Wednesday Journal 101823

W E D N E S D A Y

October 18, 2023 Vol. 44, No. 16

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JOURNAL @oakpark

of Oak Park and River Forest

River Forest teen honored at the White House Page 12

Pencils down: An educator’s guide to career change

Former CPS principal Micheal Beyer offers advice on how teachers can transition to new jobs

By JESSICA MACKINNON Contributing Reporter

According to a February 2022 Gallup poll, K-12 school staff suffer higher burnout rates (44%) than any other segment of the U.S. labor force. In addition, a 2022 National Education Association survey indicated that 55% of educators were considering leaving the profession earlier than planned, a figure nearly double the percentage of teachers who indicated the same in July 2020.

What is causing this phenomenon?

Michael Beyer has personal experience with this alarming trend — and he not only has suggestions for improving the education sector, but he also offers educators an essential guide for transitioning out of it. Beyer, a former Chicago Public Schools principal with more than 20 years as an educator, has co-written a book with Nallely Suarez Gass, a career coach and

Convening Coven Witchery ditchery in Scoville Park this Saturday STORY BY DELANEY NELSON, PAGE 9

See BEYER on page 10

Your

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Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

28th Anniversary Special

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$28 pre-fixe 3 course dinner October 24 - 26th Reservations recommended. Go to our website to make yours today!

814 North Boulevard • 708-848-3434 • www.cucinaoakpark.com Bringing Family Generations Together to Explore Aging through Film Wondering how to talk to your adult children or younger relatives about aging and your wishes for later life? Finding it difficult to discuss later life issues with your parents or older family members?

Join us for a fun and dynamic program using film to start family conversations between generations.

Michael D. Costello, Artistic Director

Concordia University Chicago (CUC) Center for Gerontology and Terra Nova Films invites older Family owned and operated since 1995 and younger adult relatives to 3-session film discussion series on Mondays, Oct 30, Nov 6, and Nov 13, 6:00 pm at CUC in River Forest.

Together the group will view and discuss films October 21, 7:30 p.m. with various perceptions and attitudes on aging and later life issues. Please include at least two October 22, 3:00 p.m. generations per registration.

Concerts at Grace Lutheran Church 7300 Division Street, River Forest

Chicago Tickets at www.ChicagoChoralArtists.org, 773.658.9799 or at the door.

Choral $45 Adult, $35 Senior, $20 Student with ID Artists Free for children 12 and under with paying adult

ed since 1995

Questions? contact lisa.peters-beumer@cuchicago.edu

Register online: CUCGenerations.eventbrite.com Register by phone, call Terra Nova Films: (773) 881-8491 This program is made possible by the generous support of the Russel & Josephine Kott Memorial Charitable Trust

Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

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ART BEAT

The Oriana Singers and City Voices team up for Monteverdi’s Vespers

Using period instruments makes this concert unusual

By KELLY POLLOCK Contributing Reporter

On Saturday, Oct. 28, and Sunday, Oct. 29, The Oriana Singers and City Voices will perform Claudio Monteverdi’s Vespers, written in 1610 and considered a masterpiece of the early Baroque period.

The Oriana Singers, founded in 1979 by artistic director Bill Chin, is a professional a cappella group of six singers (eight for this concert). They will be joined by City Voices, which is an Oak Park-based amateur community chorus of 30 people started in 2009. In addition, the two groups will be accompanied by a 12-piece chamber orchestra of period instruments.

The Oriana Singers

PROVIDED

City Voices “This piece is something I’ve wanted to do pretty much since The Oriana Singers began almost 45 years ago, but I haven’t had the opportunity until now. It’s a very big project involving soloists [The Oriana Singers], a chorus [City Voices], and instruments from the 1600’s that require specialized players. Some parts call for very fast singing and some parts call for a big sound. Everything together will have more impact, more grandeur,” Chin said.

Including period instruments makes this concert unusual. “There will be sackbuts, which are earlier versions of the modern trombone and cornetts, which are a cross between a brass instrument and a woodwind instrument and sound like a gentle, muted trumpet,” said Chin. The concert will also include a theorbo, which is like a lute with an extremely long neck that allows for low notes.

Violins and other stringed instruments, recorders, and a chamber organ will round COURTESY OF BETH ALBRECHT/ORIANA.ORG out the sound.

“Monteverdi was an opera

composer as well as a writer of sacred music so he knew how to write expressively. It really comes through in the music. It’s rhythmic and exciting with a lot of musical color,” Chin said.

The two concerts are being performed in two different locations and will have slightly different sounds. “First United has multiple balconies and gives us the opportunity to find different positions for music-making. It will make the echoes even more resonant,” said Matthew Dean ,who lives in Oak Park and has been with The Oriana Singers since 2005.

“And St. Josaphat is a slightly larger church with a lot of reverberation. It’s more like a cathedral,” Chin said.

Becki Streit, an Oak Park resident who has sung with City Voices since its beginning, said she is excited to see the audience’s reaction.

“It’s one of the best things about singing — to see their reaction while you’re performing music that they’re not familiar with. There’s a moment when you’re performing something, and you nail it that you can just feel the energy from the people around you. There’s just no experience like that.”

The concerts promise to be memorable experiences.

“Bill is so devoted to the music of the early 17th century. I think it will be special for the audience to hear his 2023 take on the 1610 Vespers,” Dean said.

The Oct. 28 concert is at 8 p.m. at First United Church of Oak Park at 848 Lake St. The Oct. 29 concert is at 4 p.m. at St. Josaphat Parish at 2311 N. Southport Ave. in Chicago.

Tickets are $35 general admission, $30 for seniors 65 and over, and free for students 22 and under. They can be purchased at www.oriana.org.

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Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

BIG WEEK

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

ANNIE & ROD CAPPS

Civility — Political DIscussion Thursday, Oct. 19, 6:30 p.m., Friendly Tap The League Of Women Voters In Oak Park & River Forest is hosting an event discussing how the partisian divide can be bridged. Moderated by Chuck Stone, a Braver Angels State coordinator from Illinois. 6733 Roosevelt Road, Berwyn.

October 18-25

Folk Music Series Performance: Annie & Rod Capps Monday, Oct. 23, 7-8 p.m., Oak Park Public Library, Main Library Annie and Rod Capps are a Michigan folk duo whose sound simultaneously hints at bluegrass, jazz and rock. Register now at oppl.org/calendar. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

The Meaning Of Darkness: How Light At Night Has Transformed Our World Monday, Oct. 23, 1:15-2:15 p.m., Nineteenth Century Charitable Organization Ken Walczak of the Adler Planetarium will examine the impact of altering the day/night cycle on our health, safety, ecology, environment and future. 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park.

Financial Aid Process Presentation Tuesday, Oct. 24, 6:30-8 p.m., Oak Park Public Library, Main Library This session is devoted to the ins and outs of financial aid - how it works, how to apply for it, student eligibility, and how it can help pay for college.

Available in English and Spanish. Register now at oppl.org/calendar. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

Submit Your Photos for Day of the Dead Community Ofrenda Through Nov. 11, Oak Park Public Library, Main Library The public is invited to share images of loved ones who have passed away to be included in this year’s Dia de Muertos/Day of the Dead community ofrenda (altar and offering). An ofrenda will be built and on display from October 20 through November 4 in the Idea Box. Submit your photos at oppl.org/share through Oct. 31. 834 Lake St., Oak Park.

Sam Miller, featuring Laura Hugg Thursday, Oct. 19, 7:30 p.m., Madison Street Theater Sam Miller is a standup comedian who has been clean and sober for 14 years. Laura Hugg is a “famously vegan” comic herself. Together these two monologuists will joke about their experiences. 1010 Madison St., Oak Park.

Listing your event Wednesday Journal welcomes notices about events that Oak Park and River Forest groups and businesses are planning. We’ll work to get the word out if you let us know what’s happening by noon Wednesday a week before your news needs to be in the newspaper.

■ Send details to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, 60302 ■ Email calendar@wjinc.com

Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

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Oak Park President Vicki Scaman, Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson and River Forest President Cathy Adduci spearheaded the Cross-Community Climate Collaborative (C4).

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By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter

The efforts of Oak Park President Vicki Scaman, River Forest President Cathy Adduci and Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson to create the Cross Communities Climate Collaborative were recognized with the West Central Municipal Conference’s Greentelligence Award at the organization’s annual dinner last month.

Spearheaded by Scaman, Adduci and Thompson, the initiative, known as C4, was created in June 2022 by officials from 12 west suburban municipalities. It is designed to bring together Black, indigenous and people of color and non-minority communities across income lines to share ideas, secure resources and drive large-

scale projects within and across communities that achieve agreed upon greenhouse gas emissions reductions, equity and sustainability goals. Membership has since grown to 14 communities.

The C4 initiative is supported by two environmental consultants — Gary-based Urban Efficiency Group and Oak Park-based Seven Generations Ahead — that provide a range of services for participating suburbs.

Created by the municipal conference’s staff in 2008, the Greentelligence Award is the “regional recognition of paramount leadership in facilitating our environmental quality of life,” officials said in a press release, citing the “environmental excellence” of Scaman, Adduci and Thompson in presenting the award.

“The mayors, along with the village trustees and village managers, have demonstrated both creativity and practicality relative to environmental challenges, approaches and solutions,” officials said in See CLIMATE on page 11

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Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

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1978, Congress passed a bill known as and where they live. the Middle-Income Student Assistance Despite this shrinking return on a Act. All undergraduates, regardless of I also was lucky enough to have college investment, the driving forces income, were eligible for subsidized parents help pay for my college tuition. behind college enrollment remain However, I went to a private school with loans, and middle-income students powerful. In fact, CNBC reports were eligible for Pell Grants. more expensive tuition so I needed that a college education is coming to take out a loan every year. But my increasingly to be seen as a baseline More and more students started private tuition cost was not nearly the necessity for a competitive role in applying for financial aid. Knowing that price tag that private tuition is today. today’s economy. It is estimated that by students would get this financial-aid Thankfully, I did not graduate with the 2027, 70% of all jobs will require more money, the universities started to raise back-breaking load of debt that many than a high school diploma. By contrast their price tags and take advantage of college graduates have today. Why is in the 1970s, 72% of jobs only required this available funding. Also, starting in college tuition so much more expensive a high school diploma. This means that 1978, many state governments began today than it was in the early 1980s? the majority of jobs will require some to cut operating support for higher education or certification beyond a high education and let colleges replace the In 1980, the average price to attend a school diploma. lost revenue with tuition hikes. four-year college full-time was $10,231 his school year will be the last time my husband Mike and I will make a college tuition payment.

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There is some good news. Tuition cost increases have slowed in the last two years. Tuition and fees rose less than one percent from September 2019 to July 2021, a period during which inflation was more than seven percent. For the first time, colleges are worried about consumers’ willingness to pay. Annual education borrowing also declined in 2021-22, falling for the 11th consecutive year. Plus, more than 20 schools now have “no-loan” policies, which means they will meet 100% of the undergraduate’s need for financial aid — without education debt. There are employers who are making student loan repayment an employee benefit like healthcare.

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Oak Park Village Board delays decision on ranked-choice voting Joshua Klayman, gave a presentation in Waiting for information from support of the voting system at the board’s Oct. 10 meeting, where the lengthy draft a report due this summer referendum was discussed. Klayman argued that the village board, given its previous discussion and research into the matter, are better educated on ranked-choice voting than the state and would not glean The Oak Park village board has opted to wait for a state taskforce report on much from the state taskforce’s report.

If the referendum had made it onto the ranked-choice voting rather than moving forward with putting a village govern- March 19 ballot, the village’s first election ment referendum on the March 19 prima- using RCV would have been April 2025 – the same ballot that Evanston voters will ry election ballot. see ranked-choice voting for the first time.

The move went against the wishes of local community group VOICE Oak Park, Last November, Evanston voters passed a the Oak Park and River Forest faction referendum to implement the system for of the League of Women’s Voters, and mayor, city council and city clerk. In waiting for the state taskforce reFairVote Illinois, a volunport, the 2027 village trustee teer advocacy organization. election is the next soonest They want the village to imopportunity to vote using RCV plement the voting system. for Oak Park. Neither Straw Trustee Brian Straw, who nor VOICE members wished believed the state taskforce to wait until then. report would have no bearVillage President Vicki ing on the village, sided with Scaman was adamant in her VOICE Oak Park in wanting desire to wait for the state the village to move forward taskforce’s report, believing with a local referendum. it could address any potential Other legislatures across obstacles in implementing the the country have already done system and might lead to state away with or are considering funding if new voting maparting with the traditional chines prove necessary for the voting method in favor of system. Moving forward with ranked-choice voting. Illinois the village’s referendum, she state legislators passed a law argued, could saddle the counlast August that created a ty with a mandate with which VICKI SCAMAN taskforce to explore rankedthey cannot afford to comply.

