The News

YMCA CANCELS DEVELOPER CONTRACT AS LAND SALE LAWSUIT DRAGS ON

2009-11-30T20:28:00.000-08:00

The deal is dead, leaving the future of the northeast corner of La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue, the adjoining Gordon Park and a pending lawsuit challenging the sale of public park land very uncertain.

The Greater La Grange Area YMCA announced Dec. 2 it has cancelled the contract for the proposed sale of its 4.3-acre property in downtown La Grange with Atlantic Realty Partners, refusing to negotiate with the developer for a lesser price.

One thing, however, is for certain, and that is the YMCA intends on tearing down the former Rich Port YMCA property -- to perhaps clear the land and make it more attractive for redevelopment -- but the question is when since no exact timeline has been set.

"We are currently considering a number of bids from contractors in the area," revealed YMCA spokesman Christopher Ganschow, "with the purpose of demolishing the building."

In recent weeks, Atlantic asked the YMCA to amend the contract :"to substantially reduce the price of the property citing the current economic downturn," stated Ganschow of the pact entered into some three years ago. A reply was arrived at on Dec. 1.

"To agree to this would deprive the YMCA of a substantial portion of the monies it must raise to fund a new La Grange area YMCA," he added. "The YMCA has refused to accept Atlantic's attempt to renegotiate the price and has cancelled the contract."

The 'bottom line," said Ganschow, is that in order to serve the best interests of the people in its service region, the YMCA "could not accept the (new) number that was on the table," adding, 'We're not talking about nickels and dimes here ... but a substantial amount."

Despite the setback, the YMCA board stated it intends "to continue to fulfill its mission" in the La Grange area by continuing to operate its facility on 31st Street in La Grange Park. Talks also continue with McCook and other nearby communities to build a new YMCA.

"We're going to keep our eyes and ears open to any suggestions ... from all quarters," he said. "We're maintaining communication with all communities until we can exsecute a transaction."

The contract cancellation will obviously impact resolution or continuation of the ongoing litigation over the proposed sale of a 2.82-acre slice of land in Gordon Park that was supposed to be part of the deal. The purchase would have paved the way for a retail/residential complex called La Grange Place where the shuttered Rich Port YMCA still stands, but it has been delayed for the past two years.

The next hearing, which was to address the Park District's petition attempting to conclude the issue, was to be heard in Cook County Circuit Court on Dec. 19.

Settlement talks in the lawsuit pitting longtime La Grange resident Orlando Coryell and the Park District of La Grange apparently took place after the last hearing held Nov. 19, to semingly no avail. A settlement would mean an end to the two-year court battle.

But despite a proposed out-of-court settlement presented to the Park Board Nov. 12 by the La Grange Friends of the Parks, Park District commissioners were not budging as recent as Nov. 19. The board is scheduled to meet again Dec. 17.

The Friends, through the head of its legal team, La Grange attorney Tom Beyer, presented its proposals to all parties involved, a copy of which was obtained by http://www.onlagrange.com/.

The proposal would have resulted in the project approved in 2008 to be drastically reduced due to economic worries, to 236 from the originally proposed 306 apartments, to 18,000 square feet retail from the original 30,000 and a parking garage one-fourth smaller in size. Proposed row houses to be built on the park land were also nixed from the project.

The Friends state it would agree to the sale of one parcel of land of less than one acre east of the YMCA and leave the much-disputed Shawmut parcel dedicated as open space, with proceeds of that set aside for future parks.

'The Park District will only get some of the funds it seeks," wrote Beyer, "but some parkland will be preserved, the village of La Grange and its residents will see an eyesore removed and an increase in tax revenues and the YMCA will be able to get on with building its new facility."

However, after presenting its response and counterproposal privately and engaging in talks with objectors after court Nov. 19, the Park Board that night defended itself publicly at its regularly scheduled meeting.

Contending the district "is not opposed to settlement of this dispute," a lengthy statement read into the record at the last board meeting Nov. 19 by Mary Ellen Penicook outrightly rejected the proposal from the Friends and Beyer "removed from reality" with some points the district cannot satisfy by law and some decisions over which it has no control.

The 3-page message from district attorney Rob Bush called the Friends' Nov. 12 settlement offer "a step back" from the objector's previous proposal and added "it has become abundantly clear ... the purported desire of (Coryell and the Friends) these past months to settle was, and continues to be, a delay tactic."

Before ticking off a litany of reasons why it rejected the settlement offer, Bush's letter challenged the objectors to "commit to engaging in meaningful discussions that do not further waste the valuable time and resources" of the district and its residents.

The response to the eight-point proposal, in short, was that the district has no control over density, arguing that is between the developer, Atlantic Realty Partners, and the village; it rejects entering into an "illegal" contract with the objector that would commit it in perpetuity to an acquisition reserve in an amount greater than the total amount it would have earned from the transaction in the first place; it "cannot agree" to a demand that the Shawmut parcel be forever dedicated as open space because it is needed as an access for emergency vehicles and the effective use of the park; it cannot bind future boards from determining the highest and best of any park property; that a settlement should be incorporated in a written document and that objectors shall not be reimbursed for its costs since the entire effort of the "small group of objectors" continues even though residents did approve the property transaction by referenda.

Calling the Friends' proposal "unfair" and "one-sided" in favor of their wishes, it acquiesed to the sale of just one parcel -- comprised of a maintenance shed and asphalt parking area -- in Gordon Park upon ARP's agreement to limit its purchase to that parcel upon terms and conditions set by the district.

In exchange, however, Coryell must agree to dismiss (withdraw) his appeal and his objections to the sale and forgo objecting to any further proceedings in the matter.

Such a compromise would result in the district receiving more than $3 million less in revenue, the statement read, adding doing so would "end this tiresome and costly conflict" and allow the district and village 'to turn to more positive efforts."

Village, Landlord Sued Over Rejected Pawn Shop

2009-11-03T12:16:00.000-08:00

By James Pluta
News editor

The man who was stripped of his plans to open a controversial pawn shop in downtown La Grange after being granted a license to operate such a business in a vacant retail space at 71 S. La Grange Road earlier this year is suing the village, its elected officials and his landlord.

Andrew Grayson, who filed a lawsuit in Cook County Circuit Court's Law Division Oct. 30, had proposed operating All Star Jewelry and Loan in the space formerly occupied by Hollywood Video, now simply wants the money back which he invested.

"What he's looking for is some compensation for the amount of time he has expended in all of this," said Grayson's attorney, Daniel Rice, who added the suit is seeking the court division minimum "in excess of $50,000" even though that is "not really a meaningful amount" due to the fact his damages are, in a sense, continuing as long as he is denied the right to operate.

