WednesdayJournal_040826

JOURNAL

of Oak Park and River Forest

West Sub owes nearly $5 million in unpaid Oak Park property taxes

Property owners haven’t paid taxes over the last year, per township assessor

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

West Suburban Medical Center ownership owes nearly $5 million in local property taxes, according to analysis by the Oak Park Township Assessor’s Office. Hospital ownership has not paid any property taxes over the last year, with unpaid bills from the 2024 tax year, the 2025 tax year and mounting late fees bringing the outstanding balance to $4,984,308, according to Oak Park Township Assessor Ali El Saf far. The hospital closed indefinitely on March 27, as Resilience Healthcare CEO Manoj Prasad cited a failure in the hospital’s billing software leading to monthly revenue shortfalls resulting in the hospital being unable cover payroll expenses.

West Suburban Medical Center’s president and CEO Dr Manoj Prasad speaks at a press conference with State Rep. La Shaw n Ford at the hospital on April 1.

Hospital owners owe over $3.08 million in 2024 property taxes due last year, over $1.69 million from the first installment of 2025 taxes due this year and over $200,000 in interest from last year’s unpaid taxes, El Saf far said. The first installment of property taxes that West Sub owners missed last year were due on March 1, 2025, El Saf far said.

President Adduci meets Pope Leo XIV

Ponti meets with Chicagoarea civic leaders in Rome

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

Once in a while, the actual event exceeds intense anticipation.

For River Forest Village President Cathy Adduci and a practicing Catholic, that moment was April 6, when she met Pope Leo XIV in Rome.

As a member ofa delegation of over 20 mayors and civic leaders from across the state, Adduci met the pontiff in Clementine Hall, located on the second floor ofthe Apostolic Palace in Vatican City. The event was coordinated by the Illinois Municipal League

There are a few moments in life that stand out from the rest, and this was one for Adduci

T he obvious question: What was he li ke?

The hospital is one ofthe village’s largest taxpayers, with its current unpaid tax balance equivalent to close to 2% ofOak

Altera Digital Health, the company that builds the software Prasad blamed for the revenue shortfall that closed West Sub, told Wednesday Journal it started working with the hospital in “mid-2025.”

See WEST SUB on pa ge 23

“He was very gracious, he was very eng aging,” Adduci said. “He acknowledged everything.”

See POPE on pa ge 12

Officesat171S.OakPark Avenueforabrandnewcopy ofourEarlyChildhood ResourceDirectory!

Oak Park studies impact of historic districts on local developmen t

Project comes at request of trustees Eder and Wesley

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Oak Pa rk ’s village staf f will study the impact that Oak Pa rk ’s historic districts have on c onstruction projects in c onnection with village leaders’ p ush to encourage mor e residential development.

Vi llage staf f ag reed last week to pe rfo rm a study c omparing the amount of building pe rm i ts i ssued for projects ins ide and outside of the village ’s historic districts. T he study will look to show whether or not red tape tied to the historic districts has had a chilling effect on development.

Trustees Derek Eder and Cory Wesley sponsored a motion requesting the study. T he motion c omes after the b oard heard from members of the village ’s volunteer Historic Preservation C ommission last month.

“That led to many more q uestions, so I’m c oming at this from the perspective of wanting to learn more, ” Ede r said. “ I’m not against historic districts

or historic preservation, they ser ve an important f unction of maintaining our landmarks and histor y. But j ust li ke any p oli cy tool, they c an be dialed too much in one direction or another. I want to use as much data as we c an to understand how these districts have b een impactin g our village.”

“We’ re looking to follow the data, if we find that the districts have no impact that’s great too.”

Vi llage Manager Kevin Jackson sai d the wo rk to d elive r the study will be fairly straightforward for village staf f.

Results of the study are expected to c ome back before the board later this month.

“We understand the request and we b eli eve it c an be c ompleted in the next three weeks or so,” Jackson said.

Much of the village f alls within one of the three historic districts — Th e Frank Lloyd Wright Historic District, the Gunderson Historic District and the R idgeland Historic District. Wesley has previously b een c ritical of the districts’ impact on development in the village.

T here is an extra bureaucratic admini strat ive process associated with obtaining building pe rm i ts within a historic district. Projects in historic districts that need village approval include changes of the exterior appearance of any building, c onstruction of any new building and relocation or d emolition of any building, structur e, site, object, or improvement.

Oak Pa rk ’s 11-member Historic Preservation C ommission sometimes reviews building perm it applications for exterior alterations, a dditions, new c onstruction and f ull or pa rt i al d emolition of properties located within the historic districts or at d esignated historic landmarks, according to the village. But 95% of projects are approved by village staf f without c ommission involvement, according to village documents

Two for mer members of the HPC rec ently resigned after the village b oard over r uled the c ommission’s decisions on p lans to build a high-rise apar tment building a djacent to the historic Arcade Building on South Boulevard .

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Community meeting to discuss widening Ike bridges

illage and IDOT partner on planning at Lombard, ast and Oak Park avenues

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Local leaders are taking another stab at eloping infrastructure around the r Expressway, and Oak Park residents are invited to take part in the

A community meeting to discuss potentially expanding bridge crossings over the I-290 in Oak Park is set for next week. Oak Park is partnering with the Illinois Depart-

ment of Transportation and engineering consultant AECOM on a federally funded study to “examine community needs” for expanded bridge crossings at East Avenue, Oak Park Ave and Lombard Street.

The other Oak Park bridges over the IKE are also “planned for future reconstruction,” but are not being focused on in this study, according to the village

The Oak Park focused session comes as IDOT works on “preliminary design” for a future I-290 reconstruction project, according to village of ficials.

“This initiative is a major step toward reimagining the I-290 Eisenhower Expressway corridor (‘the Ike’) and strengthening

See BRIDGES on pa ge 13

Saturday April 11  7:30 pm Pilgrim Church, Oak Park, IL

Sunday April 12  4 pm Grace Lutheran River Forest, IL

Driver dies by suicide a er crashing into Pace bus

14 others injured in accident at Lake & Harlem

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

A driver fatally shot himself after crashing into a Pace bus in Oak Park, leaving more than a dozen others injured.

T he incident o ccu rred at the i ntersection of Harlem Avenue and La ke Street around 9 a.m. F riday, April 3, village officials said.

T he drive r was tr avelling south on Harlem Avenue when they r an a red light at La ke Street. After seeing a pedestrian in the walkway, the drive r swer ve d i nto the northbound lane and c ollided with mult iple vehicles, including a Pace bu s, village of ficials said.

T he drive r then took out a g un and shot

themselves in the head. T hey we re pronounced d ead on the scene, a ccording to the village.

T he drive r was a 48-year- old man from Plainfield, a ccording to C ook C ounty record s.

At least 14 p eople from the other vehicles we re taken to local hospitals. N one are b eli eved to have sustained signific ant injurie s, according to the village.

If you are experiencing suicidal, substance use or other mental health crises please call or text the new three digit code at 988. You will reach a trained crisis counselor for free, 24 hours a day, se ven days a week. You can also go to 988lifeline.org or dial the current toll free number 800-273-8255 [TALK].

Local

journalism matters. That’s why we made a bold decision to protect its future.

Wednesday Journal is now part of NEWSWELL, a nonpro t journalism organization that provides resources, technology, and long-term support to community newsrooms across the country.

This partnership strengthens our foundation while keeping everything that matters the same. Our newsroom remains local. Our staff remains in place. Our commitment to this community is unchanged. With the added support of NEWSWELL, we are better positioned than ever to continue delivering the independent, communityfocused journalism our readers rely on.

Same mission. New chapter. Stronger future.

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Journal hosts Eve Ewing for conversation on Original Sins and Sup erheroes

Wide -ranging discussion at Dominican will cover equi in comics, poetry and lm

By JACKIE PISANO Contributing Reporter

In recent years, issues ofrace, neighbo hood equity, education and politics ha topped news cycle coverage on TV news, social media platforms and print news publications.

That’s why on Thursday, April 16 Wednesday Journal is partnering with Dominican University’s school ofeducation to host a community talk exploring the intersections ofsociety, diversity and academia. T he discussion will be held at 7 p.m. at the university’s Lund Auditorium inside the Performing Arts Center, 7900 W. Division St

Eve Ew ing

“A Conversation with Dr. Eve L. Ewing: Education, Equity and Justice from Original Sins to Superheroes,” will feature Ewing, an acclaimed author, sociologist and professor at the University of Chicago, whose work centers on the issues ofracism, inequality and urban education.

In addition to receiving her master’s de gree in teaching from Dominican in 2009, Ewing holds a master’s de gree in educational policy and management from Harvard University (where she served as editor and co-chair ofthe Harvard Educational Review). With a combination of work experience as an educator at both the elementary and university level, Ewing is currently an associate professor at the University ofChicago, where she teaches courses on race, education and Afrofuturism.

Black and Native Children and the Construction of American Racism,” which explores the idea that America’s school system has historically reinforced the idea of white i ntellectual superiority and an upholding ofthe U.S.’s racial hierarchy. A New York Times and USA Today bestseller, the book was also named a “Best Book ofthe Year” by The New Yorker, Esquire, Elle and the Chicago Public Library, and was longlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal.

Outside the classroom, Ewing has authored numerous books, most recently “Original Sins: The (Mis)education of

Ewing has also published poetry collections, written “Ghosts in the Schoolyard: Racism and School Closings on Chicago’s South Side,” and been involved in several projects for Marvel Comics, including the “Black Panther,” “Exc eptional X-Men” and the “Ironheart” serie s. Ewing has also co-written a young adult graphic novel, “Change the Game,” alongside for mer NFL quar terback and American civil rights activist Colin Kaeper nick, and the short story “Timebox” with award-

Artemis mission draws special attention of Oak Park astronomer

Jim Sweitzer has spent a half-centur y running astronomy programs, teaching, writing about space

By JESSICA MACKINNON Contributing Reporter

Much of the country – if not the world –was watching, fingertips crossed, as the Artemis II capsule was launched from the Kennedy Space Center on Wednesday, April 1, the first space mission to orbit the moon in more than 50 years.

For Oak Park resident Jim Sweitzer the mission has special resonance. His fascination with space was sparked while attending Boy Scout camp in Michigan in 1969, just a few weeks after the Apollo 11 mission had landed the first astronauts on the moon. As part of a ritual to earn his Order of the Ar row, Sweitzer was blindfolded, marched to an open field and left for the night.

After removing his blindfold, Sweitzer was overwhelmed by the brilliance of the stars in the pitch-dark sky. The experience, combined with the excitement of the moon landing, was life-changing and eventually led him to pursue master’s and doctoral degrees in astronomy and astrophysics at the University of Chicago, one of the world’s leaders in astrophysical research

Shortly after graduating in the late 70s, Sweitzer was invited to teach at Chicago’s Adler Planetarium and he discovered that he enjoyed it. His career trajectory pivoted from research to education.

“Popular astronomy was burgeoning at the time. The first Star Wars movie and Carl Sagan’s Cosmos series were huge successes I taught a class on Stephen Hawking’s book, A Brief History of Time, and it was packed with more than 100 people. People really wanted to learn about the universe, and the Adler, with its focus on education, was one of the greatest places to be,” Sweitzer said.

Sweitzer eventually became assistant director of the planetarium, responsible for developing exhibits and sky shows and pioneering the use of remotely operated telescopes by the public

He left the planetarium in 1991 to co-direct under the auspices of the University of Chicago the team building the first astronomical observatory in Antarctica. Funded by the National Science Foundation, the launch of the Center for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica was a mammoth interdisciplinary effort, including teams of scientists as well as construction crews Sweitzer made the arduous jour ney to the Center twice

“When you first get off the plane at the South Pole, all you see is white – like being on whipped cream. It was something else. I remember thinking that it was the closest I’d ever get to experiencing another planet,” Sweitzer said.

Antarctica is ideal for the work Sweitzer was doing – using radio telescopes to observe radiation from the Big Bang – because it is extraordinarily dry. In addition to his research, he conducted an educational video conference with Chicago Public Schools that allowed students to take a “field trip” to the South Pole.

Sweitzer and his family moved to New York City in 1996 when he was hired as director of special projects at the American Museum of Natural History. He oversaw the renovation of the Rose Center of Earth and Space and the creation of the new Hayden Planetarium, the first major digital planetarium in the world. He also managed a NASA grant to develop the digital galaxy project, an electronic map of the observable universe.

Living on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, the family took full advantage of the cultural opportunities available in the city. His wife, Cathy, is a writer and taught writing at Sarah Lawrence College in Westchester County; his son attended New York University filmmaking; and his daughter studied violin at the Manhattan School of Music.

But by 2002 they were ready to come back to Chicago. They moved into Cathy’s for mer family home in Oak Park and Sweitzer joined DePaul University where, as director of the Space Science Center, he coordinated science

outreach between NASA and a seven-state educational network in the Midwest.

For the past two decades, Sweitzer has been an in-demand consultant for planetariums and science centers across the globe because of his broad experience working with scientists, architects, engineers, museum staff and educators.

One of his largest contracts was with the Shanghai Astronomy Museum, a sprawling 38,000 square meter comprehensive astronomy campus and the largest planetarium in the world. During the five-year project, he had a hand in all its 300 exhibits.

“I have great respect for the Chinese There is nothing like the Shanghai museum in the West,” Sweitzer said.

During the COVID lockdown, Sweitzer and his wife, who received her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in English at Rosary College (now Dominican University), wrote a book to help “lay people” understand some of the most interesting contemporary topics in astronomy. The book is written as a series of letters to Galileo, one of Sweitzer’s heroes, updating him on the mind-boggling astronomical discoveries made since his time.

The book tackles dark matter, which Sweitzer considers the most challenging question puzzling researchers today

“We know that more than three-quarters of the universe is made up of invisible matter, we just don’t know what it is,” Sweitzer said. “We can’t see it but we can see its effect on stars, galaxies, clusters and the Cosmos.”

Sweitzer understands the public’s interest

in black holes, which he refers to as “like lasers for cats.”

“When I talk about black holes, people pay attention. They are fascinating. They pull in all space and time and anything that enters a black hole is on a one-way trip.”

In his book, Sweitzer explains that black holes are stars that have run out of nuclear fuel and imploded from the force of gravity. According to Sweitzer, every galaxy in the universe harbors a black hole in its center

From his own backyard, Sweitzer can see the influence of the nearest black hole, Gaia BH1, with his smart telescope, an instrument that uses onboard computers to find deep space objects in relatively light polluted skies.

Referencing Artemis II, Sweitzer said that, while Gaia is in our neighborhood, at 1,500 light years away, it would take the capsule 42 million years to reach.

Although Sweitzer has spent almost 50 years dedicated to the art of visualizing the universe for the public, he now spends quite a bit of time creating fine art for himself, a pursuit he started two decades ago as a way of communicating (and competing) with his sister and mother, both of whom were accomplished artists. He re gularly takes classes at the Oak Park Art League, where he is a long-time member, and has participated in several shows

But he hasn’t given up on science.

“Some people do crossword puzzles [to unwind], I study quantum field theory,” he said, laughing.

CRIME

Oak Park police arrest man for drug DUI

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Oak Park police arrested a Chicago man for driving under the influence of drugs last week.

Police arrested the 44-year-old shortly after 2:30 a.m. on March 31 near the I-290 Austin Boulevard exit. The man was charged

Mike and I bought our house in April of 1995. We loved the house but it was not perfect. The first time my mother saw our new house, she was not impressed. The front entrance was a tangle of overgrown juniper bushes and had pitched, painted, cement steps. My mother thought the house looked messy and seemed unsafe. She was not wrong.

That November Mike and I threw a house warming party. The next morning, I carried the recycling—filled with empty beer and wine bottles—down those front steps. There was clear ice I didn’t see. I slipped, fell backward, and the bottles came crashing down around me.

Luckily, I wasn’t hurt. But it proved my mother’s point. Our porch could be unsafe. Unfortunately, replacing the porch was unrealistic. Mike and I were busy raising kids and we were barely keeping up with the mortgage. So, a new porch would have to wait. (We just used a great deal of ice melt salt.) Years passed.

with driving under the influence of drugs, possession of a controlled substance and driving with a suspended or revoked driver’s license, according to police records.

Domestic violence arrests

Oak Park police arrested several people in connection with domestic violence inci-

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dents over the last week.

Police arrested a 20-year-old Chicago man in the 300 block of Austin Boulevard shortly after 2:30 a.m. on April 2 on domestic battery and protective order violation charges. The victim in the case was an Auroura resident, according to police records.

Police also arrested a 28-year-old Chicago woman on domestic battery charges in the

MY MOTHER’S PORCH

Then decades. Somehow it was never the right time to replace the porch.

About 20 years after we bought the house, my mother passed away.

My mother had always been careful with her money. Her own parents struggled with managing their money and my mother needed to use her own funds to cover the funeral expenses for my grandparents. Of course, there was no inheritance.

That experience stayed with my mom. She did not want to die penniless. She made sacrifices during her lifetime so that she could leave an inheritance for my brother and me. She considered it one of her greatest accomplishments.

When I received my inheritance from my mom, I wanted to use it in a way to honor her memory and her sacrifice. Considering her dislike for my front porch, a new front porch for our house seemed like a fitting use for the inheritance.

We removed those pitched painted cement steps and messy juniper bushes. In its place, we built a large, welcoming front porch (thanks

to architect Patrick Loughran and Wnuk Construction). The porch is beautiful.

I think my mother would have loved it.

Before building the porch, I did a great deal of research. If you’re ever considering adding or rebuilding a front porch, here are a few things I learned:

Size matters more than you think. Within code and proportion, a bigger porch is usually better. Many people build too small and regret it later.

Design thoughtfully. Materials and features make a big difference—wood, brick, or stone; columns or open space; railings, kneewalls, or screens. These choices shape both the look and feel of the porch. Make the roof and ceiling cohesive. Your architect will guide you here. Generally, you would want the porch roof to match - or at least compliment the rest of the house.

Don’t forget electricity. Outlets and wiring for lighting or a ceiling fan make the space far more usable. They extend your time outside and make the porch feel like a true living space.

Pay attention to the steps. Some people think porch steps are of little

consequence. I think the steps are one of the most important characteristics of a porch. Porch steps can be the key to make your porch appear inviting and welcoming. To me, the most welcoming porch staircases are as wide as possible without sacrificing porch furniture space. The steps should look easy to climb. They should be broad and deep with a riser that is somewhat shallow. If the steps can be wooden all the better. (The bottom step should always be cement for stability.)