Village president choice voting and implement“Waiting two years, from ing it for the 2028 presidential 2025 to 2027, that’s worth primary election. The report it for me to understand if has an expected completion there’s something we’re going to need or date of no later than June 30.

Ranked-choice voting is a system that if the county is going to need the fundallows voters to rank multiple candidates ing,” she said.

The Cook County clerk coordinates from most preferable to least preferable.

If the village board had moved forward on equipment, election judges and polling lothe referendum, it would have only affected cations for suburban county elections and village government offices and no offices implementing a new system could create new operational constraints and costs. from other taxing bodies in Oak Park.

The unknown impact ranked-choice One of the VOICE Oak Park’s officers,

By STACEY SHERIDAN Senior Reporter

“Waiting two years, from 2025 to 2027, that’s worth it for me to understand if there’s something we’re going to need or if the county is going to need the funding.”

FILE

Oak Park Village Hall

Proposed referendum Do you want Oak Park voters to use ranked choice voting, also known as instant runoff voting or the single transferrable vote, to elect the Village’s offices of Village President, Village Clerk and Village Trustees beginning with the April 2025 consolidated election? (1) If approved, this proposal would allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference in elections for Village President, Village Clerk and Village Trustees. (2) If voters still want to choose just one candidate, they can. (3) A candidate for Village President and Village Clerk who receives a majority of top-choices would win. (4) A candidate for Village Trustee who receives more than 25% of top-choices would win. (5) For the election of Village Trustees, any voter who had a winning candidate as their top

choice would have a part of their vote, equal to the proportion of votes the winning candidate received in excess of 25%, counted for their next choice.

(6) If there is no majority winner for Village President or Village Clerk or no candidates for Village Trustee who receive more than 25%, the last place candidate would be eliminated. (7) Any voter who had that candidate as their top choice would have their vote or partial vote counted for their next choice.

(8) This process would repeat until a candidate receives a majority of votes in a round of counting for Village President or Village Clerk or three (3) candidates receive more than 25% of the vote for Village Trustee making them the winners. (9) This proposal would eliminate a separate primary election for Village President, Village Trustee and Village Clerk.

voting would have on early voting caused some concern, particularly for trustee Lucia Robinson, who stated her belief that the state taskforce report would have to address any impact on early voting.

Trustee Cory Wesley was also vocal about his desire to wait for the taskforce’s report, but not for logistical purposes. His argument centered around voter turnout, particularly how smaller elections, such as

the one coming up in 2025, have historically lower voter turnout, while presidential elections pull in a larger number of voters. Putting the referendum on a ballot in a smaller election cycle is an inaccurate test of voter desire for ranked-choice, according to Wesley.

“We can go from 26% of the people here to weigh in to 71% – I just do not see why we cannot make that delay,” he said.

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Employees of the AT&T store at 425 N. Harlem Ave. were made to hide in the backroom while a man armed with a black handgun robbed the business at 8:03 p.m. Oct. 10. The man took an unreported amount of cash out of the cash register and took an unknown number of cell phones and tablets from the store then fled in an unknown direction, according to Oak Park police.

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A Chicago resident had a knife held to his throat by a male robber at SURESTAFF Oak Park, a temporary staffing agency at 6807 W. North Ave. The robber told the victim in Spanish, “Give me your phone,” then grabbed the victim’s Samsung Galaxy cell phone out of the victim’s hand and fled. The estimated loss is $280.

Motor vehicle theft ■ A silver 2013 Hyundai Sonata parked on the 700 block of Lyman Avenue was taken between 6:30 p.m. and 10:15 p.m. Oct 14.

■ A 2013 Hyundai Santa Fe parked on the 900 block of South Kenilworth Avenue was taken between 1:38 p.m. and 1:41 p.m. Oct. 15.

Attempted motor vehicle theft ■ Someone shattered the rear passenger’s side window and damaged the steering column of a silver 2023 Hyundai Elantra parked on the 400 block of Home Avenue between 9 p.m. Oct 7 and 8 a.m. Oct. 9.

■ The rear passenger’s side window of a blue 2017 Hyundai Tucson was shattered, and the vehicle’s steering column damaged at roughly 10:14 p.m. Oct. 9.

Theft ■ A woman was captured via surveillance camera taking a delivered UPS package from a front porch on the 1100 block of South Harvey Avenue at 2:55 p.m. Oct. 11.

■ Someone removed a FedEx package from a front door in the 1000 block of Pleasant Street between 3:16 p.m. and 8:20 p.m. Oct. 11. The package contained four dresses, one pair of blue jeans, five undergarments, a pair of black boots, a black hat and a skincare product. The estimated loss is $331.95.

■ The catalytic converter was cut from a white 2012 Hyundai parked on the 400 block of Clinton Avenue between 8 p.m. Oct. 8 and 7:39 a.m. Oct. 9.

These items were obtained from Oak Park Police Department reports dated Oct. 10-16 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

Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

The witches are back with a spook-tacular flash mob Visitors to Scoville Park can catch the spellbinding performance Oct. 21

By DELANEY NELSON Contributing Reporter

Barring stormy skies or bad fortunes, visitors to Scoville Park on Oct. 21 will find a coven of witches swishing their brooms to a German reggae-pop song that translates to “Shake Your Bacon.”

The witches aren’t real witches — they’re a group of Oak Park residents who gather once a year dressed in a variety of black skirts, sparkly dresses, pointy hats and green face paint. This year marks the sixth time the Oak Park witch flash mob will perform the dance, which is a choreographed piece performed around the world to Peter Fox’s “Schüttel deinen Speck.”

When Oak Park resident Sarah Corbin stumbled in 2018 upon a video of the dance, which is performed near Halloween all over the world, she wanted to bring it home. Corbin created a Facebook group for interested locals, which now has nearly 300 members.

“Sometimes you need to do something just for fun, for no other reason other than you just have to let your hair down,” Corbin said. “It’s become a really nice group of women.”

THROUGH NOVEMBER

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Since its start seven years ago, the group has missed just two performances — one for bad weather and another during the pandemic, Corbin said. They learn the dance mainly from a YouTube tutorial, with help from the more experienced group members. Corbin estimated 25 to 40 people have participated in the dance each year.

Each witch creates their own costume, adding unique flairs to their getup. Last year’s performance included a variety of pointy hats — black, orange, purple, starry — hair-raising wigs and colorful striped leggings, along with the traditional all-black ensemble.

Group member Joanna Moran, who joined the group in 2021, said getting ready at a friend’s house before the dance is one of her favorite parts. Joining the group was a welcome opportunity for Moran, who always wanted to be a part of a flash mob.

“I didn’t expect it to be as much fun as it was. I was actually kind of nervous — ‘Oh, am I going to do the dance right?’

(But) the dance has pretty simple steps and if people aren’t doing it exactly right, it’s okay,” Moran said. “It’s fun watching people’s reactions as the dance starts forming and people are pulling

OCCUPYING FRAMES: SIMPLICITY AND SPACES

WIND SYMPHONY HOME CONCERT

Ferguson Art Gallery

Chapel of Our Lord

The work of Angela Green and Jim Gabbard combines photography with poetry.

Conducted by Dr. Richard Fischer, the Wind Symphony is Concordia-Chicago’s premier touring instrumental ensemble.

Free admission

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Arts

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9

out their phones videoing it or taking pictures” For group member Nicole Lombardi, the dance is fun, as is making audience members laugh throughout their performance at the park and onward as they dance through town. But she also said being in community with other women feels empowering.

“Watching women all over the world putting out there the garb of witches added to the whole motivation of mine,” Lombardi said. “It’s kind of pushing through, past oppression and taking it back in an artistic way.”

The group is now using the annual performance to fundraise for women-led social justice causes, Corbin said. This year, the funds will be split between the Oak Park-Austin Area Moms Demand Action chapter and the Mercy Garden of Peace and Healing, a community space for survivors of gun violence in the Austin neighborhood.

Corbin said this adds a whole new meaning to the dancing.

“It’s nice to have an empowering space knowing that we’re making the dance expand into helping women in other areas,” she said. “We’re having fun, but it’s fun for good.”

The magic starts at 6 p.m.

29 OCTOBER

SUNDAY

KAPELLE HOME CONCERT 4 p.m.

Chapel of Our Lord The Kapelle, with Dr. Charles Brown, conductor, will present their home concert following their fall tour.

Free admission

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Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

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FOLLOW THE PRINCIPAL: Authors Nallely Suárez and Gass Michael Beyer with copies of their book, Pencils Down, Mr. Beyers’ home in Oak Park.

BEYER

Ogden, and Robert Croston, principal at Jenner, believed merging the schools offered a rational and equitable solution.

However, the move was not embraced by the entirety of parents of either school, from page 1 many of whom vocally expressed their displeasure to Chicago Public Schools adminformer corporate executive, titled Pencils istrators. Beyer was eventually terminated Down: Career Journeys of Educators Who by CPS for murky reasons, and the attenLeft the Profession and What dant media exposure, while We Can Learn From the Crises largely supportive of Beyer, in Education. The co-authors was devastating. have children in Oak Park Today, five years later, Beyer schools. appreciates this painful chapBeyer left the education secter for forcing him out of a tor in 2018, after transformposition that he had found ing a chronically underperincreasingly untenable, with forming school on Chicago’s 12-hour workdays, including southwest side and co-leading weekends, and no-win clashes a complex and controversial with demanding parents and merger between Ogden Interdistrict administrators. As national School in the afflupart of his “recovery process,” MICHAEL BEYER ent Gold Coast neighborhood he elicited the help of a career Author and Jenner Academy of the coach, Suarez Gass, and toArts in the former Cabrinigether they realized that they Green area. Separated by only needed to write a book to help a mile, the two schools were worlds apart. educators, as well as other burned-out emOgden had reached a point of overcrowd- ployees, make transitions in their lives.

Rather than serving as a strictly technical ing while Jenner was severely underused and under-resourced. Beyer, principal at manual for job seekers, the book includes in-

Addressing educator burnout

“You can’t have healthy kids if they’re surrounded by burned-out, stressed-out teachers.”

Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM terviews with several former educators — many of which were very emotional.

“We quickly realized that we needed to honor the stories they wanted to share — and to express why they left teaching and the guilt they felt about leaving their students even when they were deeply unhappy. We gave them the space to acknowledge the hard spot they were in,” said Suarez Gass.

“We also realized that we needed to include sections on burnout and wellbeing,” Beyer said.

He maintains that one of the reasons for teacher burnout is society’s expectation that schools fix every social problem.

“We expect schools to solve social epidemics like gangs, homelessness, and, more recently, suicide. Every time there is a problem in society, we blame the schools. Schools are the pillars of a community but we can’t expect them to solve all of the problems in the communities surrounding the schools,” he said.

According to Beyer, one of the best ways to fix schools is to focus on the wellbeing of their teachers, something that education does not do as well as the business world. There is no “Great Places to Work” survey for schools like there is for corporations, which work very hard to be included because it helps them attract and retain employees.

“I asked superintendents and principals across the country what they do for wellness, and everyone would rattle off a list of programs and initiatives, but they were all for students — they had no plan to support faculty and staff wellness,” Beyer said.

“Teachers and principals need relief now. While funding is definitely a cause and driver of much of the problems in education, a focused program on wellness can be implemented in a matter of months. You can’t have healthy kids if they’re surrounded by burned-out, stressed-out teachers.”

Perhaps the core of the book is the section on career advice, which, while

geared to teachers, is applicable to anyone. Both Beyer and Suarez Gass believe teachers undervalue themselves and don’t understand how their skill sets are transferrable to other careers.

“In our interviews, it became apparent that teachers had a hard time assessing their skills and realizing how they could use them in other realms. For example, teachers have the ability to command a room, organize a curriculum, and engage and bring along people at disparate levels. They are good communicators and have the ability to build consensus with students, parents and local school boards.

