens away from residents, create jobs and help create a vibrant community we want to live in. Empty lots and storefronts suck. I want a village hall that understands this and yes, safeguards us via zoning and permitting, but is a champion for business. Not a roadblock, but a facilitator. Maybe the next village president will get that and hire staff who share the vision. Brian Souders is an Oak Park resident.
BRIAN
SOUDERS One View
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Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
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Change is coming
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ention the words “Renew My Church” to many parishioners at Catholic parishes in Chicago and its suburbs and you’re likely to see someone wince. Underway now for the past several years, Renew My Church is an effort by the Archdiocese of Chicago to address dwindling Mass attendance and financial contributions from parishioners; an ever-smaller number of priests to administer the many, increasingly smaller congregations; and the enormous cost of maintaining parish campuses that house shuttered or low-enrollment schools, and support buildings like convents, rectories and parish halls that can be a century old. Parishes have been grouped geographically by the archdiocese and enter the Renew My Church “discernment” process at the same time. We’ve seen several of these processes play out in other communities where Growing Community Media has a presence, and they all have a common denominator: Your parish is going to change. In most instances, the initial change can appear modest. While parishes often merge — that’s what happened with St. Luke in River Forest and St. Bernardine in Forest Park — where both churches remain worship sites, that’s not always the case. Most recently, further south, St. Mary of Riverside, Mater Christi of North Riverside and St. Hugh of Lyons merged following Renew My Church. St. Mary and Mater Christi remain worship sites. St. Hugh’s campus will be sold. While the archdiocese welcomes input from parishioners, there will be some cold calculating when it’s time to make decisions, and those decisions will be made by prelates at the archdiocesan level and blessed by the cardinal. All we can say is that the likely outcome is that perhaps one Oak Park parish — looks to be St. Giles — might emerge intact as a single-church parish. That won’t be the case for the remaining three, so prepare yourselves, folks. Change is on the way.
More transparency needed A week ago, an Oak Park police officer fired his service weapon into a moving vehicle during what has been described as a rowdy funeral procession on Madison Street. The incident took place on Sept. 23. Oak Park residents still have virtually no information on exactly where this case stands. It took the police department 24 hours to respond with the most basic information about the event, which sparked plenty of social media speculation, and had we not pressed repeatedly for that information, it appears Oak Parkers would still know nothing. The village has never issued a press release about the incident and has refused our attempts to get even the most basic questions answered. Was there anyone struck by the gunfire? Was anyone arrested? What is the status of the officer? Is the officer on desk duty pending an internal investigation? Is the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Unit investigating this incident? Police are presently saying they can’t comment beyond their initial statement because it’s an ongoing investigation. The opacity of Oak Park police in divulging the slightest information to the residents they serve is a major concern. We’d suggest the village president and trustees, who have spent a lot of effort addressing police accountability, start demanding more transparency.
V I E W P O I N T S
Fiction, lies, and the search for truth
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uring Dear Evan Hansen at the Lake Theatre Friday night, I thought, first and foremost, about fiction, but also about lies, truth, vision, and reality. This musical about teen suicide, and so much more, won a Tony and a Grammy, but critics have not been kind to the film version. On the Rotten Tomatoes website, only 33% of critics liked it. But 93% of audience members approved. With that kind of disparity, I side with audiences. Critics sometimes miss on a movie. They missed on this one. Evan Hansen is a social isolate who feels friendless and invisible at his high school and at home, where his single mom works hard and long as a nurse and isn’t around much. Evan wears a cast on his arm, which he broke falling out of a tree. One of Evan’s classmates, another social isolate named Connor, commits suicide and his parents mistakenly believe Evan was Connor’s only friend, who might be able to give them some insight into the son they didn’t know and couldn’t reach. They invite him to dinner and, seeing the intensity of their grief, he just can’t bring himself to tell them the truth. Instead, Evan makes up a fictional friendship. Many of us tell lies to avoid uncomfortable truths but this one gets out of hand, amplified and intensified by social media. What I noticed, though, as he told his lies, was that he was also telling “the truth.” Truth in the guise of lies. The truth about himself: his longing for a friend; his feelings for Connor’s sister, whom he has loved from a distance; his desire to be part of a “normal” family, which more or less adopts him. Evan doesn’t know Connor, but like Connor, he knows the pain of social isolation, so his fabrications ring true. He is fed details by the family, which he weaves into his evolving narrative. He isn’t telling lies so much as creating a fiction that contains some truth. If it never moved beyond Connor’s family, all might have gone well. But word does get out, of course, and leads to a memorial assembly at school where Evan is the main speaker and gives full voice to his vision of the world as it should be, singing: Even when the dark comes crashing through When you need a friend to carry you And when you’re broken on the ground You will be found You will be found You will be found. It’s a tears-streaming-down-your-face inspiring moment. His speech, of course, goes viral since every student in the assembly is filming it — at first out of sheer meanness when it appears Evan is making a fool of himself, but as he recovers and finds his voice, it becomes a moment, and turns into a movement. It is a sensation on social media. The only problem, of course, is that it’s not “true.” Not everyone who is broken on the ground is found. Evan wasn’t (when he broke his arm). His compassionate vision doesn’t show us what is but what is possible. Vision is a fiction of possibility. Yuval Harari, in his fascinating book Sapiens, points out that most of our human institutions are “agreed-upon fictions.” Money, for instance (beware
Bitcoin), and government, which only exists by “the consent of the governed,” as Jefferson famously said. Fiction that harms is a lie. Fiction that helps is vision. When vision becomes reality, it feels like truth, but it’s only true as long as it is agreed upon, and it won’t be agreed upon unless it is genuine. Evan’s fiction both helps and harms. In the process he comes into his own, discovers there is more to him than he knew, discovers his voice. But lies are a house of cards and the webs we weave eventually snare us. We are living in times when lies and misinformation threaten public health and our democracy’s very existence. And a movie musical about a Big Lie, even a lie that is nobly intended, is likely to bother people. The most harmful lies have hidden agendas. The recent California recall was a thinly disguised attempt to grab power by a party that can’t gain power any other way — a minority attempting to impose its will illegitimately. Trump’s Big Lie is the same. His presidency was a four-year clinic on deceit. Our current national crisis is that fully one-third of the country does not consent to be governed, in fact embraces lies and scorns truth. The Republicans’ Big Lie hides an agenda of authoritarianism and must be defeated. Mask and vaccine mandates impose the will of the majority on an unwilling minority but only to benefit everyone. During a pandemic, it is a necessary imposition. But if the majority imposes its will on a minority (white supremacy) and causes great harm, a new fiction must be created. Until it is agreed upon, though, it will not become a reality. The truthfulness of any vision is measured by its benefits. If it benefits only a few at the expense of the many, it is a lie. If it benefits the many at the expense of the few, it is a flawed vision. If it benefits everyone, the vision is true — but it’s not real until it is agreed upon. Most Americans want a more perfect vision, a more perfect union. We can never reach perfection, but truth’s pull is powerful. In the film, lies frame the doorway to truth, and Evan eventually sings a new song: How long these days and darkness At the bottom of a well? That old familiar well Seemed heavy with these secrets With nobody to tell, nobody to tell … All the reaching all the wanting Just to tumble every time But today, today What felt so far away Feels a little closer. “You will be found” is not always true. Not yet. But that’s the truth we yearn for. And if we can all agree upon our unrealized vision of compassion, then every day, perhaps, it will feel a little closer. In the meantime, a more realistic version has appeared on lawn signs scattered throughout our village. White letters on a black background with a simple message: Help Each Other.
