WednesdayJournal_120424

December 4, 2024

45, No. 23

Oak Park mourns

Det. Allan Reddins

The rst time an Oak Park o cer has died in the line of duty since 1938

By ERIKA HOBBS Editor in chief

Villagers across Oak Park are grappling with the shocking death of Det. Allan Reddins, who was shot and killed Friday while on duty. Fundraisers and a public memorial are in the early planning stages. A vigil supporting the end of gun violence is set for next Tuesday. And dignitaries, including Gov. JB Pritzker and State Re p. Camille Y. Lilly have publicly expressed their condolences

“His bravery, unwavering service, and commitment to the Oak Park Police Department and the community will never be forgotten,” Lilly said in a statement. “Detective Reddins’ dedication to public service will be remembered here in the State of Illinois forever and will live on in our hearts and minds.”

Reddins, 40, died about 10:10 a.m. after a shootout on the 800 block of Lake Street. He had responded to a call shortly after 9:30 a.m. that a man with a gun was seen leaving Chase Bank on Lake Street. The shooting, police spokesman Dan Yopchick said in a statement, was about two blocks east of the bank.

PHOTO BY ANDY MEAD

Memorial at Scov ille Park, Lake St reet and Oak Park Avenue.

ALLAN REDDINS

First-degree murder charge for suspect in Oak Park detective’s death

Jerrell Thomas has extensive criminal record

By DAN HALEY Publisher

Jerrell Thomas, 37, has been charged with first-de gree murder in the Nov. 29 death of Oak Park police detective Allan Reddins. A Chicago resident, Thomas has an extensive criminal background including arrests for aggravated battery to a police officer, domestic battery, battery and resisting a police officer.

The Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Thomas with first-de gree murder in the line-of-duty death of Reddins. Thomas has also been charged with attempted murder of a peace officer, possession of a stolen firearm and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon.

REDDINS

On the force since 2019

from page 1

Authorities said that Re ddin s, of Chicago, was shot in the left s ide and was transported to Loyola Unive rsity Medic al Center.

His death marks the first time an Oak Park Police Department officer has died in the line of duty since 1938.

The suspect, Jerrell Thomas, 37, of Chicago, was shot in the leg and taken to the same hospital. He has been charged with first-de gree murder, attempted murder of a peace officer, possession of a stolen firearm and unlawful use of a weapon by a felon. An investigation is ongoing.

At a news conference last Friday, Oak Park Police Chief Shatonya Johnson called Reddins “a family man,” adding that he was committed to his 19-year-old son, his mother and siblings. Reddins, who was sworn into service in Oak Park in May 2019, was a “natural born leader” and served a “community he cherished,” she said.

Johnson added that Reddins, as do most Oak Park officers, was riding alone Friday morning. She acknowledged that Reddins, a detective since 2022, had been reassigned

Reddins, 40, was shot Frida Nov. 29 when Reddins and other officers responded to a police call after Thomas was alle gedl seen leaving the Chase Bank on Lake Street with a gun. The shooting took place on the 800 block of Lake Street.

Reddins, who was shot on his left side, was taken to Loyola Medical Center and was pronounced dead at 10:10 a.m. Friday. Thomas, of the 4100 block of West Cermak Road in Chicago, was shot in the leg, treated on the scene and then was transported to Loyola where he is in stable condition. No bond hearing has been set while he remains hospitalized.

The village government reported Saturday that an invesation shows that as Reddins and other officers approached Thomas, he failed to comply with officers’ directives and began to shoot, striking Reddins on the left side of his body Reddins had been a member of the department since 2019 and was promoted to detective in 2022. Reddins was the first Oak Park police officer to die in the line of duty since 1938.

Following Oak Park police policy, the Illinois State Police Public Integrity Task Force was called in to assist with the investigation of the shooting.

to patrol due to “staffing concerns.” He was riding his scheduled patrol shift when the incident occur red.

Area firefighters and police, as well as retired officers and others from nearby municipalities flocked to the scene, she added.

“This is the worst day for any chief of police,” she said. “Officers are suffering. I am hurting.”

Doris Kelley, of Chicago, said she was in traffic when she witnessed the shooting.

She said she was waiting behind a car she thought was tur ning into the Oak Park Public Library. Kelley said she turned to look and saw a man standing on the sidewalk with a gun.

S he also saw ahead of her p olice ca r 510, and said she sees the officer assigned to that car in the morning when she runs for co ff ee.

“I thought, ‘I hope it’s not a gun and he’s holding something,’” she said, “but you could tell by his stance that it was a gun.

“I was thinking it’s too early for something like this to be happening.”

The car number has not yet been confirmed as Reddins’.

Kelley, a for mer Oak Park resident, said she watched the officer approach the man.

Traf fic began moving again and she said she parked by the library at Kenilworth Avenue and Lake Street and heard three or four shots ring out. She said she watched

through her rearview mirror as the officer ran back and took cover behind his car, and that she called a television news station to re port the incident, then ran to the post office to pick up her mail.

After she left the post office, she said, she saw multiple police cars had flocked to the area and heard a second round of shots fired

“I didn’t think there would be a shooting when the officer got out of his car,” she said. “I was thinking, you know, he was going to talk him down or something.”

Outpouring of support

Officials across the state of fered condolences to the detective’s family and the police department.

“The Village of Oak Park extends its deepest condolences to Detective Reddins’ family, friends and colleagues within the Oak Park Police Department and the wider law enforcement community as they process the grief caused by this senseless violence,” Yopchick said in a statement.

On X, Gov. JB Pritzker said, “Our hearts are with his family, loved ones, and the entire Oak Park Police Department.”

The Chicago Police Department, too, wrote that it “extends our heartfelt condo-

WEDNESD

AY JOURNAL

of Oak Park and River Forest

Editor Erika Hobbs

Digital Manager Stacy Coleman

Digital Media Coordinator Brooke Duncan

Sta Repor ter Luzane Draughon

Viewpoints Editor Ken Trainor

Real Estate Editor Lacey Sikora

Contributing Editor Donna Greene

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

Shrubtown Cartoonist Marc Stopeck

Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead

Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea

Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza

Marketing & Adver tising Associate Ben Stumpe

Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls

Business & Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan

Circulation Manager Jill Wagner

Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

Chairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs Publisher Dan Haley

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chair Eric Weinheimer | Treasurer Nile Wendorf Deb Abrahamson, Gary Collins, Steve Edwards, Judy Gre n, Horacio Mendez, Charles Meyerson Darnell Shields, Sheila Solomon, Audra Wilson

JERELL THOMAS

BIG WEEK

December 4-11

Our nal Big Week will run on December 18. Don’t worry! We have more events coverage coming soon. For a sneak peak, and to submit events to be included in our new calendar, visit oakpark.com/events

Older Adults Co ee Hour

Friday, Dec. 6, 9:30 - 11 a.m., Oak Park Public Library

Join us for co ee, holiday treats, and friendly conversation. The December session will also feature a voluntary personal book exchange—bring a book to swap. Register at oppl.org/calendar. 834 Lake St., Oak Park

Illinois Libraries Presents: The Magic of Raina Telgemeier

Tuesday, Dec. 10, 7 - 8 p.m., Virtual through Oak Park Public Library

Join Raina Telgemeier as she shares insights into her creative process, inspiration, and the magic behind her hear twarming graphic novels. Learn more and register at oppl.org/calendar.

Free Parent/Caregiver Workshop: Keep the Holidays Happy

Tuesday, Dec. 10, 6 - 7 p.m., River Forest Community Center

Book discussion: Searching for True Community

Monday, Dec. 9, 1:15 p.m., NineteenthCentury Club

Wednesday Journal columnist Ken Trainor has been writing about his hometown for the past 34 years, searching for, and nding, true community through Oak Park’s people, places and things. Join him for a leisurely, literary stroll through his book Our Town Oak Park. It will make you feel good about living here. Part of the Nineteenth Century Charitable Association’s Humanities and Enrichment Series. Luncheon: 11:30 a.m., $25 for members, $30 for nonmembers. Book talk and discussion at 1:15 p.m., $15 suggested donation (free for members). ncca.memberclicks.net 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park

Join this workshop to learn stress management strategies for navigating the busy holiday season. Explore social emotional development, calming techniques, and the importance of routines, while considering diverse cultural holiday traditions. Presented by Tracy Patton, Early Childhood Consultant. Childcare and light refreshments available for in-person attendees. 8020 Madison St., River Forest

St. Catherine of Siena-St. Lucy and St. Giles Parish Art and Gift Fair

Saturday, Dec. 7, 11 a.m.–4 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 8, 9 a.m.–1 p.m., St. Giles Church’s McDonough Hall (2nd oor)

Browse a variety of art and gift items at this festive holiday fair. The location is directly north of the church at the corner of Green eld and Columbian. Free admission. 1101 Columbian Ave., Oak Park

Clean Energy Forum

Monday, Dec. 9, 7 p.m., Community Recreation Center

Learn how new policies are advancing clean energy in Illinois and Oak Park. See a live heat pump demonstration by Energy Matters and get free consultations from the Climate Coaches of the Oak Park Climate Action Network. Take steps to ght climate change and discover how clean energy upgrades can bene t your home. 229 Madison St., Oak Park

Holiday Housewalk & Market

Friday, Dec. 6, 5 - 9 p.m. and Saturday, Dec. 7, 1 - 5 p.m., Oak Park and River Forest

Tour six beautifully decorated homes and shop 20+ curated vendors at the Holiday Market. Tickets are: $70 advance, $75 at the door. Purchase at opr ws.org/buytickets. Learn more at opr ws.org/holiday-housewalk. 28 Madison St., Oak Park

Listing your event

Wednesday Jour nal 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.

■ Email details to calendar@wjinc.com

Compiled by Brooke Duncan

KEN TRAINOR

e last time an Oak Park police o cer died on duty

cer Chauncey Esch was killed in 1938

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

The last time an Oak Park police officer died in the line of duty, before Det. Allan Reddins died Nov. 29, was in 1938.

Officer Chauncey Esch was struck and killed by a North Western commuter train while escorting a 16-year-old purse snatcher from the train station near Marion Street and North Boulevard to the Oak Park police station, then located at Lake Street and Euclid Avenue. In 1938, the Chicago and North Western Railroad train tracks were on ground level.

Esch was walking 16-year-old Joseph McCombs along the railroad tracks, according to an article in the Jan. 27, 1938 issue of Oak Leaves. He was struck from behind by a train which was being backing up from Elmhurst to Chicago.

Five cars and the tender passed over him, fracturing Esch’s skull and cutting off both legs, according to the Officer Down Memorial Page. McCombs was not injured, sought help for the gravely injured officer and said he had not seen or heard the train until Esch disappeared underneath it

The lights on the train were also found to be “inadequate” according to ODMP.

Esch served in the Oak Park Police Department for 10 years and worked mainly in

REDDINS

from page 3

lences to the family, friends, and coworkers of Oak Park Police Department Detective Allan Reddins, who was shot and killed in the line of duty today.”

Takeout 25, founded by Oak Park Trustee Ravi Parakkat, has modified its holiday gift card pr ogr am to help suppo rt Reddins’ f amily. Gift cards purchased through this progr am will still benefit local restaurants, but donated gift cards will go to the OPPD, according to a Dec. 1 Takeout 25 email.