However, Grayson "is only seeking money at this point" and not the right to do business in La Grange, Rice said.

The suit, a copy of which was obtained by www.OnLaGrange.com, also seeks court costs and $15,470 from landlord John Brannen of Fifth Avenue Property Management, and its trustee, Oxford Bank, representing the unreturned security deposit and rent.

Rice said the suit clearly indicates it was his client's position the lease was contingent on operating a pawn shop, and when that didn't happen, he should have been reimbursed his deposit and rent.

Neither Brannen or his firm could be reached for comment on the case.

Grayson, whose proposed pawn shop was eliminated by the Village Board as a new non-permitted use in the C-1 central business district on July 13 after controversy erupted over his being granted a business license by Community Development Director Patrick Benjamin, filed the suit only after unsuccessful talks to reach an out-of-court settlement. "But those (talks) fell through," said Rice.

The deal, which would have granted Grayson and Brannen an equal split of a proposed $250,000 settlement, was presented after it was clear Grayson would not be given permission to open the shop.

Grayson, a veteran U.S. Marine who had previously managed a pawn shop, contended he had already hired an architect to begin designs for the business and had invested a lot of time, money and reputation in the venture and needed to be compensated.

"The main problem," said Rice, "is they didn't address (Grayson's) time and effort" spent on setting up his business, adding Grayson "talked to (Benjamin) and he was assured there would be no problems."

The opposition to Grayson's proposal came not only from Zoning & Planning commissioners in recommending pawn shops be declared non-permitted uses, but from the La Grange Business Association and its former president, downtown restaurant owner Michael La Pidus -- who claimed the LGBA's stance was bolstered by hundreds of angry email writers.

At the same time the board banned pawn shops, it also declared other types of businesses, such as swimming pool and lumber sales, as non permitted uses in the same zoning district, actions Rice called "smoke and mirrors" to cover up its real intentions.

"I would regard those (other new non-permitted uses) as just a pretext, smoke and mirrors, just to make it appear they were making a sincere amendment to the ordinance.

"They indicated they had an ordinance on the books since '91 and since Grayson came along it needed a comprehensive overhaul," Rice further suggested. "I think that's just a pretext they came up with in order to knock out Grayson. They needed some cover."

After Grayson was ultimately rejected -- a day after he and his wife had a baby -- he expressed anger over the false public perceptions of his chosen industry and mostly the lack of "common courtesy" provided to him by a village whose officials initially embraced him.

"I had the courtesy of being told by other villages not to bother pursuing a license (in their communities)," he told www.OnLaGrange.com following the unanimous board vote in July. "That's why I'm so disappointed. I wasn't given the same courtesy here in La Grange."

While resident Melody Holt, who attended the meeting, decried the board vote as "business as usual," those who defended the ban said it was the right thing to do and "in keeping" with a community which has spent years trying to improve its image and attractiveness to upscale business interests.

MORE SAFETY ENHANCEMENTS ON 47TH

2009-10-28T22:39:00.000-07:00

By James Pluta
News editor

It's been nearly five months since residents packed into La Grange Village Hall in a resounding call for roadway and pedestrian safety improvements in response the May 18 death of Countryside mother Cari Cook, not just where she was killed by a passing motorist as she crossed 47th Street at 8th Avenue -- but throughout the village.

Almost immediately, the village launched studies of that stretch of state roadway, made additional handicapped-accessible curb cuts that aligned previously mismatched sidewalks on both sides of the street, threw up traffic safety bollards at key crossings and speed trailers in an effort to reduce speed and wake up careless drivers.

Though the village expressed its ultimate interest in taking over jurisdiction of 47th from East Avenue west to Willow Springs Road and eventually softening its four-lane grid into a lane in each direction with a center turn lane and enhanced parkways, the only gift the state has granted so far was to quickly reduce speed in the high-traffic corridor to 30 from 35 mph.

But on Oct. 26, the Village Board unanimously waived the formal bidding process and awarded a $28,060 construction contract to McCook-based Meade Electric for the installation of enhanced pedestrian crossing at 47th and 9th Avenue -- a block from where Cook died -- the first leg of a villagewide strategy to improve pedestrian safety on state roadway corridors and a template for future possible upgrades elsewhere in town.

However, proposed improvements to the intersections of 52nd Street and La Grange Road and 47th and Waiola Avenue at Waiola Park still have to be given the green light by the Illinois Department of Transportation.

Proposed improvements will include additional advanced warning signs, installing advanced warning "in-ground" lighted pavement markings and dual flashing signpost-mounted pedestrian-activated yellow beacons "to alert motorists (of pedestrians) crossing the roadway," according to Public Works Director Ryan Gillingham.

"It's the first intersection to receive improvements ... and there are other intersections we've targeted," said Gillingham, who noted the restriping of the road was also completed late last week and added all pedestrians will have to do is "push a button" to engage the yellow warning lights.

The description of the project was outlined at the behest of Trustee Mike Horvath, who suggested residents viewing the meeting on public-access LTTV need to learn about the project details since the contract was only briefly noted as part of a consensus omnibus agenda.

Trustees previously signed off on a contract with consultants KLOA Inc. to design the improvements and IDOT has already approved permits for the work based on submitted plans and specifications.

The board also agreed to purchase needed materials in advance from a firm called Traffic Control Protection, since some of them could take up to two months or more to be delivered. Those include illuminated pedestrian signs, flashing beacons, ground-mounted pavement flashers, pedestrian push buttons for 47th and 9th.

Although the company proposed installation of the ground-mounted pavement flashers in the amount of $11,575, village staff solicited quotes from both Meade and La Grange-based Lyons Pinner Electric, who have each installed the equipment on past projects. Yet while Pinner's $28,524 quote included a pavement marker installation for $1,510 cheaper than Meade, the base quote of Meade was nearly $2,000 less and the total nearly $500 less than Pinner.

In a related move, the board approved the launching enforcement of amended intersection
sight distance ordinance requirements, which will give residents living on corners where vehicular and pedestrian sight lines of oncoming traffic are blurred or otherwise blocked from view by trees, shrubbery and fencing. The amended ordinance was also approved that night.

When Horvath asked how the edict will be communicated to residents and property owners, Village President Liz Asperger said it will be handled on a case-by-case basis, through both complaints and "basic outreach" by the Public Works Department.

Gillingham said residents are given 20 to 30 days to meet compliance and "make suggested modifications" to whatever is causing the obstructions on private property.

The code was last updated 13 years ago and was updated this time to establish consistency with the most current (2004) published guidelines of the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials

The crux of the change in the code is that the prior code assumed vehicles in all directions must have the same intersection sight distance and does not factor in the presence of a stop sign into the sight area calculation, while the updated regulations assumes a motorist will stop at a stop sign and look in both directions before proceeding into the intersection.