These are valuable skills in the corporate world,” said Suarez Gass.

Suarez Gass also commends teachers for the ability to multi-task and manage through crisis.

“When some kid pukes on the way to the pumpkin patch, you see teachers immediately jump into action and handle the sick kid while also managing the rest of the class,” she said, laughing.

Suarez Gass also mentions the importance of networking and activating your friends, something that helped Beyer garner job interviews and offers in the first two weeks of his job search.

“If the Avengers can come together to save the world, your friends can do the same to help you in your job search,” said Suarez Gass.

Suarez Gass left a successful career in the corporate world five years ago to start her own coaching business. In addition, she has a podcast, Corporate Cafecito, focusing on career development and highlighting successful Latines.

With Suarez Gass’s professional help, Beyer is now working with a global management consulting firm that works with Fortune 500 companies.

Pencils Down (Erie Publishing) is available on Amazon. The forthcoming audio book will be read by Malcolm Wright, grandson of famed author Richard Wright (Native Son).

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CLIMATE

11

for C4 include solar energy, electric vehicles, and composting and waste reduction. Other core projects include reduced rate electricity for low-income residents; workforce training and jobs for BIPOC from page 5 and low- to moderate-income residents; local, healthy food in K-12 schools; busithe press release. ness pollution reduction; and community ABC7 meteorologist Tracy Butler sustainability working groups. helped Richard Pellegrino, the group’s exCuneen said C4 has “a lot of projects ecutive director, present the award at the going on” for an initiative that has only dinner, which was held at the been in existence for just over Stephens Convention Center a year. in Rosemont.

“We’re building the plane In expressing gratitude for while we’re flying it,” he said. the award, Scaman and AdduRegarding solar energy, Cuci shared the honor with parneen said his organization is ticipating C4 communities. working on determining its Scaman said, “I would like viability and communicating to thank WCMC for recognizthat to member C4 communiing the great work of C4. With ties. He also said his group is the expertise and guidance of working on developing infraGary Cuneen of Seven Genstructure plans for electric erations Ahead and Darnell vehicles.

Johnson of the Urban EfficienNoting that not every C4 cies Group, C4 has created a member municipality emcollective impact model with ploys a grant writer, obtaining GARY CUNEEN 14 neighboring communities to funding from county, state and Seven Generations Ahead apply for county, state and fedfederal sources plays an imeral funding to reduce greenportant role. Among funding house gases regionally while C4 has received are a $125,000 centering issues of environChildhood Obesity Prevention mental justice. … C4 has exand Environmental Health panded to not just include the and Sustainability Award work of municipal governments but also from the U.S. Conference of Mayors and connecting school districts, park districts the American Beverage Foundation for and libraries as well.” a Healthy America and a $300,000 grant “Environmental excellence is a core from the United States Department of Agphilosophy behind C4, which is a highly riculture. collaborative effort that addresses sustainReferring to the award as “timely,” ability and equity through the sharing of Cuneen downplayed the importance of resources between multiple communities, awards in general. for the betterment of all,” said Adduci.

“Any time an award comes through, According to Cuneen, who helped ac- that’s great,” he said. “But we’re just concept the award at the dinner, core projects centrating on doing the work.”

Collaboration honored

“Any time an award comes through, that’s great.

But we’re just concentrating on doing the work.”

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Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

River Forest teen honored at White House Event Anja Hermann is honored for disability rights work

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

An Oak Park and River Forest High School senior was one of 15 teenage girls who were honored last week at a White House ceremony hosted by First Lady Jill Biden to recognize girls leading change.

The event took place on Oct. 11, the International Day of the Girl.

Anja Hermann, a 17-year-old senior at OPRF from River Forest, was honored for her work as a disability rights advocate and her work for equity and inclusion.

According to a White House news release, Hermann was honored for leading grass roots disability advocacy work, including her work as a member of the Personal Protective Equipment for People with Disabilities coalition. Hermann also wrote a white paper through a fellowship with the Disability EmPowHer Network that highlighted the need for school plans to respond to school shootings to include specific steps to keep students with disabilities safe.

Since 2012, Hermann has served as the youngest member of the Village of River Forest’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion advisory group.

Hermann did not respond to a request for an interview by publication. She was nominated for the recognition by OPRF history teacher Lisa Faulkner, who also did not respond to an interview request by publication. The ceremony at the White House lasted for approximately 30 minutes.

First Lady Jill Biden spoke near the beginning of the event and at the end of the event.

“Every girl can do PROVIDED incredible things and you’re never Anja Herrman in front, with glasses. too young to fight for what you bein front of us every mann introduced Turner, Turner introduced Hermann. lieve in,” Biden “Anja also understands the importance of writing,” day. And that’s dousaid, encouraging bly true for women Turner said. “Her essays have given voice to her experigirls to continue to of color, queer wom- ences as a disability rights activist and her research has fight for change. en, trans women, spotlighted how schools can better serve students with Also speaking at disabled women disabilities.” the event were White The honorees then answered a few questions from the and other oppressed House press secrewomen who have younger girls who were invited to the event. tary Karin JeanHermann answered a question from a girl asking for adtwice as many obPierre and Jennifer vice to girls who are unsure about how to get started makstacles in their way.

Klein, the director The honorees ing change. of the White House “I would say, don’t think about it like you’re making were brought up to Policy Council. the podium in pairs change in the abstract because I think that can be intimiJean-Pierre talked as the honorees in- dating,” Hermann said. about the imporPROVIDED “Think of it like what do you need in your community troduced each othtance of being fearer. Each honoree right now. That should be step one and then how can you Anja Herrman (left) at the White House less, which she despoke for perhaps broaden that to reach your community as a whole. And, fined not as lacking really, you just have to make change for the future you.

30 seconds or less. fear, but facing your fears and overcoming them to act.

Hermann introduced Avery Turner of Colorado Springs, Remember that making change especially at even a local, “Let’s be honest, as women, as young women, we need to Colorado who was honored for her work promoting a federal, state, at any level, it’s a team effort. You don’t have be fearless,” Jean-Pierre said. “To strive and thrive we must sense of belonging for teenage children of members of the to do it all yourself; you can’t do it all yourself so all you be fearless. To bulldoze through the obstacles that are placed armed forces and her writing about the issue. After Her- should really focus on is changing your own corner.”

Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

13

River Forest moves HEALTH closer to ADAFAIR Great compliant sidewalks Giveaways!

CINDY LYONS

Services

Senior Care Home Health Care Hospice Info Heart Disease Social Security Services Services Services Village Departments project will be part of next year’s capiServices Senior Care Senior Care Senior Care Park District Programs HomeCare Health Care tal improvement budget, paid with capiSenior Home Health Care Home Health Flu Shots Home Health Care Care Cook County Sheriff’s Dept.

Hospice Info tal improvement funds. Under terms of Provided by Walgreens Hospice InfoInfo Hospice Info Heart Disease Hospice State’s Attorney the grant, the county will pay 15% of the Heart Disease Social Security Heart Disease Treasurer’s Office (Cash Dash) Heart Disease Social Security project’s total cost up to $100,000.

Village Departments Covid Shots & Boosters Social Security Village Departments Park District Programs “We have not yet determined the exact Secretary of State Social Security Shingles Shots Park District Programs Village Departments Flu Shots Cook County Sheriff’s Dept. scope of the project,” Walsh said. “The FluProvided Shots Renewal

by Walgreens Cook County Sheriff’s Dept. Drivers License Village Departments Pneumonia Shots Park District Programs State’s Attorney Provided by Walgreens State’s Attorney Real ID /Flu License (by Appt.) county will distribute funds after we bid Provided by Walmart Forest Park Shots Treasurer’s Office (Cash Dash) Cook County Sheriff’s Dept.

Park District Programs Covid Shots & Boosters Treasurer’s Office (Cash Dash) Covid Shots & Boosters out the project and award the contract.”

Provided

by Walgreens Secretary of State Shingles Shots State’s Attorney Secretary of State Sheriff’s Dept.

Cook County Shingles Shots Testing & Exams Drivers License Renewal The Invest in Cook grant program Pneumonia Shots License Renewal Provided by Walgreens Treasurer’sDrivers Office (Cash Dash) Pneumonia Shots Real ID / License (by Appt.)

Blood Pressure Covid Shots & Boosters

OCTOBER 25TH

A Cook County grant will help fund the project

By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter

River Forest officials took steps this week toward using a $100,000 Cook County grant to improve crosswalks and sidewalks not compliant with Americans with Disabilities Act regulations by approving an intergovernmental agreement with the county.

The application that was submitted in March sought Invest in Cook funds for crosswalk improvements to improve accessibility requirements under the ADA. In a memo to village administrator Matt Walsh, Mike Reynolds, interim director of public works and Seth Jansen, management analyst said village engineering staff have identified several crosswalk locations throughout the village that are not compliant with ADA regulations.

Village officials were informed in July that grant funds had been approved for the project, but when the IGA was received in September, they requested that the agreement be amended “to ensure that the village is able to fully leverage the grant award while providing greater flexibility for the cost and scale of the project,” Reynolds and Jansen said in the memo.

The funds will be disbursed over three payments. After bidding and executing the construction contract, the county will make an advance payment in the amount of $50,000. Two additional payments of $25,000 will be made upon receipt of invoice by the county from the village, once at completion of 70% of the project construction and once at full completion of the project construction.

According to the tentative project schedule, the village will open bids in February with work expected to begin in March and conclude in August.

Walsh explained that the sidewalk

GrGeGraeetaaretwaat yGs! reat Giv ayyss!!

GivGeivaewawaG iveaways!

Flu Shots

Provided

by Walmart State’s Real ID / Attorney License (by Appt.) seeks projects consistent with the five Provided

by Walmart ForestForest Park Park SecretaryTreasurer’s of State Cataract Shingles Shots priorities of Connecting Cook County, Office (Cash Dash) Testing & Exams Testing & Exams Covid Shots & Boosters Drivers License Renewal Glaucoma Pneumonia Shots Blood Pressure the county’s long range transportation Blood Pressure Real ID /Secretary License (byof Appt.)

State Lasik Screening Cataract Provided

by Walmart Forest Park Shots Shingles Cataract plan. The River Forest project aligns Glaucoma Glaucoma Testing Drivers License Renewal 10:00 10:00AM AM with two of those priorities, prioritizing PneumoniaBalance Shots LasikLasik Screening Screening Testing & Exams to to Real ID / License (by Appt.)

Balance Testing Balance Testing Provided

by Walmart Forest Park transit and other transportation alternaCall Center for Transportation Bloodthe Pressure 1:00 1:00PM PM Call the Center for Transportation tives, specifically providing a complete Howard Mohr Community Center • 7640 Jackson Blvd.

CallCataract the Center for Transportation Call the Center for Transportation Howard Mohr Community Center Testing & Exams and fully accessible cycling/pedestrian Sponsored byHoward Riverside Township Glaucoma MohrMohr Community Forest Park, ILCenter 60130 Howard Community Center• 708-771-77737 7640 Jackson Blvd.

76407640 Jackson Blvd. mobility system and maintaining and Jackson Blood Blvd.

Pressure Forest Park, IL 60130 Lasik Screening Sponsored by Riverside Township Forest Park, IL 60130 Forest Park, IL 60130 Sponsoredby byBalance Riverside Township modernizing what already exists.

708-771-7737 Sponsored Riverside Township Testing 708-771-7737 Cataract 708-771-7737 Jansen said previously that the project Glaucoma Sponsored by Riverside Township also aligns with other regional strategic Call the Center for Transportation Lasik Screening Sponsored by Riverside Township plans, specifically the Chicago MetropolHoward Mohr Community Center Balance Testing itan Agency for Planning On to 2050 goal 7640 Jackson Blvd. of supporting the development of walkForest Park, IL 60130 708-771-7737 able communities and the Cook County Call st st the Center for Transportation st Policy Roadmap strategic plan’s Smart st Howard Mohr Community Center Communities objective of increasing ac7640 Jackson Blvd. cessibility and connectivity. st st Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot Forest Park, Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lotIL 60130 According to the Cook County website, Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot 40 Forest Avenue, Riverside 708-771-7737 Riverside Masonic Lodge parking lot 40 Forest Avenue, Riverside the Cook County Department of Trans4040Forest Avenue, Riverside Forest Avenue, Riverside Masonic LodgeRiverside parking lot portation and Highways has adminisRiverside Masonic Lodge parking lot 40 Forest Avenue, Riverside tered the Invest in Cook grant program This FREE event is only for Riverside Township This FREE event 40 is only for Riverside Township Forest Avenue, Riverside since 2017, providing funds to local nonresidents and only for personal, confidential residents and only for personal, confidential FREE event is only forRiverside Riverside Township profit organizations and government This This event is only for Township documents.

