Village of Westchester June 2022 Newsletter

Village of

Westchester JUNE, 2022

PUBLIC WORKS

3

POLICE DEPARTMENT

4

GROW

6

WATER QUALITY 7 REPORT FIRE DEPARTMENT LIBRARY

SCHOOL DISTRICT

10 17 24

Why is Arbor Day important? In the simplest terms, Arbor Day is significant because trees are significant.

Trees provide clean air and water and protect healthy soil. Trees support biodiversity, good health, and counter climate change by absorbing carbon.

As wonderfully stated by the GROW Commission in our last newsletter: April 29,, 2022 was the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day- a day to celebrate trees and their contributions to the environment and our quality of life. You don’t need to hug them, but you can honor the trees on your property and in your parkway by giving them some much-deserved attention this growing season (May-October).

• Spread natural wood mulch around the base of your tree to a depth of 2-3” to help retain soil moisture.

Replace the mulch when it degrades. Do NOT allow mulch to come in contact with the trunk of the tree.

The mulch should look like a saucer- not a volcano. Volcano mulching causes rot and promotes disease and death.

• Water your trees. For new/young trees, two 5-gallon buckets per week poured slowly on the ground around the base will generally keep them hydrated, but they may require more frequent watering during dry spells. Established trees also require supplemental watering if it has been dry.

• Notify Public Works if your parkway tree is exhibiting damage or signs of disease so it can be assessed and treated properly. For trees on private property, consult an arborist. You can also contact the Morton Arboretum’s Plant Clinic for free advice regarding many tree-related issues. You can send them an email at plantclinic@mortonarb.org or call them at (630) 719-2424.

Trees give us so much: comfortable living conditions, beautiful neighborhoods to enjoy, flood/pollution mitigation, and more. They ask for very little in return. However, if we take them for granted, we run the risk of denying them the most basic elements they need for survival. So, let’s take a moment this spring to stop and appreciate our Village’s canopy- and the many contributions of trees to our quality of life.

P ark D istrict 2

JUNE 2022

JUNE 2022

PUBLIC WORKS

Village branch collection the week of June 6th – 10th July’s collection will be the week of the 11th – 15th August’s collection will be the week of the 1st – 5th

Yard waste collection by Waste Management will be on your regular garbage day every week.

Free yard waste stickers for reusable yard waste receptacles are available at the Village Hall.

The Public Works Department will pick up branches the first full week of every month (April-November).

All brush must be put out on the front parkway by 7:00 a.m. on the designated pickup day. Branches can be up to 7 feet in length and stacked with the butt ends facing the street in the same direction. If not stacked properly, a “restack” notice will be left.

Again, please put ALL brush out on your designated pickup day and Public Works crews will determine what constitutes an open load, which will be picked up later in the week.

An open load would include any brush that will not fit through the chipper such as logs, stumps, and large limbs. These must be cut for one man to lift. Dirt must be removed from any root balls for collection.

Public Works Crews will only pass through a designated pickup area once due to time schedule and other workload responsibilities.

Landscapers & tree services are responsible for their own brush disposal.

Please note the following schedule for

branch pickup: MONDAY: From Mannheim Road west to Wolf Road and from Canterbury south to Windsor-including both sides of Windsor Drive. Also Waterford, Waverly, Camelot and Concord.

TUESDAY: Roosevelt Road south to Cermak Road-from Gardner Road west to Mannheim Road.

WEDNESDAY: From Roosevelt Road north to the expressway and from Gardner Road west to Mannheim Road. Also, Roosevelt Road south to Canterbury from Haase west to Heidorn.

THURSDAY: From Belleview west to Wolf Road, Martindale Drive to 31st Street.

Remember… Waste Management will also pick up your branches if they are bundled & no more than 4 feet in length. These will be picked up on your regular garbage day every week.

Waste Management – 1-800-7969696 • If your garbage or recycling was not picked up on your regular day, please call Waste Management directly.

• If you would like to request a new garbage or recycling receptacle, please call Waste Management directly.

• If you have large items that will not fit in you receptacle (i.e. couch, chairs, tables, etc.,) please call Waste Management directly and request a special collection.

The Waste Management’s “At Your Door Special Collection” service will pick up unwanted-potentially hazardous and hard-to-recycle items from your home, including electronics.

That number is 1-800-449-7587.

The full list of items may be found at www.wmatyourdoor.com/residential.

50/50 Shared Cost Parkway Tree Program The Village offers a 50/50 shared cost program that includes the purchase and planting of a new parkway tree.

Residents who have registered will be sent a list of trees indigenous to the area to choose from, as well as pictures and a general description.