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Thank you for supporting Wright Plus
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n Sept. 18, the Wright Plus Housewalk, originally planned for May 2020 finally took place, with the support and cooperation of many kind and generous individuals. The day’s attendance was reduced 40%, and all guests, volunteers and staff provided proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test to create a safe environment for all. This year’s walk featured houses in both River Forest and Oak Park, and we are deeply grateful to these combined communities for their gracious hospitality and friendship. The Oak Park Health Department provided their COVID Mobile Testing Van, and First Presbyterian Church of River Forest served as a First Aid site for guests. Everyone joined together on one special day to celebrate the architecture, design and unique history that defines this wonderful place. We would like to thank the homeowners for sharing
their beautiful residences and their many inspiring stories about each home. We are grateful to the more than 350 volunteers who spent hundreds of hours on planning and execution to make the Housewalk a spectacular event. And finally, we would like to thank our guests, who traveled here to explore the architectural legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright, one of America’s great visionaries. Wright Plus would not be possible without our sponsors: @properties, Albion Residential, Baird & Warner, Byline Bank, Downtown Oak Park, McGrath Automotive Group, Oak Park Bank, Old Second National Bank, Prairie Title, Ryan Restorations, Trader Joe’s, Village of Oak Park, Village of River Forest, and West Studio Architects. We also thank our Dine Wright partners: Courageous Bakery, Cucina Paradiso, Giordano’s Restaurant & Pizzeria, Hemmingway’s Bistro, Maya Del Sol, Mickey’s Gyros, and Petersen’s Ice Cream. Wright once said, “We create our buildings and then they create us.” In partnership with our neighbors, we will continue to build a culture of friendship in Oak Park/River Forest. Our annual Wright Plus Housewalk shines a light on Wright’s legacy here, but even more vividly illuminates the generosity of this unique community to the world. Thank you sincerely. Celeste Adams is president and CEO of the Frank Lloyd Wright Frank Lloyd Wright Trust/James Caulfield Trust.
CELESTE ADAMS One View
J. Kibben Ingalls House (Frank Lloyd Wright, 1909)
Make refuse-niks take responsibility
Despite the almost miraculous development of effective and safe vaccines, which provided the possibility of ending the pandemic and returning life to normal, some states, politicians, and groups are actively fighting against vaccines to prevent COVID-19. Their stated reasons are varied but are alarmingly ignorant and based on lies and misinformation. When I was a kid in grade school, we all lined up for our polio vaccines, and this horrible disease was eliminated. It was our patriotic duty as Americans to help eradicate a crippling disease, and we all realized a tiny stick in the arm was much preferable to the disease. It is astonishing that a large group of politicians and an entire “news” network have decided to campaign against free and safe vaccinations. Given these treasonous efforts by the Fox Network and many Republican governors to keep the pandemic going and to kill as many American as they can, we need to consider another approach. The decision to refuse to be vaccinated has consequences that affect the individual (who may get sick and die) but also the greater society (who suffer from prolongation of the pandemic and greater risk for all). Hospitals in southern Illinois and in many mostly southern states have no ICU beds left, and consequently people with other health problems (surgeries, transplants, etc.) cannot be treated, and medical first-responders are once again
overworked and stressed out. Another less obvious but serious consequence of vaccine refusal is the cost of treatment of the many unvaccinated who contract COVID-19 and are hospitalized. The antibody treatment for COVID-19 costs $2,100 per dose, and supplies are running low, especially in southern states where vaccine refusal is rampant [1]. The federal government pays for this expensive treatment, for a disease that is preventable by a much cheaper vaccine. The refuse-niks should bear some or all of the cost of their treatment because they decided to refuse the vaccine. Why should responsible, patriotic American taxpayers be forced to pay for their poor decisions? One reasonable approach would be to charge unvaccinated individuals a monthly COVID-19 insurance fee. Insurance actuaries could easily calculate a fair surcharge that would cover the extra cost of COVID-19 treatment. The surcharge could be deducted from the paychecks of workers or from the Social Security checks of those who are retired. I suspect that when we force people to take responsibility for the consequences of their actions, they would make better decisions. [1] “Shunning Shot, But Lining Up For Antibodies.” New York Times, Sept. 19, p. 1
Tom DeCoursey Oak Park
Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
W E D N E S D A Y
JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest
Editor and Publisher Dan Haley Senior Editor Bob Uphues Equity Editor/Ombudsman Michael Romain Digital Publishing and Technology Manager Briana Higgins Staff Reporters Stacey Sheridan, F. Amanda Tugade Staff Photographer Alex Rogals Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora Food Editor Melissa Elsmo Arts Editor Michelle Dybal Columnists Marc Blesoff, Jack Crowe, Doug Deuchler, Mary Kay O’Grady, Kwame Salter, John Stanger, Stan West Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Business Manager Joyce Minich Marketing Representatives Marc Stopeck, Lourdes Nicholls Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Development & Sales Coordinator Stacy Coleman Circulation Manager Jill Wagner E-MAIL jill@oakpark.com Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs
Growing Community Media BOARD OF DIRECTORS Chair Judy Greffin Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Eric Weinheimer
About Viewpoints Our mission is to lead educated conversation about the people, government, schools, businesses and culture of Oak Park and River Forest. As we share the consensus of Wednesday Journal’s editorial board on local matters, we hope our voice will help focus your thinking and, when need be, fire you to action. In a healthy conversation about community concerns, your voice is also vital. We welcome your views, on any topic of community interest, as essays and as letters to the editor. Noted here are our stipulations for filing. Please understand our verification process and circumstances that would lead us not to print a letter or essay. We will call to check that what we received with your signature is something you sent. If we can’t make that verification, we will not print what was sent. When, in addition to opinion, a letter or essay includes information presented as fact, we will check the reference. If we cannot confirm a detail, we may not print the letter or essay. If you have questions, email Viewpoints editor Ken Trainor at ktrainor@wjinc.com.
LETTER TO THE EDITOR
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Email Ken Trainor at ktrainor@wjinc.com or mail to Wednesday Journal, Viewpoints, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302
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ADDRESS 141 S Oak Park Ave., Oak ParkIL 60302 ■ PHONE 708-5248300 EMAIL Dan@OakPark.com ■ ONLINE www.OakPark.com Wednesday Journal is published digitally and in print by Growing Community Media NFP. The newspaper is available on newsstands for $1.00. A one-year subscription costs $43 within Cook County and $53 outside of Cook County. Advertising rates may be obtained by calling our office. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS 10138). Postmaster, send address corrections to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, Il 60302. © 2021 Growing Community Media, NFP.
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A reminder: Our democracy is still in peril!
n Saturday, Sept. 18, a right-wing extremist rally was staged in Washington D.C. in support of rioters who had been arrested and charged with insurrection in their attempt to overthrow our government with a violent assault on the U.S. Capitol building, Jan. 6. The attendance at the rally was smaller than anticipated. The press coverage was so muted, it appeared the event was discounted or ignored. But it was something that cannot and must not be overlooked. It was a grim reminder that our democracy is still in peril. Donald Trump proclaimed that the demonstration was a great patriotic expression, as if it were something he himself had orchestrated. The Constitution of the United States of America grants considerable latitude to freedom of speech and expression of opinions.