Noevent business shredding, This FREENo is only for Riverside Township documents. business shredding, agencies to advance transportation im- residents residents and only for personal, confidential magazines, or junk mail.

Each household is and only personal, confidential residents and only for personal, confidential magazines, orfor junk mail.

Each household is This FREE event is only for Riverside Township provements throughout the region. documents.

No business shredding, no more than 3 boxes of paper. restricted to documents.

No business shredding, documents.

No business shredding, no more than 3 boxes of paper. restricted to residents and only for personal, confidential The annual $8.5 million program has magazines, or or junk mail. magazines, junk mail.Each Each household household isis or junk mail.

Each household is Your documents will be securely destroyed site by provided local and regional govern- magazines, documents.

No business shredding, no more boxes paper. onon restricted to Your documents will3 securely destroyed site by morethan than 3be boxes ofof paper. restricted to no American Mobile Shredding and Recycling. ments transportation funds to cover the restricted magazines, ormore junk mail.

Each is and than 3household boxes of paper. to no American Mobile Shredding Recycling. cost of planning and feasibility studies, Your documents will securely sitesite by by documents will securely destroyed no more than 3be boxes ofdestroyed paper. on on restricted toYour As always, this will be a contactless, drive-up event.

No need to get outby of engineering and construction associated American Mobile Shredding and Recycling.

American Mobile Shredding and Recycling. documents will be securely on AsYour always, this will be a contactless, drive-up destroyed event. No need to site get out of your car; place the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and with infrastructure improvements conYour documents will be securely destroyed on site by your car; place the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and American Mobile Shredding andNo Recycling. thenAs simply popthis thewill trunk. will remove the documents fromtoyour vehicle always, be a We contactless, drive-up need get out of sistent with the county’s transportation then simply pop thebe trunk.

We willShredding remove theevent. documents from your vehicle American Mobile and Recycling.

As always, this will a contactless, drive-up event.

No need to get out and shred them forfollow you. the signs at the event and of your car; place the documents in your trunk, and economic development policy prioriandin shred them forfollow you. the signs at the event and your then car; simply place the documents your trunk, pop the trunk. We will remove the documents from your vehicle ties.

As always, thispop willthe be a contactless, drive-up event.

Nofrom need to get out of then simply trunk.

We will remove the documents your and shred them for you. bring a non-perishable, unexpired food itemvehicle As always, this willPlease be a contactless, drive-up event.

No need to get out of Please bring a non-perishable, unexpired food item Jansen said village officials learned youryour car;car; place the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and shred them for you. to donate to the Riverside Township Food Pantry! place the documents in your trunk, follow the signs at the event and and to donate toa the Riverside Township Food Pantry! that River Forest’s application was one Please bring non-perishable, unexpired food item thenthen simply pop the trunk.

We will remove the documents from your vehicle simply pop the trunk. We will remove the documents from your vehicle of nearly 80 received and that the total to donate toathe Riverside Township Food Pantry!

Please bring non-perishable, unexpired food item For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 and shred them for you. and shred them for you.

For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 amount sought by all grant applicants or visitto ourdonate website:to www.riversidetownship.org the Riverside Township Food Pantry! or visit our website: www.riversidetownship.org For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 was more than $30 million. bring awww.riversidetownship.org non-perishable, unexpired food item item orPlease visit ourbring website: Please non-perishable, unexpired food For more event info, call Riverside Township at (708) 442-4400 todonate donate to to the the Riverside Township Food Pantry! to Riverside Township Food Pantry! or visit our website: www.riversidetownship.org

10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

10:00 AM to 1:00 PM

Saturday, October Saturday, October 21 Saturday, October21 21

Saturday, October 21 Saturday, October 21 Saturday, October FREE

9:00 am 9:00 am – Noon 9:00 am– –Noon Noon

9:00 am – Noon 9:00 am – Noon 9:00 am – Noon

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Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Oak Park plans pair of forums on village’s unhoused population

Will be held in November and December

By ERIKA HOBBS Editor

The village of Oak Park plans to hold two community forums to address issues involving unhoused people who live in the community.

The first session will be held Thursday Nov. 30. The final is planned for Thursday Dec. 7.

Both will be held from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. and will take place at the Oak Park Public Library in the Veterans Room.

According to village spokesman Dan Yopchick, the first forum is intended to educate community members about the best ways to interact with and support the popula-

tion. It will include a panel that will discuss challenges, solutions, advocacy and policy.

There will be a question-and-answer session.

The December forum will explore affordable housing and the role of private landlords in it as part of what village officials call the “unhoused crisis.” Experts will be on hand to work with those in attendance and will review success stories and support services for tenants. This session also will offer an opportunity to ask questions.

Yopchick, in a news release, said the village offers resources such as a printable card that lists crisis services such as assistance for food, legal aid and shelter.

For more information, technical assistance, or to access resource cards, visit the Unhoused Resources page at www.oak-park. us/unhoused or contact the Village of Oak Park at 708-358-5416.

NEW PRICE!

D97 teachers honored with fellowship, awards

Accolades for six educators at Brooks and Julian

By ERIKA HOBBS Editor

Six middle-school teachers are celebrating successes.

Laura Stamp, eighth-grade science teacher at Brooks Middle School, won a prestigious Fulbright Teacher Exchange award to Vietnam.

Stamp, who plans to conduct research on climate change education, is one of 20 educators from the United States selected for the 2023-24 award cycle. She is a National Board Certified teacher with nearly 25 years of experience. She teaches a climate change class at Brooks.

Under the Fulbright, K-12 educators from the United States conduct research and engage in professional learning experiences abroad for three to six months. Stamp will be doing her research from January to March of 2024. She plans to visit rural and urban schools with a goal to develop a project with a school in which her eighth-grad-

ers will be able to interact with students in Vietnam.

Stamp is also a member of the Oak Park Climate Action Network where she contributed to the long-range sustainability plan adopted by the village.

At Brooks and Julian middle schools, five teachers were selected as one of 20 teams from across the country to participate in the national Teach to Lead Summit this month. They were the only teachers in Illinois to be selected for the summit.

Assistant Superintendent of Middle Schools Dr. Luis Fernando De León, Brooks Principal April Capuder, Julian Interim Principal William Lee, Julian Student Success Coach Kasey Fleming, and Brooks Student Success Coach Nichelle Stigger were selected for the cohort.

Hosted by the U.S. Department of Education, the summit is intended to spotlight and advance groundbreaking, teacher-led work.

Teach to Lead aims to create a national culture in which teachers are valued as the foremost experts in instruction and are leaders of informing, developing, and implementing education policy and practice.

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Homes

Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

15

Two Wright-designed properties marketed together in Michigan It’s a first for FLW

11036 Hawthorne Dr. PROVIDED

By LACEY SIKORA

F

Contributing Reporter

or the first time, two Frank Lloyd Wright-designed properties are being offered together in one sale. Located just outside of Kalamazoo in Galesburg, Michigan, the homes offer a unique opportunity for the Wright aficionado.

Oak Park realtor Victoria Krause Schutte of @properties Christie’s International Real Estate is co-listing the property with Fred Taber of Michigan’s Jaqua Realtors.

“There are so many firsts with this property. It’s the first time two neighboring Wright’s have been owned by one owner, and the first time two neighboring Wright properties are for sale at the same time,” Taber said.

The homes are part of a community called The Acres. In 1947, a group of scientists working at Upjohn pharmaceutical company joined forces to create a planned community of modern, affordable houses in a rural setting. They were all Wright admirers and convinced the famous architect to design the homes, which they would later build themselves.

See FLW PROPERTIES on page 16

11090 Hawthorne Dr. PROVIDED

16

Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

FLW PROPERTIES

Extraordinary opportunity from page 15 Out of the 21 homes originally planned, only 5 were built on the 70-acre site. The homes are set among forested acres on circular lots. Each is an example of Wright’s Usonian period, in which he incorporated native materials, flat roofs, generous overhangs, cantilevered carports, built-in furniture and windows that blur the boundaries between interior and exterior.

Today, the entire neighborhood of The Acres is listed on the National Register for Historic Places, a further testament, Schutte said, of how special the listing is.

The two homes being offered for sale are the Samuel and Dorothy Eppstein House and the Eric and Pat Pratt House, named for their original owners. Taber said of the houses, “They’re great homes. They both have their own feels.”

The Eppstein House is a three-bedroom, two-bathroom house that has 2.250 square feet of living space. The house was built in 1953. The house includes built-in furniture designed by Wright, and a 10-foot, floor-to-ceiling glass façade that opens to one of three terraces overlooking an expanse of wildflowers.

In 2017, the current owners, Marika Broere and Tony Hillebrandt, undertook an extensive restoration of the home, rebuilding the roof, updating the electrical and plumbing systems, re-staining the

PROVIDED

11036 Hawthorne Dr. woodwork, double glazing the windows, adding air conditioning and removing a swimming pool.

The Pratt House is connected to the Eppstein House by a sweep of parkland. Built in 1951, the 2,200 square-foot home features

PROVIDED

11090 Hawthorne Dr.

a restored mahogany exterior. The home has two bedrooms, two bathrooms, a library, and a large open living space. The home has the cantilevered carport typical of Usonian houses, as well as several outdoor terraces.

Broere and Hillebrandt also restored this home, after its owners offered it to them for sale mid-restoration.

Schutte said, “No expense was spared in the restorations. It’s such a heavy lift, and they did it all. These houses have been restored meticulously. There’s nothing left to do.”

Noting that the owners took great pains to stay true to Wright’s vision for the homes, Schutte added, “Keep in mind that these restorations happened pre-Covid.

If done now, they would cost three to four times the amount.”

Schutte and Taber are listing the two houses for $4,500,000, and said there are many possibilities for the parcel. The homes have been used as the location for photo shoots, marketing campaigns and events. The current owners have found that architecture enthusiasts are drawn to the homes. The Epstein House has been rented as an Airbnb for three years, with a peak yearly income of $157,000.

Remarking that the property could ap-

peal as a family compound or a corporate retreat, Schutte said, “We’re marketing this globally. Who knows where the buyer will come from? It could be Chicago, New York, California or overseas.”

While the Wright name is bound to drive interest in the homes, both Schutte and Taber said the homes’ mid-century flair and the natural environment of the neighborhood are big draws, as well.

Schutte said, “Even if you’re not an architecture fan, these homes are beautiful and peaceful. They get great light. Frank Lloyd Wright fit them perfectly into the landscape.

There’s only one lane that goes through the seventy acres. You can see deer frolicking.”

Taber pointed out that another benefit to The Acres is the fact that the seventy acres cannot be developed further. All of the vacant lots are owned by the association, providing the owners with unfettered access to green space.

Galesburg is roughly 10 miles from the Kalamazoo airport, and the drive to Lake Michigan resort communities is about an hour.

Schutte said that the opportunity to buy two of Wright’s designs in the community is one that can’t be matched. “It’s the only thing like it in the world. That’s no exaggeration,” she said.

Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

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

I

VIEWPOINTS

17

Soup’s on (Oct. 28) at the final Farmers Market 19

A flaming issue

have been friends with the Smith family for almost 50 years. One evening many years ago, I received a frantic call from Mary Smith telling me about a horrific event. The day before she had placed her baby in the high chair in the kitchen while setting the table in the dining room. Her brother, Steve, came into the room asking what she was cooking, and said it smelled like something was burning. Mary ran into the kitchen, shocked to see flames climbing up the wall behind the high chair. She snatched up baby Charlie while screaming at Steve to, “Call the fire department,” as they hurried out of the house.

How the kitchen could so rapidly be engulfed by a huge fire was frightening. The firemen were able to save most of the house, but the kitchen and the dining area were almost in ashes.