The planting will be in fall 2022.

Please call Public Works at 708.345.0041 to register.

50/50 Shared Cost Sidewalk Replacement Program The village offers a 50/50 shared cost program sidewalk replacement program. If the public sidewalk in front and/or on the side of your residence is in poor condition, and you would like to replace it, the Village will share the cost with you.

Please call Public Works at 708.345.0041 to register for squares.

Also of note…

1. Street maintenance parking restrictions are in effect. Please look at the signs, or check the Village website, so you don’t receive a ticket!!

2. The Public Works Department will continue repairing parkways damaged by sewer and water excavations, and snow plow damage, weather permitting. Stump grinding will also continue for those who have had trees removed.

3. The vac and jet machine will be cleaning out storm sewer inlets, as weather permits. Please help us to keep the storm drains clear of debris, little by little, so they don’t become a huge issue and result in flooding.

4. The 2021 Water Quality Data

is available in this newsletter, and may also be found online at www. w e s t c h e s t e r- i l . o r g / d e p a r t m e n t s / public-works/water-sewer under Annual Reports.

Construction Notices & Signs are all around the village. Please read notices if you receive them, and remember to obey all signs, permanent or temporary.

DRIVE CAREFULLY IN ALL CONSTRUCTION AREAS!!

Sprinkling Ban Reminder We have water use restrictions in effect every year, May 15-September 15, from 12pm to 6pm. This includes: (1) Outdoor Watering (2) Cleaning Outdoor Surfaces (3) Cleaning Buildings (4) Pool Filling Sprinkling during unrestricted hours (before noon, after 6pm) shall be allowed on even numbered days for residents with even numbered addresses, and on odd numbered days for residents with odd numbered addresses. If we have a dry summer, further restrictions may be necessary.

As always, residents are asked to call Public Works at 708.345.0041 or the Police (after 3:30pm M-F & on weekends) if an unusual amount of water is visible in the street or parkway.

This could be a main break or water leak that requires our immediate attention.

3

P ol i c e D e pa rt me n t 4

JUNE 2022

Summer Safety Tips Summer is here, the weather is finally getting hotter, and more people will be out enjoying the weather and our parks. Always remember to slow down when driving and watch out for children in the area especially on side streets. When you are mobile always, remember to teach your children to lock up their bikes with a high quality lock and chain or any other property while playing in the parks.

When traveling always make sure, you lock your vehicle doors and do not leave pets in your vehicles while out shopping. Use the trunk of your vehicle to lock important items and not left in plain sight in your vehicle. Please do not leave garage doors or front doors open when not home for any length of time to run short errands? Always remember to watch out for your neighbors especially when unknown strangers are at their door, mail left in the mailbox for long periods, or they have not been seen for days.

In closing, please take the time to know your neighbors it truly helps when we are all united and looking out for each other!

Chief Daniel Babich Westchester Police Department

POLICE BLOTTER 1 At 7:16pm on April 15, 2022 a Criminal Damage to Property was reported on the 11100 block of Boeger Court.

A resident reported unknown person(s) spray painted the front door and side doorbell.

2) At 5:18pm on April 25, 2022 a Criminal Damage to Property was reported on the 10500 Block of Dorchester.

A resident reported that their fence was damaged.

3) At 11:55 am on April 22, 2022 a Retail Theft was reported at the Jewel Foods located at 2128 Mannheim Road. Store staff reported that several people left the store together taking over $500.00 in liquor.

4) At 8:17pm on April 29, 2022 a Criminal Damage to Property was reported on the

1900 block of Downing. A resident reported unknown person(s) threw rocks at a window and were last seen running from the front of the house.

5) At 3:57pm on May 7, 2022 a Retail Theft was reported at the shell gas station located at 1950 Mannheim Road. The store clerk reported that a subject left the store without paying for liquor. The subject was located and taken into custody.

6) At 1:19pm on May 17, 2022 a Theft from Vehicle was reported at the Westbrook Corporate Center parking lot.

A vehicle owner reported that unknown person(s) removed their catalytic converter while it was parked in the parking lot.

GROW JUNE 2022

5

Build a healthier garden with natives

By Diane scott

GROW Commissioner

Maybe you’ve wanted to add some plants to your garden to attract birds and butterflies.

Maybe you’ve read that native plants require less maintenance. Maybe you are tired of the work, expense, watering, and poisonous chemicals used to maintain a turf lawn.

“In the past, we have asked one thing of our gardens: that they be pretty,” says author and entomologist Doug Tallamy.

“Now they have to support life, sequester carbon, feed pollinators and manage water.”

What is a native plant?

