ForestParkReview_092425 by Wednesday Journal

Residents want more police presence, transparency from Pioneer Tap

Police Chief Ken Gross says, ‘Our o cers always patrol that area, but they can’t just be there’

By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

After 24 police re ports involving Pioneer Tap in the first four months of this year, the village ordered the Randolph Street bar to close for a week in April ahead of a hearing to determine whether it could keep its liquor license. At that April 24 hearing, Pioneer Tap was cleared to reopen, fined $650 and its owner Marty Sorice was directed to develop a cor rective action plan for the bar. That correction action plan required Pioneer Tap to increase security staf f on weekends, play music at a lower volume, close windows when the music or crowd might be disruptive, make new signage to remind patrons they are in a residential area, and request to meet with the village quarterly to discuss is sues and be notified if there’s an uptick in perceived problems.

Nearly five months later, residents who live nearby Pioneer Tap are still complaining about alle ged disruptive

Police dept. may lease vehicles from Enterprise

Village sta is analyzing whether the cost savings make it an option worth exploring

By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

For 34 full-time officers, the Forest Park Police Department has 13 patrol cars, five cars for detectives, two administrative vehicles, one drivable parking enforcement car, two motorcycles and an ATV. But many of the frequently used vehicles are outliving their lifespan, according to Police Chief Ken Gross. One of the cars is a 2011 vehicle, two are 2015, and one is 2017.

To address the police department’s aging fleet, Gross met with Enterprise Rent-A-Car Sept. 17 to discuss the car rental business leasing government vehicles as a potential cost-saving measure for the village.

“The lease would allow for a circulation of cars, so you don’t have 10-year-old cars in the fleet. If you have newer cars, there’s in theory

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Thursday, October 9, 2025 • 6-9pm

The Nineteenth Century Club 178 Forest Ave, Oak Park, IL 60301

PROGRAM:

6:00pm - 7:00pm

Registration • Visual Art Gallery

Silent Auction

Enjoy Appetizers & Cash Bar

7:15pm - 8:30pm

Speakers • Spoken Word • Poetry • Music • Dance

Enjoy Appetizers & Cash Bar 8:30pm -9:00pm

Songs for Liberation - The Sunshine Puppeteers • Enjoy Cash Bar

Richard Boykin is running for 7th District seat

Formerly served as Congressman Danny Davis’ chief of sta and Cook County commissioner

By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

With primary elections in March, candidates are lining up to throw their hats in the ring for the seventh district congressional seat, which Danny Davis announced he’s retiring from in July after nearly 30 years.

An Oak Park resident who owns his own law firm, Richard Boykin announced his candidacy on Sept. 6, hoping to take over the position of the man whose congressional career he helped launch.

Boykin was Davis’ chief of staff from 1997 to 2006, starting when Davis was first elected to the position. Boykin was responsible for 22 staff in Chicago and Washington D.C. and served as Davis’ liaison to federal and local officials

“All of his legislative activities and successes for the first 10 years, I helped lay a foundatio for his 30-year career in gress,” Boykin said.

While working for Davis hi first year, in a Republican gress, Boykin helped pass an amendment that increased ac cess to jobs funding from $175 million to $750 million. money provided grants to local gover nments and nonprofits develop transportation that income people, often in inner cities, to employment and support services in suburban communities. If elected, Boykin said he’d advocate to bring more money for transportation back to the seventh district.

staff of the Congressional Black Caucus on multiple issues

“None of the other candidates have congressional experience. I do,” Boykin said. “I know Washington. I know where the bathrooms are. I know the people in Washington. I have relationships, and I’m going to leverage those relationships on behalf of the people of the seventh congressional district.”

After over 13 years in Washington D.C., Boykin worked at Barnes & Thornburg law firm, where he represented clients who had issues with the federal gover nment before Congress and agencies.

In 2014, Boykin was elected as Cook County commissioner of the first District, which covers Chicago’s West Side and the near west suburbs. As ommissioner, Boykin was the first Democrat to oppose the Cook ounty sweetened beverage tax in 2016. The tax was championed ook County Board President oni Preckwinkle, who Boykin told CBS Chicago worked to push him out with her union allies unded Brandon Johnson’s ampaign to successfully suceeded him as commissioner in

“We’re going to make sure that Illinois gets its fair share, especially the seventh district, of transportation dollars, so that we can have good roads and infrastructure,” Boykin said.

Boykin also worked to help Davis develop the Second Chance Act, which funds grants for state and local gover nment, plus nonprofits, that go toward reentry support and reducing recidivism.

But Boykin’s Washington experience isn’t limited to his potential predecessor.

He also worked for Carol Moseley Braun — the first African-American woman elected to the U.S. Senate and the first female U.S. senator from Illinois — and Bobby Rush, a congressman from 1993 to 2023 who co-founded the Illinois chapter of the Black Panther Party. Boykin has worked with members and

ouldn’t go along with it beause I had held town hall meetings throughout the district, and people said that they didn’t want that,” Boykin said of the sugar tax. “About four months later, I led the effort to repeal it. The reason why we were successful in repealing it is because people had begun to leave their pop, their juices, all of that stuff at the counter once they heard how much it cost.”

He added that instances like this are proof he’ll hold the Trump administration accountable.

“There’ll be others who will tell you that they will hold Trump accountable, but I hope that you will ask them, ‘How can you hold Trump accountable when you haven’t even held people within your own party accountable?’” Boykin said. “They’re going to say they’re going to stand up to Trump They won’t even stand up to Preckwinkle. I did, and I got the political scars to prove it.”

Also as Cook County commissioner, Boykin sponsored the initial ordinance to eliminate the tax on feminine hygiene products. And he had a seven-step plan to reduce violence. Some of those steps were acted upon, includ-

ing the creation of the sheriff’s office gun violence taskforce to better coordinate with Chicago and state police. Boykin also helped establish the requirement to have a medical examiner provide an oral and written report at board meetings on the number of people who are shot and killed in the county, location of incidents, and their ethnicities

“Before I required this, the medical examiner used to group Hispanics and whites together,” Boykin said. Even with the adjusted breakdown, Boykin said he wants to change the fact that over 75% of people killed in Cook County are Black, while making up only 22% of the county’s population.