Plus, the prior code mainly relied on whether a street was a local, collector or arterial route in determining the clear sight area.

TEEN PILOT SURVIVES PLANE CRASH

2009-10-21T19:07:00.001-07:00

Police in Peoria, where 17-year-old Scott Hall of La Grange survived a fiery explosion of a small Piper Cherokee aircraft following a death-defying emergency landing on a usually busy city intersection last weekend, say they couldn't believe he was the pilot when he casually walked up and introduced himself at the crash site.

Perhaps it was luck or the teen's expertise at the controls, or perhaps it was some sort of divine intervention, but the Lyons Township High School senior not only miraculously walked away from the engulfed plane uninjured at 7 p.m. Oct. 17, but landed it 10 miles northeast of the nearest airport on a roadway a police spokesman said is typically congested with traffic.

"I'm a little bit stiff, but other than that, I'm not hurt," Hall told WBBM-AM on Oct. 18. "I truly believe it was a miracle that nobody was hurt."

Witnesses from a nearby service station and automobile dealership said when the plane dropped from the sky in the middle of the four-lane street, the pilot somehow also avoided power lines before skidding about 100 feet and immediately bursting into flames.

Hall, however, somehow escaped from the cockpit and walked away, then approached police and fire personnel shortly thereafter as they began looking for the pilot.

Neither he or his family were publicly commenting on the incident after the Federal Aviation Administration announced it was launching an investigation of the crash, but authorities said Hall, an experienced pilot, was a bit shaken up. The probe is not expected to conclude until mid-November at the earliest.

"He's not talking to anyone right now," his mother said Oct. 20.

Hall has been taking private flying lessons for the past two years and is working toward his commercial license. He was on a practice planned round trip solo flight from Chicago to Peoria and back when his engine failed or lost power some 4,000 feet in the air shortly after taking off back home from the General Wane A. Downing Peoria International Airport.

An aviation student at LT, Hall earned his pilot's license six months ago.

According to published witness reports, Hall's plane first clipped a light pole before touching down and crashing -- but not before he escaped out the plane's passenger door to safety.

Peoria Fire Department Division Chief Gary Van Voorhis said Hall declared a Mayday at 3,000 feet and was directed to the private, one-runway Mount Hawley Airport on the outskirts of town for an emergency landing, but could not make it.

Hall was transported to a nearby hospital for routine observation, but released soon after.

The plane, owned by an aviation company in St. Charles, was destroyed.

Father knows best

At the end of his junior year, Hall was the profile of a feature in the Graduation 2009 school newsletter ROAR.

The article stated Hall got an early start in aviation from his pilot father, John Hall.

Hall said he remembered sitting on his father's lap at the controls of a flight simulator as a child.

Hall also participated in a Young Eagles program through Aurora Airport, in which volunteer pilots such as himself take children on a brief flight and explain general aspects of aviation and the flight process.

At the time, he had earned a license to operate a single engine non-instrumentation plane, and expressed hopes of earning a ground instructor's license so he could teach at the airport.

As of this past spring, Hall was eyeing an education at Lewis University in Romeoville, known for its excellent aviation program, and a possible stint in the United States Air Force ROTC.

But if he enters as planned in the fall of 2010 following his graduation from LT, he is likely to enter as a sophomore because of the advanced credits he has earned through LT's aviation program.

2009 CHURCH WALK BENEFITS HUNGER

2009-10-14T21:02:00.000-07:00

Parishioners of more than 20 area churches will be doing their part to raise awareness and donations in support of world hunger relief in an annual walk through La Grange and Western Springs this weekend.

The 26th Annual Communities Responding to Overcome Poverty Walk, scheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 18, will kickoff at First Presbyterian Church of La Grange, 150 S. Ashland Ave.

Walkers will step off at 1:45 p.m. -- rain or shine -- at First Presbyterian, then go south on Catherine, to Elm Avenue and down to Goodman Avenue in La Grange, then westbound to Howard Avenue in Western Springs and up to Burlington Avenue for a midpoint restroom break at Western Springs Baptist Church.

The walk will then continue down the south side of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad tracks to Gilbert Avenue, then back to Elm and up Catherine to the host church -- where an ice cream social will be held in the First Presbyterian Fellowship Hall.

Teams include walkers from Christian Reformed Church of Western Springs, Emmanuel Episcopal of La Grange, First Congregational Church of La Grange, First Presbyterian of La Grange, First UMC of La Grange, First UMC of Western Springs, Grace Lutheran of La Grange, Lyonsville Congregational Church in Indian Head Park, Presbyterian Church of Western Springs, St. Barbara in Brookfield, St. Cletus in La Grange, St. Francis Xavier in La Grange, St. John Lutheran, St. John of the Cross in Western Sprin8gs and Western Springs Baptist Church.

Since 1984, the walk has benefited Church World Services' world missions and six local food pantries to the tune of more than $520,000 in donations, by forming teams and seeking contributions both in-person and online. To date, the walk has raised more than $5,000 from online donors alone.

Last year, the walk attracted 274 participants and raised $31,260. This year, the goal is more than 300 walkers and $35,000 in pledges from walkers and local businesses which are serving as sponsors.

Walkers are allowed to bring dogs, as long as they are on leashes and the owners have pooper scoopers at hand.

With the donations it receives, Church World Services will fill the need for housing in New Orleans four years after Hurricane Katrina ravaged the region and people in Northwest Pakistan displaced by fighting between Taliban insurgents and the Pakistan military.

While most of the money raised will be given to Church World Services, 25 percent of it will be equally divided between the area food pantries, at Lyonsville and St. Barbara's, as well as First Congregational Church of La Grange, St. Francis Xavier in La Grange, St. Cletus Roman Catholic Church in La Grange and Second Baptist Church, also in La Grange.

A prize giveaway will be held featuring gifts and gift certificates from local businesses such as Competitive Foot, Blueberry Hill, Kirschbaum's, Hillgrove Cellars, Casey's Market, Oberweis, Totally Bored and the La Grange Theater.

Individuals or groups can register for the walk or make donations at LaGrangeWesternSpringsCropWalk.org.

FIREHOUSE FUN FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES

2009-10-04T22:53:00.000-07:00

By James Pluta
News editor

As he twirled his tiny fingers around a long chain displaying the authentic-looking U.S. Army dog tag necklace he received from real Army Reserve soldiers at the annual La Grange Fire Department Open House last Saturday afternoon, Jamie Kelpsas excitedly ticked off all the fun things he did that day to the only member of the news media he knew.

Jamie, who met this reporter when he and his sister and Dad, Park Board Commissioner Tim Kelpsas, attended the Race Unity Rally inside Village Hall last month, broke from his father's grip and walked briskly across the grey firehouse floor to say hello.

