MAY 3, 2023
Vol. VII No. 18
New D209 board member lays out priorities with new majority
Ocampo seeks accountability, pledges cooperation By AMARIS E. RODRIGUEZ
Neighbors, families join miles-long Prairie Path clean-up PROVIDED
Staff Reporter
In a sweep surprising the Proviso Township school community, the three candidates of the Proviso 209 United slate have dismantled the current board majority at the public high schools. Now all eyes are on the trio and holdover Amanda Grant to form a new majority. Newcomer David Ocampo ran first in the April 4 election, and in an interview with Village Free Press, said he would focus on school finances, investments in students and accountability for an oft-criticized superintendent, Dr. James Henderson. As Ocampo is getting ready to take an official oath and be sworn onto the Proviso Township High Schools board of education on Thursday, May 4, he is ensuring his priorities are in order and is eager to get to work. Considering himself “data inclined,” Ocampo said the first thing on his mind is to focus on the numbers and data to patch out the story conveyed See 209 PRIORITIES on page 7
Proviso volunteers help spring de-littering By FRANCIA GARCIA HERNANDEZ Staff Reporter
Early Saturday morning, hundreds of volunteers in Cook, DuPage and Kane counties joined this year’s cleanup event organized by the Illinois Prairie Path Corporation, a not-for-profit group that helps maintain the paths, but does not own them. In Proviso township, volunteers from Maywood, Bellwood and Hillside stepped up to clean the portion of the trails that span the multi-use nature trails – the Illinois Prairie Path and the Great Western Trails. “I think it was a marvelous success,” said Ralph DiFebo, site coordinator for the area spanning Berkeley and part of
Hillside. “It was marvelous how much trash we got out.” A group of 15 people collected at least full 10 large garbage bags during the two-and-a-half hours they spent cleaning, said Andrea DiFebo. “Everyone had a great time picking up trash and cleaning our environment which we should do more often.” In Hillside, volunteers gathered at the Illinois Prairie Path section near Taft Avenue with plastic bags to remove trash from the pathways and surrounding areas. In Maywood, cleaning efforts started at 10 a.m. at the path section near 11th Street. In total, nearly 400 volunteers participated in Saturday’s events, which also took place in areas connected through the Prairie Path such as Lombard, Glen Ellyn, Wheaton, Aurora, Naperville and
Warrenville. The Illinois Prairie Path spans 61 miles, while the Great Western Trail covers 17 miles. Both nature paths are used by neighbors and residents for walking, biking and spending time outdoors. DiFebo is among a group of advocates for safe and equitable transportation who have pushed extending the Illinois Prairie Path in Maywood to connect it to the Salt Creek Trail in North Riverside and to the CTA Forest Park Blue Line. Last month, DiFebo joined Active Transportation Alliance in an open house to gather input on four proposals on how these trails could be connected, developed in participation with Civiltech Engineering and Cook County. See PHOTOS on page 8