Boykin’s priorities

Public safety is a top concern for Boykin In running for Congress, Boykin recently released his eight-point plan to stop gun violence. He said this iteration advocates for smart gun technology, which only allows an authorized user to fire a gun, and the regulation of ghost guns made with unregulated parts. He also wants to amend the statute for terrorism to include shooting into crowds

“We’ve got to make sure that people are safe in their neighborhood, that seniors can sit on their porches without fear of being shot. Kids can walk down the street and play in the neighborhood without fear of being shot as well. That’s what I’m trying to do here. I’m hearing this is a major concern from Black people, from white people, from Latino people that I talk to. They’re concerned about this issue of public safety.”

Public health is another main priority for Boykin, who said he wants to keep the cost of health care down by restoring cuts to Medicaid and Medicare, and research dollars to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. He added that he’ll fight to keep hospital doors open.

“Health care is a big issue for the district,” Boykin said. “The district has more hospitals and healthcare stuff, like federally qualified health centers, than any other congressional district in the country, but one in New York.”

Boykin is currently creating a health care task force of doctors, nurses and industry professionals who will be laying out a plan for the seventh congressional district soon. When it comes to what he’d do differently from Davis, Boykin said he’d bring more vitality and spend more time in his district out-

side Chicago’s West Side

“I bring a level of energy that is going to be much greater than the congressman’s energy,” Boykin said. “I’m going to make sure that every community counts, and that means the communities that I’ve heard who feel like they’ve been ignored,” which he said he’s heard from residents of Oak Park, River Forest, plus the River North, South Loop and West Loop neighborhoods in downtown Chicago. “They feel like the congressman has paid most of his attention to just the West Side of Chicago. Well, the district is bigger than the West Side of Chicago, and I’m going to be a voice for every side of Chicago.”

But Boykin says he’d continue standing up for the West Side, too, if elected. He lived with Davis and his wife in Austin for about five months before moving to Oak Park.

“Things have not changed on the West Side of Chicago greatly since the ‘68 riots. There are places on the West Side of Chicago that are still undeveloped that have been bur ned down,” Boykin said of unrest in the area when Martin Luther King Jr. was killed. He added that he’ll address the West Side’s vacant lots and bring industry and jobs back to the area.

“I’m privileged to have represented the West Side of Chicago when I was a Cook County commissioner,” Boykin said. “I took care of every part of the district, and I’m going to bring the same level of energy, commitment and tenacity to make sure that everybody’s voice is heard and everybody counts.”

Boykin grew up in Englewood, so he says he understands the people of the South Side. He added that he’d like to open a satellite office in Oak Park to better connect with constituents looking to access congressional resources in the wester n suburbs.

“I’ve been someone who disrupts the status quo. I’ve also been a coalition builder. I’ve been someone who brings people together and who gets things done,” Boykin said. “I’ve been preparing for this job all my life, quite frankly. Congress was made for me, and I was made for the Congress.”

According to the Federal Election Commission, other candidates who are running for Davis’ Democratic seat include Jerico J. Brown, Melissa Conyears-Ervin, Jason Friedman, La Shawn Ford, Rory Hoskins, Danica Leigh, Tekita Martinez, John McCombs and Emelia Rosie — who’s not registered with a political party.

RICHARD BOYKIN

PIONEER TAP

and criminal behavior at the bar. Three neighbors spoke about their concerns during public comment at the Sept. 8 village council meeting.

“Since the hearing in April, we have experienced relative calm. However, after the Labor Day holiday weekend, we have seen a spike of incidents,” said Liz Gould, a Forest Park resident who lives just north of Pioneer Tap.

Since the April hearing, Gould said she and her neighbors have re ported to police that Pioneer Tap has been the site of a fight on May 11 where participants drove of f before police arrived, loud talking and music on May 12, fireworks on July 4, public urination on Aug. 30 and a domestic violence incident on Aug. 31.

Gould asked the village to increase police patrols, especially after 10 p.m. on weekend and holiday nights, share how the cor rective action plan is being enforced, ask Pioneer Tap employees to pick up trash around the bar, and to meet with the bar’s neighbors quarterly to inform them about the public safety response.

Police Chief Ken Gross, who was out of the country for the Sept. 8 village council meeting, told the Review that police have increased their presence around Pioneer Tap since the April hearing.

“Our officers always patrol that area, but they can’t just be there,” Gross said. He added that police staffed on the late end of

the department’s afternoon shift and the early end of the midnight shift patrol more frequently around Pioneer Tap looking for parking and local ordinance violations. “Unless officers are there the whole time the bar is open, sometimes, unfortunately things are going to happen.”

The police department is analyzing the cor rective action plan’s effectiveness by monitoring activity at Pioneer Tap, assessing calls about the bar, and surveying emailed or phoned complaints about the bar — of which, Gross said he’s received none.

“Aside from the public comment that was made on Monday in my absence, I haven’t gotten a call about Pioneer Tap, and I haven’t gotten an email about Pioneer Tap in quite a long time,” Gross said. “If there’s a problem that’s sent my way from a resident or staf f, I contact Marty [Sorice] directly and tell him, ‘Hey, there’s an issue.’”

If complaints increased, perhaps to the level they were at earlier this year, Gross said there could be another liquor or business licensing hearing.

Pioneer Tap ght

One public commenter at the Sept. 8 meeting brought up a specific example where he disag reed with police action during a disturbance outside Pioneer Tap. Forest Park resident James Michael said that, on Aug. 31, he heard yelling in the street and, from his porch, saw a man hitting a woman while she sat in the car.

“While I’m on the phone with the [911] operator, the man got into the passenger side of the car and just started beating the crap out of the woman,” Michael said. He

added that the man stopped when Michael came around to the passenger’s side and police pulled up.

Michael said that, after calmly speaking to police, the man and woman drove of f in separate cars. He said he started yelling at police for letting the man go.

Michael said an officer told him “it’s our fault because we haven’t made enough calls. When we call 911, not enough of us are leaving our names. We haven’t given them what they need to do.”

“And then he says it was a mutual combat situation,” Michael added of the officer’s response. “And it certainly was not mutual combat because I was the only one who saw it. The officers were not there, and I was asking them, ‘Let me fill out a statement. Let me give my name. Let me do something.’ They didn’t want to do it.” He added, “I’m not trying to second guess people’s professionalism, but that particu-

lar case was not good enough.”

“Nobody wanted to sign complaints,” Gross told the Review about the instance Michael spoke of. “We can’t arrest anybody when we don’t have complainants.”

Another Pioneer Tap neighbor said Sept. 8 that, while the village has acknowledged her and her neighbors’ concerns, the issues have persisted.