Judging by the dog-eared stickers on his t-shirt, Jamie had already met Dak the police dog and been designated a Junior Police Officer. He also got to shoot water out of the big orange fire hose that snaked its way across Burlington Avenue and see all kinds of fire vehicles, equipment and uniformed personnel. But he apparently still did not enjoy his 15 seconds of fame.

If, in fact, telling your story here makes you famous among your kindergartner classmates neighborhood buddies and Mom or Grandma.

Jamie, who still insists he is "five years and four months" old, certainly had a good delivery and seemed prepared for the impromptu interview.

"I've learned fire people are important ... so nobody dies," he said, very matter-of-factly. "I got to shoot the hose to try and get the (faux) windows open and it felt good."

With a little encouragement from his father, who was now standing nearby, Jamie said he would call 911 in an emergency: so the police and firefighters can "put their clothes on" and respond, drive their fire engines and squad cars to the scene and "go in" to look for the fire, people and their pets "to try and save them." On their way to the call, he said everyone else must be aware and "move to the side."

If he had a fire at his house, Jamie said he would hope they'd rescue his family and pet fish nicknamed "Uncle Tom."

Jamie was just one of a few hundred kids who spent the morning and early afternoon with the firefighters, taking tours and climbing aboard firetrucks, as well as learning how to extinguish fires, contain a chemical leak, rescue someone pinned inside a car, rappel off a building, use a fire extinguisher, install a smoke detector and take care of their equipment.

Seven-year La Grange residents Sean and Anne Cahill were there for a second consecutive year, this time with with their boys, 3-year-old Patrick and 1-year-old Liam. Dressed for the weather in matching wool jackets, their parents called them "fire station groupies" who really had fun spraying the hose to simulate breaking through windows to air out a room and provide access to and for fire victims.

So, too, was John Wagner, a 5-year La Grange resident, with his little ones, 2-1/2-year-old Henry -- who came ready for action in his complete firefighter gear his Dad said his son has been wearing since July -- and 7-year-old Jane, who seemed more enthusiastic the Open House gave her a chance to hang out with her girlfriends on a weekend.

\"I have a birthday party today but we came here first," she said, referring to a friend's invite. Still, she added, "I went inside a couple of the vehicles. It was cool."

As for Henry, smiling widely in his black vinyl coat, hat and boots with bright yellow reflective detail, his father looked down and said, "He's the last thing we got; he's our future hope."

Practice burns were restricted on the street in front of the fire station this year, said Captain Dave Rapp, because the street was just recently blacktopped.

Informational literature and free samples were provided by the village's Fire and Police departments, the Park District and La Grange Adventist Hospital. Kids got free red plastic Fire Chief helmets just like the white one worn by the real chief, David Fleege and enjoyed free hot dogs, pop and popcorn served up by his administrative assistant, firefighters and their spouses.

Passing out pamphlets, pencils and helmets was 41-year veteran firefighter Captain Rick Griffin's wife of 35 years, Roberta, his best friend since their years at Hinsdale South High School and a regular volunteer at the event, with department administrative assistant Joan Sietz at her side.

"She's doing the fun stuff," said Roberta of Joan, who spent a good part of the day filling bags with popcorn.

Sietz, whose been with the department about 30 years, said she remembers when Open Houses to this magnitude first began some 25 years ago under then-chief Gerald Granat.

Asked what she liked about the Open House, she said definitely the youth.

"The kids and their enthusiasm," said Roberta, mother of three and grandmother to six. "I like the wide-eyed innocence about them."

Her husband, the son of a chief of the now-defunct Clarendon Heights (now part of Tri-state) Fire Protection District, started there as a cadet at age 14and became a full-fledged firefighter there four years later. He's been with La Grange for the past 27 years.

She described her husband's lifelong commitment to his career as not unlike the brotherhood that makes so many firefighters a close bunch and makes so many other folks like them so much.

"He has a lot of passion, a love for the job," she said. "It's in his fiber."

Rapp said it was amazing to him the number of families -- especially with older, pre-teen and young teen children -- that have been coming out. Those kids, he said, typically go but often begrudgingly and "dragging their head" to feign disinterest, he said.

Still, while the oldest boy of Catrina Domaika said he was having fun (her kids are 11, 10, 6 and 3), Mom thinks otherwise.

"They said they like it," she speculated, "but they don't want anyone to know."

FD OPEN HOUSE A REAL EDUCATION

2009-09-30T17:37:00.000-07:00

By James Pluta
News editor

La Grange Fire Captain Dave Rapp probably realizes electrocardiogram machines are not exactly the kind of stuff that may attract crowds at his department's annual Open House to kick off National Fire Prevention Week.

But he and his staff paramedics are enthusiastic about demonstrating to the public this weekend their use of a new 12-lead EKG device that helps them perform a basic heart test at the scene of a fire, accident or in an ambulance on the way to a hospital.

"It is a wonderful thing," said Rapp, noting the new device is being used under the advice and the license of the emergency medical service coordinator at Loyola University Medical Center. "It's a tool that's more diagnostic than a 3-lead EKG, which is what we've been running before."

However, that's just one of the educational demonstrations anticipated to take place at this year's Open House between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3 at the Fire Department headquarters, 300 W. Burlington Ave.

"What we really want to show is that we do more than put out fires and take sick people to the hospital," said Rapp. "We do much more than that."

For instance, the department's HazMat team will be on hand, helping visitors spray a fire hose at a plywood display and into makeshift windows.

The team, which helps bring under control any disasters or leaks involving hazardous materials, also will simulate stopping a leak in a 150-pound chemical cylinder.

What many area residents don't stop to ponder, Rapp related, is that La Grange has two major railroads criss-crossing through its borders and a huge amount of batteries and telecommunications equipment at the AT&T switching center at Ashland and Harris avenues -- a potential recipe for disaster.

If something happened there, he speculated, phone service could be out for months in the entire region.

The department's Technical Rescue Team, affiliated with the numerous other fire departments and districts that comprise the Mutual Aid Box Alarm System, will be performing "evolutions" by rappelling off a rope from atop the firehouse roof some 24 feet in the air.

A department liaison deals directly with MABAS when rescue personnel are needed and often as many as five team members are deployed from La Grange in such potentially dangerous exercises as below grade (trench) rescue, high-rise window rescue or water tower incidents.

"They can do water (rescue) and other types of confined entry ... such as in a sewer," he said. "They also help in extrications, using what most people know as 'The Jaws of Life' -- which is one of tools we'll be using."

La Grange has had few of those incidents of late, but the team was activated when tornadoes struck the region several years ago and during a recent trench collapse in Countryside when they assisted the Pleasantview Fire Protection District.