Additional donations raised through this progr am will go directly to Reddins’

manners, he was a man of stalwart build, unflinching courage and devotion to duty.”

Esch was married to Adeline Vasey Esch, and they had three children, John, 12, Jeanne, 8 and Joan, 4.

Esch was buried beside his parents in Elm Lawn Cemetery in Elmhurst.

Information for this article was provided by the Village of Oak Park, the Officer Down Memorial Page and The Historical Society of Oak Park and River Forest

f amily, according to the email. Gift card bundles can be purchased online by Dec 6 or donated by Dec. 31.

“Let’s keep Detective Reddins and his loved ones in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time,” the email said.

“Thank you for showing up for our community in every way that matters.”

A candlelight peace vigil to end gun violence will take place at 6 p.m., Dec. 10 at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, 545 S. East Ave. in Oak Park. It is sponsored by several local groups, including Moms Demand Action Oak Park-Austin Area, Community of Cong re gations and Catholic parishes of Oak Park.

Publisher Dan Haley and Journal reporter Luzane Draughon contributed to this stor y.

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Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County receives $2.5M grant

The money comes from the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

Jeff Bezos, executive chairman of Amazon, and Lauren Sánchez, an American media personality, donated $2.5 million through the Bezos Day 1 Families Fund to the Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County. The Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County is a nonprofit organization that coordinates homelessness-related services and housing options for Cook County outside of Chicago. That includes 130 suburbs, or approximately 2.5 million people

The Bezos Day 1 Families Fund issues annual awards to organizations doing work to help families experiencing homelessness. Ac-

cording to its website, nearly $750 million has been donated since 2018. In 2024, $110.5 million has been donated to 40 groups. The goal of the fund, according to an Alliance news release, is to ensure that no child sleeps outside.

“With the support of the Day 1 Families Fund, we and our partners will be better positioned to connect families to the housing and supports they need to end their housing crisis and give their children every chance to thrive,” Jennifer Hill, executive director of the Alliance, said in the release.

A group of experts on family homelessness and its solutions help choose the organizations selected for funding, according to the Alliance news release

According to the news release, family homelessness rose from 2022 to 2023 in the United States. And families represent more

See HOMELESSNESS on pa ge 14

OP-RF Chamber proposes a youth internship program

Students, age 14 to 21, would be eligible to par ticipate in paid program

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

The Oak Park-River Forest Chamber of Commerce wants to start a youth internship program in 2025, with financial help it hopes to get from the village gover nment.

The program would be called “NEXT,” or Navigating Employment and eXperience Training, and would be open to students between the ages of 14 and 21 who either attend local schools or have a primary residence in Oak Park.

The village has not yet officially committed to paying the projected $149,000 in costs of the program but has agreed to discuss it further Darien Marion-Burton, the chamber’s ex-

ecutive director, proposed two cohorts for the program to start: one in summer 2025 and one in the fall of 2025. Each cohort, as proposed, would have 20 interns work at local businesses

Interns would be paid $15 an hour, slightly higher than the minimum wage, and would work up to 20 hours per week. Both interns and local businesses participating would be vetted by the chamber. Businesses would also be required to dedicate 25% of the inter nship time to educational purposes.

Marion-Burton said that in a survey of the local business community, respondents said their biggest concer ns are the economy and staffing. This internship program is intended to help workforce development.

“People grow up in this community, they then go to maybe a Big 10 school or a liberal arts college, they then maybe move back to Chicago and live in the city, and then they

RF police add crime- ghting tools to thwart retail the

Mobile trailer purchase funded by grant; deliver y expected in late Januar y

By ROBERT J. LIFKA Contributing Reporter

The River Forest Police Department is getting a new crime-fighting tool: a mobile surveillance and Automated License Plate Reader (ALPR) camera trailer.

At its Nov. 18 meeting, the Village Board authorized the purchase of the new mobile camera trailer from Minuteman Security and Life Safety of Tinley Park for $36,070.17, in addition to a $2,000.00 camera configuration fee from Grif fon Systems of Elmhurst, for a total of $38,070.17. Both firms are currently providing similar services to the police department. Delivery of the new equipment is expected in late January.

The purchase, which will be funded through a $45,000 Illinois Attorney General Organized Retail Theft grant for fiscal year 2024/25, was approved without discussion as part of the unanimous approval of the consent agenda. Police Chief Jim O’Shea said the remaining $5,000 will pay for extra duty detail patrols. The trailer and overtime will be used and focused on retail business areas to combat retail theft crime, which is on the rise.

Between Jan. 1, 2023, and Nov. 27, 2023, there were 222 retail thefts re ported. For the same period this year there have been

322 re ported retail thefts, an increase of 45 percent.

“This increase may be influenced by several factors, including retail establishments calling police more to reduce theft and shrinkage financial losses; the increased use of product alarms and tracking devices by stores; the increased use of security cameras; establishments bringing in loss prevention or security agents to manage theft and security; and the ne gative consequences of no bail requirements contained within the SAFE-T Act,” O’Shea said.

River Forest also received a $113,000 Attorney General Organized Retail Theft grant in FY2023/24. That grant funded ALPR systems, a Real Time Crime Center solution and extra duty detail patrols. Because the Crime Center purchase was much less expensive than originally expected, the village retur ned $54,143.02.

In a memo to Matt Walsh, village administrator, O’Shea said the mobile camera trailer will supplement the surveillance camera and ALPR system throughout the village operated by the police.

“To augment and improve this system, staf f seeks to de ploy a solar-powered mobile camera trailer that is equipped with both surveillance and automated license plate reader cameras,” he said. “The cameras will inte grate into existing systems allowing the police department to deploy the trailer to tactically advantageous locations that are primarily focused on curtailing organized retail theft crimes, but also to other

See CRIME on pa ge 11

Finance Supervisor (Part Time)

Interested candidates shall submit an application by email to Michael Sletten at msletten@rfparks.com. Full job description can be viewed at www.rfparks.com.

My husband Mike and I have lived in our Oak Park house for almost 30 years. I love our house. But that was not always the case. At first the house was plenty big for Mike and me. But, as our family grew, the house seemed to shrink. By the time our fourth child was born, it was like my family was Alice in Wonderland spilling out of our three bedroom - 1,800square-foot house. Plus, the house needed a lot of work. So, we did what anyone does in this type of situation. We looked to move. We found a house close to our price range that had four bedrooms and a bigger footprint. However, there seemed to be something a little off with this house. The second-floor hallway angled downward toward the back of the house. We thought, it’s an old house, no house is perfect.

But after the house inspection, we learned the house was not just old but was also broken. Our inspectors could not figure out the exact problem, but they knew it was bad enough that we shouldn’t buy it. So, we played it safe and passed on the house. Instead, we stayed put and dealt with our current house problems. We started to remodel the space and little by little, we were able to create a home that met our needs.

Turns out the potential new house had a prior owner who cut through a supporting beam in the house’s basement. The whole house was falling down and needed to be jacked up— fix we definitely could not have afforded. Today, we are glad we did not move and feel that we and our pocketbooks dodged a bullet.

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A BULLET DODGED

My house story is illustrative about how I think of our recent state of inflation. High prices stink, and our economy is not perfect, but perhaps we dodged a COVID economic bullet. The best scenario would have been to thread the needle and come out of COVID with a strong economy and low inflation. That did not happen. Instead, we got a strong economy and high inflation. Still not great. But we could have had low inflation and a weak economy. A weak economy would have brought high unemployment. Last time we had a weak economy it took us a decade to shed it and it sparked a housing shortage we are still dealing with today.

THERESA CLANCY Estate Planning Attorney

so we do without). This relationship is known as the Phillips curve.

But, since the financial crisis of 2007, the relationship between the strength of the economy and inflation has been different than past years. Inflation did not fall as much as might have been expected in 2009 and 2010 (when the economy was very weak). Since then (until COVID), inflation has remained lower than expected, in spite of a growing economy and lower unemployment.

So what explains this low inflation post the Great Recession (until the pandemic)? Economists have identified several possible factors.

deregulation, and a rise in noncompete clauses. These factors may have reduced the ability of some employees to bargain effectively for higher wages, keeping wages stagnant and inflation in check. In fact, from 1979 to 2020, productivity rose 61.8%, while the typical worker pay only increased 17.5% (after adjusting for inflation).

Yet, high prices have been a tough pill to swallow. Stimulus payments, bottleneck supply chains, increased savings, and high demand for goods and services created the perfect storm for double digit inflation. Sure, prices are no longer leapfrogging out of control, but they are still high. Inflation made us feel like we took a pay cut.

Perhaps, the hardest thing about this record-setting inflation is that most of us had never experienced it before or, if we did, it was a distant memory. Prior to the pandemic, we had enjoyed low inflation for decades. In fact, from 2009-2019 inflation had averaged 1.5%, even lower than the Federal Reserve’s goal of 2%. So, I wondered why had inflation remained so low for so long even as the economy grew stronger?

Typically, low unemployment boosts inflation (we have more money, so we spend it) and high unemployment lowers inflation (we have less money,

One is vibes. We had more stable inflation because that is what we expected. Reality followed expectations. Also, technology, automation, and artificial intelligence improved productivity and reduced costs. Plus, the internet brought price transparency and competition from cheap imports, meaning local businesses had limited ability to raise prices. In addition, steady energy prices kept transportation and production costs stable.

Although the unemployment rate fell to historic lows in 2018, wage growth remained relatively moderate in comparison to productivity. Factors, such as automation and the gig economy, increased the labor supply and limited the bargaining power of workers in many sectors. While wages were rising, the increases were not sharp enough to drive significant inflation.

In fact, in the last few decades we have seen declining unionization, a fall in the real minimum wage,

During COVID workers had some money in their pockets from the COVID relief checks, child tax credit, and general savings due to lockdowns. So, workers could be more discriminating about their job choice. Thus, creating a tighter labor market. A tight labor market put workers in the driver’s seat, and they were able to ask for higher wages or change jobs in pursuit of better pay. Now, wages are keeping ahead of inflation. Which is great. But I think what most people want is to regain the money they lost to inflation. Unfortunately, that is not happening. Sadly, according to the Federal Reserve we are likely in for a bumpier inflation ride than we experienced pre COVID.

Is there a silver lining? I think, yes. Workers seem to have found their voice and, hopefully, going forward they will demand that their wages and their company’s productivity are better correlated. Like estate planning. The word is out, and many people are now realizing that avoiding the hassle and expense of probate court is the best route for their family. So, people are asking to create estate plans that streamline their assets, smoothly transition those assets to their beneficiaries, and avoid probate court. You can be one of them! Create an estate plan today.

CRIME

locations as needed for emergencies, natural disasters and special events.”

Delivery is expected in late January 2025 and the trailer will be de ployed after internal training has been completed.

O’Shea said his department is “always” looking for grant opportunities for public safety initiatives.

“We are constantly monitoring grant opportunities from the U.S. Department of Justice, the Bureau of Justice Administration and the Illinois Department of Transportation,” he said. “We will continue to apply for the Attorney General grant in future budget years.”

Use of camera trailers have become commonplace for public and private organizations, including Elmwood Park, according to O’Shea.