My family has gotten great enjoyment from my mother’s porch. Most of us would say it is the best room in the house. We eat meals, read books, watch shows, and host parties on the porch

I think my mother would be proud of how I spent my inheritance.

I was fortunate that my mother was able to leave me an inheritance. I am grateful that I could turn her sacrifice into something that honors her memory and enriches our daily lives. Isn’t that what we hope - that what we leave behind—big or small—will improve the lives of the people we love? Create an estate plan today!

1100 block of Oak Park Avenue just before 3 p.m. on April 2. The victim in the incident was another Chicago resident, according to police records.

Police arrested a 30-year-old Oak Park woman on domestic battery charges in the 1400 block of Austin Boulevard shortly before 6:40 p.m. April 4. The victim in the case is another Oak Park resident, according to police records.

These items were obtained from Oak Park’s Police Department re ports dated March 31–April 6 and re present a portion of the incidents to which police responded. Anyone named in these re ports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We re port the race of a suspect only when a serious crime has been committed, the suspect is still at large, and police have provided us with a detailed a description of seek the

Smoke from massive re at Maywood pallet factory visible in Oak Park

A large and smoky fire erupted Saturday, April 4 at a pallet factory in Maywood. Fire departments from across the near west suburbs were on the scene fighting the blaze, said Nathaniel Booker, Maywood’s mayor, on social media.

There were no immediate re ports of injuries or the cause of the fire. Smoke was visible in all directions in Forest Park, River Forest and Oak Park, where social media was following the news. The smoke was also visible to those driving on nearby I-290.

Residents in western parts of Forest Park re ported smoke infiltrating their homes despite closed windows.

F&L Pallets, 1301 1st Ave., has been in business for 15 years according to its website. It produces and recycles wooden pallets. The mayor also said there are rubber products on the site.

The fire was near the Maybrook county courthouse and just west of Concordia Cemetery and Jewish Waldheim Cemetery in neighboring Forest Park.

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Finance manager says budget plan is in the early stages

By BOB SKOLNIK Contributing Reporter

As he prepares to develop next year’s budget for Oak Park and River Forest High School, Anthony Arbogast, the school’s finance chief, recently sent a memo to all department heads at OPRF asking them if they had to cut 5% from their budget for next year, how would they do that.

That caught the attention of the members of the campus safety team at OPRF and a number of campus safety team members showed up to the March 26 meeting of the school board to express their concerns about the impact that a cut to their budget would have Five campus safety team members addressed the board during public comments as some of their colleagues stood behind them.

Campus safety team member and chief union steward Anissa Molette led off the public comments.

“It is a decision that will directly impact our ability to safely supervise this building,” Molette said of a potential budget cut.

Molette said even with current staffing it is hard to adequately monitor the large school.

“Safety in this building depends upon consistency, constant coverage across all shifts and right now that is stretched” Molette said.

Molette acknowledged OPRF spends 21% more on security than is recommended for a school of its size according to the state’s evidence based funding model.

“But the model does not reflect the real time demands on this building,” Molette said.

Campus safety team member Carol Blackshear said the school begins the day with 24 safety team members on duty with six of them assigned to stationary posts.

“This leaves 18 staff members to provide coverage across the entire building,” Black-

shear said.

Campus safety team member Kamil Werbicki said cutting overtime could affect safety at the school after the regular school day.

“When we talk about overtime budget for our safety and support staff we aren’t talking about extra costs, we are talking about the essential shield of our school’s safety operations,” Werbicki said.

The security guards said they do more than just maintain safety and security at the school. They are trusted adults for some students

“Our support staff are more than just employees, we are mentors, guides,” Werbicki said.

Werbicki said security is not an area where administrators should be looking to save money. “Our presence and vigilance is worth every penny,” Werbicki said. “In today’s world saving 5% on pay might cost us a lot more.”

Arbogast said the request he made to administrators, including to Campus Safety Director Kristen Devitt, was merely a budgetary exercise and not a direction to make cuts. Arbogast emphasized he is still in the early stages of preparing next year’s budget and no decisions have been made to make any cuts at this time.

“None of our departments here were directed that they have to cut their budgets by 5% or anything like that so I think there was a little bit of misunderstanding,” Arbogast said.

OPRF is entering a time where keeping a tighter lid on costs is perhaps more important than it has been for the past 10 years when the school had enormous cash reserves. OPRF is tapping its reserve fund for approximately $44.2 million of the nearly $102 million cost of the Project 2 construction project that is expected to be completed this summer so the school’s reserve fund will be coming down to more normal levels. OPRF is projecting a $3.2 million operating surplus this year but surpluses are expected to shrink in coming years.

‘Broadview 6’ lawyers include agent text messages in ‘selective prosecution’ ling

Defense

for Oak Park Trustee Brian Straw and other progressive politicians has challenged the conspirac charges on ‘selective prosecution’ grounds

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

Attorneys for the “Broadview 6” included records of a federal agent’s private and official communications in their latest court filing arguing that the defendants were targeted for prosecution over their political activism.

T he motion comes after the defense team drew the ire of the assistant U.S. Attor ney on the case by asking that the government be ordered to produce records that might show the influence of high ranking federal officials on the decision to charge the defendants, including Oak Park Tr ustee Brian Straw, on federal conspiracy of fenses for a confrontation with a federal agent at a protest outside the Broadview ICE detention facility last fall.

Federal prosecutors called the discovery request “delusional,” last week.

“Such assumptions are the product of fevered paranoia and delusional speculation, not to mention grossly disingenuous and thoroughly ir responsible,” Assistant U.S. Attorney William Ho g an wrote in a filing.

T he defense re plied last T hursday, saying again that Donald Trump ’s White House has demonstrated a pattern of using the Department of Justice to go after perceived enemies. The defense’s reply also included a private text from the federal agent involved in the case to an “unknown associate” saying that his testimony in the case has made him f amous among “lefties” and an email he sent to his superiors calling out the fact that his testimony had led to charges for several politicians.

“The Trump Administration current Department of Justice ha shattered the time-honored norms tha ensured the inde pendence of the depa ment and guarded against even the pearance of partisan politics and/or pe sonal vendettas infecting prosecutoria decisions,” attorneys wrote. “Put plainly, one would have to be living under a rock to not reco gnize that in these unprecedented times, the current administratio n has re peatedly placed its heavy thumb on the scales of justice in an effort to use the department’s formidable criminal apparatus as a weapon against those it views as its political enemies.”

T he recent filings come weeks after the gover nment dropped charges against two of the six original codefendants in the federal felony conspiracy case. The gover nment dropped the charges against Catherine “Cat” Shar p, a Chicago aldermanic staffer who gave up on her bid for the Cook County board citing the stress of the prosecution, and Joselyn Walsh, a local musician who was the only defendant in the case that doesn’t have a job in local progressive politics.

Still charged are Straw, 45th ward Democratic committeeman Michael Rabbit, Katherine “Kat” Abughazaleh, who fell four points shy of winning Illinois’ 9th district cong ressional primary last month, and Andre Martin, who worked on Abughazaleh’s campaign staf f.

Prosecutors filed an indictment last October alleging that the six were among a crowd of protestors who blocked, pushed against and banged on a vehicle being driven by a federal agent into ICE’s Broadview Detention Facility the morn-

ICE agents during the protests at the Broadv iew ICE facility last year.

ing of Sept. 26.

T he trial in the case is set for Tuesday, May 26.

Straw’s attorney Chris Parente argued in court before U.S. Judge April Perry during a hearing on March 19 that the case fits within a pattern of the Trump administration leveraging the Department of Justice to go after perceived political “enemies.”

“We’ re not just out here trying to make things up, there’s things in the public record that show we’re in different times,” Parente said.

Hogan said in last month’s hearing that the state would provide a record of any White House communications concerning the case, but that he didn’t think any outreach had been made from high level federal officials.

“To my knowledge, and I’m not sayin g I know for sure, but my understanding is that there is none,” Ho g an said. “I do n’t think we ’d have any problem disclosing that.”

Parente cited a New York Times article published at that time that re ported that Justice Department officials had pressured U.S. Attorney offices to charge protestors with felonies.

In addition to claiming that the defendants were targeted by a “selective prosecution,” defense attorneys have said they’ re planning to try and have the case dismissed on first amendment grounds.

In Monday’s filing, Hogan further defended against the defense’s claim of selective prosecution by arguing that the defendants were picked out of the crowd were not wearing masks, as other protestors were

This latest exchange follows months of targeted challenges by defense counsel about the validity of the prosecution’s conspiracy alle gation and evidence, as prosecutors have acknowledged they do not have evidence that the codefendants coordinated prior to the protest or that they knew each other prior to the day. The prosecution is alleging that they broke the law by way of a “spontaneous conspiracy.”

The so-called “Broadview 6” are among 32 known defendants to have been charged with nonimmigration crimes tied to Operation Midway Blitz in Chicago’s federal court. Many of those cases fell apar t before reaching trial and the lone case which has reached a jury trial ended with an acquittal, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

POPE

Greets civic leaders

from page 1

YourBestLife

Your Best Life

This Spring with t Lisa Capone

ThisSpring YOUR BEST LIFE withLisaCapone

She had a chance to talk to him about the village and its four Catholic institutions: Dominican University, Trinity High School, St. Luke and St. Ber nardine Parish and St. Vincent Ferrer Parish.

Since Pope Leo is a native Chicagoan, from south suburban Dolton, was he familiar with River Forest and those Catholic institutions and communities?

Sure was.

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As the days grow longer and the air turns warmer, spring is the perfect time for seniors to refresh their routines and refocus on overall wellness This season brings renewed energ y, blooming surroundings, and new opportuni ties to stay active, social, and engaged. Taking a proactive approach to wellness can support your well-being and help you feel your best and enjoy all that spring has to offer

“[He said], ‘I know where that’s at,’” she said. “I asked each ofthe institutions to write letters that I left with the pope. I handed them to his team.”

He also blessed a bag of rosaries Adduci brought from home from friends and family

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Spend time outdoors to enjoy fresh air, sunshine, and the beauty of the season

Adduci went to St. Elizabeth Seton High School in South Holland, not far from Dolton, and used to spend a lot oftime in that community growing up. After they discussed River Forest, she explained that, “and his eyes widened,” she said.

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Stay active wi th lig ht exercise like walking, stretching, or yoga to support strength, and mobili ty

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Incorporate fresh, seasonal foods like leafy greens, berries, and vegetables to nourish your body

There were even a few moments oflevity. The pope is a White Sox fan, and “he said they need some help, they’re struggling,” said Adduci, who also visited the U.S. embassy in Vatican City with the delegation.

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Declutter and refresh your living space to create a calm, organized, and uplifting environment

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Reconnect socially by joining activi ties, events, or simply spending time wi th friends and neig hbors

But there was more to this meeting than blessings and reminiscing. The pope gave a moving speech, so much so that Adduci took plenty of notes.

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Stay on top of wellness by scheduling check-ups, reviewing medications, and setting new health goals

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“He basically said there are many tasks that vie for your attention each day,” she said. “I would encourage you to listen to the poor, the immigrants and the least among you, seeking to accompany them in your work to promote the common good for the benefit of all.”

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Visit Cantata org for more senior living advice or call 708) 387-1030.

Adduci, who personally paid for her trip and traveled with a friend, flew out of O’Hare International Airport on March 28, arriving in Rome the next day. Flying over, the anticipation was palpable

“You felt like Monday is going to come, how is this all going to work?” she said. “You look across these mayors, mayors that run big cities. We were all anticipating, how do you address the pope?”

One thing she learned was the Vatican requests women wear a veil and a dark suit.

“A priest that was with us, he gave mass while wewere in Rome, and during one of the homilies [he said], ‘We veil the people we feel are holy. We believe women are holy, the mother ofGod.’ That really resonated with me.”

Chicago-born Pope Leo XIV greets River Forest Village President Cathy Adduci and other Chicago-area elected o cials at the Vatican

Of course, as village president Adduci has many responsibilities, but in her view, it wasn’t hard to make the decision to tr avel to Vatican City, especially during Holy Week.

“It was a very easy decision,” she said. “It wasn’t an inexpensive decision, but it was worth it to meet His Holiness, to spend any time at the Vatican, just Rome itself. Once I was asked to join the trip, I absolutely said

yes, I will make it happen.”

The result was a key takeaway that Adduci has contemplated since returning.

“I think it’s about working together,” she said. “Any problem can be solved if we work together with the goal we work together for the common good .

“We can and we should. We can solve our problems if we work to g ether and not find fault. ”

BRIDGES

Feasibility study

from page 4

the connectivity, safety and economic vitality of our community,” the village said in a statement. “The study will focus on opportunities for expanded bridge decking over I-290, which could yield new development, public plazas and park spaces over the expressway. Your perspective is essential to capture the needs, priorities and lived experiences of residents, businesses, institutions and community partners throughout Oak Park and the sur rounding re gion.”

The meeting is set for Tuesd ay, April 7 at the Oak Park Conservatory from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

I-290 is considered one of the most con-

gested highways in the entire country, but there’s been little progress on ef for ts to modernize the Eisenhower Expressway and CTA Blue Line from Downtown Chicago to the western suburbs over the last 20 years. Oak Park officials have been involved with multiple studies of the corridor over the years, including a “Cap the Ike Feasibility Study” completed back in 2005. Redeveloping the bridges could also include adding greenspace or public plazas to the bridge decks over the highway, according to the village.

Last month, Oak Park’s village board also approved the creation of a local steering committee to weigh in on the project. T he committee is to be made up of re presentatives from six of Oak Park’s volunteer citizen commissions, the Park District of Oak Park, the CTA and the Southtown Business District, according to village documents.

Beat the Streets Oak Park challenges youth wrestlers

Boys and girls bring home the hardware from state

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

Eighth grader Isaiah Morquecho always wanted to wrestle

Why? His big brother Jeremiah Hernandez did, and he wanted to be just like him.

Hernandez went on to wrestle successfully for Oak Park and River Forest High School and is graduating next month.

Taking his place at OPRF next fall will be Morquecho, who has plenty of skill of his own thanks to the Beat the Streets Oak Park youth wrestling program.

Morquecho recorded an eighth-place finish in the Senior Boys Division 118-pound weight class at the IKWF State Championships March 12-14 at the Peoria Civic Center. This, he feels, sets him up perfectly for his transition to high school wrestling.

“I have already been training and have been around the high schoolers because of my older brother, so I feel like I’m already connected to the school,” he said. “I’m excited to start my own high school career, and I will be consistently training in the offseason to prepare.”

Fellow eighth grader Diego Navarro took sixth at state in the Senior Boys Division 126-pound weight class, and like Morquecho can’t wait to take the mat at OPRF next year

“I like wrestling because it is both a physical and mental challenge,” Navarro said. “I’m excited to join the OPRF wrestling team next school year. They are really good and I can’t wait to join them.”

Really good may be an understatement for OPRF and coach Jason Renteria, who works with the eighth graders at Beat the Streets Oak Park. The Huskies finished fourth at team state in 2026 and got an individual state title from junior Jamiel Castleber ry at 126 pounds.

With Morquecho, Navarro and Cory Blanchard, who went 3-2 at state, the future will continue to be bright.

“We had a great year this year, and we have some great kids that are seniors moving on to the next stage of their lives,” Renteria said. “It’s going to be nice to have another group of kids coming into OPRF and having a legacy.”

Jamil Smart coaches all levels at Beat the Streets Oak Park, including the tykes in kindergarten and first grade, to the developmental group from second to fifth grade, and the competition group from third to eighth grade. All told, there are about 120 kids in the program, including 30 girls.

Smart emphasizes Beat the Streets Oak Park isn’t solely about winning like other programs.

“We do a lot of focus on effort, character, integrity, accountability,” Smart said. “We provide a safe environment where parents know they are well taken care of.”

Eighth grader Jade Zambrano took second place at state in the Senior Girls Division 185-pound weight class. She’ll be heading to St. Ignatius next year.

“I got into wrestling about three years ago,” Zambrano said. “I’ve been doing combat sports since I was five years old, and when I learned about wrestling it felt almost impossible not to try it out.”

Zambrano has big goals for herself in the sport.

“I will continue wrestling through high school and colle ge,” she said. “I look forward to accepting the challenge of higherlevel competition and tournaments. My wrestling skills will only improve, constantly strengthening and enhancing them.

“I would like to be an ambassador for my sport and want to give back to the sport as a coach and mentor for the younger generation of girls as women’s wrestling continues to grow.”

Asher Eichert is Zambrano’s coach at Beat the Streets Oak Park. She also coaches fifth grader Alexa Nunn, who took third place at state in her division.

“It’s great to see how she has developed the last three years,” Eichert said of Zambrano. “I’ve seen her develop into a solid wrestler technically speaking. She’s grown in her confidence outside of the wrestling

room. [St. Ignatius] is just starting their program essentially and she’s going to be a leader.”

Third grader Oliver Smart took third place in state in the Bantam Division’s 60-pound weight class, and he has vivid memories of when he started in the sport.

“My dad used to wrestle with me when I was little,” he said. “It was really fun so I wanted to keep doing it when I got older.”

He’s got big goals, too. He wants to seize

first-place finishes at nationals and in state

But more importantly, “I want to keep working hard in practice and try my hardest in every match.”

In other words, the kids are all right, and not only on the mat, but the classroom.

“Because you’re a club, you don’t have to abide by academic standards, but because this is a feeder program for the high school, we focus on academics,” Smart said. “And we hold a standard for that.”

Leamy leaves legacy at St. Catherine-St. Lucy School

Longtime principal will retire on June 30 with enrollment, academics thriving

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

Sometimes, when you know it’s time, it’s time.

That was the situation with Sharon Leamy, principal of St. Catherine-St. Lucy Catholic School. She will retire June 30 after 20 years as a teacher and administrator, the last eight as principal of the Oak Park institution that is part of the Big Shoulders Fund, a nonprofit organization that helps schools in under-resourced areas.

“It was not an easy decision,” she said. “Once I verbalized the decision, I didn’t have anxiety about it. I felt at peace about it inside. It’s not an easy decision you make.” Leamy said to be successful in her role as principal especially, she spent long hours at school at Washington Boulevard and Humphrey, often from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., considering there were events after the school day, like sports, and many events on weekends. That’s enough to wear on a person after a while, but for Leamy, it was virtually a life mission.

“Truly, I love St. Catherine-St. Lucy,” she said. “I poured my heart and soul into that place, and I brought my family with me. It’s a lot and I just started feeling in my heart over last summer, and I started thinking about it and started talking about it with my family, and it was a very difficult decision to reach.