Representatives will be present from the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad to teach children and adults about safe crossing at train gates, whether they be passenger or freight trains. IHB has grade crossings at 47th Street and East Avenue and at both Cossitt and Lincoln avenues.

The Police Department will have its canine unit there and information will be provided by folks from the Park District, the Public Library and La Grange Adventist Hospital.

The Fire Department will also be offering fire extinguisher demonstrations and giving away plastic fire helmets, bookmarks, pencils and temporary body tattoos.

Prize giveaways will include CO detectors, flashlights and extinguishers.

From 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., free hot dogs, iced tea, lemonade and popcorn will be served.

Further information is available by calling (708) 579-2338.

TIE ONE ON: ALL THOSE RAILROAD ROCKS REALLY MEAN SOMETHING

2009-09-23T15:47:00.000-07:00

By James Pluta
News editor

This week's completion of a maintenance project along the two southernmost tracks of the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad in downtown La Grange may have seemed routine, but as a result train commuters and engineers may now be enjoying a much calmer ride to and from the city.

So says BNSF spokesman Steve Forsberg, who took the time to tell us what those unique-looking, large-scale heavy equipment rail cars and varied work crews were actually doing on the tracks between Sept. 17 and 21 that caused so many passersby to stop and watch.

"(The project) should help give you a smoother train ride and provide a much safer ride for years to come and also help maintain track speed," he said, adding the weekend work doesn't change operations but rather likened it to a routine "repaving of a highway road."

Announced early last week, the project was billed as a "significant" railroad tie replacement program that would tie up grade crossings at Gilbert, Brainard, Kensington and Ashland avenues and La Grange Road.

That it did. But the project was more involved, and perhaps for railroad buffs, commuters and others, more interesting than that.

"It's definitely a neat thing," said Assistant Village Manager Andrianna Peterson. "They're replacing deteriorating railroad ties between here and the city ... and they're using some new equipment they've not used before."

It's not only the ties being replaced where needed, but the large white rocks in the fairly thick ballast rock bed beneath the rails and ties are also "reconditioned" at the same time, a process Forsberg said is technically called "regulated" and involves machines that remove and clean the ballast quarry rock with claw-like "pinchers" before shoving them back into the bed and under the ties in the same manner.

"It's a visual sight to behold," he added, noting while some of the rail machinery removes and replaces the steel spikes, others handle the ties, which are no longer kept on the side of the tracks for each project but inside the actual rail cars for easy reach.

"What we're doing is replacing part of the structure the rails sits on; the rail is very, very durable and can last forever," he said. "The machines clean the ballast ... which is there to create stabilization for the ties and help with water drainage (so ties don't rot as quickly). That's why ties last longer."

Forsberg says only pieces of the so-called "mechanized track gang" -- that large-scale row of aforementioned rail cars -- are new, but the technology is fascinating. Working all summer, piece by piece, between Aurora and Halsted Street in Chicago, train crews must work in well-oiled sequence and everyone has a task.

"The ties (being replaced) are kept on the rail cars and a mechanism feeds the ties as they are removed," said Forsberg, who noted the northernmost outbound track was done last year. "It's kind of like a rolling assembly line."

Forsberg says the railroad bed beneath the Aurora-to-Chicago tracks is pretty-well packed down after so many decades of use. The rail line was the very first in the region and was built in 1849. The train cars that used to run through here were upwards of 1 million pounds each, but today weigh only half that.

While the railroad tie and ballast work has since been completed and is now underway in Brookfield, Riverside and beyond, Metra has already started to replace concrete platforms east of the Burlington Avenue shelter across the tracks from the historic circa-1901 Stone Avenue station in La Grange.

Plans call to finish replacement of the entire platform outside the station and shelter in the spring -- or sooner.

As for the station itself, Phase I, or the preliminary conceptual design portion in conjunction with Oak Brook-based Legat Architects is "almost done," according to Peterson.

Next comes the final drawings for an estimated $3 million project that has already earned a $385,000 grant through the West Suburban Mass Transit District and may still qualify for some much-desired federal funds through the work of U.S. Rep. Daniel Lipinski, D-3rd District, of neighboring Western Springs.

The Village Board looked at several different concept designs for Stone Avenue station in February, she said, and provided extensive input. But before any designs are finalized, the public will have the opportunity to state its case as well.

"We have been working with Metra reviewing plans and making decisions and now that the platform work is going to proceed, we are making sure plans conform and match up with ours," she said, adding it may not be a good idea to work separately.

The station has long been in need of tuckpopointing, soffit/fascia and roof work and has deteriorated over time, she said, noting renovations in recent decades has not been as historically sensitive as today's village leaders would have liked.

There are aluminum window panes, modern lighting and asphalt roofs, while it's likely the window panes and roofs were once wood and the lights were much less sophisticated.

"Because the village is involved as being a steward of the station, we believe it's important any renovations be done in an historically accurate way," said Peterson. "We want it to be a sensitive renovation. This building is going to stay as it is ... and will be even more beautiful than it is."

She said while some improvements are easier to plan out, much of the historical change will be carefully crafted in conjunction with the La Grange Area Historical Society.,

For one thing, accessibility to the disabled will be improved, as a ramp slapped on the side of the facility years ago may not even be appropriate with federal standards.

And although it's not a village decision BNSF is adamant about changing the grade of the pedestrian crossing mid-block for safety reasons and as a result the grade will be different when all is said and done.

"Still, our projects all need to be coordinated," she said.

The platform work will not likely be completed by the end of this fall, which means part of the work under construction will remain inaccessible to pedestrians during the winter months.

Bicycle facilities also will be upgraded, as will the former coffee shop inside the station. That hasn't been occupied by a retail tenant for a long time. Also, indoor seating will, hopefully, be maximized.

LEGION, CO-WORKERS FETE KNIEFEL

2009-09-17T17:53:00.000-07:00

Steve Kniefel, the 12-year La Grange patrol officer who just returned from his U.S. Army service in Afghanistan a month ago, was given a hero's welcome on Sept. 11 in two ceremonies at the American Legion Robert Coulter Post.

Kniefel, who said he saw much combat while flying some 300 hours of missions, was glad to be back, if for no other reason than to just spend quality time again with family, friends and to get back on the job.

He was glad to be released from active duty a few months earlier than expected, especially since his wife, Maggie, has been sick in recent months and needed him by her side.

In the morning, the Legion with District 5 Cmdr. Barry Cicero and Auxiliary President Therese Schey at the helm, made him a guest of honor at their post remembrance of the 8th anniversary of the Sept. 11,2001 terrorist attacks on U.S. soil.