Minuteman, the existing village ALPR vendor, will build the video surveillance trailer that will include a 20-foot hand crank telescoping tower that rotates 355 degrees and a 730-to-750-watt solar array. Griffon, the existing village Avigilon surveillance camera vendor and camera system

Quotes were received from other vendors, including Mobile Pro Systems ($37,983.00), and Griffon Systems ($39,430.00).

According to the Illinois attorney general’s website, the Organized Retail Crime Task Force is the first statewide, publicprivate collaboration of its kind in Illinois and is designed to foster cooperation among retailers, online marketplaces, law enforcement agencies and state’s attorneys dedicated to targeting organized retail crime enterprises.

The task force allows the office to use

etailers and

to partner across jurisdictions with law -

nized retail crimes and trace thefts to their source. Attorney General Kwame Raoul’s goal in establishing the task force is to improve communication among public and private entities and use a multifaceted approach to combatting organized retail theft and related criminal activity.

In addition to establishing the task force, Raoul initiated legislation to create and specifically define organized retail crime in state law. Signed in 2022, the law put in place stronger oversight of online marketplaces to curb actors who exploit legitimate

platforms to illegally sell stolen goods. It also creates a statewide intelligence platform to help retailers and law enforcement agencies better coordinate their enforcement ef forts.

Additionally, the law requires online marketplaces to verify the identity of highvolume sellers, which will help police outlets used to monetize stolen merchandise. The law also reduces a criminal’s ability to avoid prosecution by allowing any state’s attorney where any element of organized retail crime takes place to prosecute the whole crime. The law also gives the Attorney General’s office authority to utilize the statewide grand jury to prosecute organized retail crime.

Also under the law, the General Assembly appropriated funding to the Attorney General’s office to award grants to state’s attorneys’ offices and law enforcement agencies that investigate and prosecute org anized retail crime. T he Org anized Retail Crime Grant Progr am was awarded $5 million in Fiscal Year 2023 and Fiscal Year 2024. T he Attorney General’s office continues to support the Org anized Retail Crime Progr am and has awarded $5 million to 107 law enforcement agencies for Fiscal Year 2025.

‘Bringing Clean Energy Home to Oak Park’ forum will be Dec.

9

The free event will help locals work to ght climate change

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

Locals looking to take positive steps toward fighting climate change can attend a “Bringing Clean Energy Home to Oak Park” forum next week.

T he Oak Park Climate Action Network and Illinois Public Interest Research Group are co-hosting the event at 7 p.m. Dec. 9 at the Community Recreation Center at 229 Madison St . T he for um will feature state and local political leader speeches, will demonstrate clean energy solutions and will promote OPCAN’s free climate coaching progr am. In this progr am, volunteers from OPCAN are helping Oak Parkers access necessary resources and technical support to make their properties more

In-person events, on the 2nd Thursdays, are from 7:00 to 8:30 pm typically in the 2nd Floor Veterans Room at the Oak Park Main Library, 834 Lake St, Oak Park. Our alternate gathering place is the Dole Branch of the Oak Park Library, 255 Augusta St, Oak Park. Please visit OakParkToastmasters.org for current location.

events, on the 4th Thursdays, are from 7:30 to 8:45 pm via Zoom.

climate friendly. OPCAN recently asked the village to help bolster its communication, education and outreach ef for ts for this progr am.

Village President Vicki Scaman is expected to welcome attendees to the for um. Scaman, along with other local officials and some high school students, attended the 2024 United Nations climate chang e conference, or COP29 in November.

“We have to remain positive in our advocacy,” Scaman told Wednesday Journal.

Attendees at the forum will lear n about how recent policies are affecting the transition to clean energy and see how neighbors have benefitted from clean energy home upgrades, according to OPCAN member Pam Tate.

Energy Matters, a local ener gy ef ficiency and HVAC specialist, will also demonstrate how a heat pump works at the event. And OPCAN climate coaches will be in attendance to of fer free consultations

The event is free to attend.

Frosty A air Holiday Market returns Dec. 5

The event is open to the public

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

The second annual Frosty Af fair Holiday Market featuring local businesses will take place from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5 at The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association at 178 Forest Ave. #1 in Oak Park.

T he event is intended to bring the community to g ether for a “magical holiday experience,” according to the event description online. T he market will feature shopping, entertainment and other festive activities.

Local retailers will have products and services for sale. Attendees can then get their holiday gifts complimentarily wrapped. Kids might enjoy sitting on Santa’s lap, telling him their holiday wishes and taking a photo.

Others might delight in watching performances from local musicians, carolers and dancers during the Frosty Affair. A 360 bar featuring wine and beer, sponsored by Great American Exteriors, will also be available.

Those interested in attending can prepurchase a pack of five discounted drinks for $40. Individual drink tickets will be available for $10 each at the event.

Vendors can arrive at 1:30 p.m. to begin setting up booths. A list of participating businesses, including Candycopia, Purple Sun Arts and Rachel Renee Jewelry, can be found online.

Re gistration details including standard, enhanced or deluxe re gistration for interested vendors can be found on the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce website.

Candlelight peace vigil to end gun violence will be Dec. 10

The event follows the deaths of an Oak Park police o cer and a Chicago man

By LUZANE DRAUGHON Staff Reporter

A candlelight peace vigil to end gun violence will take place at 6 p.m. Dec. 10 at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church at 545 S. East Ave. in Oak Park

The event follows the death of Oak Park police officer Det. Allan Reddins on Nov. 29 and a shooting on Nov. 22 near Roosevelt Road and Ridgeland Avenue where 34-yearold Scott Robinson died. Both men were shot and killed.

Reddins was shot after responding to a call on Nov. 29 where a man with a gun was seen leaving Chase Bank on Lake Street. He was shot in the left side and later died.

On Nov. 22, Oak Park officers had re-

inson was pulled from a car with gunshot wounds and later pronounced dead. Police located at least 11 shell casings.

Both investigations are ongoing.

The vigil is sponsored by several local groups including Moms Demand Action Oak Park-Austin Area, Community of Cong re gations and Catholic Parishes of Oak Park

According to a graphic promoting the vigil, the purpose is to honor all gun violence victims and survivors. It’s also to help build community, create hope and support violence prevention.

A Sofa for Christmas

Recently while having cocktails with friends the conversation turned to what we wanted for Christmas. One of my Girlfriends blurted out, ‘I really want a new sofa for Christmas … and a new comfy chair in the bedroom. I know it’s not sexy but it’s what I want.”

As the owner of a furniture store I think sofas and chairs are sexy no matter what time of year. But it got me thinking, how many others out there are happy with their handbag collection and instead of a piece of jewelry really want a nice new piece of furniture?

Being a business owner I grabbed my phone, went to our website and showed her over 200 pieces of brand new, never used sofas, chairs, tables and more. She found a couple pieces she loved so I made a note and promised to follow up with Santa aka her husband.

Whether a sofa is on your Christmas Wishlist or part of your 2025 Remodel plans, give our website a look under BRAND NEW INVENTORY or better yet come and see us in our 25,000 SF store located at 1800 S. Harlem Ave. North Riverside, IL.

Kellie Scott, Owner Divine Consign

Rock-thrower shatters window of Oak Park residence

At 10:37 a.m. Nov. 26, someone threw multiple rocks and shattered a window to an Oak Park residence on the 1000 block of Belleforte Avenue. The estimated damage is $300.

Catalytic converter theft

Between 7:30 a.m. and 3:15 p.m. Nov. 25, someone stole the catalytic converter from an Oak Park resident’s gray 2018 Hyundai Tucson. The estimated loss is unknown.

Bike theft

Between 12:15 p.m. and 2 p.m. Nov. 22 on the 300 block of South

Ridgeland Avenue, a man stole an Elmwood Park resident’s unlocked black bike with white lettering and green pedals. The person rode away westbound on Randolph Street. The estimated loss is $800.

Motor vehicle theft

■ Between 6 p.m. Nov. 23 and around 2 p.m. Nov. 25 someone broke into and stole an Oak Park resident’s red 2021 Kia Forte while it was parked on the 300 block of North Grove Avenue.

The estimated loss is $17,000.

■ Between 9 p.m. Nov. 25 and 7 a.m. Nov 26, someone stole an

HOMELESSNESS

from page 6

than 28% of the country’s unhoused population, according to the National Alliance to

Oak Park resident’s dark blue 2011 Audi Q5 while it was parked on the 1000 block of Lyman Avenue. The estimated loss is $14,000.

Arrests

■ A 36-year-old Oak Park woman was arrested at 10:06 a.m. Nov. 25 on the 200 block of North Scoville Avenue for aggravated battery. She was held for bond hearings

■ A 33-year-old man from Carpentersville was arrested around 2:18 p.m. Nov. 25 for a domestic battery that occurred on the 7100 block of Roosevelt Road. He had a warrant out of Kane County for failure to

End Homelessness’ 2024 report

“With its one-time Day 1 Families Fund grant, the Alliance will work to reverse this national trend by serving families experiencing homelessness in suburban Cook County,” according to the release.

The Alliance plans to use the grant dollars

appear. He was also charged with obstructing identification and was held for bond hearings.

■ A Chicago boy was arrested at 10:18 a.m. Nov. 26 on the 300 block of North Boulevard for trespassing on railroad property

■ A 31-yearold Maywood man was arrested at 11:45 a.m. Nov. 26 on the 300 block of North Boulevard for criminal trespass

■ A 40-year-old Aurora man was arrested at 6:18 a.m. Nov. 27 on the 0 – 100 block of Garfield Street for manufacture, delivery and possession of cannabis with the intent to deliver.

■ A 39-year-old Oak Park man was arrested at 6:40 a.m. Nov. 27 on the

for innovative housing solutions for families experiencing either unsheltered or sheltered homelessness through street outreach, emergency shelter, flexible rental assistance and other services.

“I am honored to share in this work of supporting unhoused families and children,”

Our beautiful 6-story building provides quality, a ordable, independent housing for seniors. e Oaks o ers studio and one-bedroom apartments, with kitchens and private bathrooms. Amenities include an award winning interior landscaped atrium, central meeting room, library, laundry facilities, computer learning center, internet access, electronic key entry system, and parking.

On-site management includes 24/7 emergency maintenance service and a senior services coordinator who is available during business hours to assist residents in accessing service

1200 block of Hayes Avenue for violation of an order of protection.

These items were obtained from Oak Park Police Department reports dated Nov. 25 – 29 and represent a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest

Compiled by Luzane Draughon

Monique Williams, a board member of the Alliance, said in the release. “Having personally experienced the challenges of homelessness, I understand the depth and profound impact this funding will have on families at a time when housing affordability continues to be a critical issue in our community.”

agencies and programs designed speci cally for seniors. e Oaks is owned and operated by the Oak Park Residence Corporation and is funded by the US Department of Housing and Ur-ban Development through the 202/ Section 8 Program. Monthly rent is based on the resident’s income, with individuals paying approximately 30% of their monthly income toward rent.

For more information, please visit us at www.oakparkrc.com or contact us at 708-386-5862.

Oak Park hosts a legendary opera

‘Amahl and

the

Night Visitors’ underscores the transformative power of giving

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

Petite Opera Productions is boldly going where it has never gone before – Oak Pa rk.