St. Catherine-St. Lucy president Staunton Peck said Monday that an inhouse candidate will become the new principal, which will be announced in the coming weeks after communicating with the

St. Catherine-St. Lucy School Principal Sharon Leamy in one of the school’s classrooms in 2025.

school’s faculty and staf f.

“The academic and cultural strength of our school over the last decade is a direct result of Sharon Leamy’s leadership,” Peck said. “In everything she does, she embodies peace, love and excellence, setting the standard for our entire community to follow. Sharon’s leadership is defined by her heart; she is a friend to all and a constant, warm light in our hallways.

“We owe her a great debt of gratitude for her years of relentless service and will

truly miss her presence in our halls.”

Though she is retiring, Leamy is going to work with the new principal to ensure a smooth transition for the school, though not physically in the building.

Leamy worked out of colle ge at Ryerson, a metals company, and when it was taken over by a private equity firm, she took a buyout package and pursued a teaching de gree.

In August 2006, she began at St. Catherine-St. Lucy and taught junior high math

and science before ascending to assistant principal and ultimately principal eight years ago.

That was just before the pandemic, which she recalls with utmost clarity.

“It was difficult because there was so much unknown,” she said. “We had parentteacher conferences, it was a Thursday, the next day was a teacher institute day. We had hand sanitizer and then the archdiocese shut down the schools.”

The following fall, while public schools remained closed, St. Catherine-St. Lucy opened, though in a hybrid fashion.

“Families we serve were very hesitant to come back in the building,” Leamy recalled. “We did go to e-learning for our first through eighth grade, but we opened our building for any kids who needed a place to go. We created barriers with PVC piping and shower curtains.

“We weathered through it. As people started getting vaccinated, we opened the building up. We became stronger as a staf f and our kids came back.”

Leamy added she is most proud of the fact that both enrollment and academics are thriving, and what her students do when they move on to high school and beyond.

But what will she do with her time after June 30, besides do some limited work with the new principal?

“I’m going to keep working,” she said. “I don’t know exactly what, but I’m not going to stop working.

“I’m blessed to have a wonderful family and beautiful friends. I will do some volunteering.”

Enrichment and guide Camp

An Inspiring Opportunity for Gifted Students at Dominican University

It’s true. The needs of academically gifted & talented students can easily fall through the cracks as continued priorities on testing drive schools to teach to a standardized grade level response. The phrase genius denied refers to those who will suffer a profound gap between their fullest potential and what little is asked of them, particularly when one size just doesn’t fit all.

Perhaps this is part of the reason why schooling for the gifted and neurodivergent can be a boring and isolating experience.

Ask a neuro-atypical child what it’s like to learn with peers who learn differently, and the common reply will relate to waiting. Waiting for the other students to understand; waiting to be challenged more; waiting for answers to higherlevel questions; waiting for something to inspire a desire to achieve; waiting… for someone to notice.

Summer enrichment programs for intellectually like-minded students provide inspiring opportunities for both academic and social growth. And quite often, a life defining experience. The Summer Gifted and Talented Program is hosted on the beautiful campus at Dominican University, where our classrooms are buzzing with ideas because we know that talent must be nurtured and fed to fully develop. For us, summer is the highlight of the year. It’s a time when we can feel free to be ourselves, motivated by the energy that comes with the joy of inspired learning.

Visit dom.edu/summergifted for more details about SGAT at Dominican University. Spring Registration is around the corner soon! Inspired Minds. Amazing Possibilities.

Summer Gifted and Talented Program

Summer Gifted and Talented Program

(SGAT) challenges and inspires highly motivated, academically gifted and talented students entering grades 2-8 in the fall with academic and social enrichment in Math,Science, Writing/Humanities, and Fine/ Performing Arts.

For program information, summer courses and application details, visit: www.dom.edu/summergifted Questions?

Contact Program Director (remote): Janie Wu, jwu@dom.edu Or SGAT Assistant (on-campus): Keisha Brokaw, kbrokaw1@dom.edu

Serving the gifted and talented community since 1987.

Serving the gifted and talented community since 1987.

Dominican University’s Summer Gifted and Talented Program (SGAT) challenges and inspires highly motivated, academically gifted and talented students entering grades 2-8 in the fall with academic and social enrichment in Math, Science, Writing/Humanities, and Fine/Performing Arts.

For program information, summer courses and application details, visit: www.dom.edu/summergifted

Questions? Contact off-campus Program Director Janie Wu at jwu@dom.edu, or on-campus SGAT Assistant Janette Torres Arellano at jtorresarellano@dom.edu.

Get it to go at Alpine Food Shop

As fresh as the sandwiches are, it’s a tradition that’s decades old

TBy RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Contributing Reporter

ailgating, teacher appreciation, graduation, weddings, baby showers, funerals and many life events in between, Alpine Food Shop caters them all. Feeding the community is a tradition cherished by the owners and customers alike.

Twenty-six years ago, Kathy Bonaccorsi and her husband, along with other family members, bought Alpine, 7538 W. North Ave., Elmwood Park. Ever since then Kathy has managed the catering business.

“People will call and say, ‘I’m having a party, what do you think I need?’” Bonaccorsi said. “I just try to guide them. I ask questions, ‘What is the age group? Do you have any other food? What’s the occasion, the time of day,’ that kind of thing.”

It’s all very personal and hands-on. Trays

of 3-inch-cut sandwiches fly out of the shop on weekdays and weekends. Experience tells Bonaccorsi that men usually will eat three of the 3-inch sandwiches and women will eat two.

The most popular choice is their Alpine sub: ham, salami, capicollo with provolone cheese. Turkey is next in line, followed closely by veggie subs, which are roasted red pepper, portabella mushroom and provolone.

Salads usually accompany the sand-

wiches too. Potato salad is a classic. Primavera pasta includes rotini pasta with freshcut vegetables, sliced black olives and a vinegarette dressing. And shells salad has green olives, mushrooms and red peppers in a parsley-pesto-parmesan base.

“Every is cold, we still don’t do anything hot,” she said. But it is fresh. “A big part is that we go through so much. We’re opening hams, turkeys, cooking beefs and corned beef constantly. And our oil and vinegar mixture that we make is unmatched anywhere. It’s not spicy, but there’s some crushed red pepper in there. And there’s a pesto that we make. You can’t just make up this recipe at home. People try all the time.”

The bread is from Turano.

“Literally we get it delivered two, three times a day,” she said. “And the lettuce, the tomato, it’s all fresh and prepared daily. And then there is love.”

Bonaccorsi grew up at North and Central Avenues in Chicago. Her husband grew up in Elmwood Park. It means a great deal to them to continue the traditions that started at Alpine more than 70 years ago.

“People come in all the time, saying, ‘Oh, I went to school here or there. I lived down the street.’ People come from the airport a

lot,” she said. “They’re like, ‘Oh, you’re one of our first stops.’”

Kathy Bonaccorsi remembers everyone’s orders or at least she has a system to help her remember.

“I have folders of orders that I save because I know they’re going to call back,” she said. “Like every St. Patrick’s Day, we do the same parties. Christmas. We do a lot of team orders now with spring sports starting. I’ll save those orders because different parents usually get the orders and they’ll like, ‘Oh, I want whatever we had last game.’ And I’m like, okay, hold on, let me go find you.”

Typically, the shop asks for orders three days in advance.

“If there’s an unknown event, like a death in the family, a birth,” she said. “I never say no. I try not to. If it comforts people, then I’m happy. It’s all about being a part of the community.”

Order up your own

Website: alpinefoodshop.com

Address: 7538 W. North Ave., Elmwood Park

Hours: Sunday 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Monday Closed

Tues – Sat 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

ANNUAL STATEMENT OF AFFAIRS SUMMARY FOR FISCAL YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2025

Copies of the detailed Annual Statement of Affairs for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2025 will be available for public inspection in the school district/joint agreement administrtive office by November 30, annually. Individuals wanting to review this Annual Statement of Affairs should contact: Oak Park Elementary School District 97 260 Madison St., Oak Park, IL 60302 708.524.3000 8:00 - 4:30 School District/Joint Agreement Name Address Telephone Office Hours

Also by January 15, annually the detailed Annual Statement of Affairs for the Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 2025, will be posted on the Illinois State Board of Education’s website@ www.isbe.net. SUMMARY: The following is the Annual Statement of Affairs Summary that is required to be published by the school district/joint agreement for the past fiscal year. Statement of Operations as of June 31, 2025

SIZE OF DISTRICT IN SQUARE MILES 5

NUMBER OF ATTENDANCE CENTERS 10

NUMBER OF CERTIFICATED EMPLOYEES

FULL-TIME 597

PART-TIME 6

NUMBER OF NON-CERTIFICATED EMPLOYEES

FULL-TIME 353

PART-TIME 70

PREVENTION & SAFETY

IMMUNITY

PROJECTS

SALARY SCHEDULE OF GROSS PAYMENTS FOR NON-CERTIFICATED PERSONNEL

GROSS PAYMENT FOR CERTIFICATED PERSONNEL

Salary Range: Less Than $39,000

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Alexandria C, Wilkerson, Amari Chanel, Work, Wilson David, Yarbrough, Joscelyn L

Salary Range: $40,000 - $54,999

Allen, Veronica D, Banks-Holmes, Angela R, Carter, Vashti, Craig, Ashley, Eble, Julie A, Euring, Ishana, Foleno, Allison, Friley, Jeanette, Gallais, Nicole C, Gallais, Nicole C, Haynes, Gabrielle D, Johnson, Lakresha, Kepchar, Michael C, Mannino, Maria Cristina, Mcgee, Anitra, Munoz, Kassandra E, Ortega, Claudia, Redmond, Nicole, Roskopf, Lee Ann C, Schroeder, Claire, Smith, Tywone, Tabar, Aurora M, Thomas, Patricia A, Thomas, Patricia A

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Acosta, Nidia, Champ, Latoya, Chandak, Simran S, Duda, Paul, Harlan, Anna, Harris-Johnson, Etta, Hernandez, Bryan, Hoak, Grace N, Husbands, Jennifer, Krikau, Lori, Latimer, Autesha, Lee, Tamiko M, Lottie, Michelle N, Lowry, Joanne, Marcinowski, Karol S, Marshall, Cory A, Nichols, Yulonda, O’Malley, Margaret M, Orlin, Randi M, Paolinelli, Gina, Perkins, Jamari, Reed, Tiphany N, Vazquez, Anthony A

Salary Range: $75,000 and over Ayala, Vivian M, Banks, Angel, Boose, Lonya, Brackett, William, Champagne, Kathryn E, Colaner, Anna C, Delgado, Mayra, Ellis, Carla Denise, Giles, Torrance S., Ibanez, Sandy, Jackson, Echelon L, Kostoff, Christopher Warren, Landfair, Gina R, Lenzo, Sheri C, Mack, Amanda, Morgan, Catherine M, Ordaz, Rosa, Pahlman, John, Reynolds, Cristina, Siegfried, Amanda, Smith, Allison, Tomczynski, Adam L

Payments over $2,500, excluding wages and salaries 95 Percent Group LLC 5,148.00, A T & T_9 11,134.31, ACCESS CREDIT UNION 161,406.00, ACCURATE OFFICE SUPPLY 11,961.18, ADAFRUIT INDUSTRIES, LLC 12,996.75, Adult Stuttering Services P.C. 93,316.33, AED Professionals 4,260.40, AFFILIATED CUSTOMER SERVICE, INC. 46,644.26, Affirming Voices LLC 2,700.00, AGILE SPORTS TECHNOLOGIES 8,500.00, AH TECHNOLOGY, INC. 121,015.00, AHS Staffing LLC 64,205.60, AIMSWEB BY PEARSON 24,500.00, AIR CLEANING SPECIALISTS 14,734.20, Air Comfort, LLC 28,610.86, ALARM DETECTION SYSTEMS INC. 32,944.12, ALPHA CARD SYSTEMS 5,675.54, AMALGAMATED BANK OF CHICAGO 4,083,050.00, AMAZON.COM SERVICES, INC 409,332.86, Amergis Healthcare Staffing, Inc. 22,828.75, AMPLIFY EDUCATION 50,797.03, AN EXECUTIVE DECISION 15,538.37, ANDERSON PEST CONTROL 10,043.50, Anderson Snow 2,526.63, Andries, Paula 5,111.00, Andy Frain Services, Inc. 431,400.32, APPLE COMPUTER INC 28,926.00, APPRAISAL ASSOCIATES 5,900.00, ARIZONA STATE UNIVERSITY 3,100.00, ARTHUR J. GALLAGHER RMS, INC. 20,000.00, Ashford, Kristine 4,992.28, Asif Wilson 5,000.00, ASSURED HEALTHCARE STAFFING 9,031.95, AT&T 16,066.91, AT&T Mobility II LLC 13,330.62, AT&T Southwestern Bell Telephone Company 11,253.30, AUSTIN MUSIC CENTER 8,662.56, BAKER TILLY VIRCHOW KRAUSE, LLP 89,500.00, BALLET L’EGERE 3,186.00, BATTERIES PLUS, LLC 3,068.69, BEC EQUIPMENT LLC 17,789.97, BENJAMIN BONICK 5,950.17, Beth S. Lacey 5,422.50, Blake Donalson 6,000.00, BLICK ART MATERIALS 38,345.77, Blue Chip Athletic 3,788.97, BLUE CROSS BLUE SHIELD OF IL 571,256.60, BMO MASTERCARD MC CORP CLIENTS PAYMENT C 518,330.06, BOARD OF EDUCATION DIST #97 513,090.00, BOB ROGERS TRAVEL 11,214.00, BOB’S DAIRY SERVICE 94,903.89,

Data previously included in the Annual Statement of Affairs can be found at:

Payments to certified personnel Posted on district website per 105 ILCS 5/10-20.47

Student Counts Included in district’s report card Illinois Report Card

Financial Data Included in district’s Annual Financial Report posted on ISBE’s Cerberus Server

BOOTH MICHAEL 14,066.33, BRAINPOP, LLC 19,375.50, BREAKOUT EDU 9,849.00, Brecht’’s Database Solutions, Inc. 31,398.66, BREEZIN THRU, INC. 5,562.24, BRIGHT ARROW TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 8,215.70, Brightly 19,494.57, BROOKES PUBLISHING 4,796.40, BROOKS PTO 2,874.07, BSN SPORTS 5,778.64, Building Wings LLC 12,028.50, BULK BOOK STORE 27,313.22, BULLEY & ANDREWS 1,975,136.87, BUSINESSSOLVER.COM, INC. 6,964.20, CANDOR HEALTH EDUCATION 34,951.00, Canion Creations LLC 3,377.70, CANON BUSINESS SOLUTIONS, INC. 99,374.78, CANON FINANCIAL SERVICES, INC. 82,470.00, Carangi & Associates INC 6,500.00, CARDINAL COLOR GROUP 2,850.00, CDW CORPORATION 1,409,151.18, CENGAGE LEARNING, INC. 10,520.39, CENTER FOR RESPONSIVE SCHOOLS, INC. 5,060.40, CERAMIC SUPPLY CHICAGO, INC 3,430.60, Cheryl Woods-Clendening 15,500.00, CHICAGO WOLVES 3,815.25, CHILD’S VOICE SCHOOL 4,442.68, CICERO SCHOOL DISTRICT 99 6,885.00, CINTAS CORPORATION 81,662.35, CLARE WOODS ACADEMY 82,300.19, CLASSIC CINEMAS LAKE THEATER 4,277.00, CLIC-ISDLAF PLUS 377,536.00, Collaboration for Early Childhood 219,270.00, Comcast 3,000.41, COMCAST BUSINESS 8,768.67, COMMITTEE FOR CHILDREN 8,966.60, COMMONWEALTH EDISON 173,672.91, COMPASS HEALTH CENTER CHICAGO, LLC 4,200.00, COMPASS HEALTH OAKBROOK 16,117.50, Connect Academy 27,587.26, Connections Day School South Campus 14,271.04, CONSTELLATION NEWENERGY GAS DIVISION, LL 422,632.40, CONSTELLATION NEWENERGY, INC. 106,446.06, contnued.com LLC 6,058.00, Cook’s Direct 9,068.12, COOPERATIVE ASSOCIATION FOR SPECIAL E 230,752.83, CRISIS PREVENTION INSTITUTE 32,229.75, CROW COMMUNICATIONS, INC. 22,390.00, CROWN CASTLE INC 14,870.25, Cultured Impressions 2,993.75, CZUBA RACHEL 6,000.00, D.J. SWEENEY ELECTRICAL CONTRACTING, INC 95,750.00, Davis Athletic Equipment Company 4,660.00, DE LAGE LANDEN PUBLIC FINANCE 42,139.57, DECKER EQUIPMENT 10,866.62, Delia, Caroline 4,000.00, DEMCO, INC. 7,073.39, DEPAUL UNIVERSITY 91,790.00, Diane Fairchild Senechal 5,690.00, Diligent Corporation 27,634.50, DISCOUNT SCHOOL SUPPLY 6,106.04, DISCOVERY EDUCATION 6,194.52, DIST 97 BENEFLEX 280,699.47, Dollamur LLC 9,349.40, Donovan Group III 40,000.00, DOST VALUATION GROUP 3,410.00, Dynamic Lynks, Inc 23,505.00, EARTHWISE ENVIRONMENTAL, INC. 18,563.70, EASTER SEALS 41,375.97, ED-RED 3,350.00, EDUCATIONAL BENEFIT COOPERATIVE 12,670,774.37, EI US, LLC 27,605.25, Elaina Miller 11,373.50, Emily Gage 6,017.68, ENCYCLOPEDIA BRITANNICA, INC. 3,569.50, ENOME, INC. 10,010.00, ESGI 25,630.00, Esperanza Community Services 66,070.63, EVERYDAY SPEECH LLC 13,056.13, Experience Management Institute 3,000.00, EXPLORE LEARNING 16,986.50, FE MORAN, INC. 24,475.00, FED EX, INC 14,506.68, FELLOWSHIP COMMUNITY SERVICES 40,075.00, FERGUSON ENTERPRISES, LLC 3,847.99, Follett Content Solutions, LLC 30,069.82, FOLLETT SCHOOL SOLUTIONS, INC. 21,059.18, Forest Education Consulting, LLC 5,500.00, Fox Dever, Candice M 3,000.00, FRANK COONEY CO. INC 2,582.00, FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT TRUST 6,755.00, FREDRIKSEN FIRE EQUIPMENT 15,469.17, FRONTLINE TECHNOLOGIES GROUP, LLC 114,095.21, GATEWAY EDUCATION HOLDINGS, LLC 27,760.70, GIANT STEPS 85,491.08, Glenn Stearns Chapter 13 Trustee 9,187.50, GOPHER 10,063.73, GRAINGER 35,157.47, Granite 6,000.73, Great Minds PBC 5,806.95, GSF USA, INC 21,337.50, Hand2Mind 60,845.32, HAPARA, INC. 10,070.00, HARDING CHERYL 3,156.48, HEALTH EQUITY, INC. 78,174.90,