Later that evening, Kniefel enjoyed pizza, salad and beverages with family members and co-workers, and even a few members of the community who didn't know him yet just came out to shake his hand and thank him for his service.

The party was hosted by Police Chief Mike Holub and others.

Now that Kniefel is back in action in La Grange, we invite you to keep an eye on us next week for a first-ever comprehensive face-to-face with him.

Welcome back, Steve!

LT SOUTH PEDESTRIAN WOES RAISE IRE

2009-09-01T19:06:00.000-07:00

By James Pluta
News editor

Much like a judge may call an evidentiary hearing at the scene of an incident or alleged crime so jurors can be afforded a firsthand opportunity to see things as they might have played out for themselves, an Edgewood Avenue resident is suggesting La Grange elected and appointed officials show up some weekday morning as students cross Gilbert Avenue to see just what's happening there.

In the eyes of Cheryl Ciecko, it is an accident waiting to happen, not much dissimilar to the hazards that faced pedestrians on 47th Street before a young mother was killed while innocently crossing the street nearly four months ago.

And now that school is underway -- and nighttime football kicks off for the Lyons Township High School Lions this weekend -- Ciecko said she believes the time is now for both La Grange and Western Springs to put their heads together to come up with a solution with what she calls the dangerous grade crossing three blocks south of 47th at the entrance to the LT South campus.

Although the school is located in Western Springs -- which for years has deployed a campus liaison officer to patrol the crossing -- she says the problem is half of La Grange's to solve because all of the teenagers crossing there each morning and afternoon are La Grange kids.

"It is an important day in our community," she told trustees last week, before highlighting the fact that the speed limit was just reduced to 30 from 35 mph the entire length of 47th in La Grange from Gilbert to East Avenue. "But the traffic on Willow Springs Road (also known as Gilbert) south of 47th in front of the South campus is a challenge, half for La Grange and half for Western Springs."

While there are no current talks going on between the neighboring municipalities, Ciecko thinks there should be, before someone gets hurt.

She suggested "it took decades" for LT officials to finally get a painted crosswalk at Mason Drive, which many students access to get to classes. On the way home, they cross Mason behind the water tower, down Linkletter and across Brainard Avenue and they're home free, she added.

But between 7:15 and 7:45 Monday through Friday, there not only are students on foot and in cars on the road, but delivery trucks serving the Garden Market shopping plaza, a daily shift change at nearby Adventist La Grange Memorial Hospital and normal vehicular traffic comprised of commuters in a rush on their way to work. Plus, she said, there are young drivers dropping off younger siblings at South and turning around to head back to North in La Grange.

On top of that, people typically drive five miles or more over the speed limit in the area, which varies from 35 to 40 mph, which underscores the need for more signage and/or bollards to be placed at the crossing just like those along 47th east of La Grange Road so people slow down and possibly be more cautious.

Even worse, she added, is the problem caused on area sidewalks during snowstorms. Students cannot walk on the sidewalk in front of Shell at 47th and Gilbert and adjacent businesses because the village or private snow plows "routinely" plow the street and parking lots some 4 to 5 feet high on the sidewalks.

Many parents recall accidents that have occurred on LT South's front lawn, one involving an extrication and another which resulted in the death of a young girl.

"I don't want to wait," she said. "I want to bring this to your attention ... so we don't have to wait until there is a fatality."

Ciecko said she has met with Public Works Director Ryan Gillingham, who agreed it was an issue and something that hopefully can be resolved.

Village President Liz Asperger, who commonly meets with LT officials, said the village will be working with Western Springs on the resurfacing of Willow Springs Road in the near future and will address related issues then.

Police Chief Michael Holub, in an interview this week, said he was not aware of any safety issues at the South campus that are not routinely handled by the Western Springs liaison officer, but would be open to discussing how to solve any traffic woes.

Another resident, Stephen Fink, of the 600 block of South 10th Avenue, also implored the village to step up law enforcement in these safety zones, particularly at the 9th Avenue crossing with 47th, because motorists tend to ignore safety solutions.

"It's a situation where vehicular traffic does not adhere (to crossings and bollards)," said Fink, who that day had an Audi swerve around him crossing 47th rather than paying attention to the safety measures.

Asperger said the 9th crosswalk will soon be enhanced by the state. But she said it is impossible for police to be "at every crossing, on every road, at every hour," adding, "in addition to enforcement, we need to work with our neighbors (and) ourselves in following the law."

Trustee Mike Horvath, who favors increased safety measures in problematic areas, agreed the village needs to talk with its neighboring communities. He said the Police Department's July statistics show traffic stops are on the rise.

"There has been a lot more traffic stops, but I'm not sure where they're located," he said -- leading Fink to later suggest that a "hot spot" map be created to show residents where the biggest problems lie. Of the 642 stops that month, Holub reported 79 percent resulted in tickets, with 51 percent being moving violations. A majority of those, some 76 percent, were on arterial streets.

Bollards on Willow Springs Road "is a good idea," remarked Trustee Mark Kuchler, saying it gives "a better chance (motorists) will stop." He said the stats "is a showing (police are) definitely moving in a direction (of increased enforcement)."

Trustee James Palermo praised Ciecko and Fink for raising the issues, speculating Horvath's proposal earlier this summer to form a resident Safety Commission could mean "residents can be the eyes and ears for the staff and the board." The idea, however, is still under consideration.

:"We may not have all the answers here, we may not have all the questions," he said, "but that's (part) of the process and we'll end up with safer streets."

After the meeting, Fink said he believed the answers to his concerns were mere "lip service," adding he was being "cautiously optimistic" novel ideas such as signage in neighboring communities warning motorists of "reduced speed ahead" or "La Grange is a pedestrian-friendly community" or pedestrian-activated red light cameras at key crosswalks could ever be realized.

Horvath later added that bollards "without enforcement or education" at places such at LT South will only have marginal impact on safety.

Trustee Bill Holder also embraced several of the ideas to improve safety even more.

"When we slow down traffic, it's going (to) be easier for pedestrians to get across," he said.

ELECTRICAL SHORT THOUGHT TO CAUSE FIRE

2009-09-01T09:49:00.000-07:00

The La Grange Fire Department responded to a house fire at 5:10 p.m., Sunday, August 30, 2009, located at 130 N. Catherine Avenue. The residents were home at the time, in the first floor kitchen preparing dinner and were alerted to the fire by the installed smoke alarm activating on the second floor of the home. All occupants safely evacuated their home.

On arrival of the La Grange Fire Department, smoke was visible from the third floor of the home. Upon making entry into the home, heavy smoke conditions were encountered on the third floor of the single-family structure. Upon further investigation the fire was found to be located in a bedroom closet on the third floor.