The Des Plaines-based opera company is set to perform the legendary Amahl and the Night Visitors, which was first broadcast on television in 1951, at First United Church of Oak Park, 848 Lake St. at 3 p.m. Sunday

“We’ve been very impressed with the Oak Park community,” said Susan Baushke, executive director and artistic team leader for Petite Opera Productions. “The community has an innate artistic curiosity and is supportive of the arts. The community’s ability to embrace new ideas and appreciate cultural performances is an excellent fit with our mission.”

The holiday opera is based on the Biblical story about the Magi. Here, it features the Bethlehem star, the three kings, a widow, her disabled son, a shepherd … and a miracle. Baushke said the company’s goal is to bring a sense of magic to the production, and will feature sculpted, oversized King and camel heads. They capture the awe expressed by little Amahl, played by 9-year-old Ben Govertsen. His mom, Mary, plays the role of Amahl’s widowed mother in the production.

The oversized King and camel heads, which are made of wire and papier mache, was the brainchild of Miguel Lopez Lemus, the company’s set and scenic designer, and puppet sculptor, and represents the street puppets seen in his native Mexico

“We wanted to keep it something unique, beyond the normal,” Lopez Lemus said via phone interview from Oaxaca, Mexico. “The three kings, they are larger than life, and as the performance goes along, the puppets come out.”

The production has several ties to the area. For example, Petite Opera Productions’ founder and board member Janene

Bergen was an Oak Pa rk resident when the company was founded in 2007.

River Forest resident Cathy Dunn, formerly of Oak Park, is Petite Opera Productions’ resident stage director. She said the company performed Amahl and the Night Visitors nine times in 2011, and five times this fall at its home theater in Park Ridge. Thus, the Oak Park performance is part of a revival.

“The show is one that people remember from their childhood, and I find when it’s advertised, people respond positively,” Dunn said. “It’s a show that people don’t forget.”

Like Lopez Lemus, the focus is creating something different, and applying that to a production that has resonated for over half a century. Hence, the puppetry, which shows the expressions of the kings, and camels.

“I’m so thrilled we’re bringing it to this area, because I can invite my friends,” Dunn said. “It’s closer for them to drive and for me to drive.”

Mary Govertsen said performances like this underscore the joy of watching her son grow on stage. Young master Ben did his first opera when he was six.

“He’s playing a character about the same age,” she said. “It’s delightful.”

As for Ben, like many 9-year-olds, he has passion for what he does and characterized his feelings about getting on stage as a mix between excited and nervous

But here’s what you might not expect.

“I don’t like performing in front of a small group of people,” he said. “I like big audiences.”

Hmmm. Why is that?

“I can’t see anybody’s faces,” he said.

Baushke said that when it comes down to it, Amahl and the Night Visitors is really about the transfor mative power of giving.

“Just like every character in the opera, each and every one of us is touched and transformed by what we give, and what we give up. Our giving defines who we are and for what we stand.”

Tickets for Amahl and the Night Visitors can be purchased online at petiteopera.org/tickets

Thinking about a career in local government?

Group tickets can be purchased by calling 847-553-4442. The Village of Oak Park has job opportunities available. Please visit

SUNDAY,

HOLIDAY PROMISE

BEETHOVEN

Piano Concerto No. 5 ‘Emperor’ Kuang-Hao Huang, soloist

TCHAIKOVSKY

Nutcracker Suite

Tender Land

Pre-concert Conversation with David Leehey at 3PM. Reception following the concert.

Maurice Boyer, conductor

Kuang-Hao Huang, soloist

CHAMBER

come back to Oak Park,” he said. “One of our goals at the chamber is to shorten that boomerang.”

The chamber is asking the village to fund the entire program in 2025, for a total of $149,000. That would encompass intern compensation reimbursement, administrative costs to run the program, marketing and supplies.

Trustees initially seemed unsure at their Nov. 21 meeting if they wanted to fund the entire program, but eventually reached a consensus to move forward with discussions about the program as proposed. Some trustees suggested funding one cohort and then adjusting as needed before funding the next one. Village President Vicki Scaman suggested cutting the number of interns to 10, from 20.

“20, to me, seems extremely ambitious,” she said.

“We’ve been doing ambitious things for the last three years as an organization,” Marion-Burton said. “While I think it’s ambitious, I think we’re prepared to do it.”

Program details

Students looking to participate must attend Oak Park and River Forest High School, a District 97 school or, for those in college or private schools, must have a primary residence in Oak Park Students under age 16 must have a work permit to participate. And students have to be in “good academic standing” and “able to meet behavioral expectations,” according to the chamber proposal.

The summer cohort would be from May to August, and the fall would be September to December of next year. The cohorts would be 12 weeks long.

The goal of the internship program, Marion-Burton explained, is to support local businesses, bolster youth employment and improve talent retention.

years of professional experience.

The proposal says that businesses would cover the initial payroll to interns, with 75% reimbursed through the chamber process. And businesses that promote diversity and inclusion will receive priority for the program, according to the chamber proposal.

The chamber is asking the village to fund 100% of the program in 2025. But MarionBurton said their goal is to add positions inter nally in the chamber and invest resources to make programs like this one self-sufficient through individual and private institution donations in the future.

Trustee comments

Trustee Lucia Robinson said she’d like there to be some human resources function for the businesses and interns to lean on. Marion-Burton said the chamber would be responsible for those functions, and a dedicated program manager would likely help address issues that might arise in addition to onboarding efforts.

Robinson first suggested funding one cohort before committing to funding both. Trustees Ravi Parakkat and Brian Straw initially ag reed. But the board ultimately decided to move forward with discussions about the proposal as written.

Trustee Cory Wesley was in full support of the program as proposed. He pointed out that the program doesn’t have to be perfect right away; it just has to be better than what’s available now.

“Ambition is the only way to get things done,” he said. “All of us sitting at this board table were ambitious to run for office and here we are.”

And Wesley said in discussions with local high school students at a civics-focused event, he re peatedly heard their desires to get an internship, job or volunteer in the village. He said he’s “more than willing” to help give these young students the opportunity to succeed.

Several board members emphasized the importance of collaboration with other community stakeholders to share the burden of running this program and to not duplicate similar ones.

The chamber intends to work with local school districts to publicize the program and help with the application process. The chamber would also host training workshops for local business supervisors and collect feedback from interns and supervisors to help adjust the program moving forward, if needed Businesses will have to pass safety standards to participate and a site visit evaluation. Interns will be expected to have a mentor at the business, someone with at least two

But Wesley said while partnerships are important, he doesn’t want this to take more time. If it doesn’t work, he said, at least they tried.

“As government, we should get out of our own way sometimes and actually get the thing done and then figure out if we can make it better,” he said.

The board will still have to officially decide whether or not to approve the full funding amount for the program.

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by Gian Carlo Menotti

L’Arche welcomes residents to its new Oak Park home

Southeast Oak Park House will be home to adults with intellectual disabilities and assistants

By LACEY SIKORA Contributing Reporter

In just a few weeks, the L’Arche community will be welcoming residents to its first newly built house in the Chicago area.

The south Oak Park house benefits from sustainable measures, and when the residents move in this December, in keeping with L’Arche principles, the house will embody what it means to be a home

L’Arche is a worldwide organization, founded in France in 1964, that is dedicated to creating intentional communities with homes where people with and without intellectual disabilities live and work together as peers.

In 1999, after L’Arche founder Jean Vanier spoke at Holy Name Cathedral in Chicago, a benefactor donated a house to the group – their first home in the Chicago area. With the addition of this home at 1111 S. East Avenue, the organization operates four homes in the Chicago area: one in Oak Park, two in Forest Park and one in Austin.

Core members with disabilities are welcome in their L’Arche homes for life, and many join L’Arche homes when they are in their ‘20s. Core members and assistants have a shared-living situation, with assistants offering support in day-to-day tasks.

Executive Director Mic Altena said that the Oak Park house will be home to four core members, ages 33 to 63. Of these core members, one member is new to L’Arche.

“The new member has a job in south Oak Park, and his parents live in southeast Oak Park,” Altena said. “He’ll be able to step out into independence in a way that feels safe and controlled.”

The three other core members are moving from other L’Arche homes that did not meet all of their mobility needs. Their

See L’ARCHE HOUSE on pa ge 21

Here’s

What

M“client choice” mean? And why the change?

ost food pantries in the U.S. pre-bag or pre-box the food they distribute. This model has been widely accepted for its operational efficiency. But in recent years, some food pantries have transitioned to a “client choice” distribution model.

We believe in “choice”.

We’re converting a 7,000 square foot former factory building into a “choice” food pantry. We’re doing this based on our own local research. And what we found is that the question of choice goes beyond matters of operational efficiency. Choice takes the point of view of our

neighbors in need. Which is the point of view upon which our food pantry was founded.

What our neighbors in need are saying...

“We get what we like, instead of them giving it to us in a bag. It’s like if you’re shopping at a grocery store. You pick what you need. What you want. If I don’t like a certain kind of bread, I just don’t take it.”

“I literally felt like I’m in a grocery store and I’m picking the food. Food I couldn’t even afford to get in a grocery store. And then when we get to the end of the checkout, I don’t hve to pay. I’ve never had this happen to me before.”

”It gives people self-pride. I didn’t think I’d ever have to go to a food pantry. And they always try to get different things, different vegetables, different fruit. So, it doesn’t make you feel ashamed.”

L’ARCHE HOUSE

from page 19

moves will open up spots for new members in the homes they are leaving.

L’Arche’s other area homes have b een pre-existing homes, and wh i le the or ganization relishes the o pportunity to be i nte gr ated i nto established c ommunities, A ltena said that a newly c onstructed home of fered more o pportunities fo r core member s.

“The most fun part of the project was having a blank slate,” Altena said.

Before breaking ground in June 2023, Altena said he held meetings with staf f and residents and asked what they needed and wanted in a home. They came up with a 20page document of ideas that they shared with architect Bill Scholtens of Elements Architectural Group in Oak Park

Altena said that Scholtens did a great job of meeting their needs.

“It starts at the front door, which is at ground level. There are no stairs, lifts or ramps. Our residents can go in and out independently. Inside, there’s an elevator that goes to the second floor, so everyone has access to the entire house,” Altena said.

When core members went to visit the home prior to moving in, Altena said the benefits of the new construction were immediately visible. “Noah rolled right up

to the island, and the counters were at the perfect height. He could make a full tur n in his chair and access the bathroom on his own.”

“It was really great to see how it works,” he added. “There was no need to wor ry about those things that we so often take for granted.”

The new house is also very efficient.

A solar collector system with geothermal heat pumps will provide 100% of the home’s electricity and power the home’s heating, cooling, and lighting needs. The home also has triple-glazed windows and high-perfor mance insulation, which will contribute to its efficiency. “We’ re really excited about the energy efficiency,” Altena said. “It allows us to demonstrate that we want to be good neighbors.”

Being active, contributing members of the community is part of the ethos of L’Arche core members and their assistants. The members have jobs in Oak Park and are members of the YMCA.

Altena said that community is key to the success of L’Arche.

“It’s very important for us to create places of belonging where people are known and respected and create meaningful relationships,” he said. “That’s really the L’Arche secret sauce.”

L’Arche is making a difference one house at a time, but Altena emphasizes that the need in Illinois is great. They received more than 100 applications for the four spots that opened up locally with the con-

L’Arche Chicago Executive Director Mic Altena (center) and two sta members at their new Communit y Home open house.

struction of this house.