Heggerty 2,693.52, HEINEMANN 31,338.77, Hildebrand Sporting Goods 4,051.00, Hispano Lawn Maintenance & Landscaping 58,814.75, HOME DEPOT CREDIT SERVICES 9,493.13, HOUGHTON MIFFLIN CO 24,584.00, HTD Day Inc. 33,604.42, HYA Corporation 6,183.33, HYDE PARK DAY SCHOOL 129,707.01, I A S B 22,575.00, IAASE 4,000.00, IASA 6,050.51, IASPA 8,500.00, Ideal Charter 6,134.24, IESA 2,575.00, Illinois ASBO 3,689.00, ILLINOIS DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT SECURITY 8,160.17, ILLINOIS DEPT OF REVENUE 3,053,340.21, ILLINOIS MUNICIPAL RETIREMENT FUND 2,519,653.77, ILLINOIS PRINCIPALS ASSOC. 12,888.65, ILLINOIS STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION_864 136,026.00, ILLINOIS STATE POLICE BUREAU OF IDENTIFI 40,546.00, Illinois State University - IL ASCD 6,462.00, Illinois Ultimate 6,100.00, Illuminate 32,150.00, Incident IQ 17,612.50, Inclusion Rules LLC 3,336.20, Inclusion Solutions, LLC 3,500.00, INFINITE CONNECTIONS, INC. 6,499.92, Inkspire Graphix 3,532.00, Innersync Studios, Ltd. 11,068.00, INSTRUCTURE, INC. 87,576.43, INTERPRENET, LTD. 16,090.46, INTERVIEWSTREAM 9,849.00, INTL DISTRIBUTION NETWORK 9,650.98, J W PEPPER & SON, INC. 7,476.64, J.T. KATRAKIS & ASSOCIATES, INC 5,875.00, Jacquelyn Pytlik 4,420.00, JAMF SOFTWARE, LLC 49,356.00, Jason Gerace 4,572.00, JCFS CHICAGO 154,720.36, Jeremy Ramey 19,095.00, Jessica Lynne Wolthusen 3,100.00, Johnson, Dominique 5,000.00, Jones, Jennifer M 3,762.98, JOSH PRISCHIN 4,695.00, JOSTENS_953 20,990.45, Julia Weir 3,100.00, K12 INSIGHT LLC 10,506.00, KAGAN & GAINES MUSIC COMPANY 12,562.16, King, Marybeth 11,500.00, KNOWBE4, INC. 7,617.61, KOMPAN, INC. 6,016.16, Kristen Triandafilou 7,830.00, Lakeshore Learning 3,661.94, Lakeshore Recycling System 46,575.76, LAKEVIEW BUS LINE 6,524,456.92, Laprea Education Inc 7,153.67 Laura M Campbell 2,835.00, Laura M. Campbell 9,394.50, LEARNING A-Z 55,429.17, LEARNING WITHOUT TEARS 27,311.59, LENOVO 5,647.28, LEXIA LEARNING SYSTEMS 46,440.00, Life Fitness LLC 12,498.25, Lourdes Maria Valdez 7,200.00, Luke Bartolomeo 4,270.00, Lynn Adler Training and Facilitation 6,150.00, M & M SPORTS, INC. 2,769.20, MACKIN EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES 8,897.86, MAHONEY’S GRADUATION SERVICES 8,105.00, MARY BACA 4,980.00, MAUER & MADOFF LLC 5,238.56, Maxim Healthcare Services 81,568.34, MBA Marcia Brenner Associates 30,241.50, MBS IDENTIFICATION, INC. 4,875.00, McDonald, Timothy 6,953.02, MCGINTY BROTHERS 11,210.00, MealTime 5,825.00, MECK PRINT 4,643.40, MENARDS 5,951.05, MENTA ACADEMY HILLSIDE 63,946.68, Merlin Day LLC 95,626.53, METROPOLITAN PREPATORY SCHOOLS 262,308.57, MICHAELS UNIFORM COMPANY 8,124.45, MID AMERICAN ENERGY 886,442.73, MIDWEST APPLIED SOLUTIONS 7,085.79, MIDWEST COMPUTER PRODUCTS, INC. 12,761.45, MIDWEST MECHANICAL GROUP, LLC 24,323.00, MIDWEST PRINCIPALS’ CENTER 3,890.00, MOBYMAX 17,975.00, MORTON ARBORETUM 2,981.00, MULTI-HEALTH SYSTEMS, INC. 5,220.00, MURNANE PAPER CO 113,647.40, MUSIC SALES DIGITAL SERVICE 3,062.15, Mystery Science c/o Discovery Education 10,405.00, NAPERVILLE PSYCHIATRIC VENTURE LINDEN OA 5,304.00, NATIONAL EQUITY PROJECT 33,300.00, NATURE ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES 3,220.00, Navigate 360, LLC 7,210.00, NCS PEARSON 35,254.95, NEARPOD 15,500.00, NetSpec, Inc 7,400.00, NEUCO, INC 13,137.05, NEW HORIZON CENTER 114,879.11, NEWS-2YOU 25,023.81, NOLAN FIRE PUMP SYSTEM TESTING 5,668.00, NORTH COOK INTERMEDIATE SERVICE CENTE 9,450.00, NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY BURSAR

continued from previous page

Payments over $2,500, excluding wages and salaries

5,070.00, Northwest Passage 7,000.00, NSBA 4,165.00, NSN EMPLOYER SERVICES, INC. 6,467.18, Oak Grove Education Works 3,500.00, OAK PARK & RIVER FOREST TOWNSHIP 27,782.25, OAK PARK EDUC SUPPORT PROF IEA/NEA 15,097.75, OAK PARK ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT 97 49,302,246.07, OAK PARK PIANO 10,940.00, OAK PARK TCHR ASSISTANTS ASSOC 57,608.05, OAK PARK TEACHERS ASSOCIATION 452,931.68, OAKBROOK MECHANICAL SERVICES 8,874.98, OFFICE DEPOT 6,569.59, OLSSON ROOFING CO., INC. 29,326.75, O’NEAL TERRIA 2,550.00, ONSHAPE 3,000.00, OPRF HIGH SCHOOL FOOD SERVICE 734,289.10, OTIS 5,715.16, OTTO HUBER 4,206.50, OZOBOT 4,100.00, P.A.C.T.T. Learning Center 85,375.59, Palabras Speech Therapy LLC 3,850.00, Panorama Education 15,000.00, PARK DISTRICT OF OAK PARK 208,662.97, PARKLAND PREPARATORY ACADEMY 173,889.77, Peekapak, Inc 5,000.00, PENTEGRA SYSTEMS, LLC 37,364.17, PERFECT CUT PRODUCTIONS,LLC 16,950.00, PERIPOLE, INC. 2,648.25, PERRY TY 10,620.00, PHILLIPS AIR COMPRESSOR, INC. 4,292.42, PianoForte Chicago, Inc 3,900.00, POBLOCKI SIGN COMPANY, LLC 5,000.00, Poleski, Margaret 2,781.21, PORTER PIPE & SUPPLY 2,659.00, POWERSCHOOL GROUP, LLC 121,786.34, PRECISION CONTROL SYSTEMS INC. 8,601.28, Printed Solid Inc 3,999.76, PROCARE THERAPY 16,412.80, Public School Works 10,022.83, QUADIENT FINANCE USA, INC. 5,013.92, QUADIENT LEASING USA, INC 14,249.04, QUALITY LIFT TRUCK SERVICE, INC. 4,376.41, QUALITY LOGO PRODUCTS 11,465.24, QUENCH USA, INC. 3,175.70, QUILL CORP 16,356.75, QUINLAN AND FABISH 16,728.36, R&G CONSULTANTS 3,177.37, Raptor Technologies LLC 54,113.55, REACH SPORTS MARKETING GROUP, INC. 2,999.47, RED WING BUSINESS ADVANTAGE ACCOUNT 4,707.94, Redwood Schools 78,506.61, REGIONAL TRUCK EQUIPMENT 5,754.08, RELIANCE STANDARD LIFE INSURANCE CO. 18,332.82, Renaissance Learning 5,279.70, Ro Health, LLC 166,117.86, ROBBINS SCHWARTZ, NICHOLAS LIFTON & TA 358,124.07, Robert Half 57,222.10, Robert J Kartholl III 3,450.00, Robosource LLC 4,225.43, ROYAL PIPE & SUPPLY COMPANY 4,026.81, RUSH DAY SCHOOL 421,737.41, RUSSO’S POWER EQUIPMENT, INC. 9,112.36, S E I U LOCAL #73 35,103.36, Savvas Learning Company 6,388.20, SCHINDLER ELEVATOR CORP. 33,301.31, SCHOLASTIC, INC. 16,616.39, School Business Management Services LLC 87,300.00, SCHOOL HEALTH SUPPLY CO 11,722.66, School Lockers 4,610.01, SCHOOL MATE 12,558.51, School Matters 52,500.00, SCHOOL SPECIALTY 17,644.15, SchoolForce Solutions, Inc 75,552.84, SchoolStatus, LLC 53,790.00, SEAL OF ILLINOIS 307,866.84, Secure Document

Conversion 6,137.76, Secured Tech Solutions, LLC 7,582.60, SECURLY, INC 18,076.67, SEESAW LEARNING, INC 19,420.00, SELF 518,470.00, SHERWIN-WILLIAMS COMPANY 7,068.28, Shindler & Joyce 4,645.83, SIGISMONDI DOMINICK 6,972.75, Silver Lining Learning, LLC 8,000.00, SIX FLAGS GREAT AMERICA 32,822.66, SOCIAL THINKING (WORKSHOPS, BOOKS) 3,487.70, SOLIANT HEALTH, LLC 88,353.57, SONIA SHANKMAN ORTHOGENIC SCHOOL 192,657.57, SOUTH SIDE CONTROL SUPPLY CO. 4,951.90, SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES 296,367.90, SQUIRRELS, LLC 4,313.28, ST. CATHERINE - ST. LUCY SCHOOL 6,220.00, STARSHIP SUBS 4,638.02, StataCorp LLC 2,845.00, STATE DISBURSEMENT UNIT 75,321.18, Stericycle, Inc. 12,821.43, STR PARTNERS, INC. 106,151.00, Student Centered Services LLC 9,100.00, Sue Vercnocke 9,870.00, Sunbelt Staffing 43,630.08, SWANK MOTION PICTURES, INC 5,542.00, Talk Toomey Hablame Speech Pathology Ser 11,970.00, TAYLOE GLASS COMPANY 3,678.00, TAYLOR MORRIS 6,549.00, TEACHERS RETIREMENT SYSTEM 5,977,422.79, Texthelp Inc. 27,231.74, The Blackberry Collection LLC 14,000.00, THE CENTER: RESOURCES FOR TEACH & LEARN 4,750.00, THE CHICAGO LIGHTHOUSE 151,967.43, The Forge Lemont Quarries 9,571.80, The Home for Little Wanderers 130,939.77, THE MATH LEARNING CENTER 4,752.00, THE NORA PROJECT 8,700.00, THE SOCIAL EXPRESS 2,699.00, THEATRICAL LIGHTING CONNECTION 4,523.75, THERMOSYSTEMS, INC. 24,252.56, THIS 945,556.96, THOMSON REUTERS-WEST 15,012.16, THYSSENKRUPP ELEVATOR CORP. 40,461.99, TinkRworks, Inc 2,900.00, TODAYS CLASSROOM LLC 2,556.74, Total Communication Solutions (TCS) 38,149.54, TouchMath Acquisition LLC 10,654.88, TPRS Books 2,618.00, TRANE 26,908.00, Triton College Earth and Space Center 10,280.00, TSA CONSULTING GROUP, INC. 4,069,499.52, Tutoring Precisely 9,600.00, TYLER TECHNOLOGIES, INC. 107,754.60, UNITED RADIO COMMUNICATIONS 9,936.93, United States Postage Service 6,205.00, UNITED STATES TREASURY 10,304,175.07, UNIVERSITY OF OREGON EDUCATIONAL & COMMU 6,750.00, Utter, Rory K 3,940.00, UW MADISON ACCOUNTING SERVICES 15,000.00, VERIZON WIRELESS 6,102.84, VEX ROBOTICS 18,147.81, VILLAGE OF OAK PARK_1645 15,851.48, VILLAGE OF OAK PARK_1646 115,306.80, Vista Higher Learning 13,434.48, VOYA INSTITUTIONAL TRUST COMPANY 109,123.73, Voyager Sopris Learning Inc 12,303.90, VSP OF ILLINOIS, NFP 65,802.29, WAREHOUSE DIRECT 202,642.03, WASTE MANAGEMENT 3,090.00, WasteNot, Inc 35,250.00, Wells Street Popcorn 3,740.00, WEST 40 8,351.00, WEST 40 INTERMEDIATE CTR #2 35,629.12, WEST MUSIC COMPANY 10,519.87, Wet

Solutions, Inc 5,500.00, White Pines Ranch 2,770.00, WILSON LANGUAGE TRAINING CORP. 93,022.00, Winay Associates LLC 9,320.00, Works International 8,734.00, WorldStrides 63,888.80, Y.E.M.B.A., INC 45,000.00, ZEARN, INC. 20,000.00, ZIEGLER FORD OF NORTH RIVERSIDE 5,594.91, Zinger, Noah J 4,500.00, ZOOM VIDEO COMMUNICATION, INC 26,790.00

PAYMENTS TO PERSON, FIRM, OR CORPORATION OF $1,000 TO $2,500 EXCLUDING WAGES AND SALARIES ACCURATE TRANSLATION BUREAU/ACUTRANS 1,105.90, Aguilar, Katie R 2,500.00, Ainsley Chac 2,035.00, AISLE 1,475.00, Alma Delia Becerra Torres 1,850.00, Alma Pauleth Jauregui Escobar 2,500.00, ALPHABET SOUP PRODUCTIONS 2,213.50, AMERICAN BUILDING SERVICES, LLC 2,170.91, Ancieta, Victor F 2,275.00, Anderson Bookshop 1,279.80, AnthroMed LLC 1,321.66, Association for Middle Level Education 1,498.90, BALTICA, INC. (FISH HELP) 1,470.00, BLUE CAB 2,078.67, Brian Wasserman 1,281.00, BRIGID BARRATTE 2,450.00, Brown, Dana 1,959.00, Cafi, Edita 1,991.61, Camp White Eagle 2,332.80, Campbell Tominov, Natacia 1,144.88, Casselle, Rahwa 2,082.75, CASTRO DIANA 2,197.50, CBG Acquisition Company 2,170.91, Chicago Dogs Baseball 2,332.00, Chicago Mobile Makers 2,000.00, Chinski, Nicole 1,502.00, COAL CREEK SOFTWARE,INC ( VERIFENT) 1,500.00, Colucci, Michael P 1,205.00, Compass Virtual Health Center PLLC 1,960.00, COSN 1,020.00, Deaton, Patrick 1,520.00, DESMOND FLYNN 2,062.00, Eating Recovery Center, LLC 1,777.50, Eating Recovery Center/ERC Insight 2,319.00, Eaton, Fallon 2,500.00, Eckerling & Son DBA PRINT-Xpress 1,200.00, ECS MIDWEST, LLC 2,020.00, Education (HQ) Kline Creek Farms 1,000.00, Education 2000 1,969.14, Emmanuel Jimenez 1,037.44, Flemming, Ashley R 2,500.00, FRANK MARGOT 1,120.00, FRENDT RICK 1,200.00, Friel, Juliette 2,292.79, Friends of the Gamelan, INC 2,000.00, Full Source, LLC 1,323.94, FURTHER 1,140.38, Galvez, Juan 1,116.22, GEHRING KRISTIN 1,500.00, Get Up and Thrive 1,250.00, Gina Lenigan 1,820.00, GLOBAL EQUIPMENT COMPANY 1,149.15, Grammarly, Inc 1,440.00, Gregory Phifer 1,500.00, Guerrier, Anne Marie 1,470.50, Guinnevere Neville 1,900.00, Hadley Associates Inc. 1,795.00, Hayley Elizabeth Chisholm 1,500.00, Henry Wilkinson 1,000.00, HERFF JONES, LLC 1,002.00, I A S B O 1,310.00, IGSMA 1,033.50, IL Office of the State Fire Marshal 1,400.00, Illinois Art Education Association 1,445.00, ILLINOIS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & EDUCATION 2,480.00, ILLINOIS MUSIC EDUCATORS ASSOC. 2,106.00, Illinois Prep Top Timing 2,240.00, Illinois Reading Council INC 1,190.00, James Kowalczyk 1,500.00, JAMES STANFIELD & CO, INC. 2,019.00, Jeffrey Smith 1,500.00, Jose Martinez 1,400.00, Juanita Scott Smith - Dream T-Shirts 1,175.00, K-LOG 1,783.61,