“We knew it wouldn’t be a quick fix. It wasn’t something to address in one meeting,” said Maggie Grady Hooper. “We bought our house in 2016 knowing it’s near bars because it’s near fun things to do. Unfor tunately, the safety issues and the cleanliness issues surrounding the Pioneer Tap is detracting from our property.”

As the Forest Park Police Department continues monitoring Pioneer Tap, Gross asks for those who have specific complaints about Pioneer Tap to call the village at (708) 366-2323 or email contact@forestpark.net.

fewer re pairs and better gas mileage,” Gross said. “And we would have a newer fleet, which I think is a human resource positive. Our officers would have newer cars, which again, in theory, makes them happier.”

If Enterprise leases vehicles to the police department, it would likely be for four- or five-year time spans. Enterprise could also lease the village vehicles for the fire, public works or building departments, all of which would come pre-upfitted with department-

specific modifications.

“My hope, if we did go for th with it, would be to start little with the police department and, if it works out well, maybe expand it to the other departments,” Gross said. “I think, if we were going to do it, it would be for fiscal year 26-27,” which is May 1, 2026 to April 30, 2027. The lease ag reement would have to be approved by the village council.

Gross said he’s gotten emails from Enterprise about such vehicle leasing options. He added that one of the department’s sergeants took a management class where they completed a study on the efficacy of leasing cars instead of buying them.

“I think it’s a good option, but I have to dig a little deeper to make sure it is,” Gross said.

4 Forest Park Review,

Oak Park trustees hear recommendations from taskforce on homelessness

Public restroom downtown, continued support for emergency housing and ECHO-led street outreach among suggestions

By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter

A village-organized taskforce for med to help Oak Park address chronic homelessness has provided a set of recommendations to the village board.

Over the last several months, a village organized “Unhoused Taskforce” has gathered regularly to provide a set of recommendations for how the village gover nment can better use its resources to support people experiencing homelessness in the village. The village board heard a presentation on those short-term and long-term recommendations at its meeting Tuesday, Sept. 18.

“Following the board’s conversation about possible ways to address issues of homelessness and its impact on the wider community in winter 2024/2025, village staff convened a small group of stakeholders representing diverse members of the community to collaborate on shared goals and actions for a holistic and compassionate approach to addressing the needs of both unhoused residents and the wider Oak Park community,” village staff wrote of the taskforce. “The taskforce included individuals with lived experience of homelessness, Oak Park residents, representatives from local non-profits and taxing bodies, as well as members of the business community This diverse representation ensures that the strategies reflect multiple perspectives and the unique needs of the community.”

The taskforce’s short-term recommendations included supporting the operation of non-profit Housing Forward’s emergency shelters, which could lose out on state funding in 2026. The taskforce recommended that Oak Park should step in if state funding

doesn’t come through.

The Maywood-based agency is set to open a new expanded emergency shelter with 40 beds at 112 S. Humphrey Ave. in Oak Pa the coming weeks. The village supported tha shelter’s creation with more than $314,000 in village funds authorized by the village b in February, in addition to $250,000 provide by the county.

Another recommendation was emp ing ECHO — the village’s recently created alternative response program — to lead vamped street outreach efforts to help nect people living on the street with availabl resources. They also recommended fundin an account for ECHO to pay for rideshar transportation to help people to access medical care, housing opportunities and mental health counseling

The taskforce also asked the village to support the construction of a new restroom in Downtown Oak Park.

Other recommendations for the included further standardizing Oak policies around clearing homeless encamp ments that impact businesses or violate cleanliness or drug use standards, rating with other taxing bodies to suppo rental assistance programs and continuin community education programs related to homelessness

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While Tuesday’s presentation session did not include any action items for the b vote on, several village trustees said that they hoped to have more detailed sets of infor tion to consider when village staff measures based on the taskforce’s mendations back to the board for appr

“I think it would be helpful to us, the presentation is very top line with bullet points, if they were accompanied by os that provide a far greater level of on recommendations, the data supporting it, the outcomes we expect,” said Trustee Brian Straw. “These recommendations came out of expert analysis, so I do greatly appreciate all the work that went into making these recommendations, but I do want to concur with (Trustee Jim Taglia’s) comments that with the sheets we have, it does make it hard for us to give a lot of nuanced, detailed feedback.”

Planting: Many think autumn is too late to install landscape plantings—but it’s actually one of the best times. Here’s why:

. As plants prepare for dormancy, they try to gain energy and nutrients to survive the winter. Instead of using this energy to grow up, that energy goes below ground, enabling better root establishment and a hardier plant come next spring.

. Cooler air means less stress from heat, and soil stays moist longer. Moist soil = happy roots and plants!

. With fewer pests active and reduced disease, plantings have a healthier start and are less likely to encounter problematic pests and pathogens.

Pavers: Autumn is also an excellent time to spend outdoors with family and friends. Looking to entertain or simply enjoy the crisp air? A patio and fire pit are an excellent way to enjoy nature and cozily extend your living space. There’s plenty of season left, and these projects can be completed even into early winter.

Planning: Don’t think you’re ready for a new landscape project? That’s OK! Now is the perfect time to start planning for your landscape or hardscape project for next season. Gather ideas, prepare designs and select materials—be prepared so your project receives priority in the spring.

Scott McAdam Jr.

Can local journalism survive? Thrive?

An important discussion sponsored by the League of Women Voters Oak Park and River Forest and Growing Community Media

The internet killed off many newspapers and other legacy publications are struggling to survive. Meanwhile a new wave of young online publications is attempting to ﬁll the vacuum and cover their communities. If democracy is to survive, voters need to know the candidates running for ofﬁce and their positions. Readers, local donors and foundations have stepped into the fray, but will their philanthropy be enough?

Join the discussion

Tracy Baim Executive director of Press Forward Chicago, a pooled fund helping local journalism

Max Reinsdorf Interim executive director, Growing Community Media

April Alonso Co-founder of Cicero Independiente

Amethyst Davis Founder of the Harvey World Herald

Thursday, Oct. 9 • 6 p.m.

Oak Park Public Library • 834 Lake St, Oak Park Admission is free and open to the public

Judith Crown Co-president, League of Women Voters Oak Park and River Forest, will moderate the discussion

River Forest couple with expired visas deported to Slovakia

Described by neighbors as ‘good people, good friends’

By DAN HALEY Interim Editor

On the afternoon of Sept. 11 federal agents detained two River Forest residents who had alle gedly overstayed work visas and quickly deported them to Slovakia, their country of origin.