“We’re overwhelmed by the level of need,” he said. “There’s an immense need in Illinois. There are over 10,000 people on a waiting list to receive funding.”

While the state provides pivotal funding, private philanthropy is the key to creating the small, personalized communities that

L’Arche builds one house at a time

T he challenges are great, but A ltena said that focusing on the g ood makes it all wo r thwhile.

“Walking the house, picturing p eople sitting there, eating to g ether, making their homes,” he said. “That is wh at is really exciting.”

Living room area of the new L’Arche Chicago Communit y Home.

Dining area of the new L’Arche Communit y Home.

Oak Park and River Forest need local news Wednesday Journal needs the support of our readers

Since 1980, Wednesday Journal has been reporting on Oak Park and River Forest. From hard news stories to telling stories about neighbors, the Journal has been at ground level with reporters and editors serving up authentic and always independent news.

Not every town has such a local news source these days. Thousands of weekly newspapers have closed across America over the past two decades. There are 60% fewer reporters at work than at the turn of the century.

It’s grim. Especially in a moment when people need news they can trust, reporters they get to know, can send an email that gets answered.

Back in 2019, Wednesday Journal and our sister pubs at the Austin Weekly News, Forest Park Review and Riverside-Brookfield Landmark made a big bet. Really it was a big bet on you, as one of our readers.

We created a nonprofit, reader supported newsroom and we named it Growing Community Media for all the obvious reasons. These days we still sell ads and we sell print subscriptions. But we also rely on readers who value our work to become active supporters of this newsroom.

And it is working. Across our four flags, thousands of readers are now investing in our hard-working reporters, in our digital efforts, in reporting stories that no one else is covering across our nine neighborhoods.

Join them as we work to raise a considerable amount of money before 2024 closes. Every dollar is valued. Every reader is valued.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M.

Call Viewpoints editor

Ken Trainor at 613-3310

ktrainor@wjinc.com

C ONSCIOUS A GING

Something we actively shape

IBLESOFF

do most of the shopping at our house. Sometimes I shop at Costco. Not every week, but when we’re low on paper towels or cans of black beans or maybe granola, I schedule a stop. Most Costco items are large volume, but we have some storage space in the basement. Last time I bought dryer sheets at Costco, I had a memorable thought. I recall that, as I reached for the bundle of four large boxes of dryer sheets, a question flashed through my mind — will I ever buy dryer sheets again? This was not a mathematical uery comparing how many times the Earth goes around the sun to w many loads of laundry I have left to do he real question I was asking myself is “how much longer will I be alive?” I was wondering out-loud how many more times I ould be able to go shopping. Just asking the question helped me to appreciate going to the market to buy food, helped me to appreciate what I usually take for granted

Aging with intention can help us appreciate what we usually take for granted. Just getting older doesn’t guarantee this type of wisdom, but it does offer the possibility. It’s like the difference between floating downstream versus consciously steering your boat — both will take you somewhere, but intentional aging gives us more agency in the jour ney

Conscious aging isn’t about denying the process or surrendering to it, but rather about engaging with it. This could help transform aging from something that merely happens to us into something we actively participate in shaping.

Have you ever wondered if this is the last bunch of dryer sheets, or bunch of anything, that you might buy before you die? Is that too morbid a thought? Why is thinking about something inevitable, like our own death, so morbid? One of the first things that caught my attention about conscious aging was that so many of us fear and deny our own aging.

Last week I used the last dryer sheet in that big bundle of four boxes. And, even after a recent bout with COVID, not to mention my bypass heart surgery, I’m here, doing

VIEWPOINTS

Just a few short years ago, ers of West Suburban Medical Center were facing insurmountable mountains of debt and declared bankruptc a national search of potential bu they came up empty, and after more than 100 years of serving the people of Suburban was scheduled to close its doors fo good in December of 2022.

That is when our organization, R Healthcare stepped up With the hospital’ bankruptcy we had no lender and no guarantees, but we agreed to assume ownership of West Suburban and its sister hospital, Memorial in Uptown, to keep from shutting down.

We did not do this with dreams of personal profit or even an eventual windfall. I studied business in addition to medicine and at no point in my studies did my professors recommend buying hospitals with $80+ million in debt and a revolving door of for mer owners who tried and failed to make the hospitals viable.

pital to enhance equality for our patients We t a better path forward, improvwhile ustin that had elcome at the hospital. ould not be night, but took in the right direction meant better care and better outcomes for our patients. I’m proud to say that in the two ether with our amazing and we taken a whole lot of steps in the right

As other hospitals close, shut down departand cut est Suburban continues to hire staff added over

200 staff members in various capacities For patients, this means easier access to our services and a better overall experience.

We did this for one simple reason: communities do not need any more shuttered hospitals. The diverse families we serve deserve health care that is high-quality, expansive, and accessible — and they deserve it in their own neighborhoods. Health care access is a right and no one should lose access to that right because a hospital experiences financial difficulties

With that mission in mind, we went to work at West Suburban, investing every dollar right back into the hos-

We’re also enhancing our service offerings for our patients. We now have an experienced group of residencytrained OBGYNs present at all times to deliver babies. For high-risk expectant mothers, this brings potentially lifesaving expertise into our hospital as these providers are trained and experienced in handling such cases For other new and expectant mothers, we are bringing on additional experienced OBGYNs to provide clinics to further enhance access and the quality of our care. And more

West Suburban Medical Center

Remembering Det. Reddins

The murder of an Oak Park police officer by an armed assailant on the mor ning after Thanksgiving on Lake Street in the heart of our downtown is hear t-stopping.

In a time when it is hard to find focus on a single matter because we live in perpetual distraction, the death of Det. Allan Reddins instantly brought our community to g ether in shock and shared mour ning

Along with our readers, we of fer our deep sympathy to the family of Det. Reddins. His mother, to whom he has been described as devoted, and his 19-year-old son, are first in our thoughts. Clearly though, the death of this of ficer, a five-year veteran of the forc e, has also brought profound pain to all members of Oak Park’s police de par tment. At a news conference late Friday after noon, Chief Shatonya Johnson said, “Of ficers are suf fering. I am hur ting.”

Johnson said she had vetted Reddins when he applied to join the Oak Park force after having served with the Metra police unit. She described him as a “natural born leader” who had skills needed by the Oak Park Police De partment.

As we re port today, fundraising ef forts for his family have begun and a vigil focused on ending gun violence in the wake of the two recent shooting deaths in the village has been set. We await details of a homecoming service for Det. Reddins.

T here are questions to be asked about how the events of that Friday mor ning unfolded. How many Oak Park of ficers responded to a call from a citizen about a man with a gun leaving a bank on Lake Street? How was the suspect wounded in the leg? And, on a more global scale, just how does a person with a long criminal history have a gun?

T hose will keep for this moment.

Right now there is a well-lived life to be mour ned and celebrated. There is a need for deep appreciation by every one of us for the work of Oak Park’s police force in facing down real dangers in our midst.

And there is finding a way to remember Allan Reddins, the first Oak Park police officer to die in the line of duty since 1938.

WWhy liberals/progressives w ill win this Culture War

e just lost the latest battle in our seemingly endless Culture War — which has been ongoing since America developed the two-party system in 1796, as Americans have struggled through an almost uninter rupted succession of cultural conflicts. So says author Stephen Prothero in his 2016 book, Why Liberals Win the Culture Wars – Even When They Lose Elections.

Many of us are feeling disgusted, pissed of f, and embarrassed by the 2024 election, not to mention suffering a bad case of politics fatigue. We’ve been embroiled in this latest Culture War for a very long time, and most of us would like to see it end.

to predict that this, too, shall pass. Cultural conservatives will continue to rage over the threats posed by Islam to the American way of life, but eventually the Muslim population will become large enough, the American principle of liberty will resound loudly enough, and Muslims will be included in the American family alongside Protestants, Catholics and Mormons” (just as Catholics and Mormons took their turns being rejected then accepted following prolonged culture wars).

Losing an election “battle” feels awful. But inclusivity, Prothero writes, eventually prevails. Small consolation, perhaps, in the shor t term, but this is the way change happens in our country.

Prothero defines cultural conservatism as “anxiety over beloved for ms of life that are passing away, a commitment to restore what has been lost, and an ef fort to exclude from full citizenship those who are responsible for this loss.”

Cultural liberalism, on the other hand, he defines as “an eager ness to embrace new for ms of culture, a belief in progress, and a determination to include more and more groups in the public life of the nation.”

Prothero writes, “America’s culture wars are instigated and waged disproportionately by conservatives anxious about the loss of old orders and the emergence of new ones. What liberals see as progress, they see as loss. And they are willing to fight to defend what is already passing away

“It is the Right,” he adds, “that is enamored of the rhetoric of war. Culture war is its invention, and its signature mode of politics. … The rhetoric of cultural decline is the most characteristic (and consistent) way American conservatives have expressed their conservatism.”

It comes down to exclusion vs. inclusion.

The reason liberals/progressives almost always win these culture wars, he contends (and his historical survey bears this out) is that we are firmly on the side of inclusiveness (as is the Constitution/Bill of Rights) and because conservatives inevitably choose to fight for “lost causes.”

In fact, Prothero says, “The fight is fiercest when the cause at hand is already well on its way to being lost.”

Sounds like 2024 to me.

Counterintuitively, those fights often result in conservatives winning elections (e.g. 2004 using same-sex mar riage as a wedge issue), but they eventually lose the war (the Supreme Court’s legalization of same-sex mar riage in 2015). Losing a culture war, however, just spurs conservatives on to fight another (immigration in 2016 and again in 2024). On Nov. 5, conservatives won the latest battle, but as history shows, they will lose this war, too.

“If we look at the battle over Islam,” Prothero wrote in 2016, “through the lens of the culture wars cycle, it is fair

Liberals/progressives hate culture wars — it’s not our way — but we really have no choice. Conservatives keep waging them and as exhausting as they are, disengaging and trying to avoid them only prolongs the war. To prevail we need to do something that doesn’t come naturally: develop our internal warrior. Not a violent warrior, dehumanizing the “other,” seeking revenge, but a disciplined, non-violent warrior, patient, staunchly resisting, determined to move forward despite the other side’s desperate measures to hold us back — warriors who never lose our belief in the inclusive, authentically American values that sustain this country.

Our opponents are fierce and often ruthless. They are willing to do whatever it takes, as we saw in their 2024 campaign, which was based on lies and misinformation. We need to win without becoming ruthless. It’s a tall order.

Most of us thought a Kamala Harris victory would finally end the Trump phase of this culture war, but the cultural conservatives found a way to come out on top again. Deep flaws in our system enabled that win and, for a variety of reasons, voters weren’ t buying what the Democrats were selling. Nonetheless, the Democrats remain the only party that can make Trump suppor ters’ lives better. For the past century, they’ve proven they’re the only party willing and able to improve the lives of more than the privile ged few.

The only way to break the vicious cycle we’re caught in, Prothero suggests, is a kind of “grand barg ain.” According to legal scholar Douglas Laycock, however, that grand bargain is currently out of reach because “each side is intolerant of the other; each side wants a total win.” But there is another course, Prothero says. “We can refuse to excommunicate our antagonists from the American family. We can turn our culture wars into cultural debates.”