The family gathered after the fire, and the realization of this tragedy permeated their thoughts and brought up lots of questions. What should they do? Where should they go? Mary’s older brother, John, tried to retrieve items from the house, but it was still too hot and smoldering to enter. He called their insurance company and spoke to an agent expecting they’d be offered some urgently needed guidance.

However, the agent set a date to meet with the family, but otherwise gave them no assistance in the immediate aftermath of the fire, in this hour of need.

The next morning Mary, along with brothers, Steve and John, met with the insurance claims agent. To their dismay, the meeting was hostile. Instead of receiving some relief, as they expected, they were met with the agent’s accusation that they had set the fire, committing arson. Mary told me she could not help but shout at the agent. How could he believe that she would endanger her baby for money? The agent insisted that every member of the Smith household submit to a lie detector test before anything further could be discussed. Although appalled, they all reluctantly agreed to do so.

My husband, Marty, and I were shocked at the insurance adjustor’s accusations. Immediately, Marty sent a letter on his attorney-at-law stationery to the insurance agent. He accused him of what appeared to be obvious racism. The agent promptly responded to Marty’s forceful letter. His demeanor was 180 degrees different with us than with the African American Smith family.

HARRIET HAUSMAN

See HARRIET on page 20

PHOTO CREDIT

MYSTERY SOLVED: The sign that appeared on Oct. 1, 2022 has finally been fathomed. The back story is inspirational.

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A year beyond ‘Not Dying’

ast year, a column titled “Good Job Not Dying … and Hopefully Living,” written

by Ken Trainor, graced the pages of this newspaper. It left many readers, and even the editor himself, perplexed about its content. Barbara Boril, my thoughtful neighbor, safeguarded the newspaper for me during a tumultuous period. You see, I was in and out of the hospital, undergoing Kadcyla, a form of chemotherapy, at the time.

As the column coincided with Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the natural assumption was that it must be related to breast cancer. The truth is my personal battle with breast cancer as a 33-year-old woman was a journey that commenced shortly after my relocation from the UK to Oak Park.

In August 2021, my life took an unexpected turn when a visiting friend inadvertently uncovered a secret I had kept hidden. A lump in my breast, previously unnoticed, had become a concern. As a newcomer to the United States, I navigated the unfamiliar health-care system with a growing sense of urgency. I contacted my gynecologist, who offered reassurance but little comfort.

The waiting game began with an ultrasound appointment two months away and anxiety gnawing at me. I explored alternatives and discovered a nearby facility willing to see me the next day. My ever-optimistic mother clung to the hope that it was just a cyst, but little did we know of the journey ahead.

As I lay in bed that night, the conversation with my gynecologist echoed in my mind. His words, “Probably nothing to worry about,” offered little solace. The lump in my breast became an ominous presence shrouded in uncertainty.

The following day, I faced the ultrasound with trepidation. The lump came into focus, stark and undeniable, and the doctor’s words of “areas that needed further review” deepened the shadows of uncertainty.

Returning home with a glimmer of optimism, I awaited the call that would determine my next steps. Little did I know that the roller coaster of emotions was beginning, testing my strength and resilience.

KNELLI JOHNSON One View

See NOT DYING on page 21

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Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

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Tackling housing

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ak Park has done more over two decades to bring shelter, empathy and needed social services to unhoused people than any community we know. Under the umbrella of what is now Housing Forward, communities of faith, funders of all stripes, adjacent nonprofits and village leaders have collaborated in ways resourceful and caring.

Just last week we reported on the leap made by Housing Forward in securing funding to purchase the old Write Inn on Oak Park Avenue for continued use as interim housing.

The Oak Park Homelessness Coalition is a long-term effort, gathering a wide range of leaders from the police department to downtown Oak Park to many nonprofits, which has worked on positive responses to those who are unhoused.

Now though, Oak Park and many other communities are seeing a small increase in numbers of people living outside, some in tents in semi-sheltered spots. And simultaneously, individuals, activists and some social-justice organizations in Oak Park have offered immediate and practical support to a wave of South and Central American migrants who have been left to fend for themselves in Chicago, many on the West Side.

The call is out right now for average Oak Parkers to step up with winter clothing for people who arrived here, often victimized by cynical politicians exporting pain from their states. We know local people will be compassionate and helpful.

Oak Park’s village government has just announced it will hold two community forums in late November and early December to address issues facing the unhoused in the village. The topics will range from how best to provide help to an unhoused person, to a discussion of Oak Park’s efforts at affordable housing.

The challenges are immediate and complex. The foundational needs are compassion and action. Good to see the village taking a lead role in both educating the community and supporting every person living within our village.

Remembering Troelstrup John Troelstrup served a term on the Oak Park Village Board from 1993 to 1997. He was a good and interesting village official.

Candid, thoughtful, willing to lead on tough issues. He played a notable role in the 1997 passage of the village’s Domestic Partnership Registry. It was a bold, controversial and groundbreaking ordinance that, in that moment, rightly drew national attention.

John Troelstrup died in September at the age of 84.

His single term in office was just one aspect of the generous community life he led, volunteering for a range of local nonprofits and chairing a village commission focused on expanding citizen involvement. A lawyer by trade, Troelstrup was better known for his warmth and outgoing ways, his sense of humor, and for his large and interesting family.

A community is lucky to have leaders such as John Troelstrup. And Oak Park is diminished by his loss.

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The ad that changed Oak Park’s destiny

oming out of Kribi Coffee on South Boulevard last week, I passed the unremarkable storefront that houses the quite remarkable Oak Park Area Housing Center. Without the Housing Center, Oak Park would not be what it is today.

Through the window, I spotted, stenciled in large letters on the wall, “The Right of All People to Live Where They Choose.”

There’s a story behind those words, which I tell in my book, Our Town Oak Park – Walk with Me, in Search of True Community, beginning on page 83, in a piece titled “A story that binds us,” from the chapter “Ceremonies & Celebrations.” The entire book is a celebration of community, but this story is essential to understanding why we have a community worth celebrating.

Here’s an excerpt: “They didn’t give in to fear” should be inscribed on a monument somewhere in Oak Park — along with names, a thousand strong, that appeared in an ad covering a twofull-page spread in local newspapers — the Oak Leaves and the Village Economist — on April 16, 1964, just a few months after John F. Kennedy was assassinated, when things were a little, shall we say, unsettled in this country.

The ad was titled, “The Right of All People to Live Where They Choose,” and everyone who put their name to the document paid a dollar for the privilege, just enough to pay for the ad.

They were not, by any stretch, a bunch of wild-eyed radicals. This was a largely Republican town in those days, and plenty of Republicans are on the list, including my very Republican parents, though I didn’t know that until 30 years later. A number of River Forest residents also signed on.

These ordinary citizens took an extraordinary public stand in favor of “open housing,” which was not yet on the radar of most residents in April of 1964.

Yet many signed up — 99 percent of them white — and in doing so, served notice to the world that this wasn’t your ordinary suburb. They were willing to risk their property values for a principle: Fairness. …

The text was written by community activist June Heinrich: “We, the undersigned residents of Oak Park and River Forest, believing in the essential oneness of humankind, and seeking to foster such unity in our communities, do hereby declare: That we want residence in our villages to be open to anyone interested in sharing our benefits and responsibilities, regardless of race, color, creed, or national origin.

That we believe in equal opportunity for all in the fields of education, business, and the professions, in harmony with constitutional guarantees of equal rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; That mutual understanding between people of diverse ethnic, racial, and religious backgrounds can best be at-

tained by an attitude of reciprocal good will and increased association; That all citizens, in a spirit of justice, dignity, and kindness, should give serious consideration to the challenge that now faces all Americans in the achievement of brotherhood under God.” The ad started the Open Housing Movement in Oak Park, which led, four years later, to the passage of a groundbreaking Fair Housing Ordinance, one of the first in the nation.

Once upon a time, in a village just outside Chicago, ordinary/extraordinary people stood up for a principle — the right of all people to live where they choose. Their names should be posted somewhere, an “honor roll” representing everything that’s good and decent and right about us. …

If you’re proud of these towns, or simply enjoy living here, you’re in their debt. Even Hemingway would have been impressed. Under pressure, they showed grace. They proved we are not the village of broad streets and narrow minds. They did the right thing. They took the road less traveled.

And you know what a difference that makes.

Some of the wording from the ad found its way into the Village Diversity Statement, which is now 50 years old and read publicly on a biennial basis when newly elected members of the Village Board of Trustees are sworn in. The Diversity Statement is essentially the village creed. We should make that reading an annual event, along with its preamble, “The Right of All People to Live Where They Choose.” Both are powerful statements of purpose.

Those words have been much on my mind in the past week because of war in the Middle East and our ongoing immigration struggles. The conflict between Israel and Palestine, which started in 1947 and continues unabated, derives from the inability of both sides to respect, and come to terms with, the right of all people to live where they choose.

The same can be said of our immigration mess.

Though we seem to forget, America is a land of immigrants. When Europeans arrived, they took the land from those who were already here — who were themselves originally migrants, arriving on this continent from Asia. And the descendants of Africans, brought to this country against their will to be slaves, became part of another Great Migration, north and west, where they were forcibly segregated in cities like Chicago and not allowed to live where they choose.

Which makes the Oak Park declaration in 1964, and our continuing commitment to take the full journey to ensure equity for all people, all the more remarkable.

And well worth celebrating.

“Our Town Oak Park” is available at The Book Table and online through Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

KEN

TRAINOR

V I E W P O I N T S

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Fond farewell to another Farmers Market season

ian and one with a meat-based broth. his is my last story — sixth in a The vendors donate the ingredients, series — about the Oak Park Farmusually fall harvest vegetables like ers Market because the last day onions, carrots, potatoes, garlic, and of the 2023 season will be Oct. 28.

And I am sad. I know we have been hearty greens, as well as meat for fortunate to have had a farmers market broth if that year’s recipe calls for it. every Saturday since May 20. But I want The soup is ladled up free of charge more. from about 9 a.m. until the pot is empSeveral highlights of this season have been ty to thank market customers for their patronage.” learning about early strawberries from Barry’s I have sampled those soups in previous years Berries and Nichols Farm and the background and found them to be delicious. of the band where there are no try-outs. I was On Oct. 28, there will also be children’s activiintrigued about how the donuts started at the marties: Halloween and fall stories, a Halloween craft, ket and how much good those sweet pastries do various Halloween snacks, and a Halloween Scavfor the community and community organizations. enger Hunt.

Another was my visit to Nichols Farm, one of the vendors, meeting Lloyd and Doreen Nichols, and seeing the place where the produce comes from.

I was also pleased to see the Oak Park Township Senior Services small bus at the market and learn that it provides rides for Oak Park and River Forest residents of all ages to and from Farmers Market. There is a suggested donation of $1 per ride per person. It is not too late to schedule a ride for the remaining markets by calling 708-383-4806.

While the numbers aren’t FILE compiled for this season, Pamela Mahn, director of Stone Soup will be served on Oct. 28, the final Saturday for this year’s Senior Services at Oak Park Farmers Market.

Township, told me that 255 rides were provided during On the last market day, many people come with Oak Park Farmers Market in 2022. wagons and carts to stock up on non-perishable At the final Saturday market on Oct. 28, the anitems to last them until the next Farmers Market nual Stone Soup event will be held, the yearly endbegins in May of 2024. Shoppers can also check of-the-season tradition. Stone Soup is a European with vendors as some will have CSA (Community folk story in which hungry strangers convince the Supported Agriculture) boxes and Oak Park drop people of a town to share a small amount of their offs during the winter and early spring. food, which makes a meal that everyone enjoys.