While ICE has now twice denied any role in the action, it is uncertain what agency the multiple officers re presented. On Sept. 22, Elizabeth Ray, a spokesperson for U.S. Customs & Border Protection, said, “CBP Chicago did not commence until Sept. 16. The below incident was not us.”

The agents were described by a neighbor of the couple who lived in the same apar tment building in northeast River Forest as wearing military gear, carrying rifles, with three of the four agents fully masked.

The witness, who reached out to Wednesday Journal and asked that her name not be used, said her encounter began with heavy knocking on her second-floor apar tment door. “No one knocks on my door,” she said. She asked who was there and the response was, “Police.”

When she opened the door there were four agents and her neighbors’ small dog. She was told her neighbor had been detained and, as a courtesy, they were delivering the dog to her. “Will you take the dog or not?” the officer asked. When she asked who had detained her neighbor, the agent said, “We can’t tell you that.”

Another neighbor, who also contacted the Journal but asked not to be identified, described the couple as “Good people. Good friends. These are not rapists or robbers or the worst of the worst. They are hardworking people who pay taxes.”

He said the husband worked as a craftsman laying hardwood floors. “That is hard, sweaty work. Not many Americans want to do that work.”

At the request of neighbors, Wednesday Journal is not naming the couple as they continue ef for ts to settle their af fairs in Illinois.

The couple were transported to O’Hare Airport where they were placed in holding

cells and told they would be quickly deported. The intervention of a social service agency resulted in the woman being able to provide a list of essential items they could take with them if they could be retrieved quickly. Phones, laptops, passports and other small things were delivered back to the airpor t before they were put on a flight to Europe.

Mostly, both neighbors said, the couple are concerned about being reunited with their dog who was described as being “precious and little and shaking like you wouldn’t believe.” The current hope is that another friend can fly with the dog in October and return him to the couple.

On entering the couple’s apar tment, the first neighbor said that lunch was laid out on the table – hard boiled eggs and salami –and that the woman had been in the shower.

She described the couple as “being very well loved” in the neighborhood, a place they have lived for better than 10 years. Both neighbors estimated them to be in their mid-30s to early 40s.

They came to America on legal work visas, which eventually expired. They worked unsuccessfully to get an extension during President Donald Trump’s first term. “In the second term,” a neighbor said, “they were afraid to approach anyone in the government.”

Asked why they immigrated to America 12 years ago, the second neighbor said, “Why does anyone come to America? A job. Education. Opportunity. Now you’d be a fool to come to America.”

The couple have now been back in Sl ovakia for a week. Neighbors and friends have been able to talk with them and continue to work on the logistics of selling of f the couple’s truck and shipping some items to them in Europe.

“They are very upset about how it went down,” said the second neighbor. “But they are handling it better than I am. They’re freer now than they were when they were here,” he said.

“How the hell can this happen in this country? This is not the America I grew up in, that my parents grew up in,” he said.

THE ANNUAL CAESAR AND PATRICIA TABET POETRY READING

Ross Gay

October 9, 2025

THE ANNUAL CAESAR AND PATRICIA TABET POETRY READING

October 9, 2025

7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

Ross Gay

$15 (Free for Students and Faculty)

7:00 - 8:30 p.m.

October 9, 2025

$15 (Free for Students and Faculty)

The author of four acclaimed poetry collections—including Be Holding: A Poem, winner of the PEN American Literary Jean Stein Award, and Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, recipient of the National Book Critics Circle Award and Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award—Ross is as beloved for his warmth and humor as for his extraordinary craft.

His bestselling essay collections, The Book of Delights, Inciting Joy, and The Book of (More) Delights, invite readers to find beauty and connection in the everyday. In this special evening, Ross will share selections from his work and offer reflections that linger long after the last line is read.

His bestselling essay collections, The Book of Delights, Inciting Joy, and The Book of �More) Delights, invite readers to find beauty and connection in the everyday. In this special evening, Ross will share selections from his work and offer reflections that linger long after the last line is read.

Join us for an unforgettable celebration of poetry, joy, and the power of paying attention:

PTO hosts ‘color run’ for D91 families

3rd annual event marks Hindu festival of Holi

By HOPE BAKER Contributing Reporter

More than 200 people participated in the Forest Park PTO’s third annual color run. Inspired by the Hindu festival of Holi, the vibrant and fun-filled event was held at Roos Recreation Center on Saturday, Sept. 20. During the run, volunteers threw colored powder at participants of all ages as they passed through a variety of color stations. Most of the runners wore white clothing, eager to be painted like a canvas by the time they reached the finish line.

Kc Mutchler, president of the Forest Park PTO, said the run is a great opportunity for D91 students and families to come out and have a good time together. The untimed race emphasizes fun over competition and has no winners or prizes.

“Folks can run around the course as many times as they want to,” Mutchler said. “The kids just absolutely love it.”

Mutchler said the color run, which has a re gistration fee of $10 per family, is one of four yearly events hosted by the PTO.

“We’ve got a lot of really great volunteers helping out,” Mutchler said. “This is our third annual and it grows every year.”

After all of the participants gathered at the starting line, Mayor Rory Hoskins kicked of f the race with an enthusiastic countdown, then sent the runners on their way.

Hoskins, who raised four kids in Forest Park with his wife, said he is a big fan of District 91.

“The volunteers work hard. They’re good people,” Hoskins said. “They’re my neighbors and I know them, so I’m happy to help.”

Among this year’s participants was Chris Linton, who took part in the run alongside his wife and two children. Originally from Philadelphia, the Lintons moved to Forest Park about two years ago. Both their children, ages 5 and 3, attend Garfield Elementary.

A first-time participant in the color run, Linton said he has enjoyed living in Forest Park so far.

“It’s beautiful,” he said. “It’s diverse, welcoming and family-oriented -- just kind of everything we were looking for.”

Another D91 parent who took part in the run was Mary Dmyterko, who said she and her 12-year-old son, Michael, were there to support the PTO and Forest Park Middle School.

she was not worried about getting doused in colorful powder

“I heard the colors wash right of f,” she said. “We’ll see if that’s true.”

Andrea Marello, a D91 parent and school board member, attended the event with her second-grade son, Max.

“He and his buddies are all here and they are hyped,” Marello said. “I think this is such a good all-district event because its outside, it’s easy to participate, and it’s super inviting. The color aspect makes the kids feel like they’re at a community rave It’s a lot of fun.”