In the past few years, the limits of those Constitutional allowances have been stretched, but violence is still off limits. Trump is out of office but not out of power. He owns the best politicians money can buy. He is free with no limitations or unaccountability for his actions, his slander, and his malicious instigations. He is more dangerous and destructive in his role as a kingmaker. On the sidelines of the political arena, the Donald teasingly mentions that he might run again for the presidency. His ego would compel him. In that case, his opposition should remind the electorate that Trump did not seek the presidency to serve the people. He intended to have the people serve him. Currently, Trump’s influence is evident in
FRED NATKEVI One View
Postal service: an oxymoron? In recent years, Wednesday Journal has published letters from exasperated Oak Park residents regarding problems with the U.S. Postal Service (USPS). I’m afraid those problems have not improved and may be even worse than before. When our regular mail carrier is working, we get mail. When he isn’t, we don’t. For the past two days, there has been no mail delivery on our block. And even when mail is delivered, the delivery process leaves much to
be desired. On a recent Monday morning, I mailed an anniversary card to my wife at the South Oak Park Post Office. It took three days to arrive at our house. And we live three blocks away from the post office. Calls and letters to the local post office go unanswered. They just don’t care. No wonder the USPS is bleeding money. Their service is terrible.
Michael Pajonk Oak Park
Needed: a new scooter
My mobile scooter was stolen from the back parking lot at Mill Park Tower. A police report was filed, and after two months I haven’t received another. My goddaughter bought me another from Offer Up, a kind gesture, but it only lasted for a day, as the battery charger blew a fuse. It was 5 years old. After numerous attempts to receive new doctor evaluations and several promises from the manufacturer, they contacted me today stating that I couldn’t receive another until
the end of December. I’m disabled and need another mobile scooter. I borrowed one that stopped in the street because of no energy in the battery; on two occasions, both the police and fire departments had to get me home. I need to work in a substitute teacher capacity. Other companies only have scooters to buy; $1500, no insurance accepted. Please assist me, as I need to get around and work.
Kathryn Forestal Oak Park
All for one and one for all Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers laid a cornerstone for a healthy, functioning society: All for one, one for all. It doesn’t work to pick just one. But antivaxxers insist on the first and condemn the second. But a law of life is that choices have consequences, and we live or die by them. The resisters say, “I alone own the choice about getting the vaccine.” But, in
the legislative results in Texas and in Louisiana with state laws enacted to limit voting rights and curtail women’s health care. There is a danger that more such laws will be enacted in more states. America stands as a nation divided, struggling to reconstitute itself morally and philosophically, and to regain its stature among other nations and allies. It is plagued by two pandemics: the pandemic of the coronavirus and a pandemic of Trumpism. Unfortunately, there is a vaccine against only one of the plagues. Trumpism is an idea, a philosophy, physically intangible, that cannot be quashed by legislation. Thus, the question is how to purge Trump’s warped, flawed logic from the hearts and minds of half the nation.
effect, they go on to say, “All of you first responders and medical professionals must own the consequences when I get sick.” If they loudly demand their “freedom,” it should imply freedom from treatment as well as from vaccination. Or do logic and human decency not apply?
Fred Reklau Oak Park
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Perhaps the answer to the question is in the phrase, “The truth shall set you free” (John 8:32). Over the four years of his presidency, Donald Trump told 30,573 lies and untruths (Google). The undoing of Trumpism is contingent on discrediting lies and revealing truth. Trumpism cannot stand scrutiny. A man’s wrongful death in May of 2020 stunned our consciousness. Resulting demonstrations and protest brought to light numerous moral flaws permeating our society. The national sins are systemic racism, brutality of those who serve and protect us, economic oppression of minorities, and many others. Now we can proclaim: “We have seen the enemy and he is us.” (Walt Kelly) Fred Natkevi is a longtime Oak Park resident.
The onus is on us
bony/Jet were print media designed to keep Black people abreast of what was going on with Black people. Ebony was the Black version of a Life magazine, focusing the majority of the time on the positive aspects of Black life. Jet was a news recap that we could read to keep up with what was going on with Black people all over the world. The Chicago Defender was the local newspaper that kept us informed on a daily basis of the news that was of interest to Black people. As all of these entities waned, older Black people knew of their importance, yet our voices and concerns were overpowered by younger Black people, who pointed to social media as the wave of the future. Commentaries like, “get with it!” and “Nobody wants to be carrying around a piece of paper when I can see the same thing on my phone” were often mouthed by the savvier generation. Plus the illusion that the news was going to be free over the internet also played a major role. Why pay for something when the internet was going to provide it at no cost? However, one of the major things that got overlooked in all of this is the old saying that, “We can’t do what they do.” The verb “do” can be replaced with a number of other verbs to form derivatives of that statement that can be applied to any situation involving Black people. I was thinking about both things as I watched several news reports regarding
missing Black people. Out of anger and frustration, the relatives of those who are missing were quick to point out how the Gabby Petito case generated nationwide news stories, but their missing loved ones’ stories barely became a blip on the news radar. And of course, the race factor became a major subset of the commentaries. Personally I can’t deny that race is a factor. But there’s also the laziness of journalists who were able to search Gabby’s social media accounts and come up with different angles on the case. Gabby also had a huge following who involved themselves in the search as amateur detectives. Knowing that Black people can’t get the reporting out of the media that others do, and that our Black media was allowed and even encouraged to become a wayside, what can we do now to get the nowhere-tobe-found stories of our missing Black people out? I place the job of coming up with the solution to that dilemma at the feet of the younger generation. They need to build a comprehensive online presence that we can turn to in order to address the serious issues others ignore. Too much emphasis of the internet has been placed on the fun aspect, with little consideration to the serious issues at hand. The solution to our stories getting overlooked is simple. Rather than lament on what “they” don’t do, let’s focus on what “we” can do.
ARLENE JONES
One of the major things that got overlooked in all of this is the old saying that, “We can’t do what they do.”
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What we face
da and Nicholas are an unusual pair. No, they are not lovers. Instead, they are vicious natural disasters, one hurricane following the other, wreaking havoc with their stormy winds and massive flooding. They caused damage from Louisiana to New York. I cannot ever remember a time in our history when we’ve had to face this number of challenges, both natural and man-made, simultaneously. While the storms took their human toll in southern and eastern areas, California was fighting another natural disaster, the wildest forest fires they’ve ever known. Thousands of acres of magnificent forest lands were consumed and over 50,000 homes lost. No doubt the only positive picture one could view during these disasters was seeing heroic strangers risking their lives to save others. These and other severe acts of nature, make climate change impossible to deny. Dealing with this and our polluting ways are more than just challenges, all of which need immediate attention. The most disastrous of natural scourges we have had, and are continuing to fight, is the pandemic of COVID-19. Adding to the deadly path of this virus is that when the danger was identified by scientists and medical researchers, ex-President Trump refused to deal with the seriousness of the disease. Unfortunately, he spent months downplaying it, and discouraged the use of the vaccines. He substituted his “knowledge” and politicized the problem by spreading disinformation and recommending useless and often dangerous remedies to help those who had been infected. The spread of the virus could have been lessened if he recommended mask-wearing and social distancing, but he did not. So this relentless disease caused more suffering and deaths. There continues to be a group of Republican leaders who discourage employing proven methods to diminish the spread. In fact, some are so extreme, they want to punish those from their states who wear masks. In my opinion, these leaders should be indicted for placing their population at risk. Although COVID-19 is a natural disaster, this human element makes it also a man-made problem, as well. The phenomenon of natural disasters occurring at the same time as man-made problems makes for a horrible combination. One of these man-made problems is the 20-year Afghanistan War which has been partially resolved. Although the war has ended, and 67,000 Afghans have been airlifted, and our troops are now
out, there are many angry Americans who complain we should have stayed to win the war. Some will not accept the fact that we lost this unwinnable war, in which we lost almost 20,000 of our soldiers. Others are furious as to how the departure took place. To me, it is a book that should have been closed many years ago. I hope folks will allow it to be closed now. Our man-made disasters go far beyond Afghanistan and some are even more serious. In my opinion, what stands out is that a coup to destroy our democracy was almost accomplished by the insurrection on our Capitol on Jan. 6. It was based on the Big Lie promulgated by ex-President Trump, claiming he was the winner of the 2020 election. He acted upon Hitler’s quote, that if you shout a lie often enough, you can make folks believe it’s the truth. Recent polls show that 70% of Republicans actually believe, or support, the Big Lie. As difficult as it is to believe, some folks are willing to destroy our government and the benefits of freedom that democracy affords.