It has been my pleasure to share monthly stories The story celebrates the value of sharing. about Oak Park Farmers Market this season. Tune According to Sara Semelka, Public Health eduin for more in 2024. cation manager at the Oak Park Health DepartJoy Aaronson is an Oak Park resident, regular ment, “Vendors donate the soup ingredients. For Oak Park Farmers Market shopper, and volunteer the event, the market teams up with a local chef, at the market. Joy has contributed to Chicago who visits the the week before the event and talks Parent and written the Kids’ World column for the with vendors about their chosen recipes for the former Logan Square Free Press. year. In 2022, there were two soups — one vegetar-

JOY AARONSON One View

Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023 W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNAL of Oak Park and River Forest

Editor Erika Hobbs Digital Manager Stacy Coleman Senior Reporter Stacey Sheridan Staff Reporters Francia Garcia Hernandez, Amaris Rodriguez Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora Big Week Editor James Porter Columnists Marc Blesoff, Jack Crowe, Doug Deuchler, Harriet Hausman, Mary Kay O’Grady, Kwame Salter, John Stanger Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea Designer Susan McKelvey Marketing Representatives Lourdes Nicholls, Ben Stumpe Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan Circulation Manager Jill Wagner E-MAIL jill@oakpark.com Special Projects Manager Susan Walker Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs Publisher Dan Haley

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

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

About Viewpoints Our mission is to lead educated conversation about the people, government, schools, businesses and culture of Oak Park and River Forest. As we share the consensus of Wednesday Journal’s editorial board on local matters, we hope our voice will help focus your thinking and, when need be, 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 ■ 250-word limit ■ Must include first and last names, municipality in which you live, phone number (for verification only)

‘ONE VIEW’ ESSAY ■ 500-word limit ■ One-sentence footnote about yourself,

your connection to the topic ■ Signature details as at left

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

H O W

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R E A C H

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ADDRESS 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302 ■ PHONE 708-524-8300 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 $2.00.

A one-year subscription costs $48 within Cook County and $60 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. © 2023 Growing Community Media, NFP.

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Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

Children need autonomy

We’re writing in response to “Playing in the park” by Marnie Rourke [Viewpoints, Oct. 11]. We have no doubt the author had the best intentions when she asked the young girl at the park to show her where her parent was, but we take issue with the general message of her op-ed.

Modern parents and caregivers are raising children in a society obsessed with absolute safety (the era of the ubiquitous “helicopter parent”). As mothers of young children ourselves, we understand the desperate feeling of worry that seems to go hand-in-hand with loving your child. But we also recognize how detrimental this type of parenting can be.

More and more children and teens are suffering from crippling mental health problems. According to a 2021 report published by the CDC, 40% of adolescents feel sad or hopeless most of the time and 10% have attempted suicide — a dramatic increase since 2011.

One of the best solutions for combating mental health problems and raising happy, confident kids is to give them more independence, not less. Children need autonomy. Research in developmental science shows that autonomous, unsupervised play is not a “nice to have” in childhood — it is an indispensable ingredient for healthy social, cognitive and emotional development.

This includes, at minimum, letting them out of your sight for a few minutes at the playground once they’re of a certain age. (We believe the girl from the author’s original post was old enough to be exploring the park “on her own,” with a loving and attentive parent nearby.)

Only by solving problems independently do children develop the resilience needed to successfully navigate the world. It may sound counterintuitive, but the best way to keep our children safe is to let them go when they’re ready, even if it’s before we feel totally ready ourselves. And as members of the community, we would all do well to take a step back when we see a child playing independently and trust that parents know the capabilities of their child best.

Many of you may be thinking, but the world is so unsafe right now! There are a lot of creeps out there! We have good news for you. Despite society’s collective fears over child safety, the stats are comforting: ■ Non-family abductions are the rarest type, making up only 0.3% of the 2019 missing children cases. That means your child would need to be outside, unattended, for 750,000 years for that crime to be statistically likely to happen to them.

■ About 93% of children who are victims of sexual abuse know their abuser.

■ The national crime rate peaked in 1991 and today’s murder rate is about half of what it was in the early ’90s.

For parents interested in giving their children ageappropriate independence, we encourage you to visit letgrow.org.

Elli Purtell and Sarah Gripshover Oak Park

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Bon Voyage to Ms. Gina

Congratulations to you and your family for 46 years of customer service to Berwyn, Oak Park and surrounding areas. Your delicious homemade Italian ice with numerous tasty flavors kept your customers coming back via word-of-mouth year after year.

Your generous one-on-one conversations resonated as we pondered the flavors we wanted to choose.

Your kind soft-spoken words will be remembered as you go lovingly into retirement.

My family greatly appreciated the pictures you took and placed on your store’s walls. Thank you for

returning them to us. My family was overcome with moments of nostalgia. My youngest granddaughters were 2 and 7 years old. The youngest would find pennies and say, “Let’s go to Gina’s!” We would say, “You don’t have enough money.” She would say, “Yes I do!” She was given an icey with or without money.

Gina was a part of our family, our neighbor, and our go-to place. Our family will greatly recall the notable memories as we pass the Oak Park Avenue & Roosevelt Road corner.

Dorothy Wright, Mr. & Mrs. Ryan Danley, Rylee Danley, Zoey Danley Oak Park

The Green Transportation Rally was electric

Despite cool fall temps and overcast skies, many EV-curious folks turned out on Sunday, Oct. 8, for the inaugural Green Transportation Rally, organized by Oak Park Climate Action Network (OPCAN).

We are so grateful to the electric vehicle (EV) owners and biking and walking enthusiasts who joined us to show that getting around emissionsfree is doable. Our EVent was also made possible with the support of Pilgrim Congregational Church and the use of their parking lot; Keith Holt of

Wheel & Sprocket for bringing cargoand e-bikes; Bike Walk Oak Park; Art Burton from the Electric Vehicle Association; Tacos Bernardo and Chicago Style Vegan for fantastic food; Hila Ratzabi for designing our great flyer; and many OPCAN volunteers.

Thanks are also due to Sugar Beet Food Co-op, the village of Oak Park, and Growing Community Media.

We’re grateful to all!

Wendy Greenhouse OPCAN volunteer Oak Park

HARRIET

Racism scorches from page 17 He was polite and “concerned for the Smith family’s welfare.” He was apologetic for his “tired, Friday afternoon tone” claiming the race of the family had not entered his mind. Soon after this confrontation, the insurance claim was settled to everyone’s satisfaction.

The bitterness of this episode lives on today, as this is not a rare or exceptional occurrence. Racism continues to rear its ugly head in our country.

How hateful that recently some of our nation’s leaders are trying to rewrite history, claiming slavery was beneficial to the “African immigrants.” How dare they attempt to diminish the courage and suffering of slaves? We Americans are capable of discerning the truth from this horrific retelling.

Let’s focus on finding ways to respect one another. Isn’t it about time that we smother the flames of racism?

■ Note #1: This story is true, although for confidentiality purposes the name of “Smith” is used instead of real names.

■ Note #2: To my Wednesday Journal reader friends …

I thank you most sincerely for your notes, calls, emails, and notices sent to the Journal on my behalf. When I am asked how I stay healthy and happy at 99 I can easily answer. It is having dear family and friends who support me. I am immensely grateful to all of you.

Harriet Hausman

Public dollars for public schools

While there are many top-notch educational opportunities in our communities, that is not true for all Illinois children. Statewide, 83% of our public schools are underfunded and since 2018, the Invest in Kids Act (IIK) has diverted $250 million tax dollars from public schools.

The IIK program gives donors a 75% tax credit for their donations up to $1 million to Scholarship Granting Organizations like Empower which keeps 5% of the funds. Last year, the IIK pro-

gram served only 9,600 students, but it cost $56 million in state revenues that could have been distributed to Illinois public school districts serving 874,000 low-income children.

With no IIK extension, starting in the fall of 2024, private school scholarships for low-income children can be funded by the same donors, who may receive federal tax deductions rather than IIK’s 75% state tax credits. There is no need for any child to have to transfer.

The League of Women Voters is not against private schools. It simply believes that children in underfunded school districts should not have to rely on scholarships for a quality education. Public education is a fundamental bedrock of our democracy and should be available to serve all children across all of Illinois.

Jane Hastings

President, League of Women Voters of OP-RF

V I E W P O I N T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

NOT DYING

A sign of resilience from page 17 In moments of worry, I reached out to my big brother, a pillar of strength in my life. He assured me we would face this journey together, never once uttering the dreaded “C” word. A silent pact was forged to confront whatever lay ahead.

Two weeks later, another ultrasound revealed another unsettling lump beside the first. The doctor’s words were clinical, offering no empathy. She recommended a biopsy, suspecting cancer. Tears filled my eyes at the mention of “cancer.” I was left to gather my emotions in silence.

The drive home felt endless, and I endured a painful biopsy the following day. The word “cancer” now hung over me like a storm cloud, dark and foreboding.

A phone call from the doctor days later confirmed my fears — I had triple-positive breast cancer. The world seemed to stand still, and the subsequent details blurred.

In seeking support among fellow breast cancer patients, I encountered unexpected obstacles trying to join a Facebook support group. While one group welcomed me with open arms, another administered a barrage of questions, seeking to protect its members.

This incident marked my first encounter as a Black woman navigating the health-care

system, foreshadowing future challenges.

I reached out to a close friend and shared with her my desire to celebrate life, acknowledge the incredible journey I had traversed, and have a day that would serve as a reminder of my profound gratitude for being alive.

That friend, Phylicia, immediately recalled a humorous yet poignant detail from a cake I had sent her. I have a rather dark sense of humor, and the cake bore a message that perfectly encapsulated my outlook on life: “Good job not dying.”

Upon hearing this, Phylicia couldn’t help but question if everything was all right with me. The message on that cake was, after all, quite unconventional. I had to explain that I was feeling fine and that the sentiment behind the message was that I genuinely believed I had done a commendable job at not just surviving but thriving despite the multiple surgeries and hospitalizations I had endured.

Intrigued and inspired, Phylicia decided that something extraordinary needed to be done to commemorate this significant milestone in my life. She mentioned her idea to a mutual friend, Danielle, who also resides in our building. Danielle, understanding the magnitude of my battle, took it upon herself to reach out to our building manager, who, knowing the trials I had faced, generously granted permission for the plan.

On the evening just before Breast Cancer Awareness Month began, I returned home from work, took my dog out, and turned the corner, freezing in my tracks. A whirlwind

of emotions washed over me. I couldn’t help but smile pridefully as if I had just won an Oscar. My eyes filled with tears — not sorrow but unbridled joy. I stood there for what felt like an eternity, gazing at that yard sign, walking around it, gently touching it, and taking photographs. Passersby couldn’t help but notice the sign, and many approached, asking if it was for me, and they heartily congratulated me.

The morning after, many friends and neighbors gathered, eager to share in the joy of that moment. Some arrived dressed in various shades of pink, symbolizing breast cancer awareness. I was overwhelmed with complete bliss as people I knew and many I didn’t, including fellow warriors battling or triumphing over cancer, came out to take pictures with me. As the day unfolded, people driving by honked their horns and cheered while others on foot congratulated me. Reflecting on that day, Oct. 1, 2022, my heart is filled with unadulterated joy.

My journey was marked by sorrow but also by incredible friendships and newfound purpose. I discovered the power of resilience, support groups, therapy, and the kindness of strangers.

Despite physical and emotional challenges, I found an unyielding spirit. I became a beacon of hope for others facing breast cancer, offering guidance and solace. My journey continues, and I am determined to inspire others and make a difference in the world.

Today, I stand before you as a cancer

Because peace requires far more courage

I am left with an image I cannot shake. A small child, a little girl, maybe 5 or 6 years old, curled up on a cot, perhaps in a hospital, inconsolably crying. What inhumanity did she witness or experience that left her in that state of total despair, at such a tender age? Was it the death or murder of her mother? A sibling? A friend?

How many countless times will this be repeated?

The barbaric inhumanity of the terrorists Hamas is beyond comprehension. There are simply no other words. There really are no words in any language.

If a civil society responds with its own inhumanity imposed upon innocent civilians, out of rage and anger, how is that not the same result, uncivilized, brutally indiscriminate, ungodly?

The inconsolable little girl, crying, crying, will be crying all her life, if she herself survives. Was she “Israeli”? Was she “Palestinian”? Does she even know what those labels mean? Ultimately, it really doesn’t matter, does it?

Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

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survivor and warrior, forever grateful. My journey is far from over, and challenges lie ahead. Still, I am living in my fearless truth, sharing my story and proving that we can find beauty, strength, resilience, genuine friendships, newfound purpose, and a fresh perspective on life, even in the face of adversity.

In the midst of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, it’s a crucial time to remind everyone to prioritize their health. Self-checks are a simple yet powerful way to detect potential issues early on, and I encourage you to take a moment to examine them.

But it’s not just about self-care; it’s also about looking out for one another. If you know someone dealing with breast cancer, reach out to them. Ask what they need and offer help — a meal, a coffee, or a walk around the block. These small gestures can mean the world to someone navigating the challenging path of breast cancer.