Other events hosted by the D91 PTO throughout the year include Trunk or Treat with D91, Loteria Night, The Forest Park Middle School Sneaker Ball, MLK Day of Service, Betsy Ross Winter Family Night, and the Field Stevenson Glow Party.

Above: Rachelle Ernst and other volunteers douse runners in blue powder.

Le : Participants wait for the race to start Below: Runners charge out of the gate

Photos from HOPE BAKER

CRIME

Forest Park police help catch 3 of 5 o enders in burglary chase

By JESSICA MORDACQ Staff Reporter

Police were dispatched around 2:30 a.m. on Sept. 15 to help the Oak Park Police Department with an active burglary at Cash America Pawn, 6303 W. North Ave. in Oak Park. Forest Park police were told the suspects drove west on North Avenue in a red sedan, which police located and pursued. The sedan turned south on Thatcher and, while following, Forest Park police hit a deer in River Forest. Police pursued the car until it hit a fence in front of a home on Oak Street in Maywood and five occupants got out and ran. A Forest Park police officer attempted to place one of the suspects in custody, but he hit the officer in the face before running down an alley. Police performed a takedown and took him into custody. Forest Park, Oak Park, River Forest and Maywood police created a perimeter of the area and found two more suspects hiding in bushes. They were also taken into custody. The Forest Park police didn’t charge anyone, as they were assisting other police departments.

Burglary

Police were dispatched to the CTA Blue Line Harlem stop just before midnight on Sept. 16 for a delayed burglary re port. A CTA employee told police she left her booth from approximately 11:12 to 11:40 a.m. and, when she returned, saw that the door was damaged and her purse was stolen. Police found a sledgehammer next to the door, which was likely used to remove the door handle. A CTA supervisor said she’d sign complaints on behalf of CTA against the offender if they were found

Assault

On Sept. 17, police were dispatched to Harvest 365 on Roosevelt Road for a battery. The complainant, who is a dishwasher at the restaurant, was outside and told police that his manager became angry over a human resources complaint the man filed after an incident where someone urinated in his shoes. Police re ported that the man appeared intoxicated, and he said his manager kicked him out of the restaurant, hit him and ripped his shirt. Police spoke with the culinary director at the restaurant,

fore, she saw three lit candles around a headstone, resulting in burn marks on the stone. There was no structural damage and no details provided on a potential timeframe when the candles could have been lit.

These items were obtained from Forest Park Police Department reports dated Sept. 15 - 18 and represent a portion of the incidents to

which police responded. Anyone named in these reports has only been charged with a crime and cases have not yet been adjudicated. We report 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 physical description of the suspect as they seek the public’s help in making an arrest.

drunk.

He told him to go home and escorted him outside, but the man was angry, pulled out a pocketknife and started waving it. The culinary director said he tried to disarm the man and a struggle ensued. The man, threatening to call the police, got in his car and drove toward the culinary director as he walked back into the restaurant. A witness cor roborated the story. The culinary director said he didn’t want to sign complaints against the man, but requested he be trespassed from the property.

Attempt to locate missing person

On Sept. 18, a man came to the police department to re port his daughter as missing, as he hadn’t seen her since Aug. 19. He said she was staying with her mother but has been couch surfing, and that he usually gets calls and texts from her asking for money but hasn’t lately. He said his daughter sent him and her mother photos of bruises on her arms but didn’t respond when they expressed concern. Police ran the daughter’s name, which was involved in a Sept. 16 Kane County police re port of a suspicious person. The Kane County Sherif f’s Office told police that they’d had multiple interactions with the woman and the individuals she was staying with at a home in unincorporated West Dundee. The sherif f’s office made contact with the woman, who said she didn’t need police assistance, and they told her to contact her family.

Damage to proper ty

On Sept. 18, police responded to Waldheim Jewish Cemetery. There, the ground superintendent re ported that, the day be-

OUR VIEW

New idea: Leasing police cars

It is time to crunch the numbers on a proposal from Enterprise, the car rental outfit, to see if it makes sense for Forest Park to begin leasing its police cars. Police Chief Ken Gross and village hall colleagues are reviewing the details on a concept the cash-strapped village government likely finds interesting.

In its ongoing financial straits, decades in the making, Forest Park has long failed to invest in its fleet of vehicles – whether police or public works. This has led to an array of workarounds, staf f frustration and the sinking of limited cash into ongoing vehicle fixes.

Village Administrator Rachell Entler has been open to all manner of ideas to upg rade village services while conserving cash. With the police department’s aging fleet of patrol cars and other vehicles – there is a 2011 model still rolling around town – the solution will not be a massive purchase of new cars. The money just isn’t there. Keep in mind that a police patrol car is on the street almost 24 hours a day. Shift-by-shift, the odometer spins.

So, does turning to leased police cars make sense? Enterprise is interested enough to make a pitch. If the numbers work, new cars would come with the necessary upgrades for police use and be rotated through on a 4- to 5-year lease.

Gross said a sergeant on the force took a management class where participants ran the numbers on leasing police cars and saw some upside. He also told the Review this week that finding a way to upgrade the vehicle fleet would be a boost to officer morale. We can all identify with the “new car smell” effect of driving a solid vehicle. Especially if it is, in effect, your office.

We will wait for the numbers to be reviewed. But good for Forest Park for looking for new ways to fix a seemingly intractable problem.

OPINION

A ection and love with an accent

Recently I had a 34-day-long stay at Loyola Hospital where I was being treated for the double whammy of a fractured femur and sciatica.

I received a great deal of love and affection — to complement what the medical profession contributed to my healing process — from friends and family, but what has remained one of my strongest memories of that difficult time is how much of that love and affection came from people with black or brown skin, who grew up in Asia or Africa, and were living and working with documentation in this area.

HOLMES

That gift of love sometimes came in the form of food. Ugandan chapati, rice and beans, Thai mango and sticky rice, Thai noodle and rice dishes, iced coffee. One woman bought my wife and me dinner at Yum Thai — sesame tofu.

More impor tant than the food, of course, was that it was not only hand-delivered by my immigrant friends but they hung out with me in my hospital room or at home after I was discharged, wanting to hear the whole story of what I had gone through. They were tr uly interested and it was therapeutic for me.

