Wednesday Journal | November 10, 2010 | Pages 1-32

W E D N E S D A Y

JOURNALof Oak Park and River Forest

November 10, 2010Vol. 30, No. 19

ONE DOLLAR

OPRF pool high and dry

Page 6

. . . . . . . . . .

D97 chooses model for tax vote

Page 8

. . . . . . . . . .

Time to helpHoliday Basket Program

Page 18

. . . . . . . . . .

CAST STILL FLYING HIGH 25 YEARS IN

‘Peter Pan’ is backLifeLines,

Page 29

IN THIS ISSUE

Calendar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41Classifi ed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54Haley’s column . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5LifeLines . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29Obituaries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64Viewpoints. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

DAVID KINDLER/Contributor

After a moving, even exhilarating, rededication of the Peace Triumphant World War I monument Sunday in Scoville Park, a man finds the nameof his relative among the 2,446 names recorded. Story and photos, page 9.

MEMORIES REBORN

After vaccine vote, OP offi cials may ask state for closer look

By MARTY STEMPNIAKStaff Reporter

All it takes is signatures from 15 of your friends and a quick vote at a sparsely attending meeting, and you can get an advisory referendum

placed on a local election ballot. Such was the case with a referendum in last week’s election, which asked for more transparency in the delivery of vaccines in Oak Park.

Voters supported the ballot mea-sure by a better than 2-to-1 margin, totaling nearly 12,000 yes votes. But local elected offi cials aren’t asking how they can address the concerns raised by the referendum, rather

Is it too easy to get a cause on the ballot?

See REFERENDUM on page 12

LOOK WHO’S TALKING: 1,162 LIVE COMMENTS so far at OAKPARK.COM

Peter Pan is backLifeLines,

Page 29

Does a copy machine boost RF’s economy?

By BEN MEYERSONStaff Reporter

As the clock on River Forest’s eco-nomic development fund ticks closer towards its expiration at the end of the year, the village is scrambling to line up spending projects before time runs out.

There’s $5 million in property tax-es that have been diverted from local

schools and parks along the Lake Street corridor for nearly 20 years through a measure called tax incre-ment fi nancing. Now there is less than two months left to use it for vil-lage government purposes or to re-distribute it to other taxing bodies.

That TIF money’s targeted for economic development along Lake Street, and over the years it’s done a good deal of that by fi nancing as-pects of River Forest’s retail hub at River Forest Town Center.

Cash piles up, deadline looms for spending it

See REFERENDUM on page 13

Call 708.358.9800 for reservationsnsnsCal CalCC

Caipirinha Cocktail Party

2 Wednesday Journal, November 10, 2010 OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM Wednesday Journal, November 10, 2010 3

I N S I D E R E P O R T

More on Mr. Tony the crossing guard

Last week we profi led crossing guard Tony Albachiara, better known as Mr. Tony to parents and their kids who cross his path every morning and afternoon near Irving Elementary School. A delighted parent brought his story to our, and the village’s attention, after he politely grilled a grandfather whom he had never met before who came to pick up his grandson after school.

Well, there were other interesting tid-bits about Mr. Tony that we weren’t able to fi t into last week’s story. Though it might have been obvious from reading, Mr. Tony treats the students as if they were his own grandkids, even though he has none of his own.

On Halloween he brings out a bucket of candy to pass out to them, and also does it on Valentine’s Day and some other holidays. He talks to everyone crossing the corner at Harvard and Ridgeland, and they talk to him. He told the paper about his occasional traffi c duties for the village during his 27 years with the public works department. He was also a truck driver, put down salt during snow storms and worked in sanitation.

He said he was a little embarrassed to have Wednesday Journal doing a story on him, but he told several folks cross-ing that he was being interviewed by the paper because “someone thinks I’m going a great job.”

The folks all agreed.

A LEGO up for Longfellow School

One of Frank Lloyd Wright’s most known architectural gems got the “LEGO” treatment, thanks to students at Longfellow School.

Second and third grade students on Oct. 31, took fi rst place in the national LEGO Landmark Competition at Chi-cago’s McCormick Place.

Their winning design—an elaborate model of Wright’s Home and Studio, located at 951 Chicago Ave. in Oak Park. The LEGO project was done via the Oak Park Education Foundation’s Geared Up and Architecture Adventure programs. The 43 students worked with architects

and parent volunteers, and were able to tour the famous property.

Entries for the LEGO competition came from across the country; Longfel-low’s winning entry received more than 1,600 votes. See photos of their project at the Oak Park Education Foundation’s website: opef.org.

Building recycling bins at Beye

Oak Park and River Forest High School senior Graham Steele recently did his Eagle Scout Project at Beye School, his alma mater.

Working with Beye’s “Green Team” Steele helped plan to build brown matter waste bins to hold leaves and paper. Brown matter is added to the com-postable lunch waste the school collects each day. The goal of the school is to cre-ate compostable mulch for the grounds of the school.

Beye students Ian Steele, Liam Nolen

and Ben Hoepf helped with the bins, along with Steele’s Boy Scout Troop 16 members, Adam and Michael Rajter.

Gift shopping at Oak Park

Conservatory? The Oak Park Conservatory is making

moves to pull in a bit more cash next year, fi nally opening a gift shop that’s been planned since 2000. At a Park Dis-trict of Oak Park meeting Nov. 4, Con-servatory Manager Henrietta Yardley said the gift shop should open in April of next year, selling things from garden-ing supplies to greeting cards.

Much of the conservatory’s traffi c is made up of women, Yardley said, many of whom have children. Since the con-servatory is free, many people might be willing to open up their wallets in a gift shop to support the facility. It wouldn’t be the fi rst time the conservatory has tried selling goods — they’ve been sell-ing unusual potted plants for sale since 2002 with success. The conservatory is planning to follow fellow Oak Park shop

Ten Thousand Villages’ model of vol-unteers selling hand-made items for charity. Yardley said the conserva-tory is hoping to leverage its active group of volunteers, Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory, to staff the shop.

The park district has budgeted $10,000 for 2011 to help get the gift shop off the ground.

TERRY DEAN/Staff

Tony Albachiara chats with some crossers at his corner near Harvard and Ridgeland.

Th is LEGO version of the Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio took fi rst place in the National LEGO Land-mark Competition for the second and third graders who built it.

oratedio,k Park.he Oakared Upgrams.hitects

tried seing unu2002 wiplannin

Ten TuntechatorygroOash

$

loyd st -

Just over a year ago, we wrote about mortgage rates being at all time lows. Well, now they’re even lower! This can mean huge savings for you in monthly payments. Factor in current property values and we find that Housing Affordability is the best it’s been in decades.

Here’s what the current rates look like compared to the ones we wrote about in October 2009:

Mo. Conforming payment rates Oct’09 Nov’10 savings

30 yr fixed 4.87 4.24 13%

15 yr fixed 4.33 3.63 16%

5 yr fixed/adj 4.35 3.39 22%

These rates include 0.7 points and are the US weekly average reported by Freddie Mac.

Whether you’re moving up or buying for the first time, home ownership can offer outstanding savings. The selection of homes and condos has never been better. Take advantage of this rare opportunity to find and finance your new home. Make your move with Pilgrim and save.

RATES KEEP FALLING!

Pilgrim’s Progress

by John O’Neill, CRB and Michael O’Neill

See our ad in today's HOMES section for dozens of

great real estate listings!

1037 CHICAGO AVE., (708)383-8300http://fcpilgrim.com

E-mail: [email protected]

aand Mich eill

ADVERTISEMENT


New fi elds would be state-of-the-art natural grass

By BEN MEYERSONStaff Reporter

Lindberg Park could soon have the best-quality playing fi elds in Oak Park — but it wouldn’t be artifi cial, and it wouldn’t have lights.

After an outcry from many of the park’s neighbors over the idea of having an artifi -cial turf fi eld in the middle of the Park Dis-trict of Oak Park’s biggest park, the folks in charge of sculpting a new plan for Lindberg, Wolff Landscape Architecture, shot it down at a community meeting on Thursday.

But Wolff is still proposing to tear up the worn-out, weedy, uneven fi elds at Lindberg. In-stead of artifi cial turf, they’re proposing a new state-of-the-art fi eld made of natural grass.

“We think [a new, natural fi eld] is the thing which best serves Lindberg Park, best serves the sports teams and users, and best pre-serves the aesthetics of Lindberg Park,” said Ted Wolff, head of Wolff Landscape Archi-tecture. “It provides improved playability, it provides improved reliability, and it closely maintains the current park character.”

Wolff ’s plan for the heavily-used fi elds would involve replacing the hard current

sod with a fast-draining sandy soil com-bined with a below-surface drainage system that would allow athletes to get back on the fi eld much faster after a heavy rain.

However, it would cost the park district twice as much to maintain as Lindberg’s

current fi elds do — roughly $100,000 a year, up from the current $50,000.

Wolff also nixed the idea of adding sports lighting to the park’s fi elds. The increased use, they said, would add traffi c to the neighbor-hood and increase wear and tear on the fi elds.

Wolff deftly handled the meeting, taking the animosity and fear of change that domi-nated the last Lindberg meeting, and chan-neling it into a cohesive plan. Many in atten-dance said they were astounded at how well the plan had come together.

“I was at that last meeting, and I didn’t think as good a resolution of problems could happen as you presented here,” said neigh-bor Bill Troyer. “I’ll sleep soundly tonight.”

But Rob Hauk, a proponent of better ath-letic fi elds at Lindberg, said he liked the new fi eld design, but wasn’t sure if the park dis-trict would be able to keep up with it.

“We asked for more capacity and more play-ability,” and got it — sort of, Hauk said. “I’d ask that the park district take a good hard look and ask themselves if they’ll be able to main-tain it. Because in two years, if they look like they do now, then we haven’t come very far.”

Also proposed are new paths that would complete a loop around the park, as well as a shelter for day camps and further spread-out tennis courts.

The park district has a fourth community meeting planned for Nov. 17 at 7 p.m., when Wolff will present its fi nal master plan for the park to the public.

The park district’s board is planning to examine the plan at its working meeting on Dec. 2, and then vote on it at its full meeting on Dec. 16.

New plan for Lindberg Park nixes artifi cial turfNatural GrassNATURAL Grass sod

ROOTZONE Mix

DRAINAGE Gravel Layer

COMPACTED Subgrade shaped for drainageIRRIGATION System

FIELD Drainage System with fi eld fi lter Fabric

FIELD Drainage Collector

Sports Construction Group

SOD OR SOIL? Wolff Landscape Architecture have nixed artifi cial turf for Lindberg Park and are proposing natural grass with a drainage system.

Odds and ends with some a bit odder than others:

Houses under $200K: Got a postcard from

a Realtor last week that got my attention. Did you know you could buy a house in Oak Park – a small house, a house that needs some updating, but not a bad house – for $186,000?

You can these days. Cissy Binkley, a real estate

agent for 22 years, said the home on the 700 block of N. Humphrey Avenue “is the only house in Oak Park under $200,000 that is not a short sale.”

The owners just knocked $10,000 off the price having listed it in September at just under $200K. “We’ve had no of-fers. And that surprises me a little,” said Binkley. “It is a very cute little house.”

I asked her what this house might have sold for before the market turned south in 2007. “The high-$200s,” she said. That is a lot of lost value.

Return to Sleepy Hollow: The fi rst sign that River Forest might enter the mod-ern age came about 20 years ago when a cadre of young homeowners with families wrested control of the local park board from a backward batch of stick-in-the-muds who felt that mowing the grass was the main function of a park district.

What followed was two decades of park expansion, wondrous playgrounds, new lighting and all sorts of activi-ties that brought the village to life and knocked about 20 years off the average age of homeowners.

What then to make of Monday night’s performance by the park board in which they again looked backwards in again objecting to paying a pittance ($4,100) toward support of the Oak Park and River Forest Township Youth In-terventionist program. Saying the pro-gram was outside the scope of the park board’s mission, board President Dale Jones said, “We have passive spaces

we provide for recreation.” Why I could almost hear old Joe Organ explaining that playgrounds were nothing but insurance liabilities.

Claiming they have no teen issues, no gang issues, the park board inserted its head back into the sand so they could discuss the details of platform tennis courts.

This, friends, is your grandfather’s park district.

Unnoticed, Oak Park goes post-racial (and post-gender, too): While River Forest

returns to the 1950s, Oak Park has remarkably made the leap to Utopia. At least according to the slate of pretty white looking guys running as the VMA slate for the village board come April.

Responding to an editorial in the Journal last week suggesting that a contested election would be good for the village, the slate –Ray Johnson, Adam Salzman and Bob Tucker – took exception to our noting that if they are elected the Oak Park village board will become 6/7ths white and 6/7th male.

They write, “Our fi rst question is: Unacceptable to whom? The Oak Park-ers we know do not judge people by the color of their skin, or any other charac-teristic which too often divides us, but by the content of their character – or in the case of elections, by the quality of their candidates.”

The trio then goes on to note that Johnson is openly gay, that Salzman is a Latino Jew and that Tucker is mar-ried to an African-American. Not that any of that should matter because Oak Park, in their view, is presumably post-gay, post-Latino-Jew, and, post-bi-racial marriage.

Come on. The ideal would be for the Oak Park village board to be a mix of races, genders and other descriptors. When we fall short of that ideal it is worth noting. That’s it. But let’s not get all defensive and land in fantasyland.

DANHALEY


Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, Illinois 60302PHONE 708-524-8300 ■ FAX 708-524-0447 ■ ONLINE www.OakPark.com | www.RiverForest.com

H O W T O R E A C H U S

CIRCULATIONKathy Hansen, 708-613-3340,

[email protected] ADVERTISING

Marc Stopeck, 708-613-3330, [email protected]

CLASSIFIED ADVERTISING Barb Kizelevicus, 708-613-3342,

[email protected]/FEATURES

Dan Haley, 708-613-3301, [email protected]

CALENDAR Annette Coff ee, 708-613-3316,

[email protected]/REAL ESTATE

Brad Spencer, 708-613-3319, [email protected]

Good news? Not. A house under $200K

Wednesday Journal is published weekly by Wednesday Journal, Inc. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Wednesday Journal, 141 S. Oak Park Ave., Oak Park, IL 60302-2901. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, Illinois (USPS No. 0010-138).

In-county subscription rate is $25 per year, $45 for two years. Annual out-of-county rate is $34. © 2010 Wednesday Journal, Inc.

Monday - Saturday 9-9 Sunday 10-6

Prices valid thru 11-14-2010at Madison St. location only.

Right reserved to limit quantities & correct errors.

FOREST PARK7714 W. Madison708-366-2500

Join us for IN-STORE WINE TASTINGS Every Saturday 12:00 - 5:00

BeringerWhite Zinfandel,White Merlot, Moscato

8991.5 Liter

Bella SeraMerlot orPinot Grigio

999

FronteraChardonnay, Cabernet or Merlot

6991.5 Liter

Absolut 80 Proof Vodka

269910991.75 Liter

CourvoisierVS Cognac

2299750 ml.1599

Seven CrownBlended Whiskey

1.75 Liter

1.75 Liter

1399

Christian Brothers Brandy

1.75 Liter

Fleischmann'sVodka

Miller Lite,Genuine Draftor MGD 64

12 pack bottles699

CoronaExtra or Light

1099

Red StripeBeer from Jamaica

HeinekenRegular Only

12 pack bottles

Miller High Lifeor High Life Light

159918 PACK bottles

109930 pack cans12 pack bottles

1.5 Liter

Stella ArtoisBeer from Belgium

12 pack bottles

Burnett's Gin

12991.75 Liter

1299 1099

Our “Famous”Fall Tasting!Can’t decide on what wines to pick for your Thanksgiving Day meal? Sign up for our Fall Tasting! We’ll have over 40 Thanksgiving friendly wines open for tasting, as well as an assortment of Thanksgiving dishes to nibble on. We’ve been holding this event for years – it’s always a fun way to kick off the holiday wine-drinking season!