Native plants are adapted to the local climate and soil conditions where they naturally occur. They provide nectar, pollen, and seeds that serve as food for native butterflies, insects, birds and other animals (US Forest Service). Native plants have deep root systems that often require less water and can help with flooding and erosion. They do not need soil amendments, fertilizers or pesticides. They sequester carbon, which helps clean our air.

Where do I start?

Doug Tallamy suggests on his website (see links at end) that anyone can start a native garden in their yard by replacing even a small patch of lawn. (His goal is to get people to convert half of their lawn to native plants, an area of 20 million acres that he calls a “Homegrown National Park.) .In areas with zoning codes that still favor the manicured lawn, you still have plenty of options to incorporate natives that will not look “messy” and will add to the biodiversity of your yard. Natives can be as wild as a prairie or as controlled as a container garden, but in either case, they will allow you to be a more caring steward of the earth.

Like any garden, it’s best to do a little planning. Choose species based on the soil, light, and water conditions of the site and for the size, shape, texture, and color you desire. West Cook Wild Ones is a great local resource that can guide you through the array of groundcovers, sedge grasses, flowers, bushes and trees. They hold spring flower and fall tree and shrub sales, host talks and webinars, and their website is full of helpful articles such as “Getting Started with a Native Garden” and “Suggested Prairie Plants for Full Sun.” There are also links to garden design

and upkeep, small plant nurseries where you can buy natives, and landscapers.

The University of Illinois Extension Service has a wealth of videos, articles and programs on native trees and shrubs, general gardening tips, and a section on energy and environment. They also offer the Conservation@Home program in partnership with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County that recognizes and certifies properties that demonstrate environmentally sound landscape practices. Through their certification program, residents can shape their private and community landscapes in a conservation-minded way with guidance and criteria provided for them.

Native inspiration in Westchester Did you know residents voted the coneflower the official plant of Westchester in 2019? Bethany Alexander, head of the local Grassroots Garden Group, notes that the group will be adding more coneflowers in the areas around the official Westchester signs along the roads, as well as in the gazebo fountain gardens that the group maintains. She also noted that one garden on their July 23rd Garden Walk this year has an area dedicated to native plants.

The Wolf Road Prairie at Wolf Road and 31st contains more than 360 species of plants on prairie, savanna and wetland.

See natives you may not see anywhere else in Illinois on the trail, or check out the native garden in front of the historic Franzosenbusch House. Volunteers often work Saturdays from 1-3, or watch the website for guided walks and events.

The Westchester Public Library is a model of sustainability in so many ways, from its semi-porous pavers in the parking lot to its native plant and pollinator gardens. But in the next few weeks they are converting 2,500 square feet on the west side of the building to an all-native prairie, with an official ribboncutting on Thursday, June 16, at 12:30pm.

Natives outside of our yards Many towns, schools, parks, libraries and businesses have expanses of turf grass that could be converted to native plants. The Conservation@Home program is open not only to residents but schools, churches and businesses. Openlands offers yearly matching grants of up to $10,000 to groups, schools, park districts and municipalities

for a variety of projects, which have included pollinator parkways in River Forest and pollinator gardens in Countryside.

We need to revise our thinking (and our ordinances) so that a yard with less lawn, groundcover under our trees, and a road lined with native wildflowers becomes the evidence of a community that cares for the earth.

LINKS: Doug Tallamy https://homegrownnationalpark.org/ West Cook Wild Ones https://westcook.wildones.org/

University of Illinois Extension Service https://extension.illinois.edu/cook Conservation@Home https://extension.illinois.edu/cook/ conservationhome Grassroots Garden Group https://www.grassrootsgardengroup.org/ Wolf Road Prairie https://savetheprairiesociety.org/ Westchester Public Library https://westchesterpl.org/ Openlands https://openlands.org/

W at e r Q ua l it y R e po rt 6

JUNE 2022

W ater Q ualit y R e port JUNE 2022

7

W at e r Q ua l it y R e po rt 8

JUNE 2022

W ater Q ualit y R e port JUNE 2022

9

10

JUNE 2022

JUNE 2022

11

12

JUNE 2022

Locals having success at IC Catholic Prep Hometown students are doing great things at IC Catholic Prep.

Westchester students attending ICCP are showing what being a Knight is all about.

Four students received academic, Service and leadership scholarships.

Jailen Johnson who is a Junior at IC received the Jamie R Cervone Social Studies Excellence Award.

This is Given to a ICCP Student who demonstrates a passion for Social Studies, and engagement in World & National Politics and has a stellar work ethic.

Olivia Markey a Junior at IC received the DR. Michael V Hogan Memorial Science Scholarship.