HARRIET HAUSMAN One View
This horrendous occurrence is not the only man-made problem we face. Racism in our diverse population is probably the most basic problem. We are inundated by “white supremacists” and a multitude of hate groups. The Southern Poverty Law Center identified 838 separate hate groups. Also, for the first time in our history, our Supreme Court has a preponderance of politicized judges who are willing to make unconstitutional decisions, currently related to voting rights laws and abortion rights. This man-made problem is disastrous at the highest court and could jeopardize our nation, turning it from a democracy to an autocracy. Gun violence is rampant, and we must fight for gun regulation over immense opposition. Police reform is a difficult balance to strike, and it too, faces tremendous opposition. Meanwhile, there are thousands of refugees and asylum seekers from Haiti and South America who continue to migrate to our southern borders. Our immigration system is broken, and must be restructured. The phenomenon of natural and man-made disasters converging is truly frightening. We all have our priorities as to what to address and when. My priority is voting rights and fighting the hate so prevalent in our divided nation. We Americans — Independents, Democrats, and that 30% of true Republicans — must unite to meet and overcome these challenges, and we will!
Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
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‘Tilt’ is not a verb While I agree with the overall message of Ken Trainor’s “Equinox = Balance” column in the Sept. 22 edition of Viewpoints, his presentation gives the impression that the Earth tilts back and forth over the course of a year. It does not. The Earth is at a constant, unchanging (except for minor wobble) 23.5 degree tilt caused billions of years ago by the impact of a very large planetismal which, in fact, ejected the matter that created the Moon. In June, the Northern hemisphere is
leaned toward the Sun. It maintains that same orientation — no tilting as a verb — as it revolves so that in December the Northern hemisphere is leaned back away from the Sun. Voila, seasons and the perfect balance twice per year we should all strive to maintain all year.
Ron Elling
Oak Park Editor’s note: Thanks, Ron, for the correction. Glad to have this explained.
OPRF isn’t facing vaccine reluctance
The education article, “Case by case, how OPRF faces COVID concerns,” [News, Sept. 15] leaves much to be desired. Twenty-one percent of students are currently unvaccinated, hesitant about the vaccine because of either too much information or not enough “buried underneath other facts.” This mindset seems to be acceptable to the school’s executive director of equity and student success. This “I’m OK, you’re
OK” wait-and-see attitude will do nothing to bring about a quantitative change in accepting the vaccine. Oak Park’s Board of Health should provide outreach to this school community. Presenting their knowledge and skill will ensure that the unvaccinated get the informational support needed to accept the vaccine.
Stasia Jamell
Oak Park
Dealing with the police
For people who are concerned about police encounters, I recommend the “Audit the Audit” series on YouTube. They show actual police-citizen situations while commenting on the legality of the officers’ actions. They also present the involved state law. At the end of many videos they pres-
POTACZEK from page 31
Accept the gift You can choose to interpret this time of hibernation as a chance to get to know those you live with on a deeper level. Find out what you love about them, again and again. Instead of dwelling on the toothpaste blobs they leave in the sink, tell them how much you enjoy their laughter, or the way their eyes sparkle with glee in the presence of a hot fudge sundae. If you experience stress or conflict in your home, take ownership of your role in it. Is your response to others coming from a place of love, respect, and compassion?
ent a grade for each person involved. The makers of these videos highly recommend that citizens record police encounters. They also invite anyone to share their videos with Audit the Audit.
Robert Sullivan Oak Park
Enjoy nature You know, I’m a big fan. Nature has a way of healing and re-settling the soul. Go for a walk every day, especially on those cool autumn days. Be mindful of the changes all around you in this most colorful season. Take your cup of warm tea or spiked coffee and enjoy your apple crumble in the company of our most magnificent trees. They are unaware of the virus around us, and they have witnessed season after season of storms, wind, drought, floods and frost. And they continue to grow and thrive. This is the lesson they give to us, and this is the hope we all need to get through the coming months, together. Angie Potaczek, PC, is a therapist and mindfulness instructor at Thrive Counseling Center in Oak Park.
36
O B I T U A R I E S
Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
Ryan Masi, 25
Water polo champion, Fenwick grad Ryan Joseph Masi, 25, died tragically on Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021 in Chicago. Born on Aug. 10, 1996 in Oak Park to Grace and Christopher Masi, he attended Fenwick High School (’15) where he was an Illinois State Scholar, and a member of the Math Team and the National Honor Society. He was also a member of the swim team and had special talents in water polo, contributing to Fenwick’s state championship as a sophomore. As a senior, he served as captain of the team. He attended Johns Hopkins University (’19) in Baltimore, Maryland, where he majored in chemistry and played water polo, helping his team win the Division III national championship. A member of the Phi Kappa Psi fra-
ternity, he was on the Dean’s List at JHU. He cherished his friends from high school and college immensely. As a child, he was an effervescent character who loved playing football, reading, riding the ripstick, watching sports, spending time with his family, and witty banter. He was loving, bright, and had a unique perspective in approaching challenges. He worked as a Pharmaceutical Business Analyst at PharmaACE in Princeton, New Jersey. He loved his job and his colleagues commented on his enthusiasm, work ethic, and engaging personality. Ryan was the son of Grace and Christopher Masi and an amazing younger brother to Anthony and Faith. His grandparents are Alfonse and Nancy Masi and (the late) Harold and Muriel Olsen. He had 14 aunts and uncles along with his 14 cousins. There will be a public Celebration of Life in Chicago in the coming weeks. To honor Ryan, please direct gifts to the Fenwick High School Scholarship Fund, 505 Washington Blvd., Oak Park, IL 60302 and write on the memo line: In memory of Ryan Masi. Or go to https://www.fenwickfriars. com/institutional-advancement/make-a-
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gift/ and indicate in the comments section: In memory of Ryan Masi.
George Jorndt, 80
Former president of Triton College George Teel Jorndt, 80, died of pulmonary fibrosis on June 27, 2021, surrounded by his family. Born on Aug. 23, 1940, he was the eldest son of Louis and Margaret Jorndt. Growing up on Chicago’s North Side, he attended Jamieson Elementary School and Amundsen High School. Although severely burned in an accident in eighth grade, he recovered after six months of home care and went on to high school to earn athletic letters in football, track and swimming. He attended Northern Illinois University for a short time before dropping out and working as a mechanic at Nickey Chevro-
let, then enrolled at Illinois State University, earning his Bachelor of Science and Master of Science degrees. After teaching and coaching at Maine West High School for three years, he attended the University of Utah earning a PhD in Education. In 1969, he was hired at Triton College in Chicago’s western suburbs where he spent most of his professional life. He was an educator, coach, director of admissions and then president of Triton College from 1992 to his retirement in 2001. Tom Jorndt, his youngest brother, donated a kidney to him in 1991, 30 years ago. The kidney functioned perfectly throughout the remainder of his life. His life revolved around family and friends. He and his wife, Mary, were very socially active and energetic. He was respected and admired both professionally and within his wide circle of friends. George is survived by Mary, his wife of 55 years; his children, Doug, Gretchen and Bryan; and his brothers Dan and Tom. Donations may be made to: The Triton College Foundation 2000 Fifth Avenue River Grove, IL 60171
To run an obituary Please contact Ken Trainor by e-mail: ktrainor@wjinc.com, before Monday at noon. Please include a photo if possible.
Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
Growing Community Media
37
HOURS: 9:00 A.M.– 5:00 P.M. MON–FRI Deadline is Monday at 5:00 p.m.
BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 | BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG
HELP WANTED Forest Park Public Schools District 91
Village of Brookfield
School Bus Drivers Needed
Pay Rate is $26.60 per hour, 4 hours per day guaranteed, 4-5 days per week depending on school calendar.
Cadre Substitute Teacher
Provide a stimulating teaching-learning environment, making use of a variety of instructional tools and teaching aids to deliver rigorous, relevant curriculum, facilitate student participation, and opportunity for students’ mastery of learning standards in assigned classrooms. Qualifications: Professional Educator’s License registered in Region 6. SALARY & BENEFITS - Per FY2022 New Teacher Salary Placement Schedule. Benefits as provided for a new teacher.
Substitute Teacher
Starting rate of pay 110.00 per day.
Discover 20+ jobs available in Downtown Oak Park! Line cook, servers, sales, and more. Visit downtownoakpark.net/ job-listings for details.
SEAMSTRESS WANTED
Seamstress wanted to sew designer’s collection. Must be able to sew complete garment. Call Jeanine 708-899-8279 The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Health Education Manager in the Health Department. This position will take the lead on developing the community health needs assessment; develops health education programs and health awareness campaigns; implements and coordinates these programs/campaigns etc. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park.us/jobs. Position opened until filled. The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Customer Service Representative II in the Development Customer Service Department – Parking Division. This position provides customer service to the public by providing a variety of responsible customer service and receptionist work including high volume telephone traffic; and to perform the more complex customer service duties including but not limited to service requests, permits, parking passes, block party permits, accounts payable processing and vehicle stickers. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website at http://www. oak-park.us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. First review of applications is October 8, 2021. The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Budget and Revenue Analyst in the Development Customer Service Department. This position will Serve the public with professional administrative and analytical duties in the areas of budget preparation, purchasing, payroll, data analysis and process improvement. Provides, prepares and maintains records, and financial and statistical reports and analysis which assist
Imagine being a role model to children in the local community! If you are at your best in a child and student centered environment, when promoting learning and fun, are safety minded and you aim to make a difference in the lives of kids; please take the next step and apply to one of these exciting part-time roles in the Recreation and Police Departments:
• STARS Instructor, Before & After School Program ($11-$14 per hour) • Crossing Guard ($18 per hour) Apply through the Careers link on the Village of Brookfield homepage.
in the Village’s ability to improve business processes and gain efficiencies through better use of technology. Budget duties include assisting in the development, analysis and application of performance measures with regard to Village services and resources; preparing, modifying, tracking and monitoring Village expenses and transfers; and conducting budget-related research and analysis. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park. us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. First review of applications September 24, 2021. The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Environmental Health Supervisor in the Health Department. This position will direct, manage, supervise, and coordinate assigned activities with other Village departments, divisions, and outside agencies; and to provide highly responsible and complex administrative support to the Public Health Director. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http:// www.oak-park.us/jobs. Position opened until filled.
PART-TIME ELECTRICIAN’S HELPER
Must have own transportation. For more information
CALL 708-738-3848
The Forest Park Police Department, seeks a Part-Time Civilian Information Management Call Taker. Pay is $17.19/hr. Eligible candidates will be required to pass an aptitude test and an extensive background check. Qualifications include high school diploma (or equivalent), good verbal and written skills, working knowledge of the computer and Windows, ability to type accurately, a good working knowledge of the English language, the ability to treat customers and co-workers in a polite manner and the ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines. Data entry skills and experience answering telephones/operating a switchboard are preferred. EVENING AND OVERNIGHT HOURS ARE MANDATORY. Open until filled. Applications are available at Village Hall, 517 Desplaines Ave. and should be returned Attn: Vanessa Moritz, Village Clerk, Village of Forest Park, 517 Des Plaines Avenue, Forest Park, IL 60130. Email: vmoritz@forestpark.net.
PAID-ON-CALL FIREFIGHTER Job Title: Paid-on-Call Firefighter Description: The Village of Riverside Fire Department is seeking applicants for the position of Paidon-Call Firefighter. Additional Status Information: This is not a full-time position. Qualifications: - In good physical condition - Reside within 1.5 miles of the boundaries of the Village of Riverside at time of appointment - Be 18 years of age at the time of application - Possess a high school diploma or GED - Possess a valid driver’s license with a good driving record Miscellaneous Applications are reviewed in October 2021. Application deadline is Friday, October 8th, 2021. The Village of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
VILLAGE OF RIVERSIDE SEASONAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
The Riverside Department of Public Works is seeking energetic and motivated applicants who enjoy working outdoors. This is a parttime, seasonal position lasting from approximately October through the end of December. Applicants will be expected to work up to 40 hrs. per week or as scheduled by staff. Primary tasks will include, but not limited to: cutting grass, general facilities maintenance, flushing hydrants, reading meters, assisting full-time employees, and other duties as assigned. Applicants must be 18 years old, possess a valid Illinois driver’s license and high school diploma or equivalent. Applicants will be subject to a criminal background check, pre-employment physical and drug/ alcohol screening. Applications can be downloaded from the Village website at www. riverside.il.us or picked up at the Riverside Village Hall located at 27 Riverside Rd, Riverside, IL 60546. Completed applications should be submitted to the Riverside Village Hall or the Riverside Public Works Department, 3860 Columbus Blvd, Riverside, IL 60546. Applications will be accepted until all positions are filled. Pay rate is $15/hr.
HELP WANTED
The Village of Oak Park is seeking qualified candidates for the position of Budget and Revenue Analyst in the Development Customer Service Department. This position will Serve the public with professional administrative and analytical duties in the areas of budget preparation, purchasing, payroll, data analysis and process improvement. Provides, prepares and maintains records, and financial and statistical reports and analysis which assist in the Village’s ability to improve business processes and gain efficiencies through better use of technology. Budget duties include assisting in the development, analysis and application of performance measures with regard to Village services and resources; preparing, modifying, tracking and monitoring Village expenses and transfers; and conducting budget-related research and analysis. Applicants are encouraged to visit the Village of Oak Park’s website http://www.oak-park. us/jobs. Interested and qualified applicants must complete a Village of Oak Park application. First review of applications September 24, 2021.
Illinois Classified Advertising Network WANTED
FREON WANTED: We pay $$$ for cylinders and cans. R12 R500 R11 R113 R114. Convenient. Certified Professionals. Call 312-291-9169 or visit RefrigerantFinders.com
The Village of Riverside is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Hire Local.
Place an ad on GCM Classified’s Local Online Job Board. Go to OakPark.com/classified today!
local employees . . . happy employees!
Contact Stacy Coleman for more information. (708) 613-3342
scoleman@growingcommunitymedia.org
In print • Online • Available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year OakPark.com | AustinWeeklyNews.com | RBLandmark.com | ForestParkReview.com | PublicNoticeIllinois.com
38
Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
CLASSIFIED
BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG
MARKETPLACE RUMMAGE SALE La Grange Park RUMMAGE SALE VILLAGE CHURCH OF LA GRANGE PARK 1150 MEADWOCREST SATURDAY 10/2 9AM TO 3PM $5 Bag Sale at 2pm Furniture, Clothing & Jewelry
YARD SALE Oak Park FREE RUMMAGE SALE JUDSON BAPTIST CHURCH 1252 N AUSTIN AVE SATURDAY OCTOBER 2 11AM-2PM Small home appliances, clothing, furniture, and more! Everything is free! Event will take place outside in church parking lot.