When: Sunday, November 14th 6:30 - 8:00 pm

Where: Wine Discount Center - Forest Park, 7714 W. Madison St. (inside Famous Liquors!)

Cost: Only $10 per person

Rig


By TERRY DEANStaff Reporter

For the second time this year, the fi rm that handles construction projects at Oak Park and River Forest High School has come under scrutiny concerning how it has con-ducted its work.

Darien-based Wight and Company was criticized by school board members earlier this spring for higher than expected esti-mates for this past summer’s construction projects at OPRF. The board approved a fi -nal cost of roughly $7 million, $2 million more than originally estimated. That work included upgrades to both of the school’s swimming pools, which are complete but closed because Wight failed to get proper permits before doing the work.

Marc Wight, the company’s CEO, met with parents of the girls’ swim team on Oct. 27 to explain why the pools remained closed fol-lowing upgrades to the drainage system.

The company conducted the work without a proper permit from the state to comply with new state guidelines concerning pool safety. Instead, Wight went ahead and com-pleted the work and was later slapped with a fi ne of more than $20,000 in September by the Illinois Department of Public Health. The health department must conduct an in-spection of the pools before giving the OK for them to be used.

Repeated calls to Wight within the last month were not returned to Wednesday Journal.

About nine parents met with Wight and OPRF Supt. Steven Isoye at the school. The girls’ team has had to hold their home meets and practices at other schools in their con-ference. They also weren’t able to host their senior night event this fall in the east pool. The school is now awaiting an inspection by the state health department. No date has been set for the inspection.

Elizabeth Holland, a mother of one of the swimmers, attended the Oct. 27 meeting. Holland said the girls have tried to make the best of the situation. But she expressed frus-tration at the school for not keeping the par-ents up to speed about the delays. She said weeks would go by without receiving any information from the school. OPRF Princi-pal Nate Rouse told Wednesday Journal that he understood their frustration but that the school had not been given a defi nitive time for an inspection.

Rouse said the school was reluctant to keep telling parents when the pools might reopen. The health department, he adds, has all of OPRF’s paperwork and that the school is awaiting its decision.

Holland, though, is also highly critical of OPRF’s school board for not providing bet-ter oversight to Wight. The company was the architect, project manager and contrac-

tor for this summer’s construction work, something she fi nds highly unusual.

“The board needs to be held accountable,” she said. “It’s their responsibility to make sure this was handled properly and it was not.”

Holland added that Mark Wight assured parents that he will look into that practice. She also criticized the board for not publiciz-ing that a fi ne was issued and paid—Wight agreed to pay the fi ne. Another concern is whether the work meets the safety code—Wight would have to demolish a portion of the pool if inspectors demand to see the in-stallation. Holland said Wight agreed to pick up the tab for such work if it comes to that.

The parents also want regular updates from the school going forward.

Rouse said Wight had assured the school that replacing the pumps would be a rela-tively uncomplicated matter. Once a per-mit is issued, Wight will request a wet and dry inspection, but when those inspections might occur is uncertain. The company had considered some of the pool work “main-tenance, not construction,” according to minutes from a Sept. 14 Finance Committee

meeting of the school board.The minutes also show that the company

had been contacted the day before about be-ing fi ned, which “came directly to Wight and not the school district.”

Holland said parents scoured minutes from committee and regular board meeting minutes but found no mention of a dollar amount, if it had been paid, and by whom. That, she said, they also found troubling.

“What we don’t understand is how the school board can keep this information a secret and not tell the taxpayers. This is not the way to conduct business,” she said.

Earlier this spring, Wight faced criticism from school board members concerning the over estimates for summer construction. Several board members were not only dis-pleased with the higher estimates but also the fact that they weren’t alerted earlier about the higher bids. Wight offi cials at the time said the bids were higher because con-tractors discovered that some of the work in the building was more complex than origi-nally thought.

The board, though, went ahead and ap-proved the work in March.

Swimming pool snafu Parents upset at OPRF, board for delays regarding girls’ pool

File 2005

ALL LANES CLOSED: Th e girls pool at OPRF High School remains closed even though re-pairs are complete because Wight and Company failed to get the proper permits.

OPRF’s Tradition of Excellence cer-emony is this Friday. The honorees will be speaking to students and staff at two separate morning assemblies.

This year’s alums are: Kevin Sorensen, a 1985 graduate who works as a custodian at the high school and is also a stuntman

in fi lms and television; and Warren Tr-ezevant, an animator with Pixar Studios in Hollywood.

The Tradition of Excellence award was created in 1982 to honor alumni for their distinguished accomplishments.

—Terry Dean

Two grads get Tradition honor at OPRF

SLATE & TILE ROOF SPECIALISTS

TODCO ROOFING, INC.(800)322-8377WORKMANSHIP GUARANTEED

We specialize in:• Slate & Tile Roof Restoration• Fabrication & Installation of

Copper Flashing & Gutters• Dimensional Shingles• Rubberized Flat Roofs

- Over 30 years experience- FREE Estimates- Bonded & Insured

1-888-719-6160 • 312-726-6722

$9.995 MillionDeath of a mother during pregnancy

$7.85 MillionMinor pedestrian killed by school bus

$6.25 MillionBirth injury, brain damage

$5.25 MillionVan loses control, passenger death

$5 MillionWrongful death of worker at job site

$4 MillionPhysician negligence, brain damage

$2.99 MillionInjury to motorcycle rider

$2.7 MillionPolice misconduct/excessive force

$2.7 MillionConstruction worker injured

$2.5 MillionTruck rear-ends van

$2 MillionPedestrian hit by automobile, resulting in brain damage

$1.97 MillionFailure to diagnose cancer

$1.2 MillionNurse negligence causes thumb amputation

$1 MillionLandlord’s negligence

FREECONSULTATION

NO FEE UNLESS YOU WIN…SP12921



A village trustee continued pushing to kill, or, at least, surface more infor-mation about, a lobbyist contract last

week. Over a period of seven years, the contract

to provide the village with insight about possible plans to expand the Eisenhow-er Expressway has totaled more than $1.3 million. Now it appears that other Oak Park trustees are joining the cho-rus.

Trustee Ray Johnson has raised the issue in recent weeks. But last week during a village budget study session, Trustee Glenn Brewer questioned the contract. A third trustee, Jon Hale, also expressed concern.

Some $180,000 is budgeted next year for the Washington, D.C., lobbying fi rm, and Brewer asked whether Oak Park has been getting its money worth for the long-running expense, which is projected at the same cost over the next fi ve years.

“Are we getting reports that suggest we should be continuing to pay a con-sultant that kind of money?” Brewer said.

For the past seven years, Oak Park has retained Nossaman LLP to help keep tabs on whether the feds may help fund the expansion of the Eisen-hower Expressway. The fi rm was hired in 2003 to provide “legal, technical-environmental and legislative ser-vices” related to the Ike, according to village documents. Trustees have been renewing the contract each year, most recently with a maximum cost of $171,000 in 2010.

Village President David Pope em-

phasized that the contract is capped at $180,000, and that village staff has been diligent in keeping bills from the fi rm much lower. About $90,000 was saved from the budgeted amount last year. Nossaman has provided legal updates on what’s happening with the Ike, and was instrumental in Oak Park obtaining about $5 million in federal dollars, said Pope. About $1 million of that to-tal was used on a feasibility study related to capping the Ike.

Oak Park has considered putting a “cap” over some or all of the expressway, as a way to gain more land and mitigate the ill effects of the Ike. Early estimates have said a full cap from Austin to Harlem could cost $1.5 billion, while a scaled back version would be $464 million.

In questioning continuation of the consulting contract, Hale acknowl-edged the receipt of federal grants but said, “We have (elected) represen-tatives in Washington that should be helping us on that. That’s what they’re there for.”

The Illinois Department of Trans-portation is currently determining whether it wants to expand the num-ber of lanes on the Ike, or consider other alternatives, such as extending the CTA Blue Line.

“We’re setting a foundation to be able to be sure we don’t see IDOT sort of ramming something through that has

the potential to expand the Eisenhow-er in a way that would be harmful to Oak Park and in particular the south-ern half of Oak Park,” Pope said.

Still, some trustees were skeptical as to whether Oak Park is still getting its money worth. In the past, Nossaman provided regular updates to the board, but those seem to have tapered off, said Trustee Ray Johnson. The board received an update in September but only after it was requested, and the report seemed hurriedly put together and confusing, he said.

Trustee Colette Lueck called the Ike expan-sion one of the biggest issues facing Oak Park. Still, she’d like to see the contract cut at least in half. Johnson also wants to reduce the budgeted amount, or just keep the fi rm on retainer.

“I’m just not clear what they’re bringing to the table,” Johnson said.

He asked for a more comprehensive summary

from village staff about the lobbying work, and also suggested that some of Nossaman’s reports, outside of legal advice, be made public.

Village hall has denied a Wednes-day Journal Freedom of Information Act request for the lobbyist’s reports, saying that they contain “preliminary recommendations in which opinions are expressed and policies and actions are formulated.” The reports are also confi dential, says the village, under the law of attorney-client privilege. The Illinois attorney general’s offi ce has agreed with the village’s exemp-tion.CONTACT: [email protected]

In tight budget, more trustees question Ike lobbyist spending

FIRST REPORTED ONLINESign up for e-mail updates at www.OakPark.com

20 years later, OP to update Comprehensive Plan

Oak Park will likely update its Comprehensive Plan next year, taking a fresh look at the document used as a road map on all manner of local issues. In a planning meeting last week, the village board asked Village Plan-ner Craig Failor to explore options for how the document might best be updated. Given staffi ng cuts which have reduced the planning department to just Failor, an out-side consulting fi rm will likely be retained to oversee the project.

Trustees lauded the 1990 update of the Plan as a work-ing document which has guided decisions on many plan-ning issues. They also asked that a range of interim plan-ning documents be incorporated into the next version of the comprehensive plan.

Failor called a comprehensive plan “a working, evolv-ing document that helps the community map out its fu-ture and understand where it’s headed in the decades to come.”

The 1990 plan has long been due for an overhaul, said Failor. And the village board agreed at a meeting last week that it was time to get rolling on the new plan.

“It is a remarkable document, and it is remarkable that it has stood so many years because it was so well done,” said Trustee Colette Lueck at a meeting last week. She later added, “If you don’t redo the comprehensive plan, you have a planning process that refers to an antiquated document, which I think is problematic.”

Oak Park has a plethora of plans already, and trustees asked that they be incorporated as part of the process for developing a new comprehensive plan for the village.

Back in 1990, the comprehensive plan was developed largely by village staff and committees. But Oak Park’s planning department has been reduced to only one per-son, and the village will likely need to hire a consultant to lead the process of updating the plan.

The village board asked Failor to fi gure out what it will take to get the plan updated starting in 2011, asking that he report back by April. He suspects the village will even-tually issue a request for proposals to fi nd the right con-sulting fi rm. Failor estimated that an update would likely cost somewhere between $150,000 and $300,000.

Failor expects that the new plan could address issues that aren’t in the previous one, such as sustainability. The 1990 version is still useful, and will likely be a good start-ing point.

“There’s some great policy statements in it, some good direction in it, it just needs to be refreshed and updated,” Failor said.

—Marty Stempniak

Trustees, at minimum, want more information

for less from D.C. law fi rm

“I’m just not clear what

they’re bringing to the table.”

RAY JOHNSONVillage trustee

www.wrightservicescorp.com

Kitchens■

Additions■

Bathrooms■

Window Replacement

CONSTRUCTION■

REMODELING

(708)442-5000

Member of:

www.chicagolandgreenbuildingteam.com

Mon-Sat 9am - 9pm, Sun 11am - 6pm • 1045 Lake Street • Downtown Oak Park • 708.386.9800 • www.booktable.net Become a fan on Facebook: www.facebook.com/TheBookTable • Follow us on Twitter: www.twitter.com/TheBookTableOP

Fierce, but Friendly. And Our Prices Don’t Bite Either.Voted “Best Bookstore” in the Chicago Reader, 2010!

Fiercely Independent since 2003


Board will next settle on a size by Nov. 13


Having decided last summer to hold a tax hike referendum next April, the District 97 Board of Education last week chose a specifi c, and somewhat unusual method, of raising mon-

ey for the cash-strapped system. Rather than ask-ing voters to ap-prove a perma-

nent increase in property tax rates, the school board will ask voters to OK the issuance of working cash bonds -- a debt instrument – that will be gradually repaid and then fully retired. Taxes would rise suffi ciently to repay those bonds but the tax increase would expire when the bonds were paid off.

The board decided that while the bonding route was more of a mid-term than long-term solution to school funding issues, that it would be less of a burden on recession-weary property taxpayers. Peter Traczyk, school board president, said later that the bonding plan could bridge the several years until 2018 when the district will pay off con-struction of the two middle schools and the

village’s downtown TIF district expires. Bothmilestones will ease the district’s finances.

When the board meets again on Nov. 13 for an additional study session, it will decide the amount of bonding capacity it will seek from voters.

A small crowd of about 20 people sat in the audience at Longfellow School where last Tuesday’s meeting took place. The board spent three hours going over projections, revenue and expense targets, and looking at generic numbers of what a working cash referendum could look like.

“The board has decided to issue debt in-stead of doing an operating tax because it’s,to me, easier to understand,” said Peter Trac-zyk, president of the school board, after themeeting. “We’re asking for a set amount ofmoney and not a rate increase that’s going tokeep growing into the future. You know when we’re going to pay it back, [and] it’s going toend, so it’s not this continuing obligation.”

The board acknowledged that a workingcash referendum was more of short-term solution for a much needed cash infusion.

Without a referendum, the district will run out of money by 2014 and resort to drastic cuts to prevent that from happening. Traczyk also noted that the bonds for the two middle schools are set to expire in 2018, which will drop the district’s levy by $3.5 million an-nually. That presents an opportunity for the district to run a referendum in 2018 that in-creases the district’s tax rate without actually raising the taxes paid by a property owner.

“We’re sensitive that this is not the right economic environment to run a referen-dum,” Traczyk said. “But given the impact of the state budget crisis on our already dwindling fund balances, we’re looking for approval of a smaller referendum to bridge

us to 2018, when our middle school bonds re-tire and the downtown TIF expires, as well.”

Members spent a good deal of time Tues-day talking about longer term planning, including the need to address the district’s structural defi cit. Supt. Albert Roberts stressed that the defi cit can’t be solved solely by cutting spending. Roberts and the board talked about how a successful referendum can lead to investments in such things as technology and capital improvements.