For now, though, we need a break — to replenish and come back to the struggle, each in his own way, in her own time.

The good news is that, as history amply shows, though liberals/progressives will lose some elections, we will eventually win the war.

SHRUB TO WN by Marc Stopeck

Re ection on Det. Reddins’ murder

What does the shooting death of Detective Allan Reddins mean for Oak Park? The first thing is a profound sense of sadness for Reddins and his family, which reports say includes a 19-yearold son. And a sense of gratitude for a hero who put himself between an armed assailant walking down Lake Street as walkers and people in cars went about their Saturday morning errands. It reminds me of 9/11 when, against all apparent reason, first responders ran toward the World Trade Center engulfed in flames that was soon to fall, rather than running away from it.

Lots of questions are unanswered:

Why did the assailant leave Chase Bank at Lake and Marion Streets displaying a gun? What on earth was he thinking?

Det. Reddins responded to the situation. Was he attempting to de-escalate before the shots were fired?

Two groups of shots rang out. Was the first the assailant shooting Reddins, and the second the assailant being shot by Reddins or other police responders?

And then there are the bigger questions: Why does our society have so many damn guns?

Remember Oak Park’s long ago handgun ban? In the

days since the Supreme Court gave a twist and a shake to the Second Amendment, are we all doomed to live in the Wild West?

Is the invisible barrier (based on wealth, resources, proactive policing) that has insulated Oak Park from much, but not all, gun violence now gone?

Would Oak Parkers have the same reaction to this death if the victim were a Chicago Police officer who was shot by an assailant on the other side of Austin Boulevard in Chicago?

Why did the assailant, who has a long criminal record, have a gun?

Reports say he has a record of arrests for aggravated battery to a police officer, domestic battery, battery and resisting a police officer

What are we to make of him? This man who will no doubt spend the rest of his life in prison?

Why did he do such an evil thing? Why is there such evil?

Lots of questions. And few answers.

The one certainty is that a good man, who had spent what tur ned out to be his last years protecting us, is dead. Jack Crowe, Oak Park

WEDNESD AY

of Oak Park and River Forest

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

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Let us vote on term limits

To the River Forest Village President and Board of Trustees:

On behalf of all residents of River Forest, and pursuant to my Nov. 5 letter to the Wednesday Journal Viewpoints section (https://www.oakpark.com/2024/11/05/alost-opportunity-for-river-foresters), I respectfully request that the village board take the necessary steps to place a ter m limits referendum for the office of village president on the April 2025 ballot.

My request is consistent with the citizen referendum for ter m limits signed by more than 700 residents and obstructed and prevented from appearing on the November 2024 general election ballot by the objection, filed by a single River Forest resident.

Our request reflects a commitment to fostering good gover nance, encouraging fresh perspectives, and ensuring a healthy balance of leadership within our community.

Term limits are widely embraced to promote accountability and prevent the entrenchment of power in public of fice. Many municipalities in our area successfully implemented gover nment-initiated ter m limits for some or all elected offices, including Skokie, Des Plaines, Downers Grove, Broadview, Riverside, Lombard, Niles, Lyons, Franklin Park, Oak Lawn, Orland Park, and Naperville. These municipalities foster broader civic engagement and provide opportunities for a more diverse range of residents to serve in leadership roles

River Forest has the opportunity to join these forward-thinking communities in enhancing our democratic processes.

A referendum on this issue will allow the residents of River Forest to directly voice their opinions and determine the future of leadership in our village. This democratic approach underscores the values of accountability, inclusivity, and citizen participation.

We request that the village board place the matter of a ter m limits referendum on the agenda of the next meeting of the River Forest Board of Trustees, on Dec. 16, and at that time discuss, draft, and initiate the process for a term limits referendum to appear on the April 2025 ballot.

River Forest residents deserve the opportunity to vote on term limits

Deborah Borman, River Forest

Keystone agreement raises concerns

The River Forest Park District’s proposed 10-year ag reement with Dominican University has sparked significant concern among local residents. This deal, which would grant the university prioritized access to Keystone #2 in exchange for $200,000 over five years, raises important questions about balancing community needs with institutional interests.

JOE SHAKER JR. One

View

The River Forest Park District currently has $6 million in reserves. This substantial reserve raises questions about the necessity of entering into such an agreement. Utilizing these existing funds could provide the financial support needed for park improvements without prioritizing external interests.

field.

At the heart of the issue is the potential marginalization of local organizations and residents. Keystone Park has long been a cherished space for community activities, youth sports, and family gatherings. I not only played on these fields many decades ago, but also currently enjoy coaching my daughters’ and son’s baseball and soccer teams.

Prioritizing Dominican University’s access will limit the availability of this public resource for those who rely on it most. The park is not just a piece of land; it is a vital part of the community’s social fabric. With a finite number of fields and facilities, the community’s access to recreational areas is already constrained. This agreement will make it even harder for local residents to find available space for their activities.

The $200,000 over five years, though significant, pales in comparison to the potential loss of community engagement.

The current ag reement gives Dominican University first priority rights over Keystone #2, meaning their softball team’s schedule supersedes park district and all affiliate events. Rather than entering into an exclusive agreement, the park district could consider alternative solutions that would benefit both the university and the community — for example, a shared-use ag reement with clearly defined time slots for university and community use. The park district could invest in upgrading the field using their own reserves, thereby maintaining control over scheduling, and renting the land to Dominican on an as-needed basis. This would benefit all parties.

The terms of reciprocal benefit to RFPD’s shared use of Dominican space are not clearly defined in the ag reement. There does not seem to be any reciprocity that would make this a partnership on both sides, with access to fields and gyms. One recommendation would be re gular use of Dominican’s gym or turf soccer

I disagree

I’ve been reading all the posts on Facebook about the River Forest Park District/Dominican University Agreement to tur n Keystone Park field #2 into a NCAA Women’s Softball Field

Although a Senior Citizen in River Forest, without kids or grandkids in school, I pay taxes here. I care about my village and about our residents, families who use our public parks all year long. I really wonder what our

Many River Forest residents believe this deal has not been well thought out or clearly defined and lacks long-ter m vision and planning. Before entering a 10-year partnership with a private entity, shouldn’t all stakeholders be involved in the decision-making process? This would include current contracted affiliates, the Village of River Forest, and the River Forest Library Board. A first step would be to create a steering committee with re presentatives from the stakeholder groups, as well as River Forest residents. The park district has the opportunity to listen to their constituents and involve all stakeholders to create something great that benefits all River Forest residents and partners.

I commend the board’s enthusiasm for improving our parks. However, the proposed agreement with Dominican University underscores a larger issue re garding the management and prioritization of public spaces. It’s crucial for the River Forest Park District to actively engage with the community, address their concerns, and seek solutions that maintain the accessibility and inclusivity of Keystone Park. This approach will ensure that this beloved community space not only remains open to all but also sees further enhancements.

Joe Shaker Jr. is a River Forest resident.

with this agreement

park board sees when it seriously considers tur ning part of Keystone Park, our premiere public park into a College NCAA Softball Field with fencing and signage! The field, currently used for Little League, costs a bundle to upgrade to NCAA standards. Plus, guess who’s going to lose out if Dominican schedules at the same time as our Little League?!

Now, when the new goal is to please a pri-

vate university, to allow our public land to be branded by a non-taxpaying entity, it’s time for the River Forest Park Board members to think about just who and what they promised to serve. That’s why I signed the Petition on Change.org created by Chris Cheney https://www.change.org/p/stop-riverforest-park-district-s-proposed-10-year-agreement-with-dominican-university

Jan Saeger, River Forest

Bad decisions by trustees

Pretty much of a joke that the trustees decided to credit residents $29 for not picking up our leaves in the way we deserve. I paid my landscaper $352 just to bag the parkway

which has six large trees that don’t belong to us. My husband has bagged at least 60 bags thus far in the yard and there is more to come.

Let’s be real, the trustees are making really bad decisions when it comes to taxpayers. Who’s keeping an eye on the trustees?

Karin Ryan, Oak Park

A er electing a very bad man

In your Nov. 20 column [Who we really are, Ken Trainor, Viewpoints], you tell it like it is. I awoke this morning hating the situation we’re in as a country because we have elected a very bad man.

I don’t know what’s worse, my anger and hate, my fear of and disgust for the voters who chose the worst among us, the sense that I am the enemy of the majority, or that I could be so wrong about this election.

I do not blame or devalue Vice President Harris as many seem to do. She is a fine American who I expect would have built on President Biden’s agenda for the betterment of all.

I blame those who voted for the felon.

You’re right about our grandchildren deserving a positive future, and however angry I am, I counsel their parents to reserve ne gativity in their hearing. Theirs is the future and we durst not paint it dark.

But I don’t have any hope right now. I know that hate is self-destructive, and that there is a righteous anger, but there’s also petulance that takes away more than it gives.

Please know the candor of your column helps me know I’m not alone.

I’m watching the sun come up, but it feels like the one that illumined the crucifixion and not the rolledaway stone.

Donald Nekrosius Oak Park

Statement from State Representative Camille Y. Lilly

“As the state representative of the 78th District, I extend my deepest condolences, alongside the constituents of our district, to the family, friends, and colleagues of Detective Allan Reddins. His bravery, unwavering service, and commitment to the Oak Park Police Department and the community will never

be forgotten. Detective Reddins’ dedication to public service will be remembered here in the state of Illinois forever and will live on in our hearts and minds. At this time, our thoughts and prayers are with his family and the Oak Park Police Department during this difficult time.”

MARC BLESOFF

from page 23

the laundry.

During the COVID lockdown, I was for tunate to be able to do my shopping online and have it delivered to my front door. I needed some more shaving cream, but my usual brands were out of stock online, so I ordered what they had available — colloidal oatmeal shave cream. I would have never bought this stuf f if I didn’t have to. Indeed, I didn’t even know colloidal oatmeal shaving cream existed. And actually, it is quite good.

This mor ning, as I squee zed the tube of shave cream completely dry, I grinned a goodbye to that new friend.

Yes, I have already bought more of that shave cream, so it’s not a total goodbye, but it was actually a poignant moment for me. I don’t know which is my last time buying dryer sheets or shaving cream, or even waking up in the morning. We all have a last time for something.

Let’s embrace both the difficulties and the opportunities that aging with intention can offer us.

To S&G Party’s transition

To quote the old saw, we have “the blind leading the blind,” namely, the unfit nominating the unfit.

What exactly did we expect from the undisputed head of the Sodom & Gomor rah Party?

Dorothy Dumelle, Oak Park

Students need access to advanced math

The school board for District 97 will be voting on an important part of middleschool math at its meeting on Dec. 10, and few people in the community have noticed. Specifically, the board will be voting on the “Access to Algebra” program, a renaming and updating of the “Middle School Math Enrichment Program.” This program helps students skip a year of middle-school math, either by testing out based on the MAP test or passing a supplemental class.

As important context for this program, D97 has cut back its offerings for advanced math. Specifically, as recently as last

school year, both Brooks and Julian each taught 10th grade math to many eighthgraders, with three 10th grade math classes at each middle school. The results show up in our high school’s enrollment statistics: this year’s 9th g rade class at District 200 includes 130 students in 11th grade math.

However, this year, the middle schools in D97 no longer offer a single 10th grade math class. Eliminating the highest level of math offered is a major change for the middle schools, but it has largely flown under the radar in the community.