REPORT ON CONTRACTS EXCEEDING $25,000 AWARDED DURING FY2025

Kanohi Gurgas 1,000.00, Kelly, Mary E 2,000.00, Kids Unlimited Therapy Services, LLC 2,000.00, Kimberly LewisWilliams 2,375.00, Kimberly Vanbiesbrouck 2,400.00, KOHN LAW FIRM SC 1,255.08, Kurilko, Catherine A 1,520.00, Kvam, Karen 2,075.00, LAKESHORE CURRICULUM MATERIALS 2,069.91, Lauren Gullo 2,244.00, Learning Services International Inc 1,233.00, LENEHAN AIDAN 2,500.00, Lenzo, Sheri C 1,151.90, LessonPix, Inc 1,530.00, Libraria 2,255.54, M & K QUALITY TRUCK SALES 1,642.91, MAERCKER SCHOOL DISTRICT 60 1,890.00, Making Connections 2,050.00, Malia G Hunter 1,644.50, Mark Andersen 1,505.00, Math Learning Center 1,188.00, McMahon, Hannah 1,332.86, Megan Riordan 1,200.00, Mobley, Bronwyn L 2,000.00, MUSIC THEATRE INTERNATIONAL 1,003.00, NAPER SETTLEMENT 1,256.00, NATIONAL LIFT TRUCK 1,827.93, NCPERS-IL IMRF 2,072.00, Nick Leos 1,875.00, NLRP/Harrow Sports 2,268.98, NSPRA 1,545.00, NV Ultimate 1,400.00, OAK PARK SCHOOL DISTRICT 97 1,206.91, Ortega, Claudia 1,000.00, Ortiz, Maribel 2,000.00, PAR CODE SYMBOLOGY, INC. 2,226.50, PEAR DECK, INC. 2,479.32, Perkins, Steven D 1,056.00, Perry, Courtney M 1,476.07, POSITIVE PROMOTIONS 2,404.27, PROJECT LEAD THE WAY, INC. 1,700.00, Protolight 1,900.00, Raia, Jennifer 1,809.84, REALLY GOOD STUFF 1,020.56, Realmjhill LLC 1,500.00, Reardon, Keith 2,000.00, RIFTON EQUIPMENT 1,373.00, Riverside Insights 1,362.98, Rosenblum, Gabrielle 1,249.40, Rowan Neville 2,400.00, SAUNDERS HOLLY 1,136.35, SCHOLASTIC CLASSROOM AND COMMUNIT 1,522.07, School and Office Direct LLC 1,595.04, SCHOOL DATEBOOKS 2,179.92, School Matters, Inc 2,250.00, School Outlet 1,017.08, Sefcik, Brooke A 2,000.00, Serjanaj, Redjana 2,500.00, Shinners, Brian K 2,001.51, SHOWBIE, INC. 2,220.00, SOUTH SIDE GRINDS LLC 1,598.62, Stringham, Nefret H 1,474.25, Sue Wagner 1,066.67, Suntex International Inc 1,530.32, SUPER DUPER PUBLICATIONS 1,990.00, Syona Carlo 2,200.00, Tacchi, Amber 2,000.00, THE BOOK TABLE 1,798.31, The DBQ Company 1,060.00, The Pavilion Foundation 1,122.00, THE PRINTING STORE 1,030.00, thinkAUM 1,880.00, THOMPSON ELEVATOR INSPECTION SERVICE 2,300.00, TORRES, SERGIO 2,000.00, Tracy, Samantha Stewart 2,000.00, TreeTop Products, LLC 1,298.74, TYLER BUSINESS FORMS 1,343.68, Tysse, Kate M 2,000.00, Ultimate SLP 1,934.73, Valeriya Nedviga 2,000.00, Valle, Kelly M 2,000.00, Weber, Rachel 2,000.00, Wendella Boats 1,665.00, WEST SUBURBAN CONSORTIUM 2,345.00, Williams, Pat 1,365.00, Woodson, Erin P 2,000.00, WPS 2,048.20, Yearbook LLC 1,687.50, Zand, Noah 2,000.00

In conformity with sub-section (c) of Section 10-20.44 of the School Code [105 ILCS 5/10-20.44], the following information is required to be submitted in conjunction with publication of the Annual Statement of Affairs [105 ILCS 5/10-17]. The schedule below (Items 1-4) must be completed for contracts exceeding $25,000. If school district/joint agreement does not have any contracts exceeding $25,000, please add zeros (0) to cells “D24”-”D29”.

ITEM 1. – Count only contracts where the consideration exceeds $25,000 over the life of the contract and that were awarded during FY2025 and record the number below in the space provided. Do not include: (1) multi-year contracts awarded prior to FY2025; (2) collective bargaining agreements with district employee groups; and (3) personal services contracts with individual district employees.

ITEM 2. – Aggregate the value of consideration of all contracts included in Item 1 and record the dollar amount below in the space provided.

ITEM 3. – Count only contracts where the consideration exceeds $25,000 over the life of the contract that were awarded during FY2025 to minority, female, disabled or local contractors and record the number below in the space provided. Do not include: (1) multi-year contracts awarded prior to FY2025 ; (2) collective bargaining agreements with district employee groups; and (3) personal services contracts with individual district employees.

ITEM 4. – Aggregate the value of consideration of all contracts included in item 3 and record the dollar amount below in the space provided.

1.

2.

3. Total number of contracts awarded to minority owned businesses, female owned businesses, businesses owned by persons with disabilities, and locally owned businesses:

*If there are no contracts of this nature, please enter “0” in box to the right.

4. Total value of contracts awarded to minority owned businesses, female owned businesses, businesses owned by person with disabilities, and locally owned businesses: $1,174,216.93

*If there are no contracts of this nature, please enter “0” in box to the right.

WEST SUB’S FUTURE

West Side, Oak Park activists, ex-West Sub sta make reopening plan

Meeting star ted with venting, then community’s role in hospital’s future

By DAN HALEY Interim Editor

In a community meeting Monday evening, West Side and Oak Park activists crowded a room at the Oak Park library’s main branch and were joined by staf f members from the now-shuttered West Suburban Medical Center.

While the mission of the gathering was to look ahead to the role community members might play in reopening the hospital, there was also considerable venting by for mer staf f who, for the first time, spoke publicly about deteriorating conditions

within the hospital over the three years it has been operated by Dr. Manoj Prasad and his Resilience Healthcare system.

The frustration was largely directed at Prasad with stories about broken X-ray machines and ultrasound equipment being re possessed by unpaid vendors. However, Jessica Causero, a nurse at West Sub for five years, lathered blame on the Illinois Department of Public Health for failing to exact consequences on West Sub for continual failings during state inspections.

“IDPH has been in the hospital every week,” she said. “They have blood on their hands for turning a blind eye to what

PCC moves urgent care program out of West Sub

PCC Community Wellness Center is moving its Wellness and Urgent Care Center out of the now-shuttered West Suburban Medical Center on Austin Boulevard. After initially saying it would remain in the space previously occupied by the hospital’s old emergency room, PCC decided instead to relocate the two programs to existing facilities it owns in Austin.

Dr. Paul Luning, chief medical officer at PCC, said the organization has space in its building at 5425 Lake St and planned to make the move overnight on April 7 and reopen in the space on April 8.

Luning said 75% of its patients come from east of Austin Boulevard including from Austin, Berwyn, Cicero and the Belmont-Cragin neighborhood of the city

He said PCC will continue to pay its modest lease obligation on the old ER “in case we need it.”

PCC is also moving its OB ultrasound and sports medicine offices out of West Sub’s professional office building after it inexplicably lost power in those offices last week. Like the urgent care program, those services will also move into spaces in its Austin facilities this week.

Offices for two PCC primary care practices will remain in operation in West Sub’s professional office building. — Dan Haley

they’ve seen and the piss-poor care that has resulted.”

In an interview with Wednesday Journal, Causero said IDPH had conducted multiple investigations at the hospital following evidence of a patient’s death when proper staf f were not available to intubate that patient and ER doctors being called to other areas of the hospital when no other doctors were present. And yet, she said, IDPH did not deliver consequences to West Sub.

Dr. Theresa Chapple was one of the lead organizers of the meeting, which attracted about 75 people. Her focus was on making a

community plan for how the hospital could potentially be reopened. A public health professional and for merly Oak Park’s health director, Chapple said she “has seen many hospitals close but only a few reopen. But we can learn lessons from those which reopened.”

Chapple said later the goal of this hastily gathered group should be to have its own reopening plan in place by mid-July, in the event Prasad fails to reopen West Sub.

Dr. Thomas Fisher, an ER doctor at the University of Chicago and recently an unsuccessful candidate to re place Cong. Danny Davis in the 7th District, said the group

WEST SUB’S FUTURE

WEST SUB

Owes Oak Park millions

from page 1

Park’s annual tax burden of about $255 million.

“It really is a lot of money,” El Saffar said.

These debt figures do not reflect the tax status of the hospital’s property holdings in River Forest.

While Resilience Healthcare has operated West Sub since 2022, Ramco Holdings is the business entity that owns the hospital property and is the one on the hook for the property tax bill, said El Saffar.

The hospital property has several active tax liens on it, including an attorney’s lien.

The unpaid property taxes are just one open tab within a series of debts and financial issues swirling around the safety-net hospital.

Resilience Healthcare also re por tedly owes close to $70 million in unpaid Illinois hospital assessment taxes in connection to both West Sub and its now-closed sister hospital Weiss Memorial.

Wednesday Journal has also re ported on a variety of facilities issues at the hospital that reflected the dire financial straits West Sub had been in over the last year, including failed fire safety and elevator inspections, inter ruptions to telephone service at the hospital, the abrupt closing of its birthing and neonatal unit, and the loss of accre ditation for its once well-re garded doctor residency progr am.

Prasad said at a press conference last week that he’s confident that the hospital will reopen by June or July. But moments later, State Re p. and Democratic cong ressional nominee La Shawn Ford said West Sub is at high risk of foreclosure, wher the unpaid tax debt could be sold of f.

“Outstanding mortg age payments ha been placed both on Weiss and West Suburban, and so that means that this hos-

West Sub owes state sales, service taxes

In addition to tens of millions of dollars West Suburban Medical Center owes to the state, to local taxing bodies for property taxes and to its vendors, it also owes an unspecified amount of money to the State of Illinois for unpaid sales and/or service taxes.

A source with knowledge of the debt told Wednesday Journal that it is a substantial amount of money and that the Illinois Department of Revenue is aware of the nonpayment.

In response to an inquiry from the Journal, a department spokesperson said sales tax payment information is confidential.

The spokesperson said it is difficult to define the specifics of what products or services a hospital might need to pay tax on. Hospitals do have some exemptions from these taxes, according to the spokesperson, and a hospital could owe sales tax and service taxes to the state.

— Dan Haley

pital is in foreclosure and the taxes are being sold. So, we have a problem,” Ford said.

In the weeks since West Sub closed, Ramco Holdings owner Reddy Rathnaker has publicly split with Prasad. Through a press re presentative, Rathnaker called for West Sub to continue without Prasad’s involvement as he re por tedly courted a deal with Insight Chicago, a non-profit agency that’s took over operations of Mercy Hospital, a failing institution in Chicago’s Bronzeville neighborhood.

T hough Reddy is also a 40% owner of Resilience Healthcare, he said he was not

involved in the management or operations of West Suburban and became aware of several issues of concern following the closure of Weiss. Prasad confirmed at last week’s press conference that Reddy had no day-to-day operational responsibilities with the hospital.

“I’m not quite certain how [Insight] is going to do it and how they got involved in the first place, because my landlord has absolutely no authority to be talking about operations for anybody,” Prasad said. “My question to [Insight is], why didn’t they take it in 2022 when it was available?” Jessica Mordacq contributed re porting

needs to look at a wider picture of failing urban safety-net hospitals while honing in on the problems at West Sub. Hospitals that have closed and then reopened, he said, “have come back because of rooms [of people] like this. He suggested that key points of focus for the plan need to be putting pressure on political leaders at the village, city, county and state levels, while also building an effective outreach to the philanthropic community.

Before the meeting closed, Chapple and her co-facilitator, Dr. Mohi Ahmed, worked to organize the large crowd toward signing

up for specific working groups to begin a planning ef fort. Those subgroups included political, legal, leadership models, community needs, partnerships and alliances, messaging and workers.

When discussing what needs the community feels a reopened West Sub would need to offer, Chapple said an option she has seen work is a phased reopening process. If maternity care was a community priority, then perhaps that unit could open first. Or the ER.

Meeting attendees discussed how to gather that input, with a special emphasis on

hearing from West Siders. There was also a debate over whether it was necessary or advisable to attempt to work with Prasad on any plan. Some speakers noted that he still owns the hospital and said there needs to be some “solidarity” with him. Others, mainly for mer staf f members, said Prasad would have to be pushed out of ownership for any resuscitation to occur.

Dr. Chidinma Osineme, the chief medical officer at West Sub, was one speaker who said Prasad would need to be removed for West Sub to reopen. She again called for a full investigation of operations at West

Sub under his leadership. Osineme, who first spoke to re porters outside the intense press conference at West Sub last week with Prasad and State Re p. La Shawn Ford, said she had a follow-up meeting with Ford, Cong. Davis and State Re p. Camille Lilly last Saturday. She said she thought they heard more about community concerns and her focus on an investigation of the closing of three hospitals under the ownership of Pipeline Health, then Resilience Healthcare: Westlake Hospital, Weiss Memorial in Chicago and West Sub. “This is a pattern,” she said.

New biz at Buzz Café space

Blackberry Market, serving breakfast and lunch, expands to a fth location

By RISÉ SANDERS-WEIR Eats Reporter

T he for mer Buzz Cafe space at 905 S. Lombard Ave. Oak Park will open anew as Blackberry Market in late spring or early summer. T he Market has four other suburban locations with counter-order, f amily-friendly, high-quality vibes.

“I’ve considered Oak Park many times,” said Anna Davidson, CEO and founder. “I really love the community. It’s such a good fit for our brand.”

Local social media has been in a whirl since the announcement. Posts reveal that people are looking especially forward to the cinnamon rolls and chicken salad from Blackberry Market, which Davidson said are their top sellers. She said those “put us on the map.”

ing about r unning a business, but I knew as a mom what I wanted. I wanted a plac I could go; I could bring my kids; I could meet up with friend s. But it still had r eally high quality, excellent handmade food.”

To that end, all food sold in the mar kets are made from scratch, according to Davidson. Blackberry Market has a centralized commercial kitchen that creates many of the items, but baked good are put in the oven at each store. That central kitchen has allowed the brand to expand to spaces that don’ t have large kitchen facilities, such as the Buzz Café space.

Davidson started the business in 2012.

“I was a mom with three young kids who lived in Glen Ellyn,” she said. “I also had a huge passion for food. I knew noth-

EVE EWING

Superhero equity

from page 6

winning singer and actor Janelle Monae. Dr. Sara Re zvi, an assistant professor of education at Dominican, will moderate the conversation with Ewing. Re zvi, whose research focuses on inte grating social justice and cultural responsiveness into math education, works to address systemic inequities and explore identity formation.

“Is the purpose of education just to learn reading, writing and arithmetic, or is it something greater than that?” Re zvi said.

“It’s given us a little more flexibility in what we can do,” Davidson said. “We really love being in the path of the everyday customer, the people who live, work, go to school right nearby. And I think that location really lends itself to that.”

T he market will be open from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., starting with breakfast sandwiches, toast, croissants, biscuits and more.

“I think that’s a question we’re trying to inter ro gate at the School of Education.

As a Hispanic-serving institution, we’re preparing teachers to support students of color and those who are immigrants — all of this is intertwined, as you can’t become an educator in this current sociopolitical moment without reco gnizing that your silence is complicity and you either respond to it or are invoking cognitive dissonance.”

Re zvi says that since Dominican does its best to uphold its Sinsinawa order tradition of justice, the university is the ideal place to host the discussion on these topics.

“This goes beyond DEI language — we’re talking about a spiritual stance, a justiceoriented stance, a faith-oriented stance, in a time when people of color are being kid-

Lunch includes seven sandwich options, four salads and two soups. Grab and go options are available too Co ff ee is from Intelligentsia.

“We have a really strong catering progr am too,” Davidson said. “We do a special menu for holidays. We li ke being pa rt of your gatherings in as many ways as p ossibl e. And the o bject ive is to take the pressure of f p eople and give

napped of f the streets because of who they are perceived to be, which scares me,” she said. “Like all suburbs in Chicago, [Oak Park and River Forest] have very historical antecedents that are still very present to this day about redlining, se greg ation, gentrification. This conversation is a conversation with both the present and the past because the past does not go away; it still fractures into the present.”

Dr. Josephine Sarvis, associate dean in the education school, says Dominican is proud to host Ewing not just as an alumna but because she says her work has greatly contributed to shaping national conversations about education and equity.

“Ewing’s work challenges us to confront the history of education while also imagin-

them time to enjoy themselv es, enjoy the p eople they love.”

T he plan is to make cosmetic changes to the space, to align it with the Blackberry Market brand

“We’ re going to do a few things, some furniture, a little bit of updating some equipment, but the bones of the store will remain the same. And we’re very excited about the back pati o.”

ing a more just and hopeful future for our schools and communities,” Sarvis said.

“[The discussion is] not meant to convince you of one thing or the other, they’re just meant to instigate a conversation,” said. Re zvi. “All of these things are very important in a city like Chicago which we think of as very progressive and liberal but in fact is one of the most se gregated cities in the country. She really does a beautiful job of articulating and analyzing in ways that are coherent to the everyday layman who is not in education research.”

Tickets are $15 for the g eneral public, $10 for Wednesday Journal subscribers and donors, and free for Dominican students and staf f. To purchase tickets, visit dom.edu/arts-minds.

Oak Park home sell for $1,292,000

The following property transfers were re ported by the Cook County Clerk from December 2025. Where addresses appear

appears

Homes

Chicago Tree Project artists spent 10 days carv ing one elm tree during a Ragdale residency project.

Oak Park’s own eco-artist

Chainsaw in hand, Margot McMahon

By LACEY SIKORA Real Estate Reporter

Oak Parker Margot McMahon is an artist, but not just any artist. She identifies as an eco-artist, and her work has been changing the Chicago landscape in more ways than one

Having a lot of logs in her backyard as a child inspired McMahon to start carving wood when she was in seventh grade, and she hasn’t looked back. Those early endeavors marked her launch into a career as a sculptor. She invented an earthfriendly cement mix called Fondu concrete and worked with that medium before entering what she calls her bronze period.

creates sculptures

from dead trees

move them.”

She applied to the Chicago Park District to carve one of the dead trees and was the first person accepted into their nascent tree carving program.

Then, Emerald Ash Borers hit the Chicago area, leaving behind a wake of dead trees. McMahon saw the dead trees as an opportunity to change sculpting mediums while raising awareness.

She recalls, “Ash Borer disease hit Chicago — over 150,000 trees — and millions of dollars were going to be spent to re-

That first project was a sweeping tree off of Lake Shore Drive in Jackson Park She created larger-thanlife sculptures of birds and owls. Within three weeks, the park district asked her to run The Chicago Tree Project.

McMahon says making sculptures from dead trees is the perfect way to talk about the climate crisis. She used her carving to make a statement about the canopy of Chicago trees being eradicated.

Beyond the symbolism of the project, she notes that there are real benefits to carving dead trees and keeping them in the ecosystem.