Roberts reiterated a point he’s made in previous discussions, that a referendum is about investing in the future rather than maintaining the status quo. CONTACT: [email protected]

Board president seeking reelectionDistrict 97 school board member Peter Traczyk, who’s cur-

rently the board president, announced Nov. 3 that he’s seeking a second term in next April’s election. Traczyk, a certifi ed fi -nancial planner, was fi rst elected in spring 2007 in an uncon-tested race. He’s the second member of the board to recently announce their intentions to run for reelection. Robert Spatz, who was also elected in 2007, announced in September that he’s running again. Michelle Harton, currently the longest serving member on the board, and Rance Clouser, elected in 2007, have yet to publicly announce their plans.

—Terry DeanFIRST REPORTED ONLINESign up for e-mail updates at www.OakPark.com

D97 chooses working cash bonds as referendum measure

If you go: Study session■ 10 a.m. to noon Saturday Nov. 13

■ Holmes Elementary School, 508 N. Kenilworth

PETER TRACZYKDisctrict 97 Board President

7507 W. Madison St., Forest ParkSALE DATES November 11 THROUGH December 11

Tues-Wed 10-6 | Thu-Fri 10-7 | Sat 10-5 | Sun 12-4www.athegallery.com | EMAIL [email protected]

Dreams Come True…

NEW LOCATION!


Hundreds gather to watch memorial’s grand rededication

in Scoville ParkBy BEN MEYERSON

Staff Reporter

After 18 months of restoration, Scoville Park’s World War I memorial was unveiled Sunday after-noon much as it was restored: slowly, and with great diffi culty.

When it came time to reveal the restored monu-ment to the crowd of hundreds gathered for the

monument’s rededication, the Park District of Oak Park’s employees and volunteers

struggled to remove the makeshift curtain — a green parachute, purchased from Army-Navy Surplus on Madison Street in Forest Park.

But as children giggled in the background, the para-chute was pulled off, bit by bit, revealing the restored majesty of the “Peace Triumphant” memorial.

In the audience were veterans of many wars from many branches of the military, as well as employees of Hines Veterans’ Hospital in Maywood and descen-dants of those named on the memorial.

State Sen. Don Harmon, a lifelong Oak Parker, told the crowd that the monument’s meaning has changed for him over the years.

“When I was a boy, I thought this was a monument to war,” Harmon said. “Now that I’m an adult, I fully realize this is a monument to peace.”

Oak Park Village President David Pope hit on a similar message.

“The name ‘Peace Triumphant’ was originally ret-rospective, looking back,” Pope said. “But now, look-ing forward, it’s prospective, seeing what we can do going forward.”

But Sharon Helman, Hines’ director, urged people not to forget the veterans who served the United States, but weren’t listed on any memorials yet.

“These aren’t just names — these are people who walk through the hallways at Hines,” Helman said. “This statue is called ‘Peace Triumphant,’ but there are after effects of that peace.”

Annette Amelkovich, another lifelong Oak Parker at 49, said she’s played on the statue as an adult and as a kid. As she grew older, though, the statue grew increasingly important to her.

“As a kid, I didn’t think anything of it, other than there’s a statue that we can play on,” Amelkovich said. “It carries more meaning for me as an adult, since peace is a part of my daily regime … In my lifetime, I don’t think I’m going to see this again — to see people paying tribute to the whole scenario of peace.”

Peace Triumphant, slowly unveiled

Photos by DAVID KINDLER/Contributor

REMEMBERING: Hundreds fi lled Scoville Park for Sunday’s unveiling of the restored World War I monument. Park District of Oak Park employees, at left , secure the parachute covering the monu-ment. A blind veteran, above, is aided in touching one of the 2,446 the names on the monument.

More photos online at OakPark.com

OK, it looks like for real this time. The long-awaited and oft-delayed chicken and waffl es restaurant on Madison Street in Oak Park looks like it should open by the end of this month.

Tonya Johnson and her family have been working for more than a year, turning a va-cant insurance offi ce at 543 Madison into the second location of Chicago’s Home of Chick-en & Waffl es (the fi rst one’s in Bronzeville). But the project has been marred by construc-tion delays, as it was originally supposed to open as far back as spring 2009. Johnson and her family decided to be a little more ambitious in their build out than originally planned — adding everything from exposed brick walls to fancy chandeliers.

“The design in there is a lot different from what people might expect in a soul food res-taurant,” she said. “It’s going to be nice.”

Worst-case scenario, Chicken & Waffl es will open by the fi rst week in December. The sit-down restaurant will serve breakfast, lunch and dinner. Besides the signature dish, they’ll offer other soul food staples, such as macaroni and cheese, collard greens, and candied yams.

Unique, eco-friendly store joins Marion Street

A unique, kid-focused store just opened on Marion Street, taking up one of the last empty storefronts on the block.

Sugarcup Trading, 110 N. Marion St., deals in hip clothing, toys, games and collectibles, targeted at kids between the ages of 4 and 14. But the twist is that they allow children to trade in their old items for points. Those go onto a store card, which customers can then use to purchase merchandise.

Sugarcup maintains a list of 20 popular clothing and toy brands (requested by cus-tomers) that are eligible for trade ins. Owner and Oak Park resident Michelle Vanderlaan believes the store will teach kids to recycle and save the planet by not just throwing away their unwanteds.

Vanderlaan formerly worked in the cor-porate world but took a break when she had her two kids. The need for such a store be-came obvious to her as she watched her chil-dren burn through clothes and toys.

“I was a little bit frustrated as a mother about how quickly my kids were growing out of their clothes and the shelf life of

their toys was about two weeks on average,” she said.

Sugarcup engaged an advisory team of Oak Park children to help refi ne and reaf-fi rm the idea of the store.

They’ll also offer brand-new, unusual items for kids to purchase, many of which are organic, fair trade or recycled. Sugarcup held its grand opening on Saturday.

All Aboard Snack Shop to set sailThe snack shop just inside the doorway

of the Oak Park Public Library is closing by the end of January, just two years after it opened.

The library recently informed All Aboard Snack Shop that it needed to be out of the small café space in the next 90 days. Accord-ing to library Director Dee Brennan, the shop has been struggling to make money since it opened, and the library has been contemplating a reinvention of its lobby for quite some time.

It’s still unclear what will take All Aboard’s place, as the library board will dis-cuss that in the near future, said Brennan. Possibilities include turning the space into a permanent used bookstore or putting in a fax machine and vending machine that sells offi ce supplies.

It’s unlikely that the replacement will be food-focused, as library cafes are historical-ly unsuccessful, across the state and coun-try, said Brennan. All Aboard hadn’t done anything wrong, she said, but the library felt it was right to make a change.

“We’re not sure that a restaurant, for lack

of a better word, is what we want to have in that space going forward,” Brennan said.

Mike Saucedo,62, the River Forest resi-dent who runs All Aboard with his family, was surprised by the announcement. Yes, the snack shop has struggled to make ends meet, but it’s built a following, and he fully expected to stay for the full fi ve years of the lease.

The shop has been hampered with prob-lems, he said, from air conditioning on the fritz, to the library banning kids who pa-tronized the shop from the building. He’s uncertain if the eatery will go somewhere else.

“The economy’s pretty bad, and I don’t want to venture into something that I can’t handle,” he said.

Potbelly’s opens next weekOak Park’s very own version of the popu-

lar submarine stand, Potbelly Sandwich Shop, is set to open next week.

The chain restaurant is taking over a por-tion of the empty retail space at 1100 Lake St., formerly home to Barbara’s Bookstore. They’ll host a grand opening on Nov. 16, ac-cording to spokeswoman Emily Hartwig.

Potbelly started in 1977 as an antique shop on Lincoln Avenue in Chicago that happened to sell sandwiches, and has since exploded into a franchise with 200 locations in 11 states.

Barbara’s, once the oldest bookstore in Oak Park, closed in July after a rent dispute with the landlord.

—Marty Stempniak


xxx

B U S I N E S S B R I E F S

Chicken & Waffl es coming soon. No, really

Log on to read shopping blogger Christina Pippin’s

review of Sugarcup Trading.

J. GEIL/Staff Photographer | Buy this picture at WednesdayJournalOnline.MyCapture.com

WORTH THE WAIT? Chicago Chicken and Waffl es new location on Madison St. in Oak Park appears close to opening.

Rake in Extra Cash with a p g

GarageSale

Fall is a great time to clean out the closets and have a

garage saleAdvertise it in our

Classified Section!You can attract a crowd

and rake in some extra cash!

Call the Classified Dept. 708.613.3342

WWW.CLASSICCINEMAS.COM

SKYLINE* C Daily : 1:05 3:15 5:25 7:35 9:45

UNSTOPPABLE* C Daily : 12:15 2:30 4:45 7:05 9:25

MORNING GLORY* C Daily : 12:15 2:40 5:05 7:30 9:55

DUE DATE* E Daily : 12:40 2:50 5:00 7:10 9:20

FOR COLORED GIRLS* E Daily : 1:00 4:00 6:50 9:40

MEGAMIND 3D* B Daily : 12:00 2:15 4:30 6:45 9:00

RED C Daily : 1:30 4:15 7:00 9:30

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS - PART 1* C Thu night 11/18: 12:00 AM Midnight

SKYLINE* C Daily : 12:50 3:00 5:10 7:20 9:30

UNSTOPPABLE* C Daily : 12:15 2:30 4:45 7:00 9:15

DUE DATE* E Daily : 12:40 2:50 5:00 7:10 9:20

FOR COLORED GIRLS* E Daily : 1:20 4:10 7:00 9:50

MEGAMIND 3D* B Daily : 12:00 2:15 4:30 6:45 9:00

SAW 3D - THE FINAL CHAPTER E Daily : 1:00 3:10 5:207:30 9:40

HOME ALONE B Sat: 10:30 AM FREE Holiday Show

HARRY POTTER AND THE DEATHLY HALLOWS - PART1* C Thu night 11/18: 12:00 AM Midnight

LAKE THEATRE1022 LAKE STREET - OAK PARK

708/848-9088

NORTH RIVERSIDEMALL THEATRE

7501 W. CERMAK RD, Just west of Harlem708/442-9203

TIMES FOR FRIDAY-THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12-18, 2010

*NO PASSES OR COUPONS • $2.50 ADDITIONAL FOR 3D

Midnight 11/18advance ticketson sale now!


The Oak Park Area Gay and Lesbian Asso-ciation will honor the OPRF High School’s gay-straight alliance, as well as the Oak Park Public Library at its annual gala this week.

The two groups were picked for their lead-ership on gay, lesbian, bisexual and trans-gender issues in the Oak Park area.

OPALGA is honoring the library for its history of maintaining collections of mate-rials by or for sexual minorities, assembling bibliographies and guides to resources as well as hosting fi lm showings, meetings and

public forums.The library received a grant in 2007 to cre-

ate the nation’s fi rst transgender-focused re-source collection.

OPRF High School’s gay-straight alliance, A Place for All, is also being recognized for their 14 years of support to the high school community.

The awards will be presented at OPALGA’s annual Oak Park Area Leadership Gala Nov. 13 at the Nineteenth Century Club. Tickets for the event are $85.

—Ben Meyerson

OPALGA to honor library, high school youth group

Plan likely to be shelved though needs remains


The Village of Oak Park doesn’t have enough rental housing for some senior citi-

zens, according to a recent township study. And so the township was con-sidering buying land to possibly help fi ll that need,

but it appears the idea won’t get past the fantasy stage.

A consultant completed a study in April, which showed that Oak Park is short by about 50 apartments for seniors who are considered to have a moderate income (be-tween $20,000 and $50,000). If you add in se-niors from neighboring communities, that gap in what’s available swells to about 200 apartments (assuming that proposed senior buildings in Forest Park and Elmwood Park aren’t built).

The township — which partnered with the Village of Oak Park and the Oak Park Housing Authority on the effort — then had a subsequent study done to fi gure out how the demand might be met. Oak Park already has a senior population of 5,200 (or 10.5 per-cent), which is projected to grow in the com-ing years.

Block Affordable Housing Consulting was

asked by the township to determine if the numbers would work in building a 50 to 100-unit senior building, using low-income tax credits. But there were too many road-blocks, according to Township Supervisor David Boulanger. Land is far too expensive in Oak Park, and the township isn’t inter-ested in being a landlord, he said.

In their research, some townships have used revenue bonds to build affordable se-nior housing. But that would likely require operating subsidies from the township each year to keep the venture going.

“We didn’t want to get into that, we wanted a building to be self-sustaining,” Boulanger said. “It would be too high a risk, and we would end up with a liability that we don’t want to have to deal with.”

The idea was that the Oak Park Residence Corp. could possibly manage the building, while the township would fl oat the bond to build it somewhere in Oak Park. But with the numbers not adding up, Boulanger ex-pects that the exploration will fi zzle out. The township board was scheduled to meet to discuss the issue Tuesday night, after Wednesday Journal’s deadline, and he ex-pected that they might close the book on the exploration.

“I think we’ve looked into it, and fi nancial-ly it does not look feasible for us to do this,” he said. “It just does not make sense for us to use township funds in this direction.”

The fi rst study cost $15,000 and was paid for by way of a state grant, according to Boulanger, while costs for the $3,000 “pro forma” were borne by the township.

Senior housing needed, township can’t make $$ work

WEB EXTRA■ Read the studies

LOG ON TO OAKPARK.COM

Take the PlanItGreen SurveyAnd be eligible to win an organic turkey and holiday goodies

Register Your OrganizationAnd encourage others to participate

Join Topic Area TeamsTransportation Water Food Green Economy Waste Education Energy Community Development Green Purchasing Open Space

Visit sevengenerationsahead.org for details!PlanItGreen is a project of the Oak Park River Forest Community Foundation’s Communityworks initiative, designed to engage community residents and stakeholders in creating and implementing a vision plan for a sustainable Oak Park and River Forest.

WHAT’S YOUR GREEN VISION?

Did you know...Everything on our menu is available

Gluten Free including our signature pizzas

225 harrison oak park, il 60304708.358.8555 • www.trattoria225.com

lablelable

commmmmmmmmm

Monday is Martini Mondays All Martini’s are half off

Tuesday is Two for One Pizza Night Buy any of our pizza at regular price and receive the second FREE

Wednesday is Wine Night All bottles of wine on our wine list are half off

Thursday is Kids Eat Free Night

Don’t forget about our other weekly specials!


how they can make it harder to get a referendum on the bal-lot next time around.

Oak Park politicians plan to approach state representatives and senators soon to look at “toughening up” those rules.

“We’re not against advisory referendums, but it’s just too easy to get on the ballot,” said F. David Boulanger, the chief elected offi cial for Oak Park Township. By state law, refer-endum efforts are approved through a process overseen by township governments.

On the other side, Oak Parker Tom Broderick thinks that the process doesn’t need fi xing. Two years ago, he helped lead a group of activists that got a referendum on the ballot, urging the village to pay its employees a living wage.

“Since they’re nonbinding, why make it tougher?” Brod-erick said. “I understand if you’re forced into it that you might want to make it tougher, but if they’re nonbinding, what’s the goal?”

■

Last week’s referendum asked the Village of Oak Park to require those who administer vaccines to disclose all ingre-dients for the shots, and to advise patients that the medi-cines may contain an unsafe amount of mercury. According to the Cook County clerk’s offi ce, the referendum captured 67 percent of the vote (11,938 votes to 5,785).