As a Human Resources professional, I’ve dedicated my time to helping other women manage their careers while balancing the challenges of cancer. It’s a journey that has taught me the importance of resilience, the power of support, and the beauty of human connection. Let’s stand together, support one another, and ensure no one faces breast cancer alone.

Knelli Johnson is the founder of GNGR Way. She has documented her journey on her blog, https://englishteaamericancoffee. com/2023/10/08/unveiling-my-breast-cancerjourney-from-fear-to-fearless-truth.

It could have been me

There were many missed opportunities for peace between these two peoples in the past. The history is too long and too convoluted to recount. There was never a solution by force or deprivation, and there never will be.

A two-state solution was torpedoed by Hamas — and by right-wing cowardly politicians in Israel and America — who market hate and divisiveness as if they were name-brand commodities to be bought and sold. They were and are cowards because peace requires far more courage.

We are left feeling empty, angry, numb. I cannot shake the images of the families destroyed, the unspeakable brutality to which we are forced to bear witness, the small child, having no understanding why … crying, crying, inconsolably crying for all eternity … for the loss of humanity … our own humanity.

The medieval brutality of Hamas shocks us comfortable Americans to our bones. It is terror leveraged for political gain. In the late 1800s, my European great-grandparents sent their children to a pogrom-free life in America. They could just as easily have sent them to what was then “Palestine.” I could be dead.

Israel was founded on the graves of the six million Jews who died in World War II. It was to be a home of peace for a people homeless for thousands of years. But those who crafted the Israel solution in 1945 left their work unfinished. They created a new displaced people, and generations of rage.

At Friday night services around the world, Jews will read a list of congregants who died that week in years past. It is an act of honoring — not of lives lost, but of lives well lived, who were loved, who were part of something bigger than themselves. I am comforted by knowing my congregation will say my name once a year, even after I am forgotten.

Now, as we add thousands of Palestinian and Israeli names to the list of the dead, the whole world is grieving.

Pray for the captives.

Pray for all innocent civilians in the line of fire.

Pray for peace.

Oak Park

Oak Park

Richard Katz

Karen Muriello

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Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

Cengiz Yetken, 83 Architect, author, professor

Cengiz Yetken, 83, died on Sept. 24, 2023, after sustaining an inoperable brain injury from a fall while on vacation in Southern California. Born in Ceyhan, Turkiye, in 1940, after attending architecture school at Middle East Technical University (METU) in Ankara, he won a Fulbright scholarship to study with distinguished architect, Louis I. Kahn, at the University of Pennsylvania.

Graduating with honors, he joined the architecture faculty at the university and worked in Lou Kahn’s office. He subsequently taught architecture at METU, Ball State University (where he met his wife, Carol) and the University of Virginia.

In 1981, he left academia for professional practice and spent the next three decades at Chicago firms, Skidmore, Owings, and Merrill (SOM), and Perkins & Will, as well as in his own practice. He created award-winning educational, institutional and specialty projects in U.S. cities and around the world, including China, Angola, Bahrain, Dubai, Turkiye, Korea, Pakistan, India, Singapore, and Hong Kong, while also providing building expertise for countless forts and playhouses for his children and grandchildren.

A 42-year resident of Oak Park, Cengiz delighted taking friends and visitors from around the world to Frank Lloyd Wright’s Unity Temple, the Home & Studio and other works of Wright and Prairie School Architects.

During retirement he authored, Unlearning Architecture, devoted to his mentor, Louis Kahn, published in both English and Turkish. The book provided a context for understanding Kahn and his holistic approach to architectural design, in addition to being a heartwarming story about Cengiz’s coming-of-age experiences in America.

A lover of art, music and poetry, he will be remembered as an active mentor and passionate architectural visionary. Contributions in his name may be made to the University of Virginia School of Architecture Academic Support Fund. https://www. arch.virginia.edu/next100/academic-support-fund.

In addition to his wife, Carol (Hanenkratt), he leaves a son, Tarik Yetken (Florian Gador); his daughter, Melike Yetken Krilla

O B I T U A R I E S (Jeff Krilla); and four grandchildren, Charlotte, Samantha, Elodie Ruth, and Milo.

As a devoted member of the Baha’i Faith from a large Baha’i family dating back generations, a celebration of his life will be held on Saturday, Nov. 18 in Oak Park, at the Baha’i Faith Community Center, 124 Madison St.

Anthony Barbato, 79 Former president of Loyola Medical Center

Dr. Anthony Lawrence Barbato, 79, died peacefully at home on Oct. 6, 2023. Born on May 25, 1944 in Rochester, New York to Laurence and Mary Barbato (DelVecchio), his earliest days were spent at their small family grocery store with his brother Ralph and sisters Joan and Angela.

The family lived in the apartment above the store. He attended the University of Windsor (Ontario, Canada) where he met Mary Gearen and was subsequently welcomed with open arms into her expansive family in Oak Park. He and Mary had designs on their own large family and moved from Wesley Avenue to Linden Avenue where pizza night at Geppetto’s meant that a new brother or sister was on the way. In the midst of building this growing family with six children, Mary fought a great battle with cancer and died in 1988.

In 1991, he married Jean Callahan, who graciously took on the challenges of such a large and changing family. He graduated from Loyola University Stritch School of Medicine in 1970 and specialized in endocrinology. He profoundly loved practicing medicine, and continued seeing patients throughout his leadership career until his retirement. His love of teaching and tireless work ethic were guiding principles from his earliest days as professor of Medicine through his appointment as president of Loyola University Medical Center. In 2007 he was awarded the Stritch Medal and the University’s Sword of Loyola.

He took great pride in his work with Chicago Jesuit Province’s Christ the King High School, and he and Jean were both active supporters of the ongoing growth and development of Chicago Jesuit Academy.

Some of his happiest moments were spent on a road bike in Portugal, Italy and Eagle River, Wisconsin. He could best anyone at a

Saturday New York Times crossword puzzle and had impeccable taste in music and red wine. He had a way of crafting a handwritten letter that could bring you to your knees.

Tony is preceded in death by his wife Mary Gearen Barbato. He is survived by his wife, Jean Callahan Barbato; his seven children; Rebecca, Mark (Patty), Daniel (Ningshu Fang), Paul (Erin), Benjamin, Therese (Riley Mulherkar), and Colum; and 12 grandchildren, Grace, Emma, Nora, Matthew, Thomas, Peter, Eli, Kaia, Cormac, Mary, Theresa and Billie.

Donations in Tony’s name can be made to: Chicago Jesuit Academy, 5058 W. Jackson Blvd., Chicago, IL 60644 (773-638-6103), Web: https://www.chicagojesuitacademy.org/ support-us/donate-now.

Henry Snedeker, 80

Pastor, preacher, social justice advocate Rev. Dr. Henry (“Hank”) Ellis Snedeker, 80, died on Oct. 1, 2023 in Oak Park. Born on Aug. 15, 1943, he grew up in St. Georges, Delaware, and was a 1965 graduate of the University of Delaware, earning his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology. He was then called to ministry, attended Princeton Theological Seminary, and received his Master of Divinity in 1968. Several years later, he graduated from Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 1987, having earned his Doctor of Ministry.

Ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA), he served faithfully for 43 years as a pastor of churches in New York, Pennsylvania, and Florida, and in Presbyteries in Ohio and Michigan. He retired from ministry in 2008.

For much of his life, he approached the world with a sense of curiosity. He loved being near any body of water, especially the tidal pools of the East Coast. As he walked, he would offer up the scientific names of each creature and plant he saw. Growing up on a farm, his horses, dogs, and cats held special places in his heart. He loved classical music and books and would share his observations in ancient languages.

His commitment to social justice led him to participate in developing low-cost housing, creating relationships with immigrants, and addressing food insecurity. When he was asked for how he wanted to be remembered, he quoted St. Francis: “Preach the Gospel at

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM all times; if necessary, use words.”

The proud father of three daughters, Hank is survived by two of them, Deanne Snedeker Medina (and her husband Oscar Medina) and Rebecca Snedeker-Meier, as well as two granddaughters, Mila and Ellis, and one grandson, Alejandro. He is also survived by family members, Deborah Paton, Susan Meier, and Roberta Deakyne. The oldest of six, he had three brothers, George, Joseph, and Jan, and two sisters, Dee and Eleanor, as well as many nieces and nephews.

Hank was preceded in death by his oldest daughter, the Rev. Amy J. Snedeker, and his parents, Henry and Vera Snedeker.

A memorial celebration will be held on a future date.

If you would like to honor Hank’s memory, in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Special Olympics Illinois, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the Animal Care League of Oak Park.

Arrangements were handled by Zimmerman-Harnett Funeral Home.

Rita Quille, 94 Founded Quille Travel

Rita Anne Quille, 94, of Oak Park, died on Oct. 1, 2023. Born on Nov. 20, 1928 in Chicago to Lillian and Edward Quille, she had a successful career in the travel industry, working for PanAm and American Airlines before eventually founding the Quille Travel Organization Ltd. Her knowledge and experience advanced the success of her company, attracting clients like McDonald’s, Waste Management, and Chicago Bridge & Iron.

Along with her business acumen, she possessed a true spirit of adventure, traveling the world over, from the jungles of the Amazon to the towers of the Himalayas and Tibet. She enjoyed cooking and entertaining, and throwing parties that will always be fondly remembered by family & friends.

Most of all, Rita was a devoted mother to her children, Cynthia, Terry, Brian, and the late Victoria, and a loving grandmother to Mia, Henry and George.

A memorial service will be held to honor Rita’s life at 10:30 a.m. on Oct. 21 at Ascension Catholic Church, 808 S. East Ave. in Oak Park.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a contribution to the Mercy Home for Boys & Girls, which was a cause close to Rita’s heart.

Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

23

SPORTS OPRF boys soccer ready for postseason

Huskies complete undefeated regular season and get #1 sectional seed Contributing Reporter

The OPRF boys soccer team enters the postseason this week on a roll, finishing the regular season with a 20-0-2 record, the outright West Suburban Conference Silver Division title, and the #1 ranking in Chicagoland Soccer’s Top 25 Poll.

The Huskies, top-seeded in the IHSA Class 3A Evanston Township sectional, faced either Maine West or Von Steuben in a Niles Notre Dame regional semifinal on Oct. 17, after Wednesday Journal press time. If victorious, they would face either the host Dons or Lincoln Park for the regional title on Oct. 21 at 2 p.m.

Head coach Jason Fried lauded the Huskies’ approach as the key to their success this fall.

“The team did a great job not thinking about future games but what was in front of them,” he said. “They didn’t let the level of standards that were built all season drop

at all.”

Senior forward Easton Bogard led OPRF in the regular season with 31 goals and 15 assists. Junior midfielder Bryce Richards had 15 goals and 13 assists; senior midfielder Diego Zarate, 10 goals and six assists; and senior defender Cole Shepherd, eight goals and three assists.

The Huskies have been stout defensively, allowing just 11 goals this season, including 14 clean sheets (shutouts). Senior defenders Izzy Erwin, Charlie Maguire, and Ben Naber have been key.

While OPRF is the clear favorite in the sectional, Fried isn’t about to let his team take it for granted.

“We have a lot of respect for a lot of great programs that are in our sectional,” he said.

“To win our sectional is a great challenge, but a challenge we’re definitely up for.”

Fenwick Fenwick enters the postseason with a 7-82 record and the #4 seed in the IHSA Class 2A DePaul Prep regional.

The Friars met Roosevelt on Oct. 17 (after press time) in a regional semifinal at Schurz. Should Fenwick win, either the host Bulldogs or Lake View would be the oppo-

STEVE JOHNSTON

OPRF’s Charlie Maguire during a game against Proviso West on Sept. 26. nent for the regional title, Oct. 20.

“I think we’ve achieved a lot throughout the year and shown a lot of growth,” said Fenwick coach Craig Blazer. “But we need to show a little more tactical awareness and maturity in learning how to close out a half or win a game. However, with the exception of OPRF (6-0 defeat on Oct. 6), we’ve been in every game, and I’m very proud of the guys for that.”

Senior striker Ian MacKinnon leads the Friars with 10 goals, while junior midfielder Sam Allaire has five goals. Senior

midfielder James Zimmer has a team-high six assists and senior midfielder Jake Brecknock has five.