“There’s an awareness that this tree has died, and we can keep it around longer. The ecolo gy of keeping a dying tree is incredible. You have food for birds and a place for their nests. Varmints can live in the wood, and the roots feed

email: dhaley@newswellchicago.org

PROVIDED

‘Flock’ by Margot McMahon at Jackson Park and Columbus Park.

PROVIDED

new trees. The old trees are providing nutrients for thousands of creatures. You can give these trees a fifth season.” She also stresses that dead trees are carbon sequesters and says reusing dead trees for art or woodworking keeps the carbon out of the air.

Through her work with The Chicago Tree Project, McMahon noted an unexpected perk: community building.

See TREE SCULPTURES on pa ge 28

TREE SCULPTURES

Eco-artistry

from page 26

She was working on a carving at Belmont and Lake Shore Drive when no fewer than three friends who lived in neighboring high-rises told her they were watching her work from above.

“The idea is that the tree is now a symbol for the neighborhood — like we can say, ‘turn left at the spiral sculpture.’ It became a kind of totem, which is really cool in terms of neighborhood building.”

McMahon directed The Chicago Tree Project for five years, bringing together artists through Chicago Sculpture International to work on tree carvings throughout the city. McMahon’s work and the work of other artist carvers, who came from around the country and from as far away as Peru, is documented at the website: https://www chicagotreeproject.org/

Inspired by their work, she also wrote a book of poetry entitled, The Fifth Season: The Chicago Tree Project, aimed at explaining the importance of the trees to a younger audience. She also authored If Trees Could Talk, a hybrid memoir and historical fiction work that details the lives of her parents

Today, she continues to work as an artist and channels her love of trees into a sapling initiative, through which she leads a group on the South Side every Earth Day in tending to saplings.

“We picked the South Side because they really lost their canopy. But we are tending 55 saplings, which is making a difference. We learn how to take care of them, have

a lunch and then write poetry about the trees.”

McMahon has sculpted a tree or two in Oak Park as well and notes that the village is also marked by the devastation of tree-borne diseases. First, Dutch Elm disease took out hundreds of parkway trees in the 1970s, and then Emerald Ash Borer arrived later to take out more.

She recalls her block losing roughly 10 trees during that period and notes it really changed her perception of where she lived. She praises the Oak Park arborists for their work in responding to these hits to the ecosystem.

“Oak Park really is an arboretum. Planting a diversity of trees is important. We are getting our canopy back,” she says Today, she leads a block party exercise in which participants try to guess the new species of trees on the blocks. For her, the trees lining the streets and filling the yards are more than just living decoration. She emphasizes, “Trees are our markers, these things are part of what you feel home is.”

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS IS FRIDAY 5 P.M.

Call Viewpoints editor

Ken Trainor at 613-3310

Email: ktrainor@newswellchicago.org

10 bad arguments against housing reform

TVIEWPOINTS

his spring, as the Oak Park Village Board begins to conside zoning reform in earnest, the WJ opinion pages are sprouting anti reform opinion pieces like daisies:

“Zoning reform won’t produce affordable housing” It’s a common misconception that only the gover nment can produce affordable housing. Since 2012 Oak Park has built 1,751 new housing units, 50 of them deed-restricted affordable but in the same amount of time the number of affordable units in Oak Park, according to the Illinois Housing Development Authorit increased by 1,300. This is because building ne market-rate housing decreased the demand for existing affordable housing, protecting it for lower-income residents. There is no progressive plan that will generate 1,300 affordable units in a decade, not even close.

JOSH

VANDERBERG

Temple B’nai Abaham at Karlov and Washington Boulevard in East Austin neig hborhood.

PROVIDED

Library of Hebrew eological College at its 1940 campus in North Lawndale, now located in Skokie.

Oak Park is not alone, data from across the nation shows that building new market-rate housing increases affordability at all market levels

“It will displace vulnerable residents”

According to U.S. Census data, the percentage of Black population in Oak Park fell from 21.2% to 17.8% between 2010 and 2023. Our exclusionary housing policy is already resulting in displacement. Displacement occurs when housing demand exceeds supply. Prices are bid up, existing stock is renovated and sold to a more affluent market segment to meet demand

Gentrification is what you get when the only legal building form is a house that costs more than the one it replaced

“It threatens homeownership and wealth-building”

The status quo has resulted in cheap starter homes being flipped and tur ned into larger more expensive homes. In Oak Park there’s no retur ning to the cheap, small, single-family home as the lowest rung in the housing ladder. But we can provide more affordable entry points for ownership and wealth accumulation by building more townhomes and condos

“Private equity and developers will exploit it”

Private equity invests in housing because artificially constrained supply is causing housing to appreciate much faster than inflation. It’s a good investment. The best thing we could do to stick it to private equity is build more housing.

“It harms neighborhood character and historic fabric”

Almost half of Oak Park’s housing is in multifamily buildings. Duplexes, townhomes, and courtyard apartments can be found everywhere in our neighborhoods, and predate single-family zoning. For the last 100 years we’ve made building new examples of that housing illegal. Zoning refor ms would allow us to return to the housing for ms that make Oak Park so unique and special.

Antisemitism in Oak Park housing history

Episode 5 of a 12-part series on village housing as it relates to diversity and equity:

In the early decades of the 20th century, Jews seeking to live in Oak Park faced similar obstacles as African Americans. Housing shortages in Chicago, entrenched village antisemitism, and discriminatory policies presented critical challenges for Jewish families.

Little Jerusalem

The Jewish move to Oak Park started with migration from North Lawndale on Chicago’s West Side. There, Jews had established a rich Yiddish culture of butcher shops, movie theatres, restaurants, schools, multiple synagogues and the still existing Mt. Sinai Hospital. They thrived in the greater Lawndale area, which came to be known as “Little Jerusalem,” the home of over 100,000 Jews, 40 percent of the region’s Jewish population in the 1920s. Historian Irving Cutler tells how Jewish families coming to the West Side faced hostility from gentiles who lived there. When a Jewish family moved onto a block, as would happen later with Black migration, fairly soon the whole block became Jewish (1).

Moving to Oak Park

By the 1930s, hundreds of Jewish families lived

in Oak Park. In 1933 Jewish residents for med the West Suburban Jewish Community Center, located first in Forest Park and later relocated to Oak Park at 414 Lake St. The center became the meeting place and synagogue for preserving Jewish culture. It provided space for weekly worship, education, group support and collectively considering political action.

In 1939 the center planned for a lasting house of worship, a temple that would anchor the community for generations to come. They encountered significant discrimination, which was recently and richly documented by Oak Park resident, attorney and historian Michael Zimora (2).

Antisemitism in Oak Park was individual and collective. A Jewish family purchasing a home in the ’20s faced hostile neighbors. Later they learned the house was sold to them to spite a neighbor. Around 1930, Jewish lawyer Joseph Schachner opened a law office in Oak Park. A few weeks later a burning cross was placed in front of his home — likely by local members of the Ku Klux Klan, whose mission was to discourage both Catholics and Jews from moving to Oak Park. Undeterred, Schachner

TWhen the ne became Human Paper invoices. West

Sub’s salvation

he morning of April 1 in a crowded boardroom at West Suburban, there was a joint but oddly adversarial press conference as State Rep. La Shawn Ford had seemingly demanded and cajoled Dr. Manoj Prasad, the hospital’s CEO, into answering questions from the press

While the seldom-seen Prasad really, really wanted to paint a heroic portrait of himself as the man who saved West Sub from bankruptcy three-and-a-half years ago, Ford ke pt steering him back to the harsh light of reality – we were all standing in a hospital that had been abruptly shuttered at the end of March and the promise was that ts CEO was going to explain his plan to get it by July

ou see, the whole problem, Prasad said many times, is that one year and four days ago, the hospital was forced to switch to a new medial billing system. And it didn’t work. It looked working. You could see numbers on a screen. But no bills were sent. And hence, no ved in the morning mail! , he said, again many times, the hospital was forced to survive on 10 to 12% of its usual . And then, a year later it couldn’t . So it had to close two days later! Who knew this would be the outcome of having no money?

After a year of looking at numbers on a screen and having fancy consultants trying to spit out some invoices, Prasad said he recently went back to the “olden days” and started doing the charting and the billing on paper. He now has 110 people in a foreign country re-submitting 120,000 claims and sending the invoices out into the world.

And when he has enough money in the bank, by early summer, he says he will reopen the hospital. And then he’ll get back the hospital’s birthing unit and find a way to get the esteemed residency program accreditation back, and, no, he hasn’t forgotten that he closed Weiss Hospital in Uptown last year. By golly, he’s going to reopen Weiss, too

After hearing multiple variations on this theme, a reporter finally asked Rep. Ford his level of confidence in Dr. Prasad’s bold plan for the future.

Ford, who at the outset of the press conference listed out all the tens of millions West Sub owes to the state which has repeatedly advanced it money, millions more in accounts payable, an overdue property tax bill, said he was not sure there was confidence in the current leadership. And near the end of the 90-minute press conference, he said that Prasad “had not made his case today.”

Asked about his conversations with Insight Hospital and Medical Center, which has expressed interest in taking over management of West Sub, Ford said, “Insight wants to help. They want to take over and have Prasad disappear.” That’s direct.

Dr. Chidinma Osineme, an Oak Parker and president of West Sub’s medical staff, stopped reporters in the hallway to say West Sub “needs new leadership” and that the 150 docs remaining on staff (there were 300 a year ago) “want a seat at the table” on all discussions.

Another day in the life of a forlor n West Sub.

According to the Story, God was perplexed. He/She/They (HST) studied creation and declared it “good.” Well, mostly good. HST’ most ambitious creation remained a puzzlement, an often troublesome life form on a showcase planet, this ve paradise. The other life for ms we erned by instinct. Paragons of predictability. The less programmed Humans however, were incorrigibly restless dissatisfied, ambitious, always pushing the envelope. Essentially ungover That incident in the Garden. Even after expulsion, they kept trying to sneak back in and eat from the Tree of Life. Only the two guarding angels with flaming swords kept them out.

TRAINOR

According to the Story, things got worse. Fratricide, warfare, excesses of every kind. God was driven to genocide. Noah and his family were granted a lastminute reprieve, mostly so the other species could be saved on his Ark. Turns out the Divine needed humans after all — some mysterious interconnection — and promised not to drown them ever again. Humans continued to cause trouble, but further study showed Humanity wasn’t all bad. Many were good to their core, even when their behavior was questionable. Temptation remained their weakness. Gradually, the Deity became aware of a different sort of temptation: Curiosity. What was it like to be Human, he wondered, what was it like to be so … complicated and conflicted? The thought wouldn’t fade and was accompanied by an unfamiliar sensation. Up to that point, the only emotions Yahweh felt were anger and disappointment. Clear-cut feelings. This new sensation was pleasant and unsettling at the same time. Feeling with, not feeling within. What to call it? Empathy? Compassion? Only one word seemed to cover it: Love.

When a Big Feeling took hold, Zarathustra knew, it could not be willed away Recalling that Wild Week of Creation so long ago, he knew desiring something so intensely usually made it happen. Back then it was the “Big Break,” launching that giant cue ball into a Bermuda triangle of tightly compacted particles, scattering them in every direction across the great green velvet void. The Almighty set everything in motion, then rested … for a very, very, very long time and waited to see how it would all turn out.

But this time was different. Curiosity was an itch HST couldn’t reach.

God had to become Human.

Going undercover, pretending to be Human, just wouldn’t cut it. The Almighty would have to experience life as a Human Being — not for a week or a year or a decade, but an entire lifetime, beginning to end, birth to death, womb to tomb, conception to resurrection — in order to completely comprehend them.

This time Brahma wasn’t sitting back, watching it all on cosmic closed-circuit . Instead, the Supreme Being was in a Bethlehem food trough, lying on a bed , war med by the body of his th mother. Hungry, crying, feeding, helmed, staring down the long and winding road of human development, enthralled by joy, delight and heartbreak. According to the Story, Emmanuel ew up to be one of the world’s great teachers and spiritual ascendants, a tual God-Man who changed the course history, but all that was secondary. The main objective was understanding what it meant to be a Human Being. Christ, he made mistakes, made friends, had a temper and a sense of humor. He explored the entire range of emotions, including awe. He may even have winked a time or two. And Jesus wept, as the angel describes in the film City of Angels: “A feeling so big the body can’t contain it, so it weeps.” He listened, lear ned, loved. He couldn’t have made love the center of his teaching without getting personally familiar. He recognized his own divinity in that loving, and spoke to the spark of divinity in everyone else. He felt pain and sadness, learned to help and to heal. He took the plunge into life’s “full catastrophe” (as Zorba the Greek dubbed it) and the full glory of it too. Tolerance, open-mindedness, even righteous indignation on occasion. Beauty took his breath away. Wisdom was not his default setting but hard won through lived experience.

Above all, humility, however much he sensed the growing power within. Parables reflected his deepening knowledge of living. He saw how much suffering afflicted human beings, self-inflicted in some cases but inflicted oftener by others. He saw poverty and cruelty but it must have brought tears to his eyes to be surrounded by so many tender hearts.

Did he know the ecstasy of physical intimacy?

Mary Magdalene’s presence is suggestive. But he understood desire and intimacy in its many forms, all the highs and lows of having a body, dallying with the devil’s dismissable temptations

He went all the way to the end, enduring the most painful, and loneliest death then known to the world. In Gethsemane, he prayed to be rescued from martyrdom. In despair, he called out from the cross, “Why have you abandoned me?”

And that is the moment God understood what it means to be truly Human.

In the aftermath, his followers focused on Divinity instead of learning the lessons of Jesus’ Humanity

But it was Divinity who learned the most. A Wrathful God of Judgment gave way to a Merciful Deity

According to the Story, God became a lover.

And so must we

SHRUB

TO

WN by Marc Stopeck

Help me get to the nish line

On April 20, I will be taking on the 130th Boston Marathon. While 26.2 miles is a daunting distance, my motivation comes from a place far deeper than a finish line. I am running to raise vital funds for the ALS Association in honor of my dear friend, Theresa.

Those who know Theresa know a woman of incredible vibrancy. She was always a fierce athlete, a competitor who conquered triathlons and ran the Boston Marathon four times herself. Tragically, three years ago, Theresa was diagnosed with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), for merly referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease For a woman known for her quick wit and sharp tongue, the most cruel twist of the disease has been the loss of her ability to speak. Theresa’s story is a reminder of the devastating reality of this “death sentence” disease. Every 90 minutes, someone is diagnosed with ALS, and every 90 minutes, someone passes away from it. With no known cure and an average life expectancy of just 2-5 years, the clock is constantly ticking. It touches many as 90% of cases are sporadic, occurring without any family history.

I am proud to run for the ALS Association because they tackle this fight through three essential pillars:

Research: Funding the search for effective treatments and, ultimately, a cure

Advocacy: Pushing for nationwide policies that support access to health care for the ALS community.

Care Services: Providing resources for those living with the disease and their caregivers, including an equipment lending library, support groups, advice on preparing the home for disease progression.

To my friends and neighbors here in our local community who have already donated — thank you. Your generosity is helping to turn ALS from ter minal to treatable.

If you would like to support my run and help us cross the ultimate finish line — a world without ALS — please consider donating at https://www.givengain.com/project/sarah-raising-funds-for-the-als-association-112765. Every dollar brings us closer to a future without ALS.

S arah Sexton Martinez Oak Park

WEDNESD AY

JOURNAL

of Oak Park and River Forest

Viewpoints Guidelines

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

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PDOP’s false net zero claim

Counter to the claim made by the Park District of Oak Park (PDOP), its Community Recreation Center (CRC) is not net zero energy certified, the finding confirmed in an email from International Living Future Institute (ILFI) (1). It’s the independent organization that PDOP named in An Oct. 28, 2021 news release and lists on its website’s Sustainable Facilities page as having awarded the certification to the CRC (2 & 3). The false net zero energy claim is also promoted on the CRC’s lobby wall display (4a).

MONICA SHEEHAN

One View

ILFI states, “Our records indicate that the Oak Park Community Recreation Center is not yet Zero Energy Certified. The project achieved Ready Status on Jan. 3, 2024, but has not yet submitted for Final Audit with operational data from its 12-month performance period” (1). The CRC officially opened its doors to the public on May 22, 2023, nearly three years ago (5).

PDOP denied a recent Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for a copy of the certificate designating the CRC as a net zero energy building, stating that it’s not in possession of the certificate, which aligns with ILFI’s confirmation that it hasn’t awarded one (6).

During the recent pool referendum campaign, PDOP Executive Director Jan Arnold stated that the CRC is a net zero energy facility, a requirement of a $1.78 million grant it received in October 2021, and one that reportedly precludes building the CRC’s promoted Phase II (indoor pools) (7).

PDOP accepted the grant from the Illinois Clean Energy Community Foundation (ICECF) five months before PDOP broke ground for the CRC on March 19, 2022. The grant requires that the CRC receive third-par ty certification, such as ILFI, ensuring the building is net zero energy. In the 2021 news release, PDOP stated that the CRC is

slated to receive this certification from ILFI, “Over a 12-month period, projects must achieve a Net Zero Energy building perfor mance (or better). Net Zero Energy buildings of fset their own energy consumption by generating required energy onsite from renewable resources” (2).

PDOP didn’t go public with the CRC’s net zero energy requirement for more than four years, waiting until after it placed its vaguely-worded $40 million pool referendum on the ballot in December (7). Uninformed voters could have mistakenly thought the referendum’s intent was to build the promoted indoor pools at the CRC. Regardless, Oak Park voters overwhelmingly rejected the March 17 referendum to demolish Ridgeland Common’s popular outdoor 50-meter pool and replace it with an indoor aquatic facility and smaller pool (8).

In addition to the ICECF grant, PDOP received $400,000 from the village’s Sustainability Fund in March 2021 to make the CRC a zero emissions building (9).

All taxing bodies should act transparently and be accountable to residents. PDOP should delete the false net zero energy claim on its website, the CRC’s lobby display and throughout its building, and refrain from spreading the false information in all communications (10). Likewise four years after the CRC’s groundbreaking, PDOP should be forthcoming with a full, detailed accounting of its funding, which unethically bypassed voters.

Note: After a version of this letter was posted on social media last week, PDOP deleted the false claim on its website’s Sustainability page that the CRC is “ILFI Net Zero Certified.”

Sources are available in the online version of this piece at oakpark.com

Monica Sheehan is a 25-year Oak Park resident and former news reporter.