Barbara Mullarkey, 75, a lifelong Oak Parker and longtime advocate for vaccination transparency, worked to get the

measure on the ballot. It takes just 15 John Hancocks from registered vot-ers to place a measure on the ballot, in a process governed by state law and implemented through the town-ship government. Final approval to place a referendum on a ballot comes not from the township’s governing board, but by a vote of ordinary citi-zens who come to the annual town meeting in April.

Mullarkey, who is also president of the Illinois Vaccine Awareness

Coalition, said the day after the election that she was over-joyed by the results.

“I’m delighted that people have stood up for transparency and full disclosure of vaccine ingredients,” she said. “It’s a victory for freedom of information.”

She scoffed at Web comments on Wednesday Journal’s OakPark.com, accusing the referendum of “fear monger-ing.” Mullarkey hoped that the village would act quickly to

address the voter response, after the referendum suggesting that Oak Park adopt a living wage languished for two years before it was struck down by the village board in July.

But Margaret Provost-Fyfe, director of the Oak Park Health Department, said no village action is forthcoming. She spoke out against the referendum, arguing that detailed information about vaccines is already provided on the Food and Drug Administration’s website, vaccines are safe, and it would be a burden and send the wrong message if health care providers were forced to provide that information to all patients, regardless of their interest.

Provost-Fyfe said it is “unfortunate” that the measure ever made it on the ballot. The only action village hall is taking is to tell health care providers that the referendum is nonbinding, and to keep administering vaccines in the same fashion as previously. She said the referendum has no “sound scientifi c basis” and hopes it won’t scare people away from getting vaccinated.

“There is no concern in the medical community at this time around any of the issues raised in this referendum,” she said, later adding, “The village will not be taking any action whatsoever in this regard.”

■

It used to be even easier to get advisory referenda on the

ballot, according to the township’s Boulanger. Up until a few years ago, someone could just show up at the annual town-ship meeting and ask any registered voters there for approv-al of a referendum.

Now, you must give the township clerk notice by March 1, and circulate a petition. Boulanger suggested that the sig-nature total be boosted to 500 to add a little more tooth to the requirements. Village President David Pope suggested increasing the number of votes that the state requires at the township meeting.

“You can have a situation where you walk into the town-ship annual meeting, you’re the only person there, and you vote to put your own referendum on the ballot,” Pope said.

Years ago, barely anyone even came to those meetings, according to Boulanger, but local referenda, addressing ev-erything from the war in Iraq to development, have become more frequent in recent years.

Broderick disagrees with any talk that voters were unin-formed when they approved both the vaccine and the living wage referenda.

“Voters aren’t stupid, I’m sorry,” he said. “They may not know the nuts and bolts of the thing, but you get a sense. And since it’s nonbinding, what’s wrong with that?”CONTACT: [email protected]

An earlier version of this story gar-nered nearly 50 comments at Wednes-day Journal’s website. Go to Oak-Park.com to read more reactions, and to join the conversation.

■

Way to go Oak Park! Let’s get anoth-er initiative to repeal evolution and gravity! Woo-hoo! More votes for the know-nothing party!

Marc Chodera■

As a health care worker I have seen dozens of people die or suffer severe disability from vaccine preventable illnesses. Several vaccines have been improved in the last 15 years so that the likelihood of side effects from them is much lower. Thime-rosal, the mercury containing pre-servative that was used in the past, has now been removed from the vac-cines. There have been no credible

studies that have linked autism with vaccines.

Judy■

The contents of vaccines must be pretty scary for so many to get so de-fensive. Why are we at war against information?

Eileen■

I agree with the few enlightened posters on here. Do not blindly trust what the pharmaceutical/medi-cal industry hands you! Doctors do not know everything although they would have you think otherwise. Such nasty comments by Oak Park-ers ... I would never want to be on the side of viciousness!

JMA■

It took all of FIFTEEN signatures on a petition to get this nonsense placed

on a ballot?? Where is the transpar-ency in that? Is it a VOP ordinance that allows essentially a star cham-ber to push an agenda? Who were the wing nuts who supported her petition, and what is the process for stopping this kind of ballot abuse by misinformed, single-issue zealots?

Sally Forth■

I don’t believe anyone is against hav-ing access to information to make informed decisions. I don’t know of the accuracy or inaccuracy of the statements made in the referendum. I voted against this simply because it seems like an unnecessary cost to give information that is already readily available to anyone who wants to know. Health care costs are already rising too fast; this just adds another cost.

Scott

REFERENDUM15 signatures gets it on the ballot

from page 1

Debating the referendum results at OakPark.com

BARBARA MULLARKEY

www.amatospizza.comAmato’s Pizzeria 773.622.4333

with one topping for only

$ .54 A savings of $3.50Serves 5*not valid with any other offers, must present coupon to driver or cashier.

expires 11/30/10

Erica’sTailor Shop

Expert alterationsNo Job Too Big or Small

Walk Ins M-F 10am-4pm Sat 9am-1pmOr by appointment

125 N. Marion, Ste. 202. 2nd Floor (between Antique Shop & Shirtworks)

Oak Park. Illinois 60302708.299.3988

20% OFFwith coupon

Expires 11/30/10


River Forest parks resist funding program

By JEAN LOTUSContributing reporter

The River Forest park board got a visit from neighbors Monday night when a del-egation from the Park District of Oak Park urged the board to reconsider a decision to stop paying for the Township Youth Inter-ventionists.

Mark Gartland, Oak Park park board president, praised the at-risk-youth am-bassadors who, he said have helped train staff at the Stevenson Teen Center on Lake Street and at the new Longfellow basketball courts.

“They have identifi ed problems we didn’t know about,” said Gartland. “With gang graffi ti and wannabe gang graffi ti you have to nip it in the bud. The interventionists come into the parks and they know who the problem kids are. If they see them they can identify them.” Gary Balling, executive di-rector of the Oak Park parks, also attended the meeting.

Earlier this year the River Forest park board balked at paying $4,117 (or 1.6 per-cent of total costs) for the program.

Township Youth Services Direc-tor John Williams asked the River Forest board to reconsider, saying, “It’s a bargain, what we’re offering for you.” He told the board that the township might lower the contri-bution from River Forest parks, or even absorb it, but what they really wanted was ”buy in” to the mission of the interventionist pro-gram.

At Monday’s meeting, park board President Dale Jones said the issue was with taxpayer money. “What are we authorized to levy in taxes? We don’t have indoor facili-ties… We have passive spaces that we provide for recreation…we don’t pay the police department to police the parks.” He argued that the program was out of the scope of the park board’s mission. Jones agreed to put the interventionist issue back on a future agenda.

Commissioner Molly Hague asked if any training had been given to River Forest staff by the interven-tionists and was told it had not. She asked Park Services Manager John Beto about whether drug paraphernalia or graffi ti was found in River Forest parks.

“We fi nd beer cans at Pri-ory Park … by the Fenwick softball fi eld [the darkest cor-ner of the park.] But no gang signs. We never fi nd graffi ti in the bathroom. Never,” he said.

Also at Monday’s meeting: The board agreed to apply for Federal Parkland Acquisition and Renovation for Commu-nities (PARC) funds through the State of Illinois to help de-fray the costs of the planned platform tennis courts to be constructed this spring. Ex-ecutive Director Mike Sletten said the grant process would delay construction of the courts for up to eight weeks, but he believed the courts would be available for the platform tennis season.

Commissioner Thomas Cargie opined that a pro-posed electronic sign board

was “out of character with River Forest.” The sign was proposed as part of a market-ing plan for the park district since District 90 schools no longer send park district fl i-ers home with school children.


Flagging one downTh ree Roosevelt Middle School fi ft h graders play a game of fl ag football during gym class in River Forest last week.

Youth interventionist backers make case again

“The interventionists

come into the parks and they know who the

problem kids are.”MARK GARTLAND

Oak Park park board president

But TIF money also paid for River Forest’s shiny new village hall.

As village trustees debate whether a new high-profi le development at Lake and Lath-rop would benefi t River Forest’s bottom line, village staff is considering using the funds to pay for upgrades to village hall.

New Village Administrator Eric Palm, who offi cially started on the job Nov. 1, asked the village board Monday night to use TIF dollars for two new copy machines, as well as an online document storage system.

“We have some copiers in desperate need of replacement,” Palm told the board Mon-day night. “I was looking at one of our print-ers the other day, and there’s a pencil inside one of the printers propping up a piece. I don’t say that to be comical, but to make clear that staff has made do with whatever it can.”

But Village Trustee Steve Hoke questioned whether a copy machine provided economic benefi t to the village.

“Maybe I just don’t understand,” Hoke said. “I thought that if we used TIF funds, it had to nominally benefi t the TIF. So how could we buy a copier and have it benefi t the TIF?”

While the copy machines might not pro-vide a direct increase to River Forest’s tax base, according to Lance Malina, village at-torney, it does benefi t a building in the TIF district to buy the copiers — that building being village hall.

“You have a rather unique TIF here,” Ma-lina said. “You’ve got a bit more fl exibility to do things here at village hall than you would otherwise — it benefi ts the TIF because it was set up that way. That’s part of the house that Jack built.”

Since village hall is part of the TIF dis-trict, buying copiers or other equipment for village hall — even if it doesn’t provide direct economic benefi t — isn’t a problem, Malina said.

The board never approved the copiers Monday night, shifting the discussion with-out a clear decision being made, so Palm isn’t moving on the copiers yet. He’ll bring the matter back to the board at another meeting, he said.

Nevertheless, he said the copy machines can still be used for economic development in the village.

“I would say it’s an appropriate expense,” Palm said via phone Tuesday morning. “As we go forward and try to do a better job of marketing the village, certainly that could be a tool going forward.”

Trustee Mike Gibbs said he’s OK with spending TIF dollars on the copy machines, since Malina has given it legal approval.

“That’s where I would let Lance earn his pay,” Gibbs said Tuesday. “If he thinks it’s not in violation of the rules, I’ll trust him on that.”CONTACT: [email protected]

TIF FUNDSDeadline looms

from page 1

C R I M E

Oak Park police have arrested a Bellwood man in the case of a $500 digital camera snatched from behind the counter of an Oak Park shop.

James Kemp of Bellwood, 45, was arrest-ed the afternoon of Nov. 2 in Countryside, where he was charged with retail theft and felony aggravated battery.

He was allegedly involved in a retail theft on Sept. 30 from Holiday Camera, 1047 Lake St. in Oak Park, where a man stole a Nikon D3000 camera. In that case, a man allegedly went behind the counter, snatched the cam-era from a shelf and ran out of the store. He allegedly entered a 1993 tan Lincoln four-door car which drove eastbound on Lake.

Stolen license plateA front license plate was stolen from a ■

car parked on the 300 block of Madison in Oak Park sometime between Oct. 29 and Nov. 1.

A license plate was stolen from a car ■

parked in a lot behind an apartment build-ing on the 700 block of North Austin Blvd. the night of Nov. 4.

Retail theftKing S. Johnson of Chicago, 41, was ar-

rested by Oak Park police the morning of Nov. 5 on the 5900 block of West Division Street in Chicago, where he was charged with retail theft from Deals, 6405 North Ave. in Oak Park. He also had an active DuPage County warrant for larceny.

TheftA seeder, a sod cutter, a leaf blower, a ■

tree cutter and a yellow shovel were stolen from an unlocked truck parked on the 200 block of North Cuyler Avenue in Oak Park the afternoon of Nov. 2. The loss was esti-mated at $6,328.

A red and orange Diamondback bike was ■

stolen the afternoon of Nov. 3 from in front of the River Forest Library, 735 Lathrop Ave.

A red and white Schwinn Legacy bike, ■

which was locked to a rack on the 800 block of South Euclid Avenue in Oak Park, was stolen the afternoon of Nov. 5 after its lock was cut.

A small black leather purse containing ■

credit cards and $100 in cash was stolen the afternoon of Nov. 6 from an unattended shop-ping cart at Salvation Army, 6536 Roosevelt Rd. in Oak Park.

A catalytic converter was stolen sometime between Nov. 5 and Nov. 6 from a car parked in an open garage on the 900 block of Pleas-

ant in Oak Park.A painting was stolen off the wall of the

Ferguson Art Gallery at Concordia Uni-versity the afternoon of Nov. 5. The paint-ing, from an exhibition by artist George C. Clark, was valued at $150.

BurglaryAn Apple laptop, an iPod, Sony head- ■

phones and $20 cash were stolen sometime between Nov. 1 and Nov. 2 from an unlocked car parked in the driveway of a home on the 1000 block of Park Avenue in River Forest.

Someone stole a red Honda lawnmower ■

from a garage on the 1000 block of Belleforte in Oak Park the afternoon of Nov. 2. The ga-rage’s locked side door had been forced open.

Someone broke into a home on the 600 ■

block of South Humphrey sometime be-tween Nov. 1 and Nov. 3 and stole 35 feet of copper piping.

Cameron Drake of River Forest, 18, was ■

arrested just after 3 a.m. on Nov. 4 at St. Luke School, 519 Ashland Ave. in River For-est, and charged with burglary.

A wallet and a makeup case were stolen ■

the morning of Nov. 7 from an unlocked car parked on Dominican University’s Priory Campus, 7200 Division St. in River Forest.

Warrant arrestTerrell L. Rogers of Chicago, 27, was ar- ■

rested the afternoon of Nov. 2 on the fi rst block of Madison Street in Oak Park on a Bridgeview warrant for deceptive practices. He also had a Waukegan warrant for battery.

Alfonso X. Cobix of Bloomington was ■

arrested the night of Nov. 3 on the 1100 block of Madison Street in Oak Park for a McLean County DUI warrant.

RobberyMichael Herd of Oak Park, 29, was arrest-

ed the afternoon of Nov. 2 on the 100 block of South Humphrey Ave. in Oak Park and charged with aggravated robbery, theft from person and battery. He had allegedly robbed a woman of her cell phone on Oct. 1, imply-ing in the process that he had a gun.

Criminal damage to propertyRakeem Scatton of Oak Park, 20, was ■

stopped and arrested just after midnight Nov. 4 on the 800 block of Adams Street in Oak Park, where he was charged with crimi-nal damage to property. He allegedly broke a window.

Someone knocked over two stop signs ■

and two parking signs the evening of Nov. 5 on the 1100 block of Lexington Street, the 1000 block of South Wenonah, the 1000 block of South Home Avenue, and the 1100 block of South Kenilworth Avenue in Oak Park. A dark-colored full-size pickup truck was seen

driving away eastbound from the scene.

DUIJakub Koleda of Chicago, 35, was ■

stopped and arrested by River Forest police the morning of Nov. 1 at the intersection ofHarlem Avenue and Lake Street and charged with DUI after he allegedly rear-ended an-other car.

Ra Aaron of Decatur, 39, was stopped ■

and arrested by Oak Park police early the morning of Nov. 5 on the 5000 block of West Kinzie Street in Chicago and charged with aggravated DUI.

John Fencik of Oak Park, 18, was stopped ■

and arrested the night of Nov. 6 on the 7900 block of Central Avenue in River Forest, where he was charged with DUI. He was alleg-edly going the wrong way down the street.