The response was upgraded to a Box Alarm (MABAS Division 10) for mutual aid assistance to the fire scene. Additional fire crews performed a search of the structure, ventilation of the fire area, salvage to a second floor room and hallway immediately below the fire and checked for any extension of the fire beyond the room of origin. In addition to the La Grange fire units, thirteen departments responded to the scene and two departments covered the La Grange Fire Station. The fire was under control at 5:30 p.m. and struck out at 5:48 p.m. Fire companies remained on the scene until 7:00 p.m.

Due to an aggressive interior attack of the fire by the initial arriving Fire Departments, the fire was contained to the third floor bedroom. One room on the second floor immediately below the fire sustained some water damage. The power had to be shut off and the structure was determined to be uninhabitable. Damage is estimated at $ 50,000 structure and contents.

The origin of the fire was in a closet on the third floor of the residence. Following an initial investigation by the MABAS Division 10 Investigation Team the cause of the fire appears to be an electrical short in nature; the structure was turned over to the owners and their insurance company.

If you require additional information, please contact Fire Chief David Fleege at the La Grange Fire Department, (708)579-2338.

THEATER BUILDING IMPROVEMENTS APPROVED FOR FUTURE RESTAURANT

2009-08-25T01:24:00.000-07:00

By James Pluta
News editor

An inquiring Village Board trustee learned Aug. 24 -- as did some members of the community -- that approval of a design review permit for a downtown property owner does not necessarily mean that person is required to actually ever do the proposed upgrade.

Such is the case of La Grange Theater owner John Rot, who received a unanimous stamp of approval at this week's board meeting to make planned facade improvements on the first floor retail spaces at 88 S. La Grange Road, immediately south of the theater at 80 S. La Grange Road, which have been vacant for a couple years.

Rot, who co-owns the theater and the nearby Horton's Home Furnishings store with David Rizner, plans to attract a restaurant with an outside cafe to the site to complement both the movie house and the existing central business district.

The four-storefront retail space is at the gateway to the downtown business district for motorists and pedestrians coming from the south through the residential historic district and most recently housed an optometrist office, a clothing resale shop and an antique coin shop, among other businesses.

At the meeting, Trustee James Palermo asked what protocol village staff has to make sure design review proposals are actually carried out by those to whom they are granted.

He was told by Community Development Director Patrick Benjamin that although he does all he can to work with a developer or building owner to meet the requirements of the code, there is no requirement -- just like with building permits -- for the work to ever be done.

"Typically after a permit is issued, it doesn't mean they're going to do everything they were authorized to do," he said, noting the permit approval does not mandate any changes be made.

Although village code dictates a design review permit is required whenever any new entrances or doorways are added that change the exterior appearance of a building within the designated Design Review District (mostly downtown), a permit is just that.

Palermo, who has been critical of the village's funding of recent theater improvements using proceeds of the downtown tax increment financing district, said he most interested in the part of the code which reads a project must be "in strict compliance" with the said ordinance.

"How do we follow up and see what was promised the village is actually delivered?" he asked.

He pointed to the case of a proposed new awning that was supposed to be erected on the facade of a building at 512 W. Burlington Ave. some time ago, for which a design permit was issued, but was never realized.

Village Attorney Mark Burkland reiterated Benjamin's remarks, that the code does not mandate such a project is ever undertaken.

Trustee Bill Holder summed it up best when he added that a permit "bestows the right, but not the obligation."

Rot's project would allow him to enhance the appearance of the property while maintaining the character and historical quality of the building.

The proposed improvements include replacement of two alcoves on the north end and one alcove on the south end of the property with new doors and a vestibule, as well as three new bronze metal and fluorescent frosted decorative lighting fixtures on timers at the east elevation and one at the main entrance.

Cleaning and maintenance, including future tuckpointing, of the existing yet deteriorating terra cotta, new granite at the base and brick on both the south and east portions of the building.

The new store front would be beige, matching the second floor windows.

The new door at the east side of the facade would be used solely by the potential restaurateur's wait staff attending to customers seated outside, Rot told the Design Review Commission at an Aug. 12 meeting. That door would be locked during the winter months.

The door at the far west of the south elevation would be used only for deliveries.

BREAKING NEWS: POLICE INVESTIGATE ARMED ROBBERY AT LA GRANGE STORE

2009-08-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

By James Pluta
News Editor

La Grange Police are on the lookout for a young man who robbed a cellular telephone store at knifepoint during broad daylight Wednesday afternoon.

The armed robbery took place at the new Cricket store at 1040 S. La Grange Road, at approximately 3:40 p.m.

A store employee told police the suspect -- described as a white man with blonde hair and about 20 years old, wearing jeans, white shoes and a grey hoodie -- walked into the business and sat down with his hood partially covering his face and announced the holdup, according to Sergeant Vic Arnold.

"He walked in alone, sat down and told the clerk 'Give me all your money," got it and left," said Arnold, who confirmed the suspect got away with $100 cash.

The suspect was last seen southbound on foot in the alley behind the Clark gas station, which is closed, fenced-in and under renovation. However, responding officers could not locate anybody.

"We didn't make an apprehension," Arnold reported, adding investigators are now analyzing a videotape from a store security camera in an attempt to further identify the offender.

No injuries were reported and the store was back in business shortly afterward.

Anyone with information leading to the capture of a suspect in this case is urged to call the La Grange Police Department at (708) 579-2333.

LIKE MODERN-DAY MAYBERRY?

2009-08-05T18:44:00.000-07:00

"Mayberry for the 21st Century?"

Is that what he said?

Sure thing.

Village President Liz Asperger, who can often be seen -- just like Andy and Helen or, say, Barney and Thelma Lou -- strolling down the village sidewalks with her husband and dog in tow -- responded in kind to remarks attributed to Chicago magazine writer Dennis Rodkin in response to the August 2009 issue of his publication naming La Grange "The Best of Chicago" in its annual issue.

Rodkin, a real estate columnist whose annual reviews usually end up being used as huge marketing vehicles for communities because of their prestige, penned the story for the magazine. He says something unusual has happened in La Grange.

“La Grange feels just like a hometown. It’s old fashioned and practical, it stayed true to itself but grew up,” stated Rodkin. “It’s really rare to have the mix of both old and new businesses. Not a lot of suburbs have a Trader Joe’s, a hardware store and an old-time theatre. La Grange really is the Mayberry for the 21st century. Here, police officers patrol on Segways.”

Well, maybe not all the time. But it does have a Segway store and who can boast that?

Village officials were thrilled to learn about the new distinction.

“We are honored, Chicago Magazine chose the Village of LaGrange as the ‘Best’ downtown,” stated Asperger. “We are proud of our community and businesses and it’s a great gift to be recognized. Our goal is to be the ‘Best’ every day in the eyes of our business owners, residents and visitors to our village.”