GARAGE SALE Maywood GARAGE/ESTATE SALE 1014 N 2nd Ave (near Chicago Ave & 1st Ave) SATURDAY 10/02 9AM TO 3PM Two estates + our own accumulation of 45 years! VINTAGE clothes, hats, furs, purses, as well as furniture, lots of china and other decor (e.g., Belleek, Limoges, cobalt blue), collectibles, sets of dishes, sterling flatware for 12, crocks and jugs, and many other household items. Large FREE section, too. Cash, Credit/ Debit, Venmo, CashApp accepted (no checks).
GARAGE SALE Forest Park GARAGE SALE 142-146 ROCKFORD AVE SATURDAY OCT 2 9:30AM-2:30PM Brand new ladies clothes (medlarge), brand new ladies scrubs (large), sport shirts and hats, designer purses, boots, sandals, gym shoes (new/ lightly used size 6.5-8; computer accessories; high-end kitchen accessories; red Le Creuset cookware and serving dishes.
WANTED TO BUY WANTED MILITARY ITEMS: Helmets, medals, patches, uniforms, weapons, flags, photos, paperwork, Also toy soldiers – lead, plastic – other misc. toys. Call Uncle Gary 708-522-3400
ITEMS FOR SALE PIANO FOR SALE
Chickering 1938 grand piano, 5’4”. Good condition. Refurbished and restrung in the past. Buyer must move. Reasonable at $1000.
Call 312-339-2370
R E N TA L S & R E A L E S TAT E CARS WANTED
SUBURBAN RENTALS 2BR APT 2BR, 1BTH apartment for rent. Hardwood floors. Renovated and freshly painted. Small, vintage building. No smoking. No pets. $1500/ mo, utilities included.
CLASSICS WANTED CLASSICS Restored or Restored or Unrestored Unrestored Cars & Vintage Motorcycles Cars & Vintage Motorcycles Domestic / Import Import Cars: Cars:
Mercedes, Corvette, Mercedes,Porsche, Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari’s, MuscleCars, Cars, Ferrari’s,Jaguars, Jaguars, Muscle Mustang && Mopars Mopars Mustang Top $$ Etc. $$$$Top $$allallmakes, makes, Etc.
Collector James Collector James 630-201-8122 630-201-8122
CLASSICS WANTED Restored or Unrestored Cars & Vintage Motorcycles Domestic / Import Cars:
$$ Top $$ all makes, Etc.
A&A ELECTRIC
Let an American Veteran do your work
We install plugs for battery-operated vehicles We fix any electrical problem and do small jobs We install Surge Protectors • Home Re-wiring • New Plugs & Switches Added • New circuit breaker boxes • Code violations corrected Service upgrades,100-200 amp • Garage & A/C lines installed Fast Emergency Service | Residential • Commercial • Industrial Free Home Evaluations | Lic. • Bonded • Ins. • Low Rates • Free Est.
708-409-0988 • 708-738-3848 Sr. Discounts • 30 Yrs. Exp. Servicing Oak Park • All surrounding suburbs • Chicago area
FLOORS KLIS FLOORING INC.
New hardwood flooring installation & pergo. Sanding, re-finishing, staining. Low prices, insured. Call: 773-671-4996 www.klisflooring.com
HANDYMAN Mike’s Home Repair Drywall H Painting H Tile Plumbing H Electric H Floors Windows H Doors H Siding Ask Us What We Don’t Do
708-296-2060
HANDYMAN CURT'S HANDYMAN SERVICE Drywall Repair • Painting Fans Installed • Carpentry Trim Gutter Cleaning • Window Repair
FREE ESTIMATES Excellent References No Job Too Small
708-488-9411
HANDYMAN Roofing Repairs Concrete Repairs • Drywall All types of handiwork Call For Free Estimates
773-637-0692 Ask for John
HAULING
PLASTERING
BASEMENT CLEANING
McNulty Plastering & Stucco Co.
Appliances & Furniture Removal Pickup & Delivery. 708-848-9404
LANDSCAPING BRUCE LAWN SERVICE Spring Clean-Up Aerating, Slit Seeding Bush Trimming, Lawn Maintenance brucelawns.com
708-386-7355
MMpropMgmt.com
Large Sunny Room with fridge, microwave. Near Green line, bus, Oak Park, 24 hour desk, parking lot. $125.00. New Mgmt. 312-212-1212
A HUD subsidized affordable Apartment property announces the opening of its waiting list for both One and Two Bedroom Apartments! Resident rent is approximately 30% of gross household income, some restrictions apply. Our property is located on Washington Blvd in Chicago’s Austin neighborhood. Apartments offered with an occupancy of one to four persons. Properties feature modern kitchens, include appliances, and offer onsite maintenance. Austin Renaissance will accept requests for application packages by U.S. Mail postmarked no later than , September 15, 2021. Send or email a written request for an application package that includes your name, mailing address. Daytime telephone number, Email address, and the number of persons in your household to: Town Center Realty Group LLC, PO Box 64, Huntley IL 60142-0064 or Email requests to mrpaul.tcrg@gmail.com Application packages available by mail or email delivery only. No walk-ins accepted.
OFFICE /RETAIL FOR RENT RIVER FOREST–7777 Lake St. * 1116 sq. ft. * 1400 sq. ft. Dental Office RIVER FOREST–7756 Madison St. * 960 sq. ft. OAK PARK–6142-44 Roosevelt Rd. * 3 & 5 room office suites FOREST PARK–7736 Madison St. *2500 sq. ft. unit Strand & & Browne Strand Browne 708-488-0011 708-488-0011
CHURCH FOR RENT
708-243-0571
NEIGHBORHOOD CLEAN UP
Evergreen trimming & more. Clean-ups. Garden weed removal. Storm Branch Tree Removal.
708-447-1762
PAINTING & DECORATING CLASSIC PAINTING
Fast & Neat Painting/Taping/Plaster Repair Low Cost
708.749.0011
Small & big work. Free estimates. Complete Plaster, Stucco & Re-Coating Services
708/386-2951 • ANYTIME Work Guaranteed
Licensed, Bonded, Insured, & EPA Certified Expert craftsmanship for over 50 years
PLUMBING Supreme Plumbing & Sewer Services Installation: kitchens, baths, showers •Sewer Systems Piping Clogged drains •Water heaters
100% Satisfaction Guaranteed Quality workmanship & service 20+ years’ experience Locally owned & operated
Free Estimates!