The Hogan family established the Michael V Hogan Scholarship for students wishing to pursue studies in science.

Sam Duffy a sophomore at IC received the Kick off for kids scholarship. Klick off for kids is a non-profit organization working to enrich the lives of all children through family centered programs focusing on community education , health & fitness.

Daniel Dufffy a freshman at IC received the Donald J Strasberg scholarship. Awarded to a student who exemplifies Dons spirit of being a great athlete, student with integrity, fairness and Determination Three student athletes who will be continuing their athletic and academic Careers have all have committed to their collage of choice and a total of 10 Westchester students will be graduating from IC and all will be attending College.

Four young men, Aiden Smith, Fernando Rodriguez, Bobby Markey and Jason Hall were all on the Senior Prom Court and Jason Hall was crowned King.

Four students received academic, Service and leadership scholarships, while jumior Jailen Johnson (right) received the Jamie R Cervone Social Studies Excellence Award.

Aiden Smith, Fernando Rodriguez, Bobby Markey and Jason Hall were all on the senior prom court, while Hall (left) was crowned king.

WPTC JUNE 2022

Happy Summer from the Westchester Parents and Teachers for Children Another school year is over!

The WPTC has been very busy the past few months since we have been able to get back into the schools and to be able to hold some of our spring/summer events!

In February, we were able to have classroom Valentine’s Day parties at WPS and WIS, while students at WMS received fun heart shaped glasses. We also had our Step It Up fundraiser that was a roaring success and so fun for all!

Through this fundraiser, we were able to raise funds that the WPTC will be able to use for upcoming events and the next school year along with the ability to allow WPS to purchase STEM materials and WIS and WMS to select gym equipment.

We also donated $1,000 to the Westchester Food Pantry.

In April we were excited to have the Spring bookfairs at WPS and WIS which both were a great success and will allow the schools to purchase items thru Scholastic!

We were able to hold the first Parent and Pastries at each school as well, which allowed a parent/guardian to join their student for a breakfast supplied by the WPTC and the ability to shop at the bookfair. And we can’t forget Math Night!

Thanks to all of the families and students for supporting and attending these events.

In May we were able to provide a fun week of treats and goodies for our teacher appreciation week!

We had fun with incorporating Star Wars Day and Cinco de Mayo in their festivities.

A BIG THANK YOU to all of teachers and staff for all that they do for all the students! We also need to give thanks to our volunteers at each school who set up and cleaned up each day for the week! It was a lot of work, but it was so appreciated by everyone at each school.

And thank you to all of those that signed up to provide the treats/goodies all week.

We are excited about all our end of the year activities at each of the schools, our field days and celebrations and would like to say Congratulations to the Class of 2022! We wish you much success in your next adventures!

We are very happy with the success we’ve had during the 2021-2022 year!

We have been able to get into the classrooms to hold parties, held successful fundraisers and had some great events.

We are looking forward to summer vacation and to begin planning for the next school year.

Please continue to check our website, Facebook page and Instagram for updates!

And feel free to reach out to us at wptc925@ gmail.com or at @wptc925 on Instagram

13

14

JUNE 2022

JUNE 2022

15

16

JUNE 2022

L ibrary JUNE 2022

17

L ib r ary 18

JUNE 2022

L ibrary JUNE 2022 19

L ib r ary 20

JUNE 2022

JUNE 2022 21

S c h o o l D i st r ic t 22

JUNE 2022

S chool D istrict JUNE 2022

23

24

JUNE 2022

JUNE 2022 25

Grassroots Garden Group’s 4th annual plant sale will take place on Saturday, JUNE 14, from 9am – 12noon near the village fountain (Cermak & Mannheim Roads). A variety of plants, including flowers, vegetables, and herbs, will be offered.

“We are excited to offer residents of Westchester, and nearby towns, the opportunity to enhance their gardens with a great selection of plants and veggies,” said Grassroots Garden Group founder Bethanny Alexander. “Two months ago, we planted tiny seeds that are growing and ready to be transplanted to local gardens to help beautify the landscape.”

Plants will be on-sale for $5 with net proceeds benefitting the Westchester Food Pantry. Since Grassroots Garden Group was founded in 2015, the non-profit organization has raised over $8,000 for the Westchester Food Pantry, from events such as the plant sale and Grassroots Garden Group’s annual garden walk. This summer’s garden walk is scheduled for Saturday, July 23.

For more information, visit www.grassrootsgardengroup.org or follow Grassroots Garden Group on facebook.com/grassrootsgardengroup and Instagram @grassroots_ garden_group.

26

JUNE 2022

JUNE 2022

27

28

JUNE 2022