“Ian has been incredible,” Blazer said.

“He’s shown so much maturity.”

For Fenwick to have postseason success, Blazer feels the team needs to take things one half at a time and not look ahead.

“We’re really excited to start the playoffs,” he said. “It’s really been a fun year, and hopefully our group can be resilient and show the maturity we need to have to put some wins together.”

Solid showing for Fenwick girls at cross-country conference Gamboa, Scholtens finish top 10, named All-GCAC

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Fenwick High School freshman Juliana Gamboa culminated her impressive debut at the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference Red Division cross-country meet on Oct. 14 at Loyola Academy, finishing fourth individu-

ally with a time of 18:44.08.

“She’s had an amazing breakout season,” said Fenwick coach Latoya Zubowicz-Hill of the frosh runner, who won the Sterling Invitational the previous week. “Most importantly, she’s an amazing young lady. She has bought into the program and work ethic, and it shows.”

Senior Anna Scholtens also had a top 10 showing, coming in ninth at 19:42.94. She earned All-GCAC Red honors along with Gamboa.

“I couldn’t be more pleased with Anna,”

Zubowicz-Hill said. “She has been a true leader and welcoming. Every accolade she’s getting, she deserves. She’s put in the work.”

The Friars, who finished sixth in the team standings with 126 points, got contributions from freshman Lily Kotynek (35th, 21:35.8), junior Kyra Miller (38th, 22:26.62), sophomore Romy Bergetz (40th, 22:36.47), junior Emma Brennan (45th, 24:04.41), and junior Francesca Reale (46th, 25:41.89).

“No one ran their best times considering the [wet, windy] weather,” Zubowicz-Hill said. “But we ran to the best of our ability

and I’m super-proud of them.”

The Friars compete in the IHSA Class 2A Chicago Latin regional on Oct. 21.

Trinity Trinity High School placed fourth in the GCAC White Division meet, on Oct. 14 at Loyola, with 100 points.

Sophomore Molly McGreal finished third for the Blazers, with a time of 19:10.33.

See CROSS-COUNTRY on page 24

24

Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

S P O R T S

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

Fenwick falls short at DePaul Prep

38 yards by Noah Sur and an 8-yard early in the fourth when Sur’s 46-yard field Bautista responded with a 10-yard score, Double overtime loss means and touchdown by Luke D’Alise. goal fell short. But the defense held and DePaul opted to go for two. Rodriguez The Friars led 19-7 with 1:49 left in the after a shanked punt, Sur connected from rolled out to his right and found Peevy in must-win for Friars to make half following a 6-yard touchdown by Ninos 36 yards out to give the Friars a 29-23 lead the right corner of the end zone for a successful conversion and the win.

Ameer. But momentum swung DePaul’s with 6:14 remaining. post-season “I’m really proud of the way the offense way on the final play when Rodriguez hit Nate Marshall almost sealed things for

MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

The Fenwick High School football team visited DePaul Prep on Oct. 13, hoping to snap its two-game skid and clinch state playoff eligibility in the process.

Instead, the Friars lost their third consecutive game, this time in gut-wrenching fashion, to the Rams, 44-43 in double overtime. DePaul Prep quarterback Fernando Rodriguez’s two-point conversion pass to Braden Peevy in the second overtime was the game-winner.

“We have to use this as fuel going forward for next week because we have another chance to right the ship,” said Fenwick quarterback Marek Hill.

Fenwick (4-4) jumped ahead 12-0 after the opening quarter thanks to field goals of 25

Peevy for a 17-yard touchdown, making it 19-14 at halftime.

Fenwick started the second half on its 3 yard line after fumbling the kickoff out of bounds. Then Sur, kicking from his end zone, had his punt blocked by Jett Reese. The ball went out of the end zone for a safety.

On the ensuing drive, Rodriguez connected with Michael Bloom for a 55-yard score, giving DePaul (4-4) the lead. However, Fenwick quickly responded with an Ameer 1-yard touchdown to regain the lead 26-23 at the 8:48 mark of the third quarter.

Ben Jarnecke recovered a DePaul fumble on the ensuing kickoff, gifting the Friars excellent field position on the Rams’ 36.

However, Hill was stopped short on 4th and 1 from the 6, resulting in a turnover on downs.

Fenwick missed another scoring chance

Fenwick when with nothing but open field ahead, he had an interception bounce off his hands on DePaul’s next possession.

This proved costly as the Rams went on to convert two fourth downs on the drive, the second being a 28-yard pass from Rodriguez to Bloom that tied the game. But the Friars blocked the extra point to keep the score 29-29 with 2:03 left in regulation.

A Hill completion of 22 yards to Rowan White along with D’Alise runs of 12 and 8 yards put Sur in position to win the game.

But his 40-yard field goal went wide left as time expired, resulting in overtime.

Titus Bautista ran in from three yards out to give DePaul the lead in overtime, but Hill found Marshall for a six-yard score to even things.

In the second overtime, Hill connected with Avion Brown for a 10-yard score. After

fought back the last couple of drives,” Hill said.

Defensively, Aiden Burns had 2.5 sacks (tackling Rodriguez on back-to-back plays in the second quarter), and D’Alise had a sack and interception.

The loss means that Fenwick’s state playoff hopes are on the line when the Friars visit IC Prep (6-2) on Oct. 20 in a Chicago Catholic League/East Suburban Catholic Conference Orange Division showdown.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 at Plunkett Park in Elmhurst, with the winner gaining a share of the division title.

“Myself, Luke, and the other seniors are stressing that this is the last guaranteed week of high school football we’re going to get,” Hill said. “I want to get another chance to fight with my brothers and showcase our abilities.”

Walker takes over Fenwick boys swimming

Former state champ is the son of longtime LTHS swimming coach MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

Spencer Walker was announced, Oct. 12, as Fenwick High School’s new boys swimming and diving head coach. Walker comes from Riverside-Brookfield High School, where he was an assistant on the girls team, and has

CROSS-COUNTRY from page 23 “Going into the postseason, we were a little conservative with Molly, monitoring her growth,” said Trinity coach Johann Gonzalez. “Top 10 overall (7th including the Red Division), that’s good for her, and we move on.”

Junior Jade Morelli (17th, 22:23.94), sopho-

also led two club programs: Academy Bullets Swim Club and Butterfield Country Club.

He replaces Joseph Waldorf, who resigned for personal reasons. Waldorf was hired in August in place of Steve Thompson, who stepped down after two seasons.

“Spencer comes to us with an impressive background and a growing track record of success in Illinois swimming,” said Fenwick aquatics director Beto Garcia in a press release issued by the school. “His passion for the sport and commitment to swimmer development align perfectly with our values and goals for the future of this program.”

A 2018 graduate of Lyons Township High School, Walker helped lead the Lions to backto-back IHSA state championships in 2016 and 2017. He holds the state record in the 100yard backstroke with a time of 47.22 seconds in the 2018 preliminaries.

Walker also won consecutive individual state titles in the 100 backstroke in 2017 with a time of 48.70 and in 2018 with a time of 48.11.

He was named Breakthrough Athlete of the Year by Illinois Swimming in 2017.

He swam collegiately at the University of Alabama and qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in the backstroke and freestyle.

While at LTHS, Walker was coached by his father, Scott, who served as the Lions’ coach for 24 seasons, winning the aforementioned two state championships and coaching seven state championship swimmers before his retirement in 2018.

Scott Walker will join Spencer’s Fenwick staff as an assistant, and Garcia is excited to have him aboard. “[Scott] Walker’s accolades are tremendous and his reputation as an excellent coach and motivator precede him,” he said. “Together we all will embark on this journey and achieve new heights as a team.”

more Alessandra Pineda (21st, 23:06.21), senior Andrea Garcia (33rd, 26:29.08), and sophomore Ginger Perry (34th, 26:35.07) rounded out the lineup.

“Alessandra ran her personal best, which is pretty incredible in the [wet, windy] conditions,” Gonzalez said.

Trinity hosts a Class 2A regional, Oct. 21, at Miller Meadows in Maywood. Gonzalez said it’s the first time the Blazers have hosted the event.

“Our goal is to qualify as a team [for sectional],” he added. “Individually, I’m sure Molly will tell you that she wants to finish All-Regional again.” (McGreal got that honor last year.)

Senior Nathaniel McKillop was the Friars’ top runner, placing sixth in 16:14.99.

Juniors Finnbar Munley (17th, 16:43.42) and Benicio Carideo (22nd, 17:03.10) also placed in the top 25 individually. Senior Dean O’Bryan (17:21.10), sophomore Aidan Powers (39th, 17:44.81), junior Christopher Zielinski (43rd, 17:57.79), and sophomore James Kiesewetter (46th, 18:02.45) rounded out the lineup.

Fenwick competes in the Class 3A OPRF regional, Oct. 21, at Schiller Woods.

Fenwick boys Fenwick finished fourth in the Chicago Catholic League meet, Oct. 14 at Loyola, with 108 points.

Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

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CLASSIFIED BY PHONE: (708) 613-3333 BY FAX: (708) 467-9066 BY E-MAIL: EMAIL@GROWINGCOMMUNITYMEDIA.ORG PUBLIC NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified vendors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, November 1, 2023 for the following: Village of Oak Park Water and Sewer Repair Parts and Materials - 2024 Bid Number: 24-103 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park. us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 3585700 during the above hours.

Published in Wednesday Journal October 18, 2023

PUBLIC NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, November 3, 2023 for the following: Village of Oak Park 2024 Auto/Truck Body and Collision Repair Bid Number: 23-131 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park. us/bid. For questions, please call Public Works at (708) 3585700 during the above hours.

Published in Wednesday Journal October 18, 2023

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To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777.

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LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed bids from qualified contractors at the Public Works Center, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302 Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. local time until 3:00 p.m. on Friday, November 3, 2023 for the following: Village of Oak Park 2024 Auto/Truck Transmission Repair Bid Number: 23-132 Bid documents may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oakpark.us/bid.

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

Published in Wednesday Journal October 18, 2023

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

OPPORTUNITY newspaper is subject to the Fair

PUBLIC NOTICES

LEGAL NOTICE The Village of Oak Park will receive sealed proposals at the Office of the Village Engineer, 201 South Boulevard, Oak Park, Illinois 60302, until 10:00 A.M. on Tuesday, October 31, 2023, for the following: 23-10 Sewer Cleaning and Inspection. Proposals can also be sent electronically to eavgoustakis@oak-park. us. In general, the contract will require the following work: light cleaning of sewer segments to be inspected, inspecting sewer segments by means of closedcircuit television (CCTV), and providing reports of CCTV inspections at locations shown, and all appurtenant work thereto. All CCTV inspections shall be performed in accordance with NASSCO’s pipeline assessment certification program (PACP) standards.

Proposal forms may be obtained from the Village’s website at http://www.oak-park.us/bid. For questions, please call or email Elaine Avgoustakis, (708) 3585726, eavgoustakis@oak-park. us.

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

THE VILLAGE OF OAK PARK Bill McKenna Village Engineer Published in Wednesday Journal October 18, 2023

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT CHANCERY DIVISION CITIMORTGAGE, INC. Plaintiff, -v.FELICIA DEGRAFFENREID, NEIGHBORHOOD ASSISTANCE CORPORATION OF AMERICA, ILLINOIS HOUSING DEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY Defendants 20 CH 01174 1540 N. ROHDE AVE. BERKELEY, IL 60163 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 6, 2023, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on November 17, 2023, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at a public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 1540 N. ROHDE AVE., BERKELEY, IL 60163 Property Index No. 15-08-113-0500000 The real estate is improved with a single family residence.

The judgment amount was $130,373.67.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court.

Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required

by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4).

If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 15-1701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, contact HEAVNER, BEYERS & MIHLAR, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 601 E. William St., DECATUR, IL, 62523 (217) 4221719. Please refer to file number 403024.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236SALE You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

HEAVNER, BEYERS & MIHLAR, LLC 601 E. William St. DECATUR IL, 62523 217-422-1719 Fax #: 217-422-1754 E-Mail: CookPleadings@hsbattys. com Attorney File No. 403024 Attorney Code. 40387 Case Number: 20 CH 01174 TJSC#: 43-401 NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 20 CH 01174 I3227977

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Wednesday Journal, October 18, 2023

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