It’s a blessing having a loving community supporting you when you’re going through a hard time, but for me what made these gifts of love so meaningful is that they confirmed the importance of part of my life’s work

I hadn’t set out to be a bridge-builder across cultural chasms, but looking back after 78 years, that vocation has claimed a good portion of my time and energy:

■ Exchange student at Tuskegee Institute, 1968

■ Teacher at Cole gio San Antonio Abad, Puerto Rico, 19721974

■ Pastor of St. Paul’s, a multiracial cong re gation in a changing neighborhood, 1982-2010

■ Leading eight mission groups to Thailand for the pu rpose of seeing themselves differently from the perspective of a different culture

■ Columnist and sometimes repor ter for the Review and Wednesday Journal. That job has exposed me to a Black gay pastor, an Orthodox Jewish wedding, a one-on-one interview with a drag queen, a secular humanist group, and a Black Catholic sister who worked to build bridges across Austin Boulevard

■ Member of St. Paul Thai Lutheran Church and occasional preacher whose sermons are translated into Thai as I give them.

■ Author of a volume on the diversity of religious experience in Oak Park titled, The Soul of a Liberal Village

In other words, I didn’t choose the vocation of bridge-builder; the vocation chose me. And I imagine that the same is true for many of you. Forest Park is a lifestyle enclave with a culture that attracts people with a certain set of values, one of which is valuing diversity, and the longer you live here, the more the culture that attracted you can have its impact on you. Here’s what happened to me: When I came to town in 1982, the village was mainly white, but I sensed that it was beginning to change. Some members of the cong re gation I pastored resisted the changes, but most had the sensibility that characterizes the village to this day — a common-sense, down-to-earth, non-ideological approach to change which believed, “I don’t care if you are green. If you keep your property up and treat me with respect, I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt.”

It was as if God wrote the script (which I believe is what happened). One Sunday Gladys and Deji Otegbeye walked into our little church, came to the coffee hour after worship and explained to the members that they were from Nigeria, were both doctors and were renting an apar tment just down the street.

Some of our members were won over by Deji’s outgoing, winsome personality; some were hooked by the couple’s story; some viewed the visitors through the eyes of the Bible stories they heard every Sunday

The Otegbeyes would build way more than half of the cultural bridge between our village with small-town charm and Africa, but our members were able to relate to Deji and Gladys as real people, not the subject of a piece on violence on the West Side they saw on WGN.

On the day Tunji, their first born, was baptized, the church was packed, including 40 African (immigrant) friends of the proud parents.

The joyful experience was made possible less by a civilrights, ideological/political point of view and more by what I would call a healthy, biblically-centered, humble approach to new and different people that thinks, “You look and seem to think differently than I do but, nothing ventured …”

The Ugandan man, the one who brought me rice and beans, I got to know while he was in my men’s group. He told me about a nonprofit he is in which tries to help girls in poor parts of Uganda go to school. I’ve been a member for about six years. The members tease me by calling me an albino Ugandan, a term of affection I treasure.

“All real living is meeting,” declared Martin Buber. Amen and amen.

A LOOK BACK IN TIME

Before it was Brown Cow …

The movie theater at 7347 Madison, now the Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor, was known as the Madison Circle Theater, Circle Theater, and The Lil Theatre during its lifespan as an entertainment emporium. The for mer 1886 show house, designed by architect Henry L. Newhouse, was the first movie house outside of Chicago in 1914 with seating for 300. It featured an outdoor ticket booth and an orchestra pit. As larger theaters emerged, it transitioned to second-run films and cartoons before closing in the 1960s.

The sloped entry ramp, projector room windows and original plaster walls, and the woodwork, which was salvaged from a 1910 mansion on Lake Shore Drive, are all remnants in its new chapter as the Brown Cow Ice Cream Parlor, which expanded into the space in 2008 from their early days at 7314 Madison (now Petra Falafel) during a time when Madison Street was struggling with vacancies.

Brown Cow’s signature events like the “Great Pumpkin Contest,” “Storytime with Miss Tracey,” Belgium waffles after Thanksgiving, “Ice Cream with Santa,” and the “Trough Eating Contest” are just a few of the community fan favorites in their le gacy. The parlor expanded as a creamery, where customers can watch the ice cream being made through a window.

Jill Wagner

& FRESHLOCALNEWS

Interim

Executive Director Max Reinsdorf

Sta Repor ter Jessica Mordacq

Senior Audience Manager Stacy Coleman

Contributing Editor Donna Greene

Contributing Reporters Tom Holmes, Robert J. Li a

Columnists Alan Brouilette, Jill Wagner, Tom Holmes

Design/Production Manager Andrew Mead

Editorial Design Manager Javier Govea

Designers Susan McKelvey, Vanessa Garza

Senior Media Strategist Lourdes Nicholls

Marketing & Adver tising Associate Emma Cullnan

Development Manager Mary Ellen Nelligan

Circulation Manager Jill Wagner

Operations Associate Susan Babin

Social Media and Digital Coordinator Maribel Barrera

Special Projects Manager Susan Walker

Senior Advisor Dan Haley

Board of Directors

Chair Eric Weinheimer

Treasurer Nile Wendorf

Deb Abrahamson, Mary Cahillane Steve Edwards, Judy Gre n, Horacio Mendez, Charles Meyerson, Darnell Shields, Audra Wilson

HOW TO REACH US

ADDRESS: PO Box 6670, River Forest, IL 6035 PHONE: (708) 366-0600

EMAIL: forestpark@wjinc.com

CIRCULATION: Jill@oakpark.com

ONLINE: ForestParkReview.com

Postmaster: Please send address changes to: Forest Park Review, PO Box 6670, River Forest, IL 60305. Periodical rate postage paid at Oak Park, IL (USPS No 0205-160)

In-county subscriptions: $48 per year. $88 for two years, $118 for three years. Out-of-county subscriptions: $82 per year.

Saturday September 27, 2025 • 11am 7 Van Buren, Oak Park

PUBLIC NOTICES

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: M25000902 on September 17, 2025 Under the Assumed Business Name of ERROL JAY KIRSCH ARCHITECT with the business located at: 1046 FAIR OAKS, OAK PARK, IL 60302. The true and real full name(s) and residence address of the owner(s)/ partner(s) is: ERROL JAY KIRSCH 1046 FAIR OAKS, OAK PARK, IL 60302, USA.