708-955-7844
johnlavin530@gmail.com License #PR-1234
OAK PARK & FOREST PARK
CITY RENTALS
HOME SERVICES630-201-8122
Ceiling Fans Installed
Best Selection & Service
ROOMS FOR RENT
Collector James
ELECTRICAL
STUDIOS, 1, 2 & 3 BR
708-657-4226
Mercedes, Porsche, Corvette, Ferrari’s, Jaguars, Muscle Cars, Mustang & Mopars
ELECTRICAL
SUBURBAN RENTALS
Public Notice: Your right to know • In print • Online • Available to you 24/7/365
PublicNoticeIllinois.com
Reach the people making the decisions. Place an ad in GCM Classified! Call 773/626-6332
AUSTIN RENAISSANCE APARTMENTS
Town Center Realty Group LLC
PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
LEGAL NOTICE FOREST PARK PUBLIC LIBRARY ADVERTISEMENT FOR BIDS Lump sum sealed bids will be received by the Board of Library Trustees of the Village of Forest Park for Exterior Improvements at the Forest Park Public Library, 7555 Jackson Boulevard, Forest Park, IL 60130. Sealed bids will be received on or before, but not after 2:00 PM Wednesday, October 6, 2021 at the Forest Park Public Library, 7555 Jackson Boulevard, Forest Park, IL 60130. Bids received after that time will not be considered. All Bids shall be addressed and delivered to the circulation desk immediately inside the entrance to the building on or before the time set forth above. Sealed envelopes or packages containing the Bid Forms shall be transmitted to the attention of the “Library Director” and shall be marked or endorsed with the title of the Bid (“Sealed Bid for Forest Park Public Library Exterior Improvements”) and the Bidder’s full legal name. The bids will be publicly opened and read aloud in the main floor meeting room at 2:00 PM on Wednesday, October 6, 2021. Bids shall be submitted in the form and manner contained in the Bidding Requirements. Contractors may obtain copies of the Bidding Documents from any BHFX Digital Imaging location beginning Wednesday, September 22. Please contact BHFX at (847) 593-3161 to obtain a set of Bidding Documents or visit their Plan Room online at www.bhfxplanroom.com. Bidding Documents may be downloaded from the BHFX online Plan Room at no charge to bidders. Bidders shall be responsible for the costs of reproduction of printed copies.
Each bid must be accompanied by a bid bond or a cashier’s check in the amount of 10% of the total bid, made payable to Forest Park Public Library, as a guarantee that the successful bidder will promptly execute a satisfactory contract, will furnish a satisfactory performance bond and payment bond and proceed with the work. Upon failure to do so, the bidder shall forfeit the amount deposited as liquidated damages and no mistakes, errors, exclusions, or omissions on the part of the bidder shall excuse the bidder or entitle the bidder to a return of the aforementioned amount. No bid will be considered unless the bidder shall furnish evidence
satisfactory to the Board of Trustees that the bidder has the necessary facilities, abilities, experience, equipment, financial and physical resources available to fulfill the conditions of the Contract and execute the work, should the Contract be awarded such bidder. Bidders will examine the plans and specifications and the location in which said work is to be done and judge for themselves all the circumstances and surrounding known and reasonably foreseen conditions affecting the cost and nature of the work, and all bids will be presumed to be based on such examination, familiarity and judgment.
Questions about the bid documents should be submitted, in writing, to Andy Dogan, Williams Architects at ardogan@williamsarchitects.com. Responses to questions submitted by bidders during the bidding period shall be in the form of written addendum to all plan holders of record. Questions will not be accepted after Friday, October 1. The successful bidder shall be required to provide a Performance Bond and a Material and Labor Payment Bond in the amount of 100% of the Contract Amount, as well as liability and property insurance as required by the Bidding Requirements before commencing work. The successful bidder shall enter into a formal contract based on the conditions and requirements in the Bidding Requirements and the Bidding Requirements will be incorporated into the Contract. Not less than the prevailing wage shall be paid for labor on the work to be done as required by law. The Forest Park Public Library is tax exempt.
The successful bidder will be required to comply with the provisions of all State of Illinois and federal laws concerning public works projects as well as the State of Illinois Human Rights Act and the regulations of the Illinois Human Rights Commission.
The Board of Trustees reserves the right to reject any and all bids, and to waive any technicalities and irregularities in the bidding and to hold the bid proposals for a period of ninety (90) days from the date of opening set forth above.
Published in Forest Park Review September 22, 29, 2021
Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
CLASSIFIED
39
BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG
Let the sun shine in...
Public Notice: Your right to know
In print • Online • Available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year OakPark.com | PublicNoticeIllinois.com PUBLIC NOTICES
PUBLIC NOTICES
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NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING
PUBLIC NOTICE OF INTENT TO REQUEST RELEASE OF FUNDS On October 7, 2021 the Village of Oak Park (Village) will request the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to release federal funds under Title I of the Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 (PL 93383), as amended, for various activities pursuant to the Program Year (PY) 2021 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program.
onecpd.info/environmental-review/ environmental-review-records Any individual, group, or agency may submit written comments on the ERR to the Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 or via: email at grants@oakpark.us All comments received by October 6, 2021 will be considered by the Village of Oak Park prior to authorizing submission of a request for release of funds.
The following activities will take place within the Village of Oak Park, Illinois at a total cost of $1,619,471: Lead Hazard Reduction $99,150; Single Family Rehab Loan Program (revolving loan fund) $175,000; Small Rental Rehab Program $90,950; ADA sidewalk Improvements $365,609; Street/ Sidewalk Ramp Improvements $400,000; Water Line Lead Improvements $50,000; Alley Improvements $400,000 and Public Facilities Improvements $38,862: $33,000 to UCP Sequin’s $36,750 “You Hold the Key” project which includes: Replacing a portion of the vinyl siding, repairing the foundation, shoring up the front porch roof line, and constructing a new porch with treated lumber and synthetic decking at 1045 Highland, Oak Park, IL and $5862 to Way Back Inn’s $7328 “Window Replacement” project which includes replacing 14 windows and screens at the Oak Park Grateful House Recover Home at 412 S. Wesley, Oak Park, IL.
The Village of Oak Park will undertake the activities described above with grant funds from HUD, under PL 93-383. The Village of Oak Park and Lisa Shelley, in her official capacity as Interim Village Manager, and Tammie Grossman, in her official capacity as Development Customer Services Director, consent to accept the jurisdiction of the Federal courts if an action is brought to enforce responsibilities in relation to environmental reviews, decisionmaking, and action, and that these responsibilities have been satisfied. The legal effect of the certification is that upon its approval, the Village may use the grant funds, and HUD will have satisfied its responsibilities under the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.
An Environmental Review Record covering CDBG programs has been made by the Village, which documents the environmental review of the activities. This Environmental Review Record (ERR) is on file at the Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 and is available for public examination and copying upon request from September 30, 2021 to October 6, 2021, 5 p.m. The ERR is also available on the HUD Environmental Review Online System (HEROS) at: https://www.
HUD will accept objections to its release of funds and the Village of Oak Park’s certification for a period of fifteen days following the anticipated submission date or its actual receipt of the request (whichever is later) only if they are on one of the following bases: (a) the certification was not executed by the Certifying Officer of the Village of Oak Park; (b) the Village of Oak Park has omitted a step or failed to make a decision or finding required by HUD regulations at 24 CFR part 58; (c) the grant recipient or other participants in the development process have committed funds, incurred costs or undertaken activities not authorized by 24 CFR Part 58 before approval of a release of funds by HUD; or (d) another Federal agency acting
pursuant to 40 CFR Part 1504 has submitted a written finding that the project is unsatisfactory from the standpoint of environmental quality. Objections must be prepared and submitted in accordance with the required procedures (24 CFR Part 58, Sec. 58.76) and shall be addressed to HUD at 77 West Jackson Blvd., Chicago, Illinois 60604. No objection received after 5 p.m., October 22, 2021 will be considered by HUD. Notice is also given that CDBG Tier 1 Broad (non-site specific) Environmental Reviews were conducted for the following proposed projects - Village of Oak Park Public Works Infrastructure construction projects (4) that will: 1) make Sidewalk 2) make Sidewalk Ramp Improvements to improve the mobility of persons with disabilities and Street Improvements in low and moderate income (LMI) areas to replace deteriorated infrastructure; 3) make Alley Improvements in LMI areas to replace deteriorated infrastructure; and 4) make Water Main service line improvements to eliminate water main lead-based paint hazards. Further Tier 1 Broad Review projects - Village of Oak Park Housing Programs projects (3) that will: 1) reduce lead-based paint hazards for LMI homeowners; 2) rehabilitate single-family homes for LMI homeowners; and 3) rehab rental-buildings with 1-7 units to primarily benefit and improve affordability for LMI renters. The specific locations within the Village of Oak Park are not yet determined for the above proposed Tiered Activities. Tier 2 Site Specific Reviews will be completed (which include laws and authorities not addressed within the Tier 1 Broad Reviews) for each individual address under the Oak Park CDBG program when addresses become known.