A ordable housing is relative

The March 25 edition of Wednesday Journal Viewpoints contains two letters that deserve significant consideration by the residents of Oak Park. I refer to the opinions of Frank Stachyra and George Uslenghi, who point out that the elimination of single-family zoning will not only result in a failure to retain persons of lower income but also will break up stable historic neighborhoods.

Presently, there are more potential buyers of Oak Park homes by far than there are homes on the market. Ask any realtor. It is a sellers’ market. This keeps home values high and out of reach of many. Additional units, whether they may be single-family or multifamily, will be subject to this same fundamental economic law of supply and demand. That translates into high prices for the multifamily units meant to attract the “missing middle income” families. As long as Oak Park remains an attractive place to live and educate children, possessing good public transpor tation and a highway with quick access to downtown Chicago and conveniently located between the two airports, it will attract families willing to pay high prices and high taxes to live here.

Affordability is a relative issue. Certainly there are families who cannot afford to live in Oak Park. When my wife and I moved to Oak Park, we could not afford to live in River Forest, or Oakbrook, or Winnetka. We moved to a village that was consistent with our income.

Making Oak Park affordable to anyone who might wish to live here is a lofty but misguided goal. Because of the inherent attractiveness of our village, there will be strong pressures that will keep property values high and unaffordable to many sectors of the public. Attempting to flood the village with new residential units of any kind is unlikely to change the essential features that make people want to move here, and those characteristics along with our astonishingly high real estate taxes will keep residential costs high both to buyers and to renters.

In the final analysis, the ending of single-family zoning will not succeed in creating more places for lower-income families to afford to live in Oak Park. The indoor swimming pool debacle, the leaf collection fiasco, and now this misguided single-family zoning initiative brings into question the judgment of our elected officials.

Replies to my request for clari cation

Recently I received a spring cleanup letter from our yard maintenance service. The owner added a handwritten notification: “There will be an increase in prices due to electric blower mandate, labor increase, and amount of leaves to dump.” When the crew ar rived for the cleanup, they removed a large pile of leaf debris muck in the street next to a storm drain that had been there for over four months. I asked the village whether homeowners are now expected to clear street leaves as well as parkway leaves. I received conflicting responses.

Trustee Cory Wesley re plied in an email: “There is no village requirement for residents to clean leaves from the street. Nor is there a requirement to clear them from your yard.” He later added, “I’ve heard that not clearing blocked drains and allowing the street to function as overflow storage is the right course of action.”

Does any homeowner with a significant yard-tree population find this approach practical? In my case, it is a quick path to killed grass on a smothered parkway lawn, complete with added leaf muck from the

street by passing snowplows, and flooding from blocked drains for an indefinite period. The workable alter native is to clear the leaves, and we know who now pays for that.

Public Works Director Rob Sproule, in a separate email, disagrees with Trustee Wesley: “The removal of leaves and other naturally occurring debris is considered a shared responsibility. Residents are encouraged to assist in keeping curbs clear, particularly near sewer grates, to help prevent localized flooding. If the community desires a higher level of service beyond

what is currently provided, service levels could be increased, though this would come at an additional cost to residents.”

So my neighbors and I are expected to “share” the street clearing workload, and an increase from the current level of zero street-sweeper visits in over four months sounds like it would lead to an increase in taxes. This is not the level of service we’ve enjoyed for decades, and suggests a whole new meaning of Mr. Sproule’s reference to “shared responsibility.”

Robert Parks Oak Park

CRC’s energy and integrity

In response to Monica Sheehan’s opinion about the net zero energy “false claims” made by the Park District of Oak Park in relation to the Community Recreation Center (CRC), here are some facts. When a project is modeled to be net zero, it is done so by creating a balance between anticipated energy use and the various measures to get to net zero (how the building is constructed, ef ficiency components, renewable energy, etc.).

That is what the Pa rk District did as part of its application to the IL Clean Energy Community Foundation and as part of its funding request to the village of Oak Park. The CRC was created not

only as part of the park district’s vision but as the vision of many other groups and individuals across the community to create success for all youth, provide affordable access for youth and adults (who can’t afford expensive gyms), provide all youth a place to feel welcome and a place to play, convene, exercise, get help with homework and get mental health support.

The CRC has been an incredible success, so much so that the anticipated energy use has far exceeded expectations, due to more youth and adults using the facility. When PDOP identified the increased energy use and the shortfall to reach net zero, Jan Arnold went to the vil-

lage to ask to be able to put on additional solar panels, which will be done by July 2026.

PDOP will then recommission the space and measure accordingly. In my role as convenor of the PlanItGreen initiative, I have experienced unequivocal integrity and leadership by the Park District of Oak Park in relation to climate solutions, sustainability and identifying and acting upon needs and opportunities to make Oak Park an inclusive community for all.

Gary Cuneen Founder

and executive director Seven Generations Ahead

Getting away … to the moon

As I write this, four people are on their way to the moon. You might have watched the blastoff of Artemis II on April Fool Day. A very big deal. They’ll be back on planet Ear th, April 10. Their mission includes circling the moon and going 4,144 miles farther than Apollo 13 traveled in April 1970, making it humankind’s most distant point ever from Earth.

They are not stopping to hop down several steps from their cramped space capsule and set foot on the moon. They are only going to circle it. That fact has generated some confusion about the

mission. We landed on the moon in 1969. Circling it 57 years later seems less momentous for some. So what gives?

NASA has revitalized its lunar endeavors to include not only to again have astronauts park and explore but to eventually build infrastructure allowing longer human presence there. OK, but how does the non-stop Artemis II mission help with that?

The mission will test life support and environmental systems Rocket science!

The astronauts will get a look at the moon’s dark/far side. Think of it as NASA being in the real estate busi-

Raging Grannies, ready to sing!

It was truly our honor to sing at the March 28 No Kings Day 3.0 rally in Scoville Park. Many thanks to First United of Oak Park for lending us their sound equipment. Pete Todd-Church, generously, facilitated this process and managed the sound equipment set up, supported by his dynamic team.

Oak Park Raging Grannies and Friends’ singing is an act of resistance. We are not giving up and will continue to sing our protest loudly as long as it takes for our country to regain our democracy We are happy to sing anywhere we receive an invitation and welcome new members; just reach out to us on our website. We are in this together!

Mary Nelson www.oakparkraginggranniesandfriends.org

ness now. Drive by the property again, five decades later, to see how the place is holding up. Does it have that “curb appeal” and all the rest that goes with considering a new home?

So let’s just fly around and look around. Out and back. No lockbox left behind for other interested parties to make bigger plans

Also, getting of f Mother Earth for 10 days right now seems inviting. The moon is a quieter place to live. Much quieter

Joseph Harrington Oak Park

anks for supporting democracy

Once again Cong re gations Networking for Social Justice, which co-hosted the recent No Kings Rally on March 28, wishes to thank the community and all those who turned out to demonstrate for democracy. The team of volunteers who combined to make the event a success were great and the added contribution of First United Church for the use of their sound system really improved Rally #5.

The Ragin’ Grannies and the Minneapolisstyle chants of the Resistance Singers were well received by the crowd. We are grateful to John Roberts and his team for videotaping. The three “clergical collars” Rev. Emily Gage of Unity Temple, Rev. Abby Holcomb of Urban Villages, River Forest, and retired Pastor Jason Reed provided solemn and rousing reflections

The Oak Park Police Department, the Park District of Oak Park, the Village of Oak Park, the Oak Park Public Library, and Downtown Oak Park continue their underlying support for our peaceful gatherings. And last but not least, the coverage of Wednesday Jour nal continues to present the facts accurately to our local area. We are grateful. No doubt we will be back out: May Day Strong, No Kings, and Indivisible are already pointing to May Day for collective action.

On behalf of CNSJ, Cynthia Breunlin Oak Park

River Forest is not a closed system

Ed McDevitt’s characterization of River Forest gover nment as having a “long-standing insider ethos” with power that is “closely guarded by the old network” doesn’t resonate with me [The art of small-town politics, Viewpoints, April 1]

When I retired from the Air National Guard after more than 28 years of service, I found I had some extra time to continue my public service with the village. I submitted an application expressing my interest in serving on a number of commissions. Two years later, I got a call from Cathy Adduci. She said there was an opening on the Board of Fire and Police Commissioners and my background was well suited for it. Other than

the information she had in front of her that I submitted two years prior, Cathy didn’t know me; that was the first time we ever spoke. Similarly, when we had another opening on the commission last year, we were looking for someone with the same work experience as the commissioner who was departing. Again, the new commissioner was not an Adduci “insider” or part of an “old network.”

The comment that “it’s very difficult to discern why someone would want to hold onto such unpaid jobs” highlights the very nature of all positions in River Forest gover nment, from the president and trustees down to every member of a commission or board: We are indeed all volunteers. Why? It’s not difficult to

discern We volunteer because we want to do our small part to keep River Forest the stable, safe, and welcoming community that attracted us to move to the village in the first place.

I would encourage all River Forest residents who have a little extra time and want to do the same to complete a volunteer form at https://www vrf us/boards/ volunteer html. Or volunteer with the PTO, your religious group, or a civic organization such as Kiwanis, which is a co-sponsor of the annual Memorial Day event in River Forest. These volunteer efforts are what keeps our community such an attractive place to live Nate Mellman River Forest

If I were the developer …

If I were the developer and an established businessperson who also lives in the community where I was selected to build, I would begin with respect. I would thank the board and residents for the opportunity to work in a village of 2.4 square miles and fewer than 11,000 people. I would acknowledge the obvious concern about placing a large, high-density building next to blocks of 115-year-old single-family homes. I would recognize that the residents’ concer ns are reasonable.

I would say clearly that living in River Forest matters more than any single project, that my neighbors are not an obstacle to manage, but people whose trust I need to earn. Then I would act accordingly.

I would hold real meetings with the most affected residents, with open discussion and direct answers — not open-house-style events where people circulate among poster boards without meaningful dialogue. I would listen, respond, and revise.

I would aim for a project that contributes to the village without dividing it. A project that strengthens the housing stock without creating a sharp line between neighborhoods.

I would not stand before a full room of taxpaying homeowners and move forward as if their concerns did not matter when they matter more than anything. The March 23 Board meeting reflected that disconnect, with concerns raised but ignored and dismissed. I would not ignore re peated, specific objections from engaged homeowners. I would not create distance between myself and the community where I live.

And if I were leading the villa ge, I would welcome and show respect for the high level of eng agement from our residents, and listen to their concerns. I would ensure that affected residents were heard early and often. And I would ensure that the developer answered all residents’ questions

I would not rely on managed messaging or limited for ums in place of direct, substantive dialogue. This project will per manently alter an established neighborhood of River Forest. We deserve a process that reflects the homeowners, the existing housing, and the character of the community it will impact.

Debbie Borman, Charles Birchard, Alicia Capraro, Kevin Schwind, Kathy Corcos, John Conmy, Diane Conmy, David Er fort, Bridget Er fort, Sue Foran, Dan Foran, Constance Geocaris, Mark Frank, Margie Cekander, Jayne Gould, Lucia Giudice, John Leonard, Dan LeBarge, Marta Kozbur, Askold Kozbur, Richard Lim, Cliona Lim, Kathryn Jandeska, Katie Maddock, Marylen Mar ty-Gentile, Anita Morgan, Therese O’Brien, William O’Brien, Frieda Pantos, John Pantos, Ed Pogue, Chrissy Anderson Pogue, Allison Poplett, Sandra Figatner, Trey Figatner, David Lekousis, Phyllis Rubin, Milap Sandu and Aman Sandu All residents of River Forest

JOSH VANDERBERG

e case for zoning reform

from page 29

“Traffic, parking, and infrastructure will suffer”

Higher-density housing correlates with lower car ownership rates and lower car usage. Our local infrastructure is sized for a much higher population than our current population, and the main constraint of our sewer system is storm runoff, which does not scale with population. If anything, as climate change increases the demands on our infrastructure, we’ll want more taxpayers to share the burden.

“The real problem is wealth inequality, not zoning”

This ignores the fact that exclusionary zoning is the primary mechanism employed by land owners to capture wealth. One of the enumerated purposes of our zoning code is ‘To conserve the values of property throughout the Village.’ It has done that very well; housing prices have far outpaced the rate of inflation. No amount of redistribution will allow a lower-income family to buy a $500K bungalow.

“The process is biased and undemocratic. Opposition is being ignored. We need more study and community feedback”

The research is clear that community feedback is dominated by older, whiter home owners. These are also the people who are most likely to vote. The opinions of reform opponents are very well represented. Calls for more process and community involvement are a standard delay tactic. We’ve been studying this for years, across multiple boards and consulting engagements. The voters have had their say. It’s time to act.

“New construction is a large source of carbon and wastes the sunk carbon costs of the building it replaces. New apartments will lack green features so that developers can make a profit.”

The single-family home is the least sustainable form of housing. Low-density, single-family neighborhoods promote car use, and multifamily housing is much more efficient to heat and cool per unit. Long term, adding higher-density housing decreases emissions and allows more people to live in an area where infrastructure and transit already supports much lower per resident carbon footprints

Sustainability concerns should, of course, factor into new building designs, but they should not be a barrier to new for ms that are innately more efficient.

“We don’t have room in the schools for all of the new kids”

District 97 enrollment is down over 10% since 2018 (https://www.illinoisreportcard.com/District.aspx?sourc e=studentcharacteristics&source2=enrollment&District id=06016097002). Regardless, one of the primary purposes of zoning reform is to provide a diversity of housing types so that people who don’t have children in the schools can afford to live here. This will make Oak Park a place both 20-somethings and retirees can call home, broadening the tax base and making our educational system more sustainable, not less.

Josh has called Oak Park home for over a decade

JOHN DUFFY

Housing

and antisemitism

from page 29

became a prominent community lawyer, businessman and a leading figure at the West Suburban Jewish Center where he was its first President (3).

Village government hostility

Oak Park Jews also ran up against discriminatory village actions. By the late ’30s the center focused on raising funds to build a new synagogue or purchase an existing structure. This happened when the national American First Committee, claiming membership of 6,000 residents in the village, had an office on Lake Street. With national celebrities like aviator Charles Lindbergh and auto tycoon Henry Ford, and Republican Party support, the committee organized to prevent U.S. entry into World War II. Appealing to endemic American antisemitism, the committee’s propaganda often falsely singled out and stereotyped Jews as un-American, communists and unscrupulous bankers working to bring America into the war (4).

When the center prepared to finalize purchasing property for a new, larger synagogue and submitted plans to the village, they learned of an undisclosed village Frontage Consent Ordinance: 51 percent of residents living within 400 feet of any planned institutional structure had to approve construction. To avoid stirring up deeper antisemitic feelings, the center decided not to press a legal challenge. Instead, they opted for a building referendum, which failed to gain the necessary 51 percent approval. Eventually. in the early 1950s, the congregation gained the support of River Forest officials and built Temple Har Zion on River Forest side of North Harlem Avenue (5).

Assimilation with cultural preservation

After World War II, the Austin Temple B’ Nai Abraham, a reform congregation, looked to build a new temple in Northwest Oak Park. Fearing likely opposition, the congregation, through a “straw buyer,” purchased land on Harlem Avenue. Their doubts about acce ptance in the village persisted even as the post-war years saw a wider acceptance of Jews in America. The more accepting atmosphere brought a mass exodus of Chicago Jews to the suburbs as large numbers of Jewish military veterans took advantage of the G.I. Bill’s home financing benefits and grants for college education (6).

The congregation broke ground for their Oak Park home in 1955 and laid the Temple cornerstone in 1956. Rabbi Leonard J. Mervis led Congregation B’Nai Abraham’s first services on Rosh Hashana in 1957 (7).

Today, the Oak Park and River Forest temples have thriving congregations serving Oak Park, River Forest and the wester n suburbs. In 2006 Jewish Oak Parkers for med the Secular Jewish Community & School to teach and celebrate Jewish history, culture, and values in a secular, humanistic context (8).

For decades now Jewish residents have been prominent members in our civic, artistic and social-justice organizations and have provided leadership at all levels of local gover nment.

Sources

oakpark.com

Jean Radford, 82

Interior designer, hobby farmer

Jean Anderson Radford, 82, of Marengo, Illinois, died peacefully on March 8, 2026, surrounded by family at Jour ney Care Hospice in Barrington. Bor n in Neosho, Missouri on Nov. 21, 1943, to Olivia (Ratliff) and Roy G. Anderson, as a child, she lived on both coasts as her family followed her father’s Navy career. She attended St Andrews College in North Carolina for her first two years of undergrad and met David while a junior at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She ear ned a teaching degree, and after they graduated and married, she taught grade school for several years while he was in graduate school before devoting herself to being a mother to Liz, Katie, and Phil.

After living in Chapel Hill, Appleton, Wisconsin, and New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1976 the Radfords settled in Oak Park, close to the University of Illinois Chicago, where David spent the rest of his career. In the 1980s, she attended the Harrington School of Design in Chicago, where she ear ned a degree in interior design. She designed kitchens and bathrooms with the Von Dreele-Freerksen Construction Company of Oak Park for nearly 20 years.

After retirement, in 2011 Jean and David moved from Oak Park to Marengo, where Jean designed a farmhouse and then a barn, fulfilling her dream of owning a hobby farm She thoroughly enjoyed taking care of their sheep, donkeys, and barn cats, as well as Cory, their third poodle. Many delightful hours were spent with her boarded horse Dolly.

She was very involved with Grace Episcopal Church in Oak Park while they lived there. When they moved to Marengo, she became a member of St. Ann’s Episcopal Church in Woodstock and joined the Altar Guild. She was a dedicated Rotarian in both Oak Park and Woodstock. As Woodstock Rotarian, she was devoted to distributing books to young children.

She was elegant, caring, graceful, funny, loved people and animals, and had impeccable taste. She was generous with her time and care, both within her family and helping those in need

Jean is survived by her husband, David Radford; her daughter, Elizabeth Radford; her daughter, Katherine Ridgeway and spouse Jess; her son Philip Radford and

spouse, Eileen Simpson; her granddaughter, Olivia Mae Radford; her niece, Sarah Petren; and her brother, Phillip Anderson and spouse Carolyn.

All gatherings in her honor will be held at St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, 503 W. Jackson St., Woodstock, IL. A wake will be held on Friday, April 24, 5-7 p.m. A service will take place on Saturday, April 25 at 11 a.m., with a reception immediately following in the Parish Hall.

She will be laid to rest in her hometown Neosho, Missouri later this summer. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to: St. Ann’s Episcopal Church, Woodstock, and the Rotary Club of Woodstock.