To be fair, D97’s eighth-graders can still

take 10th grade math at the high school, but D97 makes it extremely difficult for students to qualify for that. The proposed “Access to Algebra” program, as well as its predecessor from prior years, is available to almost all students, fifth through seventh grade, but explicitly excludes those who are already accelerated in mathematics — primarily those who skipped a year of math in elementary school. We should all be questioning the choice of D97 to limit our children’s potential and questioning their decisions to eliminate advanced math classes. The administration and board have an opportunity to

MANOJ PRASAD

from page 23

broadly, we have developed a multi-specialty clinic with a range of specialists under one roof including a psychological counselor and a diet and nutrition counselor, to provide the comprehensive care our patients deserve Finally, we’re bringing in moder n equipment to ensure we can give our patients the highest quality care. In just two years we’ve invested millions of dollars in new equipment across every department in our hospital. From new dialysis machines to dozens of new patient monitors, to dozens of new modern beds and mattresses, new stretchers, wheelchairs, new ultrasound equipment, new imaging and other diagnostic systems, a new computer system, a new Electronic Medical Record System, new operating room power equipment, new warming and comfort equipment for newbor ns, a new (850 ton) mammoth chiller, new boilers and much more.

We still have much work to do, but just two years out from narrowly averting catastrophe, West Suburban is moving in the right direction. We’re upgrading, we’re growing, and we’re looking to the future. This institution has served Chicago for more than 110 years. I’m determined that it sees another 110 and that those years be defined not by financial strife and crises but by the quality care we provide and the lives we save.

Dr. Manoj Prasad is the CEO of West Suburban Medical Center in Oak Park.

start cor recting this at the upcoming board meeting. They should revive strong math options for Oak Park’s children. To their credit, at the last board meeting, several board members asked critical questions about Access to Algebra and whether there is a better way to do things. We hope they make changes to bring back advanced math options. A simple starting point would be to allow students who accelerated in math in elementary school to participate in the Access to Algebra program.

Eric Friedman & Jenny Austin Oak Park

omas Lynch, 94

Humanitarian, opera lover

homas G. Ly nch, 94, of Oak Park , died on Nov. 7, 2024. Bor n April 1, 1930 in Galesburg, I llinoi s, he ser eant in the Ar stationed Gordon in Georgi from 1952 to 1954. a ived his B.S. from Loyola and MBA from the Uni Chicago. A career b anker, he started in his teens as a r unner. Later he the b ank’s transition to a b anking system, and eventually ser as b ank president. In retirement he turned to c ommunity servic financial and management counsel to the Oak Pa rk Tourism Bureau. A ty activist, he ser ve d on the District 200 school b oard and as b oard president Oak Pa rk and Rive r Fo rest High School. His church f amily refe rr a father, husband, friend, tenor, lector litur gy music c oordinator, humanitar i an, Bazaar MC, encourager, c omedian, w riter and c olumnist. An avid f an of the Chicago White Sox and N otre Dame Fighting I rish, he often showe d up in the op-ed section of the paper (includin We d nesd ay Jour nal) in response to political topic s, always from the perspect of unity and individual rights. A love all performing ar ts, his true passion was opera. T he heavenly choir is blessed with his tenor vo ic e.

the A lzheimer ’s A ssociation, or the National Endowment for the Ar ts

Alexandra Gehring, 26 Loved music and animals

Alexandra (Shura) Gehring, 26, died 23, 2024, the victim of an apparerdose.

Born in Ukraine, she was one of three daughters adopted homas and Cathy Gehring. She resided in Oak Park, with her sister Tatither Thomas Gehring, and ved gofor music,

the time prohibited married women from teaching, lest they become pregnant. They did not want students exposed to a pregnant woman, for fear it would lead to questions about human re production.

Her final years were complicated by physical disability. Her spirit is free now.

Shirley was preceded in death by her husband, William T. Maxwell Jr., and her youngest son, David. She is survived by her two daughters, a son, a son-in-law, three grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

She and Bill were active participants in PADS, now known as Housing Forward. Please consider a donation to Housing Forward to ease the suffering of homelessness.

Sebastian Rivera Jr., 64

Quick with a joke and a helping hand

hirley Maxwell, 97

Shirley Ann Maxwell, 97, a resident

Tom was the husband of the late Mar Kay; the father of Tom Jr. (BethAnn), Cathy (Jef f Adams), Rosemary (the late Jim Mur phy), Edward, Dan (Kristye) and Patty (Randy) Raikes; the gr andfather Caitlin (Andy) C uthbertson, Michael (Mi chelle) and A nna Ly nch, A lec DeSantiago, and Morgan, Ryan and Dylan Raikes; great-gr andfather of C hloe, Skylar and Lo g an C uthbertson; and brother of the late Wi lliam G., (the late Marcy ) and the late John V. (the late Joan).

Mass of Christian Burial will be c ele brated at St. Catherine/St Lu cy Church, 38 N. Austin Blvd ., Oak Pa rk on Saturday, Fe b. 15, 2025 at 11 a.m. with a gatherin g in the back of the church at 10 a.m. Interment is private

In lieu of fl ower s, p lease c onsider a donation to St. Catherine/St. Lu cy C hurch,

died on No 3, 2024. Born in 1927 to Helen Olah McCoy and Donald McCo she was raised on a without electricity or running her paterandparents her mother and father. discouraged So she semoonlight after she was sure he had a paternal half-sister, two maternal halfbrothers, and a paternal stepsister.

A gifted pianist, her playing mesmerized all who heard her play. She artfully played Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Flight of the Bumblebee” in under a minute and 40 seconds.

A widow, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, though she appeared temperamentally withdrawn at home, in the company of others she was vivacious, quick-witted and the life of the party.

Shirley was an English teacher until her mar riage, at which time she was forced to resign (board of education policy at

celebrated at 10 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5, at Ascension Catholic Church, 808 S. East Ave., Oak Park.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to a charity that Sebastian liked to support: World Central Kitchen, Chicago Coalition to End Homelessness or Child Find of America Inc.

Maureen Slater, 83

Dedicated to family, church and charities

Sebastian Rive Jr., 64, died peacehis home in rk on Nov. 16, 2024, surrounded family. Born on June 6, 1960, in Chicago, to Sebastian and Alicia Rira, he lived a life y, laughter, and generosity. Known to be slow to anger graduate of Quigley North High School and went on to On June 7, 1993, of his life, Elizabeth (“Lizzie”) Feldman.

A joyful and selfless man, he was always ready with a joke or a helping hand. He loved Chicago sports, cherished the outdoors, and brought laughter to every gathering. Most recently his greatest joy came from spending time with his “new best friend,” grandson Christopher.

Sebastian is survived by his wife, Elizabeth; his son, John; his daughters, Re gina and Grace; his grandson, Christopher; his siblings, Eddie Ortiz (Myrta), Carmen Keane (Frank), Mayra Flores (Nelson), Sandra Rivera (Nancy) and Denise. He also leaves behind an extended family of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, ne phews, in-laws, and countless friends.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 4, from 4 to 8 p.m. at ZimmermanHarnett Funeral Home, 7319 W. Madison St., Forest Park. Memorial Mass will be

Maureen Anne Slater, 83, a resident of Oak Park, died peacefully on Nov. 24, 2024. Born to John Gladstone Rees and Isobel Catherine (née McGrath) Rees in Sydney, Australia, on Oct. 24, 1941, she imated to Toronto, Canada in 1969 and later to the United States in 1983.

After completing her education at Mount Erin Boarding School in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Maureen worked at the Bank of New South Wales before being united in mar riage with Kenneth on May 6, 1963. She dedicated her time to her husband and children, the family business, the church, and many charitable and nonprofit organizations.

She is survived by Kenneth John, her spouse of over 61 years; her children, Anne, Michele, Monique (Michael Lisak), and Joseph (Heather); her grandchildren, Adam (Madison) Slater, Mark (Mary) Etheridge, Rees Etheridge, Samuel Lisak, Isabella Lisak, Vivienne Lisak, William Slater, Jonathan Slater, and Benjamin Slater; and multiple great-grandchildren. She was the aunt of David, James, Glen, Christopher, Therese, and Angela, and was preceded in death by her son, Mark John; her sister, Regis (Donald) McKenzie; her brother, John (Jill); and her sons-in-law, John Michael Neeson and Mark Etheridge.

A funeral Mass will be held at Ascension Church, 808 S. East Ave., Oak Park, at 10 a.m. on Dec. 7, followed by a reception at American House, 703 Madison St., Oak Park. Funeral arrangements were handled by Zimmerman-Harnett Funeral Home. In lieu of flowers, the family appreciates donations to the Alzheimer’s Association.

SPORTS

Friars lose nal to Brother Rice in RBHS tournament debut

OPRF boys basketball goes 1-2 at Wheaton Academy

By BILL STONE and MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporters

The Fenwick High School boys basketball team entered a new tournament at Riverside Brookfield, but the result was facing an old rival. The Friars reached the championship game of the Bill VandeMerkt Thanksgiving Classic, Saturday, but lost to Chicago Catholic League foe Brother Rice 65-47. The Friars visit the Crusaders in league play on Jan. 31.

Fenwick senior Nate Marshall and sophomore Jake Thies were named to the 10-player all-tournament team after scoring 12 points each as non-starters. The Friars often sub multiple players without missing a beat.

“We call ourselves the bench mob,” said Marshall, an Auburn football recruit.

“That’s one of the better things about our team is we’ve got a lot of guys, very good guys, of f the bench. I personally like coming of f the bench because I know I bring enough energ y.”

The Friars (3-1) led 20-19 on Deonte Meeks’ three-pointer with 2:07 left in the first half but went scoreless the next seven minutes, allowing Brother Rice (4-0) to pull ahead 33-20 in the third quar ter

“When you go that long without scoring, it’s pretty tough to get consecutive stops. And that put more pressure on our defense, so it was kind of like a snowball effect,” Fenwick coach David Fergerson said.

Down 44-32 entering the f ourth q uarter, the F riars c losed to 48-40 with 4:46 to go after a Thies b asket and free thr ow. T he Crusaders p ulled aw ay by hitting 13 of 16 free throws to finish 38 of 45 on 31 F riars fouls

“I hope [our players] learn it’s a team g ame,” Fergerson said. “You’ve got to de pend on each other, share the basketball and do everything to g ether as a unit. An you’ve got to be able to guard without fouling and make adjustments the wa the referees are calling it.”

Dominick Ducree (6 points), Marshall, Ty Macariola, Tommy Thies, Frankie Hosty and Jimmy Watts accounted for the Friars’ other 7 threes. Brother Rice’s tournament MVP Marcos Gonzalez had 26 points and hit of 20 of 20 free throws.

In pool play, the Friars beat fourth-place Riverside Brookfield 64-46 Friday, Julian 79-28, Nov. 27, and Hinsdale South, 56-19, Jan. 26.

Against RB, Fenwick scored the last six points of the second quarter, including a buzzer-beater by Williams, and the first five of the third quarter to pull ahead 37-23. Macariola (18 points with 4 threes), Marshall (16 points) and Ducree (11 points) finished in double figures.