Stolen carA green 2002 Ford Explorer truck was sto-

len from the 1100 block of Randolph Street in Oak Park the night of Nov. 6. The key had been left in the truck’s ignition.

DrugsBenjamin R. Gutirrez of West Chicago,

22, was arrested the afternoon of Nov. 7 on the 100 block of South Marion in Oak Park, where he was charged with unlawful posses-sion of a controlled substance. He allegedly had .03 grams of heroin.

RobberyAn 18- to 20-year-old black man approached

someone on the 7100 block of Roosevelt Road in Oak Park the afternoon of Nov. 7, showed a knife and demanded the man’s wallet. After the victim gave the offender his wallet, the offender ran away northbound on Harlem Avenue. The suspect was described as being roughly 5-feet, 9-inches and weighing 170 lbs., clean shaven with short black hair, and wear-ing a black hooded sweatshirt and blue jeans.

BatteryIeisha A. McIntosh and Arthur Johnson II,

both of Oak Park, were arrested on the 200 block of Washington Boulevard in Oak Park the night of Nov. 7 and charged with battery. Johnson was also charged with criminal damage to property. They allegedly got in a fi ght with a woman from Lyons whose car they had damaged.

These items were obtained from police re-ports fi led by the Oak Park and River Forest police departments from Nov. 1 to Nov. 8. Not all incidents that occurred are listed. Anyone named in reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated.

Compiled by Ben Meyerson

Oak Park cops arrest man in camera theft


UP-TO-THE-MINUTE INFORMATION ON CRIME

Crime reporter Ben Meyerson posts news as it happens at www.twitter.com/OPRFCrime.

Drive Your Career:

(312) 384-9999

www.chicagorealtor.com/courses

Convenient locations in LaGrange and throughout Chicagoland

•

Self Study & Online Coursesavailable

•

Scholarships available



The Oak Park and River Forest Commu-nity Foundation is half way to its goal of raising $2 million for its community endow-ment, an amount that, if accomplished, will be doubled by the Grand Victoria Founda-tion based in Elgin.

Oak Park’s foundation is looking to raise money for its Community Works Endow-ment. Grand Victoria, a foundation linked to the gambling enterprise, will match every dollar that’s given up to $2 million. That’ll give the local group $4 million to use as grant opportunities for local nonprofi ts in the two villages.

The Oak Park organization has raised more than $930,000 so far. It has until Sept. 30, 2011 to reach $2 million. The foundation provides grants covering everything from

environmental sustainability efforts to edu-cational programs for kids.

Sophia Lloyd, executive director of the OP&RF Foundation, told Wednesday Jour-nal that this latest campaign will help her organization increase its grant opportuni-ties for such groups.

The Community Works Endowment itself began in the early 2000s as a grant offered by Grand Victoria to nonprofi ts in Illinois look-ing to improve their communities. The Oak

Park foundation has in turn awarded grants to such groups as Sarah’s Inn and The Oak Park Food Pantry.

The Oak Park foundation has already received about $2 million from Grand Vic-toria, including an earlier matching grant of $500,000 from the Elgin group. Having a permanent endowment has been especially helpful during this recent downturn in the economy, Lloyd said.

In related news, the Community Foun-

dation will host its 2010 Grants Breakfast on Friday at The Oak Park Country Club in River Grove. Grants will be awarded to nonprofi ts from Oak Park and River Forest. Henry Kranz, the foundation’s marketing director, said the breakfast, which normally takes place in October, was moved to this Friday to coincide with National Commu-nity Foundation Week. It runs through Nov. 18. Approximately $20,000 in grants will be awarded at Friday’s breakfast.


Comfort zoneA fan consoles a player aft er the OPRF girls vol-leyball team closed out its season with a 25-10, 25-11 loss to Lyons Township in the semifi nal of the La Grange Sec-tional last week.

J. GEIL/Staff Photographer

Community Foundation on target for $2M endowment

To learn more■ The Oak Park and River Forest

Community Foundation

■ www.oprfcommfd.org

■ 708-848-1560

For your Holiday Travel Plans & Play Dates!

1135 Chicago Ave.Oak Park • 708/358-2200

Premium Dog Daycare & Hotel

Book Now!

Find out what all the buzz is about.

Join the community atRBLandmark.com

ForestParkReview.comOakPark.com

Sign up today for our Breaking News Emails.


Preservation Commission ramping up eff orts to save

historic housesBy BEN MEYERSON

Staff Reporter

Driving along River Forest’s streets, it’s not hard to fi nd a fi ne-looking home. The vil-lage is fi lled with gorgeously sculpted works of residential architecture.

But in the wake of some notable River Forest homes’ destruction, the historic pres-ervation commission is trying to put some teeth into the village’s ordinance aimed at preserving important homes.

The big things they’re hoping to gain, ac-cording to commission chair Laurel McMa-hon? The ability to stop people from demol-ishing homes.

Right now, the village can hold hearings on a home’s demolition, but they can’t force the homeowner to come to them, either.

“We spent several years crafting the (cur-

rent) ordinance based on what we thought we could get passed,” said McMahon. “We didn’t propose an ordinance that we thought was best for the community.”

However, when a historic home designed by architect William Drummond at 839 Park Ave. was demolished a year ago, McMahon said the commission realized its ordinance needed strengthening.

“You can’t always trust that people are go-ing to do the right thing by the community,” McMahon said.

Thursday, at their fi rst meeting since talk-

ing with the village board in October, the commission discussed how to move forward on the project.

They’re hoping to work out the exact lan-guage of the new ordinance and hold a pub-lic hearing on it in February, gauging opin-ion from River Forest residents.

“We know that River Forest has a long his-tory of being a property rights community,” McMahon said. “We have to persuade people that the greater good sometimes takes prece-dence over the individuals.”CONTACT: [email protected]

RF sales tax boost projected to fi ll next year’s

budget gapRiver Forest government offi cials can

breathe easier now.That’s because the just-passed sales tax ref-

erendum should give the village some wiggle room as it starts to sculpt next year’s budget.

The 1-percentage-point boost will raise River Forest’s sales tax from 8.5 percent to 9.5 percent.

The increase, which voters approved Nov. 2 by a 52.4 percent to 47.6 percent margin, will make River Forest’s rate the same as Oak Park’s and Elmwood Park’s. The tax won’t affect most groceries or prescription drugs.

A July memo from former village admin-istrator Steve Gutierrez projected the sales tax bump would bring in an additional $687,000 per year for the village.

At an August board meeting, village board member Jim Winikates said River Forest was facing a $600,000 to $900,000 defi cit with-out the sales tax increase.

After the tax was passed, Winikates said the village’s residents recognized the need to help the village’s sagging economy.

“I think what it says is that the residents like the services that they get, and they’re willing to take a few bucks out of their pock-ets to make sure they keep getting them,” he said in an interview Tuesday night after learning the results.

Winikates had previously said that with-out a new source of revenue, the village would be forced to cut down its already bare-bones staff.

The village board now has to pass an ordi-nance to hike the tax rate, which is likely to happen, given previous support from board members before the referendum.

The rate will then go up July 1 of next year, as long as the village informs the state by Jan. 1.

—Ben Meyerson

River Forest commission wants you to keep your house

{ m o v e to c o m m u n i t y b a n k . c o m }

Make the move to Community Bank of Oak Park River Forest… an innovative bank run by people who know your name, share your values and live next door.

to a bank that serves your community — not Wall Street

Move your money

switch today!

Online Banking & Free Checking

15 Free Local ATMs

No Fee Debit Card

Receive a $10 gift card

when you use our

Switch Kit to open a new

Community Bank account!

A new deposit account must be opened in order to receive the gift. Receive the $10 gift card upon opening a new account. Limit one gift per household. Offer subject to termination at any time.


Almost 200 Oak Park and River Forest families and

singles still in needBy MARTY STEMPNIAK

Staff Reporter

It’s that time of year, when families facing tough challenges need help making the holi-days special.

Each year since the 1970s, the Holiday Food and Gift Basket Program has been providing

gifts to families, se-niors and individu-als in need. Last month, volunteer or-ganizers sent a letter to past supporters,

asking them to contribute again to this year’s program.

Contributors are asked to “sponsor” a per-son or family by buying them holiday gifts off their wish list. Most can’t afford presents for loved ones, and for them the program can mean the world, said Valerie Woods, a coordi-nator for the program.

“For a lot of people, this is the only way that they are able to make a holiday special,” she said. “Really, I think this is life-changing for many people.”

Last year the program, which is run by the Oak Park River Forest Community of Congre-gations, supported 958 households. With the poor economy, that numbered has swelled to 973, which represents more than 2,000 people.

To be eligible for the gift basket program, you must be at or below a certain income level (for example, $20,036 for a single or $47,712 for a family of fi ve). Candidates are referred by schools, social service agencies and the town-ships. The majority of recipients are from Oak Park and River Forest, while a few live outside the community but attend churches here.

The Holiday Food and Gift Basket program is also asking for monetary donations to help

defray the costs of food gift certifi cates, which it provides to families each November.

The economy has affected the gift drive in two challenging ways, said Woods. More fami-lies are struggling and in need of support, but sponsors are also hurting and less able to give. For example, some sponsors this year are sup-porting smaller families or fewer individuals.

Woods said that as of Monday 174 households still need to be supported. There is particular need for sponsors for singles and families with older children. Gift drop offs start on Dec. 4, and volunteers will start delivering the pres-ents Dec. 11.CONTACT: [email protected]

Here’s how you can helpIf you’re interested in spon-

soring a family, e-mail Valerie Woods at [email protected] or call 708-771-6159, ext. 244. She asks that you provide your, address, telephone and e-mail address. Also, specify whether you’d prefer to support a single, senior or family.

Need grows for Holiday Gift Basket sponsors. Time is short

S U P P O R T I N G

HOLIDAYGIFT BASKETS 2010 Holiday Food and

Gift Basket ProgramGoal of 973 sponsored households

For the next few weeks, Wednesday Journal and OakPark.com will remind you how many local families are still in need of holiday help. You’ll fi nd the tally every day on the home page of OakPark.com and each week on page three of the Journal.

Offer good through December 31, 2010

25

:30 pm.



Did you know...Everything on our menu is available

Gluten Freeincluding our signature pizzas

225 harrison oak park, il 60304708.358.8555 • www.trattoria225.com

able

as

m

Monday is Martini Mondays All Martini’s are half off

Tuesday is Two for One Pizza Night Buy any of our pizza at regular price and receive the second FREE

Thursday is Kids Eat Free Night

Don’t forget about our other weekly specials!

PIZZAZZHair Salon for Men & Women

708.386.10321138 Chicago Ave. Oak Park, IL 60302

By AppointmentTues-Sat

Gift Certificates Available

Concordia University ChicagoInspiring faith, learning and leadership®

7400 Augusta Street, River Forest, IL 60305-1499 | 708.771.8300

Nominate him or her for a 2011 Community Award for Excellence in Learning and Leadership!

The awards recognize those who impact our community through:

Excellence in Community LeadershipOutstanding Contribution to the Field of Education

Submit your nomination today at www.CUChicago.edu/CommunityAwards.

Deadline 5 p.m. Nov. 23

The Community Awards for Excellence program helps raise scholarships for Concordia students from the Near West suburbs—and honors leaders who positively serve Oak Park, River Forest, Forest Park, Melrose Park,

Maywood and the surrounding communities.

Awardees will be announced in January and honored at the Concordia University Chicago 2011 Community Awards Banquet on March 25, 2011.

Do you know a community leader in the Near West suburbs?

For information on Community Awards sponsorship opportunities, call (708) 209-3555.

VIEWPOINTSDEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M.Call Viewpoints editor

Marty Stempniak at 613-3311

[email protected]

In voting for the recent referendum on vac-cines, Oak Parkers seem to be question-ing one of the safest, most effective means of promoting health known to medicine today [Oak Park not taking action on vac-

cine referendum, OakPark.com, Nov. 3].The timing is curious because factu-

ally there is nothing new; no reports have emerged recently to cast doubt on vaccinations. On the contrary, several large, well-done studies have found no association between autism and thimerosal, the mercury-based vaccine preservative that is the subject of the referendum. Moreover, since the remov-al of almost all thimerosal from our vaccine supply in 1999, there has been no improvement in autism rates. Vaccines are supported by far more research and ex-perience than almost any other pediatric service we provide, but in many ways they are victims of their own success —it’s hard to appreciate their benefi t because they’ve been so remarkably effective at elimi-nating once-common, serious childhood diseases.

These diseases are still with us, however, and could easily make a comeback unless we maintain our na-

tion’s high vaccination rates. Anti-vaccine advocates sometimes try to frame the debate as a civil rights issue, insisting they only want to exempt their own children from the requirement, casting the rest of us as spectators with no particular interest in the outcome. However, vaccination is actu-ally a public health issue: A decreased vac-

cination rate puts vaccinated as well as unvaccinated children at increased risk of life-threatening illnesses such as whooping cough, measles and meningitis. One study estimates that a doubling of the unvaccinated population in this country could increase the risk of measles in vaccinated children by as much as 30 per-cent. We are all truly in this together.

The medical community welcomes a discussion on the importance and safety of vaccinations, but let’s makes sure we have a proper one. The health of our children hangs in the balance, and they are counting on us to do the right thing.

■ Dr. Eddie Point is an Oak Park resident and past president of the Illinois Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Madison can do better26

I had to go to the thesaurus to fi nd words to describe the power our Village Manager Association has in infl uencing elections in this community over the last 50 years. Words like “colossus,” “levia-than” and “juggernaut” describe an organization whose endorsed candidates have won 97 percent of all village elections since 1960.

This record rivals Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party for success. So when the VMA announces its three candidates in November,

it’s really announcing the election results for next April. Why there may not even be a contested election. Poor Gary Schwab is trying to fi nd candidates to run against the VMA by making public ap-

peals in the newspapers. He reminds me of Diogenes, who wandered the streets of Athens in search of an honest man, except I’m sure Mr. Schwab as he wanders our streets would lower the honesty bar to get some candidates. To be sure, the election will be a dull one. The horrible economy has so diminished economic development expectations that a new Walgreens is cause for rejoicing. A bunch of people got upset because parking went up a buck, and we almost ran out of salt one winter. Such issues won’t get the voters out on a raw April day. When you’re in survival mode you stick with the known.

Who are our new trustees? Ray John-son, bless his heart, has re-upped for a third term. Ray has a proven record and you should pretty much know a public offi cial after eight years before the mast, even though you do wonder why anyone would keep doing this. It’s the other two fellas — Adam Salzman and Bob Tucker. They seem like decent candidates, but we don’t really know anything about them or how they were selected. Given the virtual certainty of their election, I think the VMA has to hold itself to the very high-est standards of candor and transpar-ency. How many candidates came before the VMA for endorsement? Who were they? How close was the vote? Why were these two picked? Did they have refer-ences? Who? What did the references say? Why are they really running? Were they

recruited? Who recruited them? Are they good guys? Can they work collegially? Everybody has a story. What’s theirs?

Now I appreciate that matters of personal privacy are implicated here, but it is a virtual certainty that these endorsees are going to win election, and we won’t know anything about them. I sure hope

the select VMA committee members who laid hands on these chosen few, from a secret pool using undisclosed criteria, were aware of their signifi cant responsibility.