A public hearing before the Preservation Commission of the Village of Riverside will be held on Thursday, October 14, 2021, at 6:30 p.m. in Room 4 of the Riverside Township Hall, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois, to consider the following application: Application No. LL-21-001 by Patrick Smith-Ray for the building on the property commonly known as 214 Scottswood Road, Riverside, Illinois, Permanent Tax ID Numbers 15-35-417-024-0000 and 15-35-417030-0000, to designate the aforementioned as a Local Landmark building for: Criterion 1: Has significant historical and architectural value as one of only two remaining structures of the Rice family estate. Was one of three houses built near the Rice mansion at the back of the property after John Asaph Rice died in 1888 and near the time of Margaret Van Slyke (Culver) Rice’s death in 1890. The three houses were purportedly part of their three children’s (Wallace deGroot Cecil Rice, Margaret Sherman Rice, and Lewis Anson Rice) inheritance after the mansion was sold and the lots were subdivided. Wallace deGroot Cecil Rice owned this structure. Criterion 2: Is associated with the Rice Family; principally John Asaph Rice and Wallace deGroot Cecil Rice. The Rice family built a mansion and moved to Riverside between 1870 and 1872. The patriarch of the family was John Asaph Rice (1829- 1888), who was a prominent hotelier and business man in Chicago. He owned and managed some of Chicago’s grandest hotels; namely the Sherman House, Grand Pacific and Tremont House hotels. He also served as a Riverside Village Trustee and collected rare books on Americana and maintained, in his Riverside mansion, one of the greatest private libraries in the United States. Wallace deGroot Cecil Rice (1859 -1939) a well know lawyer, journalist, author, and Art Institute of Chicago lecturer on flag design. He designed the Chicago Municipal flag, as well as the Illinois Centennial flag. Chicago’s flag is one of the most popular and widely-recognized city flags in the country. After practicing law for a few years, he pursued his literary career. He began as a newspaper reporter, but later became a drama and book critic. He worked for most of the Chicago newspapers of his day including the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Herald American. He was the author, co-author, editor, or compiler of more than 90 books and pamphlets. He wrote plays, historical pageants, special histories, poetry, hymns, songs, and ballads. One of his most recognized works is the book “Infidels and Heretics: An Agnostic’s Anthology” on which he collaborated with Clarence Darrow to compile.
Criterion 4: Is representative of Shingle Style architecture. With its large irregular gabled facade; stone foundation and all shingle siding; horizontal banding and dentils to delineate the confluence of the first and second floors; and jettied second floor that covers a large off center porch. Front door, screen door, and windows are all original. Criterion 5: Is a familiar visual feature in the First Division. This is due to its location on the block and proximity to a large triangle park across the street. Scottswood Road makes a gentle bend from the Southwest to the Northeast through the First Division. Whether traveling on foot, bicycle, or by automobile this gives the effect of seeing the structure emerge from the trees and landscaping, as the other nearby structures appear to be set back, making it a wellknown feature for nearly 130 years. The same effect is witnessed when traveling in both directions on Scottswood Road. Criterion 6: Is identified with other similar structures in its immediate surroundings as well as throughout the village. Is an excellent example of the late Victorian Shingle Style. To the South; although not part of the original Rice Estate, 222 Scottswood built in 1900 is of Shingle Style influence. To the North; 194 Millbridge built in 1890 is the only other surviving Rice Estate structure and represents another interpretation of the Shingle Style. On the other side of 194 is 186 Millbridge. Though modified to be a residence, this is the second coach house for the Rice mansion. The original barn was torn down by Thomas Blanyne in 1897 and replaced by the current structure shortly after he purchased the mansion from the Rice Family. Sharing a backyard border with 214 Scottswood is 201 Scottswood also known by its historic name; Trowbridge Residence. Trowbridge, built in 1870, is Riverside Landmarked structure #24. The above application is available for inspection at the office of the Village Clerk, 27 Riverside Road, Riverside, Illinois 60546. Persons wishing to appear at such hearing may do so in person or by attorney or other representative and may speak for or against the requested landmark designation. Communications in writing in relation thereto may be filed with the Preservation Commission, or at such hearing. Dated this 29th day of September, 2021. Jessica Francis Village Manager
Published in RB Landmark September 29, 2021
PUBLIC NOTICE OF COURT DATE FOR REQUEST FOR NAME CHANGE
Lisa Shelley, Interim Village Manager, and Tammie Grossman, Development Customer Services Director, Certifying Officers
STATE OF ILLINOIS, CIRCUIT COURT COOK COUNTY.
Published in Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
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Request of Panipak Bumrungkwaen Case Number 2021CONC000986 . There will be a court date on my Request to change my name from: Panipak Bumrungkwaen to the new name of: Modear Bumrungkwaen LeClair The court date will be held: On November 18 at 10:30am at 50 W Washington St, Chicago, Cook County in Courtroom # 1707 Published in the Wednesday Journal September 29, October 6, 13, 2021
PUBLIC NOTICES LEGAL NOTICE STATE OF ILLINOIS) COUNTY OF COOK )ss Circuit Court of Cook County, County Department, Domestic Relations Division. In re the marriage of Arturo Montalvo Muro, Petitioner and Arcelli Landeros Sanchez, Respondent, Case No. 2021D006937. The requisite affidavit for publication having been filed, notice is hereby given to you, the above named Respondent, that a Petition has been filed in the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, by the Petitioner, for Dissolution of Marriage and for other relief; and that said suit is now pending. Now, therefore, unless you, the said Respondent, file your response to said Petition or otherwise make your appearance therein, in the Office of the Clerk of the Circuit Court of Cook County, Illinois, Room 802, Richard J. Daley Center, 50 West Washington Street, in the City of Chicago, Illinois, on or before October 26, 2021, default may be entered against you at any time after that day, and a judgment for Dissolution of Marriage entered in accordance with the prayer of said Petition. DOROTHY A. BROWN, Clerk. Published in Wednesday Journal September 22, 29, October 6 2021
STATE OF ILLINOIS COUNTY OF COOK VILLAGE OF NORTH RIVERSIDE Notice Of A Public Hearing By The Joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board Of Appeals Of The Village Of North Riverside Notice is hereby given that a Public Hearing will be held by the joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals of the Village of North Riverside on Thursday, October 14, 2021 at 6:00 P.M., in the Village Commons, 2401 S. Desplaines Avenue, North Riverside, Illinois. At such time and place, the Joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals will consider a request to approve a child care facility as a Conditional Permitted Use in a B1 Retail Business District under Title 17 Attachment A of the North Riverside Zoning Ordinance. Applicant: Claudia Alvarez 8709 W. Cermak Road North Riverside, IL 60546 All persons desiring to appear and be heard for or against said petitions may attend the Public Hearing. Village of North Riverside Pat Ferriter, Chairman of the joint Plan Commission/Zoning Board of Appeals Published in the RB Landmark September 29, 2021
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Wednesday Journal, September 29, 2021
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