Published in Wednesday Journal September 24, October 1, 8, 2025

PUBLIC HEARING NOTICE

ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS

RIVER FOREST, ILLINOIS

Public Notice is hereby given that a public hearing will be held by the Zoning Board of Appeals of the Village of River Forest, Cook County, Illinois, on Thursday, October 9, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. in the First Floor Community Room of the River Forest Village Hall, 400 Park Avenue, River Forest, Illinois, to consider amendment(s) to the Village’s Zoning Ordinance which include, but may not be limited to, the following:

1. A Text Amendment to Section 1024-3 (Applicability) of the Zoning Ordinance regarding the applicability of other sections; and

2. A Text Amendment to Section 10-24-3 (Off Street Parking) of the Zoning Ordinance to establish tree preservation requirements for single family properties and to update tereminology.

The petitioner for the Text Amendments is the Village President and Board of Trustees. This public hearing is being held pursuant to direction given by the Village Board of Trustees for the Zoning Board of Appeals to consider these amendments. For additional information visit www.vrf. us

All interested persons will be given the opportunity to be heard at the public hearing. For public comments to be considered by the Zoning Board of Appeals and Village Board of Trustees in their decision, they must be included as part of the public hearing record. If you cannot attend the public hearing but would like to provide input on this matter to the Zoning Board of Appeals you may submit your comments in writing, to Clifford Radatz, Building Official, no later than 12:00 Noon on the date of the public hearing at cradatz@vrf.us or by mailing them to 400 Park Ave nue, River Forest, IL 60305. For further information or for a copy of the proposed text amendments, please contact Village Administrator Matt Walsh at (708) 714-3563 or at mwalsh@vrf.us or visit www.vrf.us

Clifford Radatz

Secretary, Zoning Board of Appeals

Published in Wednesday Journal September 24, 2025

PUBLIC NOTICES

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

dominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

PUBLIC NOTICES PUBLIC NOTICES

ORDINANCE 2025-04

ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING LEVY OF AN ADDITIONAL TAX FOR THE MAINTENANCE REPAIRS AND ALTERATION OF THE LIBRARY BUIDLING AND EQUIPMENT

WHEREAS, ss35-5 of the Public Library District Act of 1991 (75 ILCS 16/35/5) authorizes the levy of an additional tax of .02% of the value of all taxable property in the District, as equalized or assessed by the Department of Revenue for the maintenance, repairs and alterations of the Library building and equipment.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE Board of Library Trustees of the MAYWOOD PUBLIC LIBRARY DISTRICT, Cook County, Illinois, that it hereby determines to levy an additional tax of .02% of the value of all taxable property in the District, as equalized and assessed by the Department of Revenue for the maintenance, repairs, and alterations of the Library building and equipment.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that within fifteen (15) days after the adoption of this Ordinance, the Secretary shall publish it at least once in one or more newspapers published in the District, or if no newspaper is published therein, then in one or more newspapers with a general circulation within the District.

BE IT FURTHER ORDAINED that if no petition is filed with the Board of Library Trustees by October 17, 2025, thirty (30) days after the aforesaid publication, the District shall then proceed with the levy of said additional tax. However, if within the thirty (30) day period, a petition is filed with the Board of Library Trustees, signed by electors of the District equal in number to 760 or more of the electors (being 10% or more of the registered voters of the Library District) in the Library District, asking that the question of levying such a .02% tax be submitted to the electors of the District, the question shall be submitted at the end of the consolidated

REAL ESTATE FOR SALE

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION Lakeview Loan Servicing, LLC Plaintiff, -v.-

Tontaneshia F. Bouie; Timothy Sharperson; Unknown Owners and Nonrecord Claimants Defendants. 2025CH00071 14 52nd Ave., Bellwood, IL 60104

NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on 7/17/2025, an agent of Auction. com, LLC will conduct the auction in person at 12:00 P.M. on October 22, 2025 located at 100 N LaSalle St., Suite 1400, Chicago, IL 60602, and will sell at public sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate. LOT 27 IN CASTLE HOMES ADDITION TO BELLWOOD, BEING A SUBDIVISION OF PART OF LOTS 4 AND 5 IN THE SUBDIVISION OF THE NORTHEAST FRACTIONAL QUARTERS AND THE NORTHEAST QUARTERS OF THE FRACTIONAL NORTHWEST QUARTER OF FRACTIONAL SECTION 8, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDIAN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

Commonly known as 14 52nd Ave., Bellwood, IL 60104

Property Index No. 15-08-101-0300000

The real estate is improved with a Residential Property. The judgment amount was $198,662.83 Sale Terms: 20% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to Auction. com, LLC, No third party checks will be accepted. All registered bidders need to provide a photo ID in order to bid. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. (relief fee not required) The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to plaintiff and in “AS IS” condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a certificate of sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property, prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by the Condominium property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9 (g)(l) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by the Con-

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701 (C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. For information, contact Plaintiffs attorney: CODILIS & ASSOCIATES PC (630) 794-5300 please refer to file number 14-24-07648.

Auction.com, LLC 100 N LaSalle St., Suite 1400 Chicago, IL 60602 - 872-225-4985 You can also visit www.auction.com.

Attorney File No. 14-24-07648

Case Number: 2025CH00071

NOTE: PURSUANT TO THE FAIR DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES ACT, YOU ARE ADVISED THAT PLAINTIFF’S ATTORNEY IS DEEMED TO BE A DEBT COLLECTOR ATTEMPTING TO COLLECT A DEBT AND ANY INFORMATION OBTAINED WILL BE USED FOR THAT PURPOSE.

I3272385

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION SELENE FINANCE LP Plaintiff, -v.-

TORSHAUN STAMPS, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ACTING BY AND THROUGH THE SECRETARY OF HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT, CORTEZ REAL ESTATE INVESTMENT, LLC Defendants 23 CH 08261 1046 32ND AVENUE

BELLWOOD, IL 60104

NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on January 17, 2025, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on October 3, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: LOT 18 IN BLOCK 4 IN SHELKETON BROTHERS THIRD ADDITION, A SUBDIVISION OF THE SOUTHWEST 1/4 OF THE NORTHEAST 1/4 OF SECTION 16, TOWNSHIP 39 NORTH, RANGE 12, EAST OF THE THIRD PRINCIPAL MERIDAIN, IN COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS.

Commonly known as 1046 32ND AVENUE, BELLWOOD, IL 60104

Property Index No. 15-16-209042-0000

The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $225,269.72.