■ John Hubbuch, an Indiana native who moved to Oak Park in 1976, is a retired lawyer. Hubbuch served on the District 97 school board and coached youth sports. He is the father of three and grandfather of one.

Wednesday Journal, November 10, 2010 21

EDDIEPOINT

One View

Some questions for the VMA slate

JOHN HUBBUCH

Timing, purpose of Oak Parkreferendum confuses doctor

J. GEIL/Staff Photographer | Buy this photo at WednesdayJournalOnline.MyCapture.com

OUCH: Oak Park’s Health Department administers H1N1 fl u vaccinations to the public in 2009.

Madison can do bet

y J

The horrible

economy has

so diminished

economic

development

expectations that

a new Walgreens

is cause for

rejoicing.

Read what

John Hubbuch has to say on his blog.

Bridging school funding

We’re not endorsing their tax hike referendum. Not yet, anyhow. But we are endorsing the District 97 elementary school board’s creative thinking as they craft the details of the long-anticipated spring referendum.

Typically a government body asks for a hike in the tax rate that will be perpetual. In other words, you are guaranteed your taxes will never go down, that a tax hike will never come to an end.

Understanding that this is the worst possible moment to ask taxpayers for more money, District 97 is respectfully proposing a middle ground. Instead of a permanent hike in the tax rate, the schools will seek voter authority to issue working-cash bonds. The bonds are sold, cash is received by the schools, our taxes go up to cover the repayment costs, but at a fi xed date those bonds are paid off. At that point, your taxes would decline.

The school board has two other milestones in mind; both occur in 2018. First, in that year the two middle schools will be paid for. The repayment of those bonds is currently costing taxpayers $3.5 million a year. Also in 2018, the downtown TIF will expire. Incremental property tax increases in the TIF area will no longer fl ow to the special fund, but will instead be redi-rected to schools, parks and other taxing bodies.

Together, those events will positively, notably infl uence school fi nances. In looking for a bridge from 2010 to 2018, the elementary schools are treating taxpayers as valued partners in education and not as perpetual saps.

We appreciate that distinction. ■

Referendums made easy

Obviously, it is too easy to get an advisory referendum on the ballot in Illinois. Fifteen signatures, a rubber stamp approval by residents at a sparsely attended township meeting, and, voila, Oak Parkers are making an emo-tional, ill-informed vote on the dangers of vaccinations.

The gut refl ex, as always, is to blame Oak Park’s village gov-ernment. However, while we welcome the village public health department’s instant response that they will totally ignore the referendum result, they’re an innocent party here.

The culprit in this silly measure’s placement on the ballot is the state government. Yes, they of the equally lame-o recall-the-governor-if-he-looks-at-you-cross-eyed referendum. It is a change in state law that is necessary to make placing a mea-sure on the ballot more than one person’s whim. It shouldn’t be impossible, but it ought to be necessary to work up a sweat to accomplish it.

We report today that Oak Park Township offi cials are al-ready reaching out to state Sen. Don Harmon for support of a change in the law. Can’t happen fast enough.

■

A triumphant day

It is hard to create a perfect event. But Oak Park did it Sunday as the World War I monument in Scoville Park was rededicated. Much to celebrate, much to ponder in seeing this entirely familiar, yet freshly revealed, tribute to our vil-lages’ heroes of a century ago.We focus on the optimism and the irony that 85 years ago

our ancestors named this monument Peace Triumphant. We recognize the common experience as Don Harmon recalls that, as a boy, this was a monument to war, that as he has matured it is a prayer for peace.

Memories renewed as we look again at the names of 2,446 of our once young fellows. Hopes raised even as we fi ght two wars. Thanks given to all who made the day possible.

O U R V I E W S

Recently, I saw Social Network at The Lake. Going to a movie theater “by yourself ” (odd phrase) is something of a paradox. A theater, after all, is a very public place. You’re sharing the

space, and the movie, with dozens, if not hundreds of other people.

Yet viewing a fi lm is a solitary experience, even when you’re with someone (unless you’re with someone who can’t resist lean-ing over and sharing his pithy insights).

Then again, what distinguishes the silver screen from watching a DVD at home is the ability to leave yourself behind and literal-ly “lose yourself ” in another world, a small out-of-the-body experience that fi lm critic Andrew Sarris dubbed “Primal Screen.”

Film viewing also turns us into voyeurs, as we watch simulated lives from a private place in the dark. Being alone in a theater where everyone else is paired up or part of a group intensifi es the sense of the solitary.

But as complicated as going to a movie can be, it was even more complicated seeing Social Network, which is the movie about how Mark Zuckerberg started Facebook.

Facebook is the phenomenon of our times, in seven short years exploding to 500 million members. Whatever else you might say about social media, it demonstrates how desper-ately human beings need to feel connected.

The irony in Social Network is that Facebook was born of Zuckerberg’s inability to connect. Spurned by the woman he desires, socially inept and too smart for his own good, he develops the network of all networks, then holds on for dear life as it takes him for the ride of his life.

According to Wikipedia, “On Zuckerberg’s page, he lists his personal interests as “openness, making things that help people connect and share what’s important to them, revolutions, information fl ow, minimalism.”

The only thing Facebook doesn’t do for him, accord-ing to the fi lm, is cure his loneliness. The manchild (he’s only 26) who got us all to connect can’t connect.

Which is the main rap against Facebook and social media in general. It creates the “illusion” of con-nection, but in the long run it works against actual

encounter. Thanks to the Internet, critics say, we have never been more connected — or more alienated. We internet, you might say, but we don’t interact.

How ironic.While that’s too simplistic, it’s prob-

ably fair to say that though Facebook has changed the world, it hasn’t cured our separation anxiety. At the end of the fi lm, we see Zuckerberg obsessively refresh-ing his screen hoping for a reply from the young woman who initially spurned him — his object of desire, his Rosebud (to reference another cinematic profi le of an isolated media mogul, Citizen Kane).

Meanwhile, I’m watching this along with a hundred other people, most of whom are “on” Facebook.

I feel like a stranger in a strange new world.

Overall, I enjoy my “unconnected” time. I also think it’s healthy. True solitude is something we need. So is genuine intima-cy. When you have too much of one, you’re driven to seek the other. Finding a balance is the objective.

With all due respect to the Garden of Eden and the apple (no, not Apple), separ-ateness is our true original sin. Eastern re-ligions would say it’s our original illusion. We’re all connected. We just don’t realize

it. We live in a culture that worships individualism even as we fi nd selfi shness abhorrent.

We’re confused — and lonely. No wonder we’re such rabid monotheists. God is our ultimate vision of one-ness. We pray to be saved from the torturous multiplic-ities and ambiguities of our earthly existence.

We crave union, sometimes through sexual rela-tions, sometimes through worshipping our particular vision of the divine in church, sometimes through mass political hysteria, and more and more often through the Internet. Our individuality feels like a prison. We long to lose ourselves in something greater — even when it isn’t always good for us.

Blissful, loving union, to be sure, is our dearest wish for the Hereafter.

Which is the next fi lm I plan to see at the Lake Theatre.

KEN TRAINOR

V I E W P O I N T S22 Wednesday Journal, November 10, 2010

I found the article about “Village manager asks for too much money, says trustee” to be a very interesting read [News, Nov. 3]. It’s especially interesting given that Village Manager Tom Barwin recently informed area private schools they would have to fund the $26,000 needed to provide crossing guards to ensure that the children arrive safely.

Mr. Barwin said the 2011 village budget could not ab-sorb this cost. Yet Barwin asked for more than $100,000 in seemingly discretionary spending in the 2011 budget. He asked for a $19,000 increase for special events and almost $50,000 more for contractual services. But Bar-win has told the schools that the village cannot come up with $26,000 to allow children who do not attend public

schools (although we as parents fund it) safe passage to school. Barwin is quoted in this article as saying, “For strategic issues we might need analysis and help ... My belief is that managers have to have room to be cre-ative.” Barwin seems to only be creative when it comes to spending and not cutting.

Mr. Barwin, here is some free analysis. Heed your own words and be creative to fi nd the money to allow the kids who do not attend public school safe passage. I do not believe funding a $13,000 survey about how green our vil-lage is strategic; it is just stupid! Our children’s safety is far more important, would you not agree, Mr. Barwin?

Andy BoockmeierOak Park

Barwin only creative when it comes to spending

True solitude is something

we need. So is genuine intimacy.Finding a balance

is the objective.

Facebook can’t cure what ails us

S H R U B T O W N by Marc Stopeck

V I E W P O I N T S Wednesday Journal, November 10, 2010 23

Wednesday Journal’s editorial “Opposition, please” [Our Views, Nov. 3] was, for the most part, a simple call for a robust dialogue and a competi-

tive village election in the spring of 2011. We, the trustee candidates comprising the Citizens for Accountable Leadership slate — Ray Johnson, Adam Salzman and Bob Tucker — could not agree more. Our vil-lage deserves an open, vital and energetic campaign in the months to come. However, the end of the editorial takes a rather strange turn, stating that a victory by our slate would result in a village board with “six white people or six males,” and that some might consider this result “unacceptable.”

Our fi rst question is: Unacceptable to whom? The Oak Parkers we know do not judge people by the color of their skin, or any other characteristic which too often divides us, but by the content of their character — or in the case of elections, by the quality of their candidates. Shouldn’t voters cast their votes for the best candidates, even if such a board were then com-prised of six African-American people or six women?

The very way we think and talk about diversity has progressed in Oak Park and is and should be seen through the widest possible lens. Acknowledging the fact that discrimination knows no boundaries, the life experience of people and their sensitivity to seeking the best possible community for all Oak Parkers is what inspires us to seek elected offi ce. “Accountable leadership” means we commit to working with every citizen and stakeholder to continue building upon the rich history of our village as it relates to diversity.

On a more personal note, our team is actually diverse in various ways. Ray Johnson is openly gay and has worked to advance human rights for a broad cross sec-

tion of Oak Park, especially on behalf of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community and people with disabilities. Adam Salzman is a Latino Jew who has devoted the lion’s share of his career to advancing in court the rights of low-in-come clients and people with disabilities. Bob Tucker happens to be married to an African-American woman, and his attor-ney practice revolves around the expan-sion of affordable housing and improving

certain Chicago neighborhoods. Ray Johnson served on the Citizens’ Council of Oak Park and River Forest High School and has been an advocate for a strong education foundation for all Oak Park children. The Tuckers have two interracial children, one of whom is a student at a District 97 school and the other at OPRF. The Salzmans have two children under the age of 4.

Perhaps the Journal took an initial look at our slate and saw three white males. We believe that Oak Parkers will dig a little deeper and get to know our slate and see three committed, independent-minded public servants with widely diverse professional and personal backgrounds.

In the coming campaign we will be accountable to citizens on every issue and will never stop talking about creative approaches to engaging all willing citizens in ways that take the remarkable diversity of our village into account. The leadership we strive to provide seeks to enhance the quality of life for all, and we look forward to listening to you on this and other matters in the days and weeks ahead.

■ Citizens for Accountable Leadership is a slate of three candidates, endorsed by the Village Manager As-sociation, running for trustee on the Oak Park village board. The candidates are incumbent Ray Johnson, Bob Tucker and Adam Salzman.

W E D N E S D A Y


About ViewpointsOur mission is to lead educated conversation about the people,

government, schools, businesses and culture of Oak Park and River Forest. As we share the consensus of Wednesday Journal’s editorial board on local matters, we hope our voice will help focus your thinking and, when need be, fi re you to action.

In a healthy conversation about community concerns, your voice is also vital. We welcome your views, on any topic of community interest, as essays and as letters to the editor. Noted here are our stipulations for fi ling.

Please understand our verifi cation process and circumstances that would lead us not to print a letter or essay. We will call to check that what we received with your signature is something you sent. If we can’t make that verifi cation, we will not print what was sent. When, in addition to opinion, a letter or essay includes information presented as fact, we will check the reference. If we cannot confi rm a detail, we may not print the letter or essay.

If you have questions, call Viewpoints editor Marty Stempniak at 708-613-3311 or e-mail him at [email protected].

Editor and Publisher Dan HaleyVP/Director of Operations Andrew Johnston

Staff Reporters Terry Dean, Ben Meyerson, Marty StempniakStaff Writer Ken Trainor

Sports/Real Estate Editor Brad SpencerViewpoints Editor Marty Stempniak

Calendar Editor Annette Coff eeColumnists Frank Chlumsky, Jack Crowe, Doug Deuchler,

John Hubbuch, Virginia Seuff ert, Stan WestStaff Photographer J. Geil

Editorial Design Manager Rebecca LomaxEditorial Designers Jamie Sebold, Mark Tatara

Manager of Internet and Technology Graham JohnstonOnline Editor Sandi Pedersen

Web Content Manager Evan O’BrienWeb Developer Mike Risher

Advertising Production Manager Philip SoellAdvertising Design Manager Andrew Mead

Advertising Designers Stephanie Ansel, Elisha-Rio Apilado, Debbie Becker Advertising Director Marc Stopeck

Display Advertising Sales Dawn Ferencak, Missy Laurell, Alex PanscharDisplay Advertising Coordinator Bridget Optholt

Classifi ed Advertising Sales Barb Kizelevicus, Sabrina Nixon, Peter WallachCirculation Manager Kathy Hansen

Distribution Coordinator Alan MajeskiCirculation Associates Mike Braam, Carlos Villanueva

Comptroller Edward PanscharCredit Manager Debbie Zari

Bookkeeper Diane EggersCollections Charlie Kelly

Front Desk Maria Murzyn, Carol StruncChairman Emeritus Robert K. Downs

LETTER TO THE EDITOR■ 250-word limit

■ Must include fi rst and last names,

municipality in which you live, phone

number (for verifi cation only)

■ E-mail to Marty Stempniak at

[email protected]

■ Mail to Wednesday Journal,

Viewpoints, 141 S. Oak Park Ave.,

Oak Park, IL 60302

‘ONE VIEW’ ESSAY■ 500-word limit

■ One-sentence footnote about

yourself, your connection to the topic

■ Signature and mailing

details as above

Slate off ers candidates with diverse backgroundsCITIZENS FOR

ACCOUNTABLELEADERSHIP

One View

24 Wednesday Journal, November 10, 2010 OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COMV I E W P O I N T S

Recent reports from the Il-linois State Board of Education stated that 91.6 percent of Illi-nois high schools failed to meet federal and state standards in reading and mathematics. Of course, this was not news to Oak Park and River Forest High School board members, admin-istrators or faculty. We, like most other educators in this state, have been aware for sev-eral years that this federal law (called “No Child Left Behind”) was structured in such a way as to make it almost inevitable that all high schools were doomed to failure to meet the escalating standards by 2014, with the exception of a very small group of public schools that serve almost exclusively the healthy and the wealthy. In spite of the failures of this law, it still serves a very useful purpose in giving some insight into how well various schools were meeting the educational needs of various segments of the students that they served.

One of my greatest concerns about this is

for us at OPRF: We have com-plained about the inadequacy of the law and its unreasonable stan-dards, and yet we have failed to set achievement standards for our-selves that make sense to us. We haven’t even agreed that we should try to do this! We do not meet state and federal standards for read-ing and math, but we have not set reading and math standards for ourselves that can serve as means by which we can hold ourselves accountable for at least trying to make measurable progress toward any specifi c goals.