Asperger points to advances in the downtown business district over the past 20 years.

“This clearly affirms the work that has been done in the central business district over the past two decades,” said Patrick Benjamin, community development director. “It’s nice to be recognized for the commitment that many business leaders, residents, elected and appointed officials have made to the community.”

The village is in the early stages of developing a plan with other community organizations to celebrate the recognition with residents and communicate the recognition with businesses on a local and regional scale in the coming weeks and months ahead.

La Grange was incorporated in 1879 and has more than 15,000 residents.

PAWN SHOP PROPOSAL LIKELY DEAD

2009-07-16T18:35:00.000-07:00

By James Pluta

Andrew Grayson was given the La Grange Village Board's definitive answer this week as to whether his proposed downtown pawn shop will ever see the light of day.

The answer was a resounding "no" -- yet Grayson, who has already been issued a business license to operate All-Star Jewelry & Loan at 71 S. La Grange Road says he is still considering his options.

He and a couple residents who attended the Village Board's July 13 meeting at which pawn shops and a few other business uses such as swimming pool and used building materials stores were banned as permitted uses in the C-1 central business district, feel lost disturbed by the way in which he was treated more than simply opposed.

The budding entrepreneur, who is taking time to consult with his lawyer, is disappointed, he says, a victim of false perceptions of the industry in which he makes a living and of what hbe calls a lack of common courtesy provided to him by a village whose community development director initially embraced him.

"I had the courtesy of being told by other villages not to bother pursuing a license (one, he says, was Oak Park)," he said following the unanimous board vote agreeing with a Plan Commission recommendation to eliminate pawn shops as a permitted use. "That's why I'm so disappointed. I wasn't given the same courtesy here in La Grange."

Residents Melody Holt and Joan Hoigand agreed that something definitely stunk about the process.

Holt told the board how she felt, while Hoigand became vocal after the meeting.

"I don't think it's precedent setting at all," she argued. "It was business as usual."

But those who vehemently defended the ban countered it was the right thing to do on behalf of a community whose residents and business operators did not think the retail use was in keeping with a business district the village spent so long trying to improve.

Even though Grayson was already granted a license to operate the shop, Village Manager Bob Pilipszyn confirmed that in his mind, what the board enacted this week will fully and legally prevent Grayson from ever opening his intended business where he has chosen to do it. And other officials uncategorically agreed.

"We are able to make this change; the village has the right to put the pause button on," remarked Trustee Thomas Livingston at the Village Hall meeting, adding, "It was in the right for the village to do so. I cannot forsee voting for this ... (a pawn shop) literally in the shadow of this building."

Trustee Mark Kuchler went a step further in reference to building owner John Brannen when he said, "I don't think when the landlord entered into negotiations with the pawn shop that was serving the best intent of the central business district, I don't think that it was."

IMPROVED ACCESS TO HOSPITAL EYED

2009-07-07T17:30:00.000-07:00

The only vehicular bridge over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad between La Grange and Hinsdale -- a onetime wooden footbridge where visitors, patients and staff of Adventist Hinsdale Hospital get to and from 47th Street -- may soon be a vestige of the past.

The circa-1875 one-lane bridge, for which north-south traffic is controlled by a traffic light, first became a bridge for automobile traffic in 1910.

But faced with the fact firetrucks cannot safely travel over the structure and the viaduct over the tracks created by its low 23-foot clearance makes it impossible for some freight
trains to pass, Hinsdale officials are weighing options as to how to update the Oak Street bridge to today's standards.

A $700,000 feasibility study is expected to begin this year to look into options to upgrade the bridge, which could include making it a two-lane, building a bridge in a new location of a tunnel beneath the tracks.

The 110-foot-long, 5-ton capacity bridge was originally erected so people could get across the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad tracks just two years after Hinsdale's incorporation. The structure used today was redesigned in 1947.

'TCF BANDIT' HITS JEWEL BANK -- AGAIN

2009-07-06T16:17:00.000-07:00

The FBI and LaGrange Park police are hunting for a suspect in today's mid-morning robbery of a TCF Bank branch in the Jewel Food Store on Woodlawn Avenue.

No injuries were reported and and an undisclosed amount of cash was stolen in the 10:40 a.m. July 6 robbery, in which a clean-shaven man with a large build, about 40 years old and about 5-foot-7 walked up to a teller and handed her a note -- announcing a stick-up and threatening them with harm if they did not comply with his demands, according to FBI spokeswoman Cynthia Yates. After being handed the money, he fled on foot.

The robber implied he had a weapon. but never displayed one.

This is the second time this year the branch, at 507 E. Woodlawn behind the Village Market shopping plaza, was robbed, according to authorities, perhaps by the same man. The last reported robbery was on March 13.

The suspect, dubbed the "TCF Bandit" because of the estimated 10 TCF robberies for which he is believed responsible since 2007.

The suspect is believed to be the same person who robbed similar banks at Jewel Food Stores in La Grange, Westchester, Norridge and Chicago.

A $15,000 reward is being offered for leads resulting in the capture of the bandit.

To report leads, call the FBI at (312) 421-6700.

PLANNERS DEEP-SIX PAWN SHOP USE

2009-07-01T04:36:00.000-07:00

By James Pluta

Despite claims that he plans to operate an upscale business in a community that already boasts many residents whom he claims patronize the business he operates in North Riverside, Andrew Grayson may not likely be allowed to open a pawn shop in downtown La Grange.

The Plan Commission, in a well-attended meeting June 29, voted unanimously to recommend for Village Board approval that pawn shops and a laundry list of other uses be prohibited in the central business district -- a move supported by village staff and answering the calls of business leaders and residents ever since news broke a month ago of the proposed All-Star Jewelry & Loan at 71 S. La Grange Road.

The proposed business owner, Andrew Grayson of Berwyn, already sought and was granted a business license by the Community Development Department -- the same department that turned around and recommended the zoning code be altered to ban such businesses as permitted uses.

However, even after blistering testimony from both commissioners, residents and one key business leader and a clear 7-0 vote against his life's investment, Grayson was unmoved in his resolve to do as he has planned.

Although he initially declined to speak to reporters after the meeting, when asked what he believed the impact the resounding vote might mean to his business, Grayson replied: "I don't see how it affects me."

Village Attorney Mark Burkland said that remains to be seen, as it is now up to the Village Board to take final action on the recommendations and decide if and how to deal with Grayson. The board plans to discuss the issue at 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 13.

After Grayson told the panel his version of events since first deciding to go into business on his own, he vigorously .defended his right to operate despite people's faulty perceptions.

"While I understand some people's perceptions of a pawn shop ... my pawn shop isn't