Sale terms: 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in ‘’AS IS’’ condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

Where a sale of real estate is made to satisfy a lien prior to that of the United States, the United States shall have one year from the date of sale within which to redeem, except that with respect to a lien arising under the internal revenue laws the period shall be 120 days or the period allowable for redemption under State law, whichever is longer, and in any case in which, under the provisions of section 505 of the Housing Act of 1950, as amended (12 U.S.C. 1701k), and subsection (d) of section 3720 of title 38 of the United States Code, the right to redeem does not arise, there shall be no right of redemption. The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales.

For information, contact HEAVNER, BEYERS & MIHLAR, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 601 E. William St., DECATUR, IL, 62523 (217) 4221719. Please refer to file number 1683418.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION

One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE

You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

HEAVNER, BEYERS & MIHLAR, LLC

601 E. William St. DECATUR IL, 62523 217-422-1719

Fax #: 217-422-1754

E-Mail: CookPleadings@hsbattys. com

Attorney File No. 1683418

Attorney Code. 40387

Case Number: 23 CH 08261

TJSC#: 45-1884

NOTE: Pursuant to the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, you are advised that Plaintiff’s attorney is deemed to be a debt collector attempting to collect a debt and any information obtained will be used for that purpose.

Case # 23 CH 08261

I3272565

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION THE BANK OF NEW YORK MELLON, F/K/A, THE BANK OF NEW YORK, AS TRUSTEE FOR BEAR STEARNS ASSET BACKED SECURITIES

TRUST 2006-4, ASSET-BACKED CERTIFICATES, SERIES 2006-4

Plaintiff, -v.ERIC B. CRAWFORD, YOLANDA CRAWFORD, VILLAGE OF MAYWOOD Defendants 2024CH03889 2112 S. 8TH AVENUE MAYWOOD, IL 60153

NOTICE OF SALE

PUBLIC NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure and Sale entered in the above cause on July 9, 2025, an agent for The Judicial Sales Corporation, will at 10:30 AM on October 14, 2025, at The Judicial Sales Corporation, One South Wacker, 1st Floor Suite 35R, Chicago, IL, 60606, sell at public in-person sale to the highest bidder, as set forth below, the following described real estate: Commonly known as 2112 S. 8TH AVENUE, MAYWOOD, IL 60153

Property Index No. 15-14-324-0170000

The real estate is improved with a single family residence. The judgment amount was $300,822.07.

Sale terms: If sold to anyone other than the Plaintiff, 25% down of the highest bid by certified funds at the close of the sale payable to The Judicial Sales Corporation. No third party checks will be accepted. The balance, in certified funds/or wire transfer, is due within twenty-four (24) hours. The subject property is subject to general real estate taxes, special assessments, or special taxes levied against said real estate and is offered for sale without any representation as to quality or quantity of title and without recourse to Plaintiff and in ‘’AS IS’’ condition. The sale is further subject to confirmation by the court. Upon payment in full of the amount bid, the purchaser will receive a Certificate of Sale that will entitle the purchaser to a deed to the real estate after confirmation of the sale.

The property will NOT be open for inspection and plaintiff makes no representation as to the condition of the property. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information. If this property is a condominium unit, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale, other than a mortgagee, shall pay the assessments and the legal fees required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/9(g)(1) and (g)(4). If this property is a condominium unit which is part of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit at the foreclosure sale other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by The Condominium Property Act, 765 ILCS 605/18.5(g-1).

IF YOU ARE THE MORTGAGOR (HOMEOWNER), YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REMAIN IN POSSESSION FOR 30 DAYS AFTER ENTRY OF AN ORDER OF POSSESSION, IN ACCORDANCE WITH SECTION 151701(C) OF THE ILLINOIS MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE LAW. You will need a photo identification issued by a government agency (driver’s license, passport, etc.) in order to gain entry into our building and the foreclosure sale room in Cook County and the same identification for sales held at other county venues where The Judicial Sales Corporation conducts foreclosure sales. For information, contact JOHNSON, BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC Plaintiff’s Attorneys, 30 N. LASALLE STREET, SUITE 3650, Chicago, IL, 60602 (312) 541-9710. Please refer to file number IL 21 9061.

THE JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION One South Wacker Drive, 24th Floor, Chicago, IL 60606-4650 (312) 236-SALE

You can also visit The Judicial Sales Corporation at www.tjsc.com for a 7 day status report of pending sales.

JOHNSON, BLUMBERG & ASSOCIATES, LLC 30 N. LASALLE STREET, SUITE 3650 Chicago IL, 60602 312-541-9710

E-Mail: ilpleadings@johnsonblumberg.com

Attorney File No. IL 21 9061 Attorney Code. 40342 Case Number: 2024CH03889 TJSC#: 45-2002

IN THE CIRCUIT COURT OF COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS COUNTY DEPARTMENT - CHANCERY DIVISION NEWREZ LLC D/B/A SHELLPOINT MORTGAGE SERVICING Plaintiff vs. AMIR MOHABBAT, AS SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE FOR LINDA J. THOMPSON, REGINALD THOMPSON, UNKNOWN HEIRS AND LEGATEES OF LINDA J. THOMPSON, UNKNOWN OWNERS GENERALLY, AND NON-RECORD CLAIMANTS Defendant 24 CH 9859 CALENDAR 58 NOTICE OF SALE PUBLIC NOTICE is hereby given that pursuant to a Judgment of Foreclosure entered in the above entitled cause Intercounty Judicial Sales Corporation will on October 28, 2025, at the hour 11:00 a.m., Intercounty’s office, 120 West Madison Street, Suite 718A, Chicago, IL 60602, sell to the highest bidder for cash, the following described mortgaged real estate: P.I.N. 15-15-308-034-0000. Commonly known as 1905 S. 25th Avenue, Maywood, IL 60153. The real estate is: single family residence. If the subject mortgaged real estate is a unit of a common interest community, the purchaser of the unit other than a mortgagee shall pay the assessments required by subsection (g-1) of Section 18.5 of the Condominium Property Act. Sale terms: At sale, the bidder must have 10% down by certified funds, balance within 24 hours, by certified funds. No refunds. The property will NOT be open for inspection. Prospective bidders are admonished to check the court file to verify all information.

For information call Sales Department at Plaintiff’s Attorney, Altman, Strautins & Kromm, LLC d/b/a Kluever Law Group, 200 North LaSalle Street, Suite 1880, Chicago, Illinois 60601. (312) 236-0077. SMS001265-24FC1 INTERCOUNTY JUDICIAL SALES CORPORATION intercountyjudicialsales.com I3273418

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