W E D N E S D A Y
February 11, 2026 Vol. 46, No. 32
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Special section
of Oak Park and River Forest
RF schools still talking to teachers as some parents ask tough questions District 90 decides to hold off on public posting of contract offers By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter
River Forest School District 90 has decided to hold off on a public posting of its most recent contract offer to teachers along with posting the latest response from the River Forest Education Association. The school district had said two weeks ago it would take those public steps through the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board. According to the district’s weekly update email on Feb. 6, it participated in a “sidebar mediation session” Feb. 2 with the RFEA and a mediator that it perceived as a “collaborative and productive discussion.” A sidebar negotiation session involves a small group from the full negotiation teams and is used to explore possible compromises ahead of a formal proposal or response, a district spokesperson said late Monday. She added that the RFEA requested the meeting to discuss the disSee D90 CONTRACT on page 18
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West Sub owes state $71M, and isn’t making payments
CEO says hospital is investing funds in patient care instead of paying debt to state government By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter
PHOTO CREDIT
Willard Elementary students during class in 2025.
West Suburban Medical Center has not made any payments toward its $71 million debt to the State of Illinois, $2.6 million of which the Illinois Department of Healthcare and Family Services has recouped. Instead, West Suburban CEO Manoj Prasad said that, like other financially strapped safety net hospitals, West Sub is using its cash to “provide care to the community, instead of pay assessments to the state.” See WEST SUB on page 6
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