Fenw ick’s Kamren Hogan (5) puts up a shot attempt over Riverside-Brook eld’s Vincent Dockendor f during the Bill VandeMerkt Boys Basketball Tournament, Nov. 29, in Riverside.

Also in double figures were Ducree (15 points), Jake Thies (12 points) and Macariola (10 points) against Julian and Jake Thies (13 points) against Hinsdale South.

On December 2, Ty Macariola’s 18 points led Fenwick to a 66-46 victory over visiting Nazareth Academy. Jimmy Watts scored 11 points and Dom Ducree added eight for the Friars (4-1).

OPRF boys basketball

The Oak Pa rk and Rive r Fo rest High School boys b asketball team went 1-2 at the W heaton Academy T hanksgivin g Tour nament last week.

But OPRF head c oach Phil Gary is op -

timistic about the Huskies’ chances this season.

“Is going 1-2 something we wanted to do? Absolutely not,” he said. “But the season is a marathon; it’s not a sprint. It’s a long season, but we want to correct the things that need to be cor rected.”

After a season-opening 64-59 loss to Plainfield North, Nov. 25, the Huskies bounced back the following evening with a 67-56 victory over Bartlett. Alex Gossett had a teamhigh 24 points and added seven rebounds, while Alex Vincent posted a double-double with 23 points and 13 rebounds.

In the tournament finale against host Wheaton Academy, Nov. 29, Gossett had 14 points and Vincent 12, but OPRF lost to the Warriors 62-41.

Gary felt little things cost the Huskies during the tournament.

“We have to do a better job of making free throws,” he said. “And we just have to get better at all levels — offense and defense — and play better as a unit.”

OPRF has just one game this week, but it’s a doozy: the annual East Avenue Showdown with Fenwick. The game takes place on Dec. 6 (5:30 p.m. tipoff time) at the University of Illinois Chicago’s Credit Union One Arena as the opener of the Chicago Elite Classic.

“It’ll help our young guys a lot,” Gary said of the game against the Friars. “It’s a big rivalry, so every possession literally matters. It’ll be a nice environment for them to understand, learn, and get better.”

STEVE JOHNSTON

Trinity, Fenwick girls basketball o to encouraging starts

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

With the girls’ basketball season more than two weeks old at the time of this writing, it has been a mixed bag of results for the local high schools.

While Fenwick and Trinity have started reasonably well, it’s been a struggle for Oak Park and River Forest. But with conference play starting this week, along with a couple of intriguing non-conference games, things could heat up indoors on the hardwood as outside temperatures drop.

Here’s how each school has fared so far:

Trinity

The Blazers (4-1) finished third in the Elmhurst Classic last week. Trinity rolled to victories over tournament host Timothy Christian in the first round (61-44 on Nov. 23) and Thornwood (82-18 on Nov. 25) in the quarterfinals. After losing in the semifinals 32-31, Nov. 27, to Marian Catholic, the Blazers routed IC Catholic Prep 55-37 in the third-place game, Nov. 30. Against IC, Jaylani Hernandez and Ariana Rodriguez led Trinity in scoring with 10 points apiece. Chloe Santos and Sofia Flynn each added nine points, and Destiny Sacluti had eight points.

“We’ve got some fight in us,” said Trinity coach Kim

Coleman. “It feels a much different team than last year. Getting that first game (42-37 victory over Neaqua Valley, Nov. 19) in overtime is a testament to our growth from year to year, and we’re ready to compete.”

Going forward, Coleman would like Trinity to clean up some fundamentals like free-throw shooting and defense.

Following its Girls Catholic Athletic Conference opener at Mother McAuley (after deadline), Trinity has home games versus Amundsen, Dec. 5 (5 p.m.) and DePaul Prep Dec. 10 (6:30 p.m.).

Fenwick

T he F riars improved to 3-2 on Nov. 30 with a 50-30 home victory over Maine East. Cammie Molis had 14 points; Heaven Lee, 12; and Keira Kapsch and Avani Williams, eight each.

Fenwick went 2-2 at the New Trier T hanksgiving Tournament with victories over Stevenson and Warren and losses to Phillips and New Trier.

T he F riars have a busy week ahead. After beginning GCAC play versus St. Ignatius, Dec. 3 (after deadline), they visit Oak Park and River Forest, Dec. 5 (7 p.m.), then meet Lane Tech in the Chicago Elite Classic at Whitney Young, Dec. 8, at 11:30 a.m.

“We’ll be able to g et a test playing different schools,”

Fergerson said. “I’m proud of the progress and looking forward to the rest of the season.”

OPRF

T he Huskies went 1-3 at the Brenda Whitsell T hanksgiving Tournament at Hinsdale S outh, with the sole victory coming Nov. 23, 51-32 against Rive rside-Brookfield. Tavia A llen, Gabriella C hesney, and Ta ryn Draine each tallied nine points in the win, and C hesney a dded seve n rebounds.

T hen on Nov. 30 in the Joyc e Kenner C lassic at Whitney Young, T hornton Fractional North defeated OPRF 66-36, dropping the Huskies to 1-4 this year. The defense has allowe d at least 60 points in each defeat, and it ’s something c oach Renee Brantley says the team will wo rk on improving.

Up this week for OPRF, following the West Suburba n Sil ve r opener against Glenbard West, Dec. 3 (after d eadline), is the E ast Avenue Sh owdown ve r sus visiting Fenwick, Dec. 5, and a W SC Sil ve r c ontest at Proviso West, Dec. 10 (6 p. m. ).

“Fenwick has b een in a lot of close g ames,” Brantley said. “It’ll be i nteresting to see how well we learned from the tournament. Hopefully, we c an c ome out to a great start and put everything to g ether.”

OPRF, Fenwick wrestlers grapple with success

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

After winning the West Suburban Silver championship with a perfect 6-0 record in duals, as well as claiming IHSA Class 3A regional and sectional titles last season, the Oak Park and River Forest High School wrestling team looks to keep things rolling this winter.

“We have a handful of guys starting off the season strong,” said OPRF coach Paul Collins, “and we expect to continue building.”

OPRF is 3-1 to start the year, sweeping the Andrew Quad on Nov. 30: 50-20 over Andrew, 46-21 over Maine South, and 76-0 over Oak Lawn. The victories served as a good remedy for a season-opening 42-33 defeat on Nov. 27 at West Aurora.

“We challenged the team to be tougher in the moments that matter most, and they responded well [at Andrew],” Collins said.

OPRF returned 11 varsity starters, including four who were state qualifiers: junior David Ogunsanya, who finished sixth at 150 pounds; sophomore MJ Rundell (106 pounds); and seniors Eric Harris (215) and Joe Knack-

stedt (138), who recently signed a National Letter of Intent with Cornell University.

Other returnees are senior Gabe Rojas at 120 pounds; junior Zev Koransky (2023 state qualifier) at 132; junior AJ Noyes and senior Tristan Kidd at 144; junior Jeremiah Hernandez and senior Ryan Wozniak at 157; senior Hugh Vanek at 175; senior Ben Martin at 190; senior CJ Robinson at 215; and senior Terrence Gar ner at 285.

The Huskies’ top newcomers are sophomore Jamiel Castleberry, a transfer from Proviso West who finished fourth in Class 3A at 113 pounds last year; sophomores Zach Michaud (165) and Lucas Albrecht (190); and junior Pierre Nelson (heavyweight).

“One of our strengths is the experience and depth we have in the lineup, whether it is a starter or a backup,” said Collins, in his 10th season as head coach. “We have depth we haven’t had in recent years.”

The Huskies’ aims this year are to re peat as WSC Silver champions and improve on their postseason showing from last season.

“The harder they work for themselves and each other, the better chance they have

at achieving their goals,” Collins said. “This is a group who enjoys being around each other and has built strong bonds over the past few years.”

Fenwick

Entering his sixth year at the helm, Fenwick coach Seth Gamino has an experienced team, with all but one wrestler (state qualifier Luke D’Alise) returning from last season.

The Friars have 14 seniors on the roster

“Our lineup is a work in progress,” Gamino said. “All [the seniors] are trying to make the lineup, but some younger guys with grit want their spots too.”

The Friars started the season, Nov. 29-30, at the Moore-Prettyman Barrington Tournament, finishing 13th out of 32 schools with 123.5 points. Senior Aiden Burns went 4-1 and finished second at 165 pounds. Senior Jack Paris took third place at 190; senior Patrick Gilboy was fifth at 215; and senior Max Kenny was eighth at 138. Gilboy and Paris are returning Class 2A state qualifiers, each narrowly missing out on top-six finishes in thei r weight classes

Other returning wrestlers who qualified for last year’s sectionals are seniors Gianni Bertacchi (285), CJ Brown (120), Dominic Esposito (175), Eiam Staples (150), and Brian Timpone (157); junior Solanus Daley (138); and sophomores Harrison Brown (106), Cormack Mahon (113), and Burke Burns (132).

Newcomers to keep an eye on are freshmen Quinn Paris and Santino Scardina, and sophomore Patrick Nix. All three wrestled at Barrington with Scardina going 1-2 at 106 pounds; Paris losing both matches at 120; and Nix going 1-2 at 150.

“We have a few new varsity guys that will rotate and help us out in our lineup,” Gamino said.

One of Fenwick’s goals this season is to win a regional, something Gamino says hasn’t been done in 20 years. He believes hard work and a focus on getting better each week will be key to the Friars’ success

“The senior class has worked hard in staying together and building a culture for their teammates to look up to and strive to be like,” Gamino said.

AND EVALUATION REPORT

Date of Publication: December 4, 2024

Village of Oak Park 123 Madison Street Oak Park, IL 60302 (708) 383-6400

PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD

Notice is hereby given that the Village of Oak Park Program Year 2023 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG)

Draft Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report (CAPER) will be available for public review beginning Thursday, December 5, 2024.

The CAPER is the Village’s annual CDBG report to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). It will reflect the Program Year 2023 results, which began October 1, 2023 and ended September 30, 2024.

The Village of Oak Park invites comments on the CAPER. The public comment period will begin December 5, 2024, and end December 20, 2024 at 5:00pm CST. The report will be available by visiting the Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302 and at: www.oak-park.us/cdbg.

PUBLIC COMMENTS

Any comments concerning the CAPER may be submitted in writing to the Village of Oak Park, 123 Madison Street, Oak Park, IL 60302, via: email to Vanessa Matheny, Community Service Administrator, at vmatheny@oak-park.us, or at the Public Hearing to be held from 3:30PM-4:30PM on December 13, 2024. Please send a request to the above referenced email address to attend the virtual hearing. Reasonable accommodations will be made for persons with disabilities and non-English speaking persons, as needed.

UCP Seguin is soliciting bids for a GENERAL CONTRACTOR to complete a variety of capital improvements at three of our residential homes located in the Village of Oak Park, Illinois. Complete Bid Packet can be obtained by contacting Inga Sandoval at: Isandoval@ucpseguin. org.

Pre-bid site inspection is mandatory, and is scheduled to occur by appointment only. Please contact Inga Sandoval at (708) 222-5641 to schedule an appointment.

Bid Deadline is 10 am on 12/20/2024

This is a Federally-Funded (Community Development Block Grant) Project and is subject to all applicable Federal rules, regulations and guidelines, including but not limited to payment of Prevailing Wage.

MBE and WBE contractors are encouraged to bid on this project

Published in Wednesday Journal December4, 2024

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