Standards of achievement don’t have to be perfect in order to be useful. They don’t even have to be based on totally accurate measurements in order to be useful. But they do have to exist in a clearly stated form, and they do have to be objectively measurable.

We have waited too long to set useful stan-dards of achievement for ourselves. Our par-ents and taxpayers should demand no less.■ Ralph Lee is an Oak Park resident and a D200 board member.

The League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest wishes to extend a sincere note of appreciation to Classic Cinema’s Lake Theatre for use of its marquee for an impor-tant public service announcement in the days leading up to Election Day. Not only did it en-courage and remind people to vote, but it also referred voters to our award-winning website, Vote411.org, which gives more information

about candidates and ballot initiatives.We are delighted to work with business

owners such as Shirley and Willis Johnson, who have civic interests at heart and are willing to share their resources for the ben-efi t of the whole community.

Theresa Amato and Pauline KochCo-presidents, League of Women Voters of

OPRF

Board member says OPRF must set standards

Th ank you, Lake Th eatre, for election help

League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest

RALPHLEE

One View

An Oak Park Tradition

RESTAURANT & BAR

A classic American Bistro setting makes us the

perfect destination for any occasion. Share appetizers with

friends, enjoy a relaxed dinner for 2, just a glass of wine or

late-night dessert and cappuccino.

Dr. Linda LambertPodiatrist

ADVERTISEMENT

Do you have diabetes?

If you do, you should know how important foot care is. Over time, diabetics risk developing foot complications. When the nerves are

damaged from chronic high blood sugar, feet can become numb or painful with burning or tingling. This is called diabetic neuropathy. When diabetes affects the arteries, circulation to the legs and feet may be compromised. Either of these conditions may lead to serious problems including ulceration, even amputation.

The key to prevention is early diagnosis of diabetes, and regular foot exams from a podiatrist. Diabetics who receive regular foot care, including paring of calluses and debridement of thick fungal toenails, are almost four times less likely to undergo an amputation than those who do not seek treatment.

Dr. Lambert treats many diabetic patients in her office. She has a very user friendly diabetic shoe program, which now includes boots for men and women, as well as sandals for men. The newest additions to her footwear line are diabetic socks and slippers.

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

Downtown Oak Park Foot Clinic1000 Lake St. Suite B(708) 524-0494between Subway and Hair Cuttery

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM Wednesday Journal, November 10, 2010 25V I E W P O I N T S

Editor’s note: The following letter was originally sent before the village board fi nal-ized changes to apartment building heating requirements last week.

A recent newspaper article reports that Oak Park is considering reducing the mini-mum temperature required for apartment buildings to 68 degrees from 70 degrees [Could Oak Park make your apartment cooler? News, Oct. 20]. It is proposed that the reduction would save heating costs, con-serve energy and reduce carbon emissions.

I suggest reducing the heat required would be counterproductive. It would not save en-ergy.

Even with the aid of humidifi ers to ad-dress the dry-air problem, 68 degrees is too cool for many people, especially the elderly for whom the customary recommendation is 72 degrees. When apartment dwellers are too cold, they often do not reach for an addition-al sweater, but resort to the use of electric heaters, or they turn on the kitchen oven. The energy consumed by operating those

appliances exceeds the amount saved by cut-ting back on the building’s heating system. Of course, there are the additional dangers of fi re and health hazards, which could af-fect all the tenants as well as the building.

The present heating requirement is not unreasonable; it has evolved through years of experience and with the recommenda-tions of health advocates, and I think it should not be changed.

David McMullinOak Park

Symphony of OPRF off ers ‘fantastique’ performance

Wow! What an absolute treat! It was this Sunday’s (Oct. 24) performance of the Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest at the First United Church. The “Concert Fantistique”! If you missed this concert, dear reader, be sure to at-tend the symphony’s next performance on Dec. 12, and all of those thereafter.

It all started this Sunday with the orchestra exciting us with the very familiar “Dance Macabre” of Saint-Saens and Gounod’s “Funeral March of a Marionette.” Then it was on to Engelbert Humperdinck’s pieces from “Hansel and Gretel.” But what hap-pened next was nothing less than ter-rifi c: the very passionate and riveting performance of the lovely guest pia-nist, Mio Nakamura, of Franz Liszt’s “Dies Irae for Piano and Orchestra.” And if all of that wasn’t enough, the orchestra brought most of us to our feet concluding with the “Symphonie Fantistique” of Berlioz. This was a very musical concert. But it was also engaging and fun with titles having words and phrases such as macabre, “Witches Sabbath,” “Funeral March,” “Dies irae,” and (oh my!) “March to the Scaffold.” More, it was classical music.

The Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest is, indeed, special; it is the type of cultural benefi t we would expect to fi nd in Oak Park and River Forest. And the symphony’s concert this Sunday can best be described by its title, “Concert Fantastique.” Yes, it was fantastic!

Jim DickertOak Park

Leave OP apartment temperatures alone

708.485.0131 wahlstromco.com

More than 60 years of exceptional products and unbeatable service!

WINDOWS

Up to

$1500tax credit on qualifying

windows & doors

26 Wednesday Journal, November 10, 2010 OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COMV I E W P O I N T S

There was big news in the Oak Park busi-ness community last week. Oak Park and Lake will get a ritzy eyewear boutique, Spex, while Madison is getting a dollar store at the old Walgreens location [One-of-a-kind Wal-greens debuts in Oak Park, News, Nov. 3]. Gee, we who live near Madison are thankful for the village’s generosity, but please stop. In fact, we would appreciate the Oak Park Housing Authority proposal for a singles-only housing at the Comcast Building being delayed. We, of Madison, need more time to absorb the vision of how proud and prosper-ous we will be when our small business

district is anchored by an SRO (single-room occupancy) and a

dollar store. Praise to our village.

At a meeting of the Madi-son Street Coalition last

Wednesday,

Ed Solan, executive director of the Oak Park Housing Authority, said when telling the co-alition about the conversion of the Comcast Building into SRO housing, “I believe the building will add value to the neighborhood.” Yippee, and we get a dollar store too!

We Madison folks invite you all to come south to our business district between Oak Park Avenue and Kenilworth. We have plenty of parking and no strolling pedestrians to get in your way. The historical and architectural-ly signifi cant Oldsmobile dealership is only a block away. We do look a little seedy right now. We wish the Madison beautifi cation pro-gram that was just announced by the village was done. Unfortunately, work on that won’t start until we get closer to the elections.

Please, please don’t thank us for the invita-tion. You will make it up when we all come north to trick or treat next Halloween. We un-derstand you all have better goodies up there.

John MurtaghOak Park

Ken Trainor’s article about the old days and Whittier School hit home with some of us [Principal looks back at how Oak Park has changed, News, Oct. 20]. When we came to Oak Park, all three of our girls — Joan, Lynn and Karen — went to wonderful Whit-tier, and my wife later worked there as the school psychologist. The teachers, princi-pals and parents were great and worked together. I was drafted to serve two terms on the school board, which was before Ga-len Gockel, who was mentioned in the ar-ticle, came on the school board when middle

schools were adopted.However, in my time most of us opposed

the middle school concept and agreed with then principal, Neil Sheehan, as to “good lo-cal schools, K-8, no buses, all you do is teach the kids, forget several hundred in a single school, etc.” But, even though time has marched on, I would bet that many of us be-lieve that Neil Sheehan’s opinions still have a lot of validity, and that he does not need to say, “But I’m an old guy. . . Forget it.”

Ward P. FisherOak Park

The most recent election included a refer-endum in regards to vaccines [Oak Park not taking action on vaccine referendum, Oak-Park.com, Nov. 3]. It was written in such a manner as to imply that vaccines are not safe and may be “toxic.” It implied that informa-tion is not given or available to patients and therefore we need a referendum. It is worded in such a way as to create fear. It isn’t just about giving patients a package insert.

The Center for Disease Control, Institute of Medicine and Food and Drug Administra-tion are charged with protecting the public health and weigh the value of many medical therapies, vaccines included. The vaccines have been found safe in many scientifi c studies. The risks of the vaccines should be weighed against the risk of the diseases they prevent. For example, in California recently there have been deaths related to pertussis – a vaccine-preventable disease.

I hope that physicians will speak up and be heard about the importance of vaccines. It is a

matter of protection of the public health. We, physicians, are here to listen to patients’ ques-tions and willing to discuss the vaccines.

I encourage the public to be educated and read information from the CDC, American Academy of Pediatricians and American College of Physicians. There is a lot of emo-tionally laden debate regarding vaccines. It is because vaccines have been found safe and theories regarding autism have been dis-proved that now these anti-vaccine groups are appealing directly to the public. However, this discussion should continue in the scien-tifi c arena, but not in such an infl ammatory and misleading referendum. Be aware of the fear that anti-vaccine groups are infusing into our community. The verbiage of the ref-erendum was irresponsible. However, there is a small minority that will always, in the words of Stephen Colbert, “keep fear alive.”

Joanna OrtizOak Park

Infectious disease physician

Vaccine referendum was ‘irresponsible’

A dollar store and an SRO? Yippee!

district is anchored by(single-room occupancy

dollar store. Praisvillage.

At aof thson Coal

Wedn

Simpler days at Whittier School

Getting ready for Fall?One call does it all!

...And So Much More!

Not valid with other offers

(708) 613-2233

COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL MAINTENANCE, REPAIRS

& REMODELING

Bakery

12 W. Madison at Austin Blvd. Oak Park, IL 60302

Spec ia l i z i ng i n Cus t om Craf t ed Cake s

OAKPARK.COM | RIVERFOREST.COM Wednesday Journal, November 10, 2010 27V I E W P O I N T S

Dan Haley wrote a column about the heavy handed way the Roman Catholic Church censured Fr. Mc-Nally [Ascension walks

afoul of Catholic establishment, Nov. 3]. Cardinal George wrote in an opinion piece about “per-sonal faith not being adequate to the faith of the church.”

This is a classic example of the problem of authority when it comes to discerning God’s will. Whose authority do you follow?

Liberal religion tends to assert that the individual is the ultimate authority. I know one Unitarian pastor whose business card reads, “A church that puts its trust in you.” Martin Luther, at the Diet of Worms, was asked, “Who are you, a solitary monk, to question the 1,500-year-old tradition of the church?” He answered, “Unless you can show me by Scripture and plain reason that I am wrong, I cannot in good conscience, recant.”

There you are. Luther was no liberal, but he was acknowledg-ing the place of the individual conscience.

Radical conservative religion allows no room for individual anything, including conscience.

In my opinion, extreme liberal religion is arrogant. The church authorities made a valid point. Who are you, an individual, to challenge the church? Cardinal George has a point. Who are you to trust personal faith more than the faith of the church?

In my opinion, radical conservative religion is irre-

sponsible. To blindly accept anyone or any institution’s authority without question is abdicating the individual’s responsibility to be accountable. Institutions are just as vulnerable to sin as are individuals.

To me, the healthiest church is the one which not only tolerates a lively dialogue between the tradition and the individual conscience, it encourages the tension.

Individuals and authority

TOMHOLMES

O A K P A R K . C O M ’ S B L O G G E R S

Who gets the ‘good’ candy?

When Halloween came, it got me thinking about trick-or-treat-ing. When Andrew and I fi rst moved to

Oak Park in 1991 we always had busy Halloween nights, full of tons of kids that would come during the announced hours of trick-or-treat and beyond.

I grew up in a house that didn’t get any trick-or-treaters so it was always fun for me to see all of the costumes and interact with the families that came to the door. As time went on, we fi gured out that a lot of the kids we would get at our Oak Park home were not from our neighborhood as we originally thought, they were coming from the Austin neighborhood. However, that never bothered me. In fact, I thought it was wonderful that these families wanted to ensure that their kids had a great Halloween and I was happy to do my part!

Well, in 2005 when we celebrated our fi rst Halloween in River Forest. I wasn’t sure what to expect. I didn’t buy too much candy that year fi guring that the Chicago kids wouldn’t come this far and that the majority of the kids would come from River Forest. Well, I was TOTALLY wrong.

We had more kids at our door than we ever had in Oak Park! This time the major-ity of families were coming from Maywood. In conversations we had at a neighborhood party following trick-or-treating, we were given some advice: buy a small amount of “good candy” to give out to the “neighbor-

hood kids” and then buy tons of “cheap candy” to give out to the rest.

I have been quietly watching what happens on the streets of River Forest as I take my kids around on Halloween night and here is what I have found. Some houses give out full-size chocolate bars, gift certifi cates and soda pop, but only to the “neighborhood kids”. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about this practice. On one hand I realize that , for the kids they know, they want to do some-thing special. On the other hand, I think that the only way for most

people to distinguish “neighborhood kids” from the kids coming from Maywood is by the color of their skin.

It defi nitely doesn’t sit well with me either way, it feels a bit like a form of racism. In fact, it makes me hypersensitive to the way I interact with the kids at my door. I only buy one kind of candy and the only rule I have is that I have to like it, ie. chocolate, and I am evenhanded when giving it out.

If you do a bit of research, you will discover that the origins of trick-or-treating stem from a tradition of poor kids begging at the doors of rich neighbors, so basically this is the tradi-tion being carried on. Instead of folks feeling like the experience of trick-or-treat should be rewarding to those that already have enough, perhaps they should consider that the reason parents and teens without costumes are trick-or-treating is that they don’t have luxuries like candy whenever they want it.

LAURAMAYCHRUK

The weather is warm, but these deals are hot for winter!

6548 W. Cermak Rd., Berwyn

708-795-8181Open 7 Days • Free convenient parking

Phone orders welcome

the whole familyfor

Becca

RiderBubbles

$500 off

Any purchase over $50Must present coupon.

Limit one per customer. Not valid with any other offer.

Expires 11/21/2010.

$1000 off



Expires 11/21/2010.

$1500 off



Expires 11/21/2010.

$2000 off



Expires 11/21/2010.

sale

Everything is available in medium & wide lengths.

And at the Altenheim, you’ll be able to protect it with rent that is reasonable.

But the Altenheim is so much more...

It is surrounded with beautiful grounds and wildlife, seniors who look out for one another and apartment selections and activities to suit your active lifestyle.

You’ll be as happy as a lark here; come visit us to find out why.

An Independent Senior Community

7824 West Madison Street Forest Park, IL 60130

(708) 366-2206www.altenheim.org

It’s your nest egg…


Poor Jim Bowman. He fan-cies himself a conserva-tive voice-in-the-wilder-ness in Oak Park-River Forest. (Local GOP leader

calls River Forest for Kirk, Octo-ber 27, 2010.) But he mindlessly repeats the mantra that Obama has “showed his hand as a very big government orientated guy in ways that are unprecedented and the people are saying no, no, no.”

I don’t really mean to pick on Mr. Bowman. He is merely repeating the demagoguery of the Republican leadership. But I would challenge him to explain what he means by “unprecedent-ed” and “big government.”

The bank “bail-out?” That was originated by the Bush adminis-tration, and almost all agreed that it was necessary to avoid an economic catastrophe. If Obama were a statist, he would have pushed to nationalize the banks, wiping out the shareholders and investors, and preserving any remaining value for the depositors and taxpayers. At minimum, if he were a “big government ori-

entated guy,” Obama would have urged constraints on salaries and bonuses, and would have urged compelling banks to make loans to small businesses.