Bob Vogler, 73

Organist, insurance specialist for hospice

Robert “Bob” Vogler, 73, who lived in Oak Park with his husband, Tony Dobrowolski, since 1992, died on March 30, 2026. Bob grew up in Dearborn, Michigan, and attended Henry Ford Junior College and Wayne State University, where he majored in Music Education. He served as an organist and choir director for multiple denominations from the time he was a teenager, and also substituted for vacationing organists on many occasions. He worked for many years as an office manager, parish administrator, and as an insurance specialist for a hospice company.

In addition to Tony, Bob is survived by his sister, Judy Dayne, and her son, Eric.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Grace Episcopal Church/Organ Restoration Fund

There will be a memorial service on April 11, Bob’s birthday, at 11 a.m. at Grace Episcopal Church, 924 Lake St., Oak Park

Leah Marcus, 90

Former president, D200 school board

Leah Marcus, 90, of River Forest, died on March 28, 2026. Bor n in February 1936 in Chicago to Betty (Bernstein) and Lou Nathanson, she was a graduate of Senn High School and the University of Wisconsin, where she co-edited the university’s awardwinning newspaper with her lifelong friend, Julie Baskes

In 1961, she and Philip Marcus married. Together they enjoyed theater, Chicago’s comedy clubs (like Gate of Horn), dining (especially Ristorante Agostino), and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. They raised a close and loving family: Jonathan (Lorraine Applebey), Jessica (Howard Fishman), and Sarah (Jeff Fraum); grandchildren Matt Maenpaa (Zoe Streicker-Howard), Jacob Marcus, Benjamin Marcus, Sara Fraum, Zachary Fraum, and Dianarose (Sammy) Blivaiss; and great-grandchild Finn Maenpaa.

Leah was publicly engaged even as a teen and throughout her life, including serving as a page at the 1952 Democratic National Convention. After college, she embarked on a career of jour nalism and public service, writing for several trade publications and the Chicago Sun-Times. In the 1980s, she served as an elected member and ultimately president of the Oak Park and River Forest High School District 200 Board of Education. In that leadership role, she earned widespread respect for her intellect, care, and exceptional abilities to listen, ask questions, understand, communicate, and empathize.

Leah is survived by her brother-in-law, Charles Marcus (Maureen Vollen); her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchild; by many cousins, nieces and nephews and their families; and by many dear and devoted friends.

In lieu of flowers, contributions to Oak Park Temple, Magen David Adom, and Planned Parenthood would be appreciated.

Perla Wilhelm, 97 Kept her Argentine roots alive

Maria Inés “Perla” Zaldívar Wilhelm, 97, affectionately known as “Mima,” died on April 1, 2026. She faced her final days with the same integrity and wit that defined her life. Born in Mendoza, Argentina, on Dec. 21, 1928, her resilience was forged early. When she was 4, her father, Alphonso Pignatelli, died in a racing accident; that same year, her brother died from the flu. Her mother, “Mela,” raised her alone, teaching typing to support them. Despite financial struggles, they kept a home in Mendoza and a summer house in Lunlunta. Perla often walked from Lunlunta to Luján to buy poetry and novels, sparking lifelong passions for reading and walking

In 1953, she married Dr. Raúl Zaldívar. They immigrated to the U.S. for professional opportunities, eventually moving to Oak Park in 1965. She possessed a model-like beauty and a sharp, self-deprecating humor regarding her transition to American culture. After Raúl’s death in 1983, she found

a second chapter in 1987, marrying Rudy Wilhelm. They moved to Fort Lauderdale in 1995, where she was a welcoming hostess, maintaining a nearby apartment to house visiting grandchildren. She was the bridge to her Argentine roots, ensuring her family maintained close bonds with their cousins abroad. She had the rare gift of making each of her five children believe they were her favorite. While generous to others, she remained thrifty with herself — a trait born of her early years. She was famous for her “clever sayings” —Argentine idioms from her youth that she preserved for decades.

Perla is survived by her children, Maria Inez (Bill Kavanagh), Maria Lynn (Vince), Raúl (Cathy), Daniel (Iris Carolina), and Peter (Jean); her stepchildren, Cathy and Mark; eight grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren, including her newest, Marcus Daniel. She is mourned by her relatives in Mendoza and her closest friend of 90 years, Alicia Mayorga. Her childhood was enriched by these lifelong relationships, which she cherished until the end

Adam Plonski, 94 Court clerk

Adam A. Plonski, 94, of River Forest, died peacefully on April 2, 2026. Bor n on July 15, 1931, in Brooklyn, New York, to Teofil and Apolonia Plonski, he spent most of his life in New York before retiring to Chrisworked for many years in the New York court system, retiring as a clerk for the New York State Supreme Court.

Adam married Elizabeth Theresa Najmy, who predeceased him. He was also predeceased by his daughter, Barbara Knape (Bob). He is survived by his children, Joseph Plonski (Lori), Mary Yerkes (Michael), and Michael Plonski (Colleen), along with 14 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.

A devoted Roman Catholic, Adam was known for his discipline, strong values, and commitment to family and education. His faith was central to his life, expressed through worship, service, and quiet generosity toward others.

Services will be held on Saturday, April 18 at St. Vincent Ferrer Catholic Church, River Forest, with viewing at 9:30 a.m. and funeral Mass at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at a later date in Blacksburg, Virginia

SPORTS

Fergerson nds herself in DePaul’s Hall Of Fame

Fenwick girls basketball coach receives cherished honor

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

When DePaul University athletic director DeWayne Peevy emailed Fenwick High School girls basketball coach Lenae Fergerson, Nov. 19, Fergerson thought it was about some upcoming alumni event. So she scheduled a Zoom meeting with Peevy that day with no hints of what was about to happen with her.

“[Peevy] said it was [former DePaul women’s basketball head coach Doug Bruno’s] birthday. I was like, “I have to c him today,” Fergerson told Wednesd Jour nal. “Mr. Peevy then said Doug would be on the Zoom call shortly and you ca tell him then.”

Once Bruno joined, Peevy infor med Fergerson the real purpose of the Zoom meeting: her impending induction into the DePaul Hall of Fame. To say she was shoc ked is an understatement.

“My initial reaction was that I kind of froz e and was processing what he said, then the tears came,” Fergerson said. “I was speechless for a few seconds. I realized at that moment that all the hard work and dedication I put into [basketball] had paid of f.”

SUBMIT TED BY LENAE FERGERSON

Fenw ick girls basketball coach Lenae Fergerson with her award follow ing her induction into the DePaul University Athletics Hall of Fame, Feb. 20.

six individuals who received official induction into this year’s Hall of Fame at a dinner held at Marriott Marquis Chicago on Feb. 20.

She played for the Blue Demons from 1998 to 2002, averaged 17.6 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game in her 116-game career. She’s one of just four players in program history to surpass the 2,000-point mark (2,046 career points). At

the conclusion of her senior season, 200102, she gar nered All-American honorable mention honors from the Associated Press and was selected 18 th overall by the Detroit Shock in that year’s WNBA draft. he played a season before heading overseas to play for 12 years.

“This honor means a lot to me,” Fergerson said. “As a kid, I used to watch different NBA players get inducted into the [Naismith] Hall of Fame and thought that was such a huge accomplishment. If I am being honest, I didn’t think this was something I ould accomplish.

“I knew what I accomplished at DePaul ut didn’t really think of becoming a Hall of amer. As I processed this, I think it brought losure to my career; I felt I closed that chapter of my life. It gives me a sign of relief and onfirmation that the work I’d put in was recognized and paid of f.”

Bruno, DePaul coach from 1976-1978 and again from 1988-2024, had a successful caeer, guiding the Blue Demons to 10 regular season conference titles, six in the Big East Conference and seven conference tournament titles (five Big East). He said underrecruited and overlooked players like Fergerson were the key to success

“Lenae deserves it. She’s one of the most special players I’ve ever coached,” Bruno said. “Any honor she gets, she earned and deserves.

“People didn’t appreciate how good Lenae was [at Addison Trail High School]. Being in Chicago, we try to make sure we don’t let

Ludwig, Tepfer doubles team leads

Pair plans di erent approach to a potential second trip to state

any players get by. She was one of those players who wasn’t highly recruited, but she was very talented. I had opportunities to watch her, and she made baskets. She was special.”

Bruno added that Fergerson was a pleasure to coach and did whatever needed to be done for the team to have success. He’s also not surprised she ended up in coaching herself

“Every player I’ve had said they’d never coach. The next thing you know, you see them on the bench coaching,” said Bruno, now special assistant to Peevy for women’s basketball. “Lenae’s got a good grasp of the game; she was not only a talented player but an intelligent one.”

For her part, Fergerson feels playing for Bruno was something she enjoyed very much.

“Coach Bruno was a coach who truly cared about me, not only as a player but as a human being,” she said. “He was a coach who taught me many values that were used throughout my life and career. The morals and values of accountability, working hard, and being a good teammate are things I took away and have stayed with me.”

Fergerson made it a point to thank Bruno in her induction speech, saying he was someone who melded her talents into something special.

“I was a great shooter but had so many holes in my game,” she said, “and he helped me develop into the player I became. I told Bruno in my speech, ‘Coach, you took a chance on a project and turned it into a Hall of Famer. Thank you.’”

By GREGG VOSS Contributing Reporter

Four years ago, when Oak Park and River Forest High School seniors Stella Ludwig and Olive Tepfer were eighth-graders at Brooks Middle School, what did they know about badminton?

“Nothing,” Ludwig said simply. “I wasn’t sure it was a real sport.”

Te pfer doesn’t put too fine a point on the subject either.

“Barely anything,” she said. “They would have the net up during gym. I remember being really bad at it. I think I never really tried hard enough to pick it up back then.”

Fast-forward four years and the doubles pair have their eyes on a second trip to the IHSA state tournament, May 15-16, at DeKalb High School. As juniors last year, they got oh-so-close to advancing beyond the first round, losing to a New Trier team 21-19 and 21-10. This time around, the goal is to make it past Friday to get to champi-

onship Saturday, where the top 32 teams battle it out for the title

Get there, and who knows what might happen?

“I think last year we were so shocked and happy we made it,” Te pfer said. “I think this year I’ll definitely approach it with more confidence, especially since it’s our

Fenwick’s Jake ies commits to Iowa football

Friars’ four th player in the last two years to make Big Ten commitment

By MELVIN TATE Contributing Reporter

It came as no surprise that the colle ge football recruiting process for Fenwick High School junior Jake Thies picked up dramatically following his strong finish to the 2025 season, which ended with the Friars winning the IHSA Class 6A state championship. After his outstanding performance in Fenwick’s 38-28 title-game victory against East St. Louis in which he ran for 100 yards and two touchdowns offensively and racked up 19 tackles along with getting a key late interception defensively, which set up Jamen Williams’ game-clinching 3-yard touchdown sneak, the offers started coming in fast and furious. But just as the recruiting process was heating up, Thies brought it to a close with an announcement on X (Twitter), March 28, of his verbal commitment to the University of Iowa. Thies chose the Hawkeyes over Duke, Illinois, Northwestern, and UCLA, among others.

“I’m feeling really good about it,” said Thies, who rushed for 1,142 yards and 14 touchdowns on 143 car ries, good for an average of just under 8 yards per carry. On defense, he had 59 tackles (six TFL), five forced

last year.”

Ludwig said she and Tepfer were “starstruck” as juniors, in awe of the event and their potential.

“We know what we’re doing, we’ve been here before,” Ludwig said. “Last year we weren’t expecting to get to state. We’ve gotten better at training in the of fseason.”

How serious are these two about badminton, considering they knew nothing about it coming into OPRF as freshmen? Last summer, Ludwig took a badminton class at Stanford University, which was made up of a group of mainly international players.

“I played a guy on the Icelandic national team,” she said, and didn’t beat him.

“He was really good, but I did beat this one

fumbles, four interceptions, and three sacks while earning All-Chicago Catholic League/ East Suburban Catholic Conference honors.

“Iowa’s always been a dream school for me,” Thies said, “and to get an opportunity to play there is a dream come true.”

Thies, whose older brother Tommy will play college football at Miami University of Ohio, told Wednesday Journal that interest greatly picked up after the New Year. He said several coaches came to the school once the recruiting period opened up and those inhouse visits were key to his decision.

“Some [coaches] were giving more feedback than others,” Thies said. “As soon as I got my first offer, things got rolling.”

Thies also arranged some Junior Day visits to schools he was interested in, but it was his trip to Iowa that proved decisive. That was when the Hawkeyes made their offer.

“At the end of the day, Iowa really stood out to me. I made the decision that I thought was best for me,” said Thies, who wanted a school with a good football culture, coaches who believed in him, and a place where he could develop the most.

“From day one Iowa believed in me,” he said, adding that he’ll likely major in business

He also likes the opportunity to play for Kirk Ferentz, who is the longest-tenured head coach in the Big Ten Conference. Ferentz has guided Iowa to a 213-128 record (.625 winning percentage) in his 27 seasons and is the Big Ten’s all-time leader in victories.

guy from China and was very proud of myself.”

During the school year, she and Tepfer and a number of their OPRF teammates travel to Willowbrook to train.

“I think what makes them extremely unique is they’ve been playing doubles the last three years,” said Huskies coach Paul Wright, who said his program has 60 players, four levels and 14 seniors. “They really read the game well and communicate well with each other when they gain and lose points.”

Ludwig and Tepfer are both for mer tennis players who were floated the idea of badminton during their freshmen campaign. With no sports planned for that spring, they decided to give badminton a shot.

ick’s Jake ies eyes the end zone on his way to a third quarter touchdown at Triton College in 2025.

“Everyone can see the history he has there,” said Thies, who will play safety for esteemed veteran defensive coordinator Phil Parker. “It’s great to go to a school where you know they win games and do stuff right. [Iowa] does everything the right way in how they handle recruiting and everything within their team. I’m super-excited to go to a program like that.”

He becomes Fenwick’s fourth player in the last two years to commit to a Big Ten institution: 2025 graduates Nate Marshall and Jack Paris spent last fall at Michigan and Illinois respectively. One of Thies’ teammates, senior kicker/punter Noah Sur, will suit up for Northwester n this fall.

“It’s really putting Fenwick on the map as one of the top schools in the state. We’ve got

Good decision, and it helped that the pair have been friends since grammar school, given the communication needed to navigate a court that is smaller than tennis.

“You are staggered side to side and back and forth, depending on where the bird is,” Ludwig said. “My dad used to yell at us, ‘You have to talk.’”

If you don’t communicate in badminton, that’s detrimental, not only to the score but one’s physical well-being. Ludwig has pinged Tepfer with the shuttlecock, and Tepfer has hit Ludwig in the face. Obviously not on purpose, but it can happen.

“It’s less running around the court” than tennis, Tepfer said. “You have to hit a lot harder and faster, which is hard to learn and

a lot of dogs here,” Thies said. “There are also a lot of guys who might not be playing at bigger schools, but they’re really good.”

Now that recruiting is essentially over, Thies can concentrate on his senior season. He’s eager to help prove that Fenwick can contend in spite of several players from the championship team graduating.

“The offseason is going good; we’re focused on getting better every day,” Thies said. “I can focus on becoming the best version of myself and not have any distractions

“My brother was a big leader last year. Seeing him lead in previous years, along with Jack [Paris] and learning from them will help me a lot. I’m super-excited for my senior year.”

our communication around the court, where your partner is. We had to learn that.”

State notwithstanding, the two have one eye beyond OPRF. There is no NCAA badminton, so the two will attempt to play club at their respective universities – Ludwig to the University of Illinois and Tepfer to George Washington University.

The legacy they leave should inspire a new group of players when they arrive in high school.

“I think we have really good coaches,” Ludwig said. “I’ve never had a bad experience. They genuinely want you to succeed.”

Added Tepfer: “I would say it’s just something super-fun. It’s an opportunity OPRF has.”

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES

Village of North Riverside Joint Planning Commission

Public Hearing Notice

Notice is hereby given that the Village of North Riverside Joint Planning Commission will hold a public hearing for the purpose of making a recommendation on a zoning case for a sign variance at the property commonly known as 7515 Cermak Road, North Riverside, Illinois (Current Land Use - K-POT restaurant).

Date: Tuesday April 28, 2026

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Location: Village Hall 2401 Desplaines Avenue North Riverside, Illinois

All interested persons are invited to attend and be heard. Written comments may be submitted in advance of the hearing to phughes@northriverside-il.org

For additional information, please contact the Community Development Department at (708) 762-5924 during regular business hours.

Published in RB Landmark April 8, 2026

Village of North Riverside Joint Planning Commission Public Hearing Notice

Notice is hereby given that the Village of North Riverside Joint Planning Commission will hold a public hearing for the purpose of making a recommendation on a zoning case for a rezoning request for the property commonly known as 8659 Cermak Road, North Riverside, Illinois 60546 (Current Land Use AutoTek), from B-3 Zoning District to B-1 Zoning District.

Date: Tuesday April 28, 2026

Time: 6:00 p.m.

Location: Village Hall 2401 Desplaines Avenue North Riverside, Illinois

All interested persons are invited to attend and be heard. Written comments may be submitted in advance of the hearing to phughes@northriverside-il.org.

For additional information, please contact the Community Development Department at (708) 762-5924 during regular business hours.

Published in RB Landmark April 8, 2026

PUBLIC NOTICE

Notice is hereby given, pursuant to “An Act in relation to the use of an Assumed Business Name in the conduct or transaction of Business in the State,” as amended, that a certification was registered by the undersigned with the County Clerk of Cook County. Registration Number: M26001443 on March 10, 2026 Under the Assumed Business Name of 6700 SSD 17D with the business located at: 6700 S SOUTH SHORE DRIVE #17D, CHICAGO, IL 60649. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/partner(s) is:

EDWARD MATTHEWS 322 WEST 52ND STREET #323 NEW YORK, NY 10019, USA.

Published in Wednesday Journal March 25, April 1, 8, 2026

EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY

All real estate advertising in this newspaper is subject to the Fair Housing Act, which makes it illegal to advertise any preference, limitation or discrimination based on age, race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status or national origin, or intention to make any such preferences, limitations or discrimination.

The Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the sale, rental or advertising of real estate based on factors in addition to those protected under federal law. This newspaper will not knowingly accept any advertising for real estate which is in violation of the law. All persons are hereby informed that all dwellings advertised are available on an equal opportunity basis.

Restrictions or prohibitions of pets do not apply to service animals.

To complain of discrimination, call HUD toll free at: 1-800-669-9777.

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