How about the “stimulus?” Again, this was not something that was part of Obama’s agen-da. It was deemed necessary by most economists in order to stem unemployment. One can argue that the political sausage-making machine rendered a stimulus package that was less than ideal, but it was not un-precedented, and it was not a manifestation of some socialis-tic agenda by Obama.

Universal health care might be regarded as “big govern-ment” by some, and was certain-ly part of Obama’s agenda. But Obama campaigned on health care reform, and was elected by

a strong majority. So health care reform can hardly be seen as a surprise that was sprung upon an unwilling populace.

Surely one could complain about the sub-stance of the reform. It is a sop to insur-ance companies, and does not provide for

universal coverage. We hope it will be an improvement over the prior system, but its inadequacy is not the result of Obama’s pol-icies, but of the obstructionist stance of the Republican party.

And then there is the tax break that Obama wants to leave in place for 99 percent of tax-paying Americans, letting taxes go up marginally on the top 1 percent or less. Only people who are unthinking or dishonest could call that big-government socialism.

So what is the “big government” to which “people are saying no, no, no?” Consumer protection laws regarding credit cards and investment instruments? Laws (probably not adequate) to reign in Wall Street? Invest-ment in the environment and new energy sources? Mortgage assistance programs? The corporate sector opposes those initia-tives because it believes the measures will cut into corporate profi ts. With the collu-sion of Republican leadership, they have convinced are large section of the populace that what is good for the corporate sector is good for the individual consumer, that laws to reign-in corporate avarice are “socialist” and are somehow a threat to individual free-dom. So like sheep to the slaughter people will march to the polls and vote against their own interests.

O B I T U A R I E S

Georgene Kolar, 70

Oak Park residentGeorgene E. Kolar nee Mouat, 70, of

Oak Park has died. She is survived by her children, Christine (Joseph) DeSi-mone, Gina (Paul) Reynolds and Nora (Michael) Tangorra; grandchildren, Jack and Abby Reynolds and Michael Tangorra; and her longtime compan-ion and dear friend, Louis Eberhardt. A funeral Mass was held at St. Giles Catholic Church in Oak Park and in-terment was at Queen of Heaven Cem-etery. Arrangements were made by Zimmerman-Harnett Funeral Home in Forest Park.

V I E W P O I N T S

In what universe is Obama big government?

Meet OP’s youngest voter

That would be 4-month-old Evie, daugh-ter of Tim Walsh, my neighbor. Both were in an adjoining voting booth at Lin-coln School Tuesday afternoon. Evie was all smiles, so it must have been a joyful experience indeed.

H.S. LyonsOak Park

Terry Dean’s article, “Lincoln Adds Class-rooms in D97’s annual plan” [News, Nov. 3], left out some pertinent information. For ex-ample, why does District 97 need additional classrooms? Could this be the unintended consequences of full-day kindergarten (free day care) that caused a need for additional classrooms and teachers?

Also, it’s free. Paid for by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. It is not the dollars we sent to the federal government,

it is dollars borrowed from China or just printed. What a great deal. Unfortunately we do pay the wages for someone at District 97 to beg the federal government to send us free money and a whole bureaucracy in Washington to determine who should get free money.

What a great system! Free day care, free money, no one ever has to pay.

John E. HowellOak Park

No such thing as free federal money

DANIELHURTADO

One View

Health care reform can hardly

be seen as a surprise that was

sprung upon an unwilling

populace.W E D N E S D A Y


To run an obituaryPlease contact Ken Trainor by e-mail:

[email protected], or fax: 708/524-0447 before Monday at noon.

Please include a photo if possible.

Drechsler, Brown & Williams

Funeral Home

Since 1880Family Owned & Operated

Charles Williams, Owner/Funeral Director

203 S. Marion St. Oak Park 60302

708/383-3191

We Should

Talk

Estate PlanningLong-term CareRetirement

?

Specializing in fixed-income products since 1987.

[email protected]

Wednesday Journal, November 10, 2010 29

LIFELINESDROP A STORYLINECall Lifelines editorKen Trainor at [email protected]

The art of minestrone

Frank on Food, 34

Flying High By JEAN LOTUSContributing reporter

The musical “Peter Pan” is the ideal show for a mob of children: loads of pirates, Indians and Lost Boys. But it takes some grownup sophistication — and a decent budget — to do it right. After all, kids are actually fl ying up there.

Percy Julian Middle School’s renowned CAST program celebrates its 25th year with a revisit this weekend to their fi rst year’s production of this magical show in 1985. The special effects will be top-fl ight. “We have about 15

See PETER PAN on page 30

EN GARDE, HOOK! Rory Schrobilgen, as Peter Pan, and Joe Dennis, as Captain Hook, rehearse with the cast of Peter Pan at Percy Julian Middle School on Th ursday.


CAST hits 25 years and returns ‘Peter Pan’ to stage at Percy Julian

Tm

Frank


hours of fl ying practice: ‘aeoreography’ – that’s what they call it,” says CAST Program Director Bill McGlynn.

To achieve the effects, CAST works with FOY Flying in Las Vegas under top-secret conditions. HOY’s trade secrets are confi -dential, but actors may be harnessed and at-tached to superstrong steel wires. Computer-

controlled winches and pulleys may fl y the Darling family (Wendy, John and Michael) and Peter Pan through three dimensions. Adults pulling ropes may also be involved.

As in all CAST productions, student inclu-sion is the driving principle. “We have 55 kids in Peter Pan, with an added 80 in the choir,” said McGlynn. Fifteen student crew mem-bers will be backstage moving the 30 foot sets,

PETER PANLost boys, and girls

from page 29


“Our goal is to give every kid a part, and over three years,

give every kid a part they like.”BILL McGLYNN

CAST Program Director


It began in 1985 as an after school activity to keep an eye on children until their parents “got home from the Loop,” says Dr. Benjamin

Williams, former Julian Mid-dle School principal. Williams plan somewhat unexpectedly blossomed into CAST: Com-munication Arts, Speech and Theater Education. “I just wanted a good program that really respected children,” he says. Williams visited family in Oak Park last week from his retirement home in Hilton Head, South Carolina.

Williams built the program around two principles: First, that children “learn while doing.” His idea was to bring in real actors who could teach the acting craft live. From the beginning, CAST developed a tradition of visiting artists, actors, musicians and guest directors. Williams hired husband-and-wife Oak Park actors Jill and Michael Poehl-man to run the program. “The job of a principal is to hire

good people and free them up, let them go.”

The Poehlman’s put CAST on the map accomplishing what few thought possible: Having middle school boys and girls sing and dance on stage.

Williams’ second idea was that listening to children’s voices would show them respect – which would build their character and improve behavior. From the beginning CAST has included original

written material generated by the students. “Children have something to say, and when you give them that opportu-nity, they say it well.”

Eventually CAST expanded from after school into the school day as elective classes, exposing tens of thousands of Julian children to high qual-ity arts education.

A community of parents grew up around the CAST members, says Williams. “I’ve

seen parents come out [of the theater] with tears in their eyes. They’ll say, ‘I didn’t know my child had that kind of confi dence.’”

Shortly after CAST began, Hollywood came calling. Pro-ducers fi lming the 1988 movie Vice Versa picked Julian (re-named “Hemingway School”) as backdrop for their comedy about a boy and father who swap bodies. Actors Judge Reinhold and The Wonder Years child actor Fred Savage visited the school and talked about their craft. The hall-ways, lockers and lunchroom school scenes were fi lmed at Julian. “We got some renova-tions in the school we had been wanting,” says Williams. “Every single kid at Julian got their face in the movie. It was just really great fun.”

“It was a great 10 years,” says Williams. “I’m so glad the Oak Park school system has recognized what a gem it has in that CAST program.”

— Jean Lotus

Principal just wanted an aft er school programsince the production calls for quick changes.

Sinead McDonald, 13, is a crew member who has already helped build sets for eight different CAST performances. “We’ve had a Maypole and a swimming pool. Someone fl ew in ‘Fiddler on the Roof ’ and now they’re fl ying again,” she says.

In “Peter Pan,” McDonald plays the dog ‘Nana,’ inadequate babysitter for the Dar-

ling children. “I think [Nana]’s really sweet, trying to care for the kids but the husband gets in the way.” She says power drill skills she’s learned in the shop help her fi x things at home. “I helped my mom build the guinea pig cage.”

Tinkerbell, as is tra-ditional, is portrayed by a ball of light – but she’s been techno-up-graded from a spotlight

to a laser. In the show, Peter Pan cajoles the audience, “We can’t let Tink die. Do you be-lieve in make-believe? If you believe, clap your hands!” It’s one of theater’s most fa-mous examples of audience-participation: Tinkerbell is brought back from her near-death experience.

“The show will really come together (in the intense rehearsals) during tech week. It always does,” says McGlynn.

See PETER PAN on page 32

SINEAD McDONALD

Fred Savage and Judge Reinhold in “Vice Versa”

Annual fall leaf collection begins in October

Oak Parkers who choose to rake their leaves rather than compost them can take advantage of the Village’s annual fall leaf collection program scheduled for Oct. 18 through Dec. 2. Residents will have seven

opportunities to have their leaves picked up. Leaves should be raked into the street at least 18 inches from the curb the day before the scheduled dates indicated on the map. Residents who miss a scheduled pickup date should keep leaves on the parkway until the night before the next scheduled pickup. Cooperation is essential to the success of the program, so please follow these simple rules:

• Leaves only - do not add brush, tree branches, grass clippings or yard waste.

• Do not park on or near a pile of leaves, which can hinder leaf removal. Heat from a car also could ignite the leaves.

• Rake leaves onto side streets wherever possible, avoiding major thoroughfares where piles of leaves might create traffic hazards.

• Do not rake leaves into or close to cul de sacs or traffic diverters. The equipment needs room to operate.

• Keep catch basins clear of raked leaves to avoid localized flooding.

• Inform landscape services of the leaf collection schedule.

• Dampen piles after raking to avoid wind-blown leaves.

• Consider alternatives to raking such as composting or using leaves as garden mulch.

• Drive carefully - leaves are slippery when wet and large piles may hinder visibility.

• Be sure to obey all parking restrictions - or risk a citation.

For more information on the leaf collection program, call 708.358.5700 or email [email protected]

NORTH AVE.

ROOSEVELT RD.

SOUTH BLVD.

HA

RLE

M A

VE. EA

ST

AVE.

EAS

T A

VE.

AU

STIN

BLV

D.

WEDNESDAY

Nov. 10

Nov. 17

Nov. 24

Dec. 1

THURSDAY

Nov. 11

Nov. 18

Nov. 25

Dec. 2

TUESDAY

Nov. 9

Nov. 16

Nov. 23

Nov. 30

MONDAY

Nov. 8

Nov. 15

Nov. 22

Nov. 29

2010 FALL LEAF COLLECTION SCHEDULE


CAST has performed “Peter Pan” four times in a quarter century, but this show will be the fi rst in Julian’s new auditorium – built in 2001— which has 50 foot ceilings. Prior shows in the 1980s and 1990s were per-formed outdoors or at Dominican Universi-ty, which has a full size theater.

McGlynn attended Percy Ju-lian and participated in the fi rst class of CAST in 1985. He returned during the summers to help with CAST’s summer camp. When CAST’s founders, Jill and Michael Poehlman re-tired in 1997, McGlynn took over the pro-gram director job. District 97 provides some funding, but CAST also does its own fund-raising. Show programs are fi lled with ads from local businesses.

A couple of years behind McGlynn, CAST veteran Malachy “Mac” Boyle also helped CAST with summer camps after middle school. Boyle’s youngest brother, Joe, played Peter Pan in the 1996 performance at Domin-ican University. Coming full-circle, Boyle is directing the 2010 performance of Peter Pan. He teaches CAST’s Drama, Speech and Debate classes at Julian.

Around 450 students per year participate in

some way in CAST theatrical performances, auditioning in September and January. “Our goal is to give every kid a part, and over three years, give every kid a part they like,” says McGlynn.

Middle school is a “very important age to be infl uencing kids,” he says, “while they still have time. When they get to high school it’s too late. They’re too busy.” Unlike Peter Pan, CAST members do grow up. “The number of Broadway stars will be very small,” says McGlynn, but he hopes students develop a love for the arts and become “arts advocates

in later lives, supporting local theater and the arts.”

McGlynn says there are free tickets waiting for any visiting CAST member who performed in Peter Pan back in the day.

“Lost Boys, Indians and Pi-rates show up on resumes of

CAST kids more often than any other single name in the last 25 years,” says promotional material for the 2010-11 season. “This show has CAST written all over it.” For 25 years, CAST directors have shown they “believe in make-believe”— and audiences have clapped their hands.

PETER PANLost boys, and girls

from page 31

“Peter Pan”■ CAST production at Percy Julian Middle School, 416 S. Ridgeland Ave.

■ Nov. 13 and 14 at 7:30 p.m.

■ Nov. 14 at 3:30 p.m.

■ Tickets: $5 for students middle school and younger, $7 for adults


THROUGH THE YEARS: Mac Boyle is a graduate of CAST and back this fall to direct ‘Peter Pan.’

helpedmiddle

e, played Domin-

e, Boyleof Peterech and

cipate in

their hands.

anAve.

WEB EXTRAMore photos online

LOG ON TO OAKPARK.COM

1110 Pleasant Street Oak Park, Illinois 60302 (708) 848-4250 www.carletonhotel.com

TTThhhaaannnkkksssgggiiivvviiinnnggg DDDaaayyy BBBuuuffffffeeetttTTT HHH UUU RRR SSS DDD AAA YYY ,,, NNN OOO VVV EEE MMM BBB EEE RRR 222 555 ,,, 222 000 111 000

111 111 ::: 333 000 aaa ... mmm ... ––– 444 ::: 333 000 ppp ... mmm ... Adults $33.95; Children (5-12) $12.95; Children 4 & under are free

Smoked Salmon Platter

Capers, Onions Bagels & Cream Cheese

Soup Baby Pumpkin Bisque

Salads Baby Field Greens / Caesar / Apple-Pear-Fig

Side Dishes Apple-Sage Dressing

Mashed Potatoes Green Beans & Carrots

Candied Sweet Potato au Pecan Sweet Corn & Roasted Peppers

Carving Station Roast Turkey Breast

with cranberry-fig relish & gravy

Slow Roasted Prime Rib with horseradish cream & au jus

Honey-Mustard Glazed Bone in Ham

Sweets Table Pumpkin Pie / Cheesecake

Assorted Pastries

Entrées Tri-colored Tortellini Alfredo

with asiago cheese, spinach, mushrooms and peppers

Hunters Chicken with onion, tomato demi-glace

Tilapia with Balsamic Cream Sauce

Served in the Carleton Grand Ballroom

For Reservations call (708) 848-4250

100 s. marion st. oak park, il | 708.725.7200 | marionstreetcheesemarket.com

FROM A FARM, NOT A FACTORYU.S.D.A. certified organic from

Milo’s Poultry Farm, Bonduel, Wisconsin

Served in our Bistro | Sold in our Market

Date post:	22-Nov-2014
Category:	Documents
Upload:	wednesdayjournal
View:	106 times
Download:	2 times

Wednesday Journal | November 10, 2010 | Pages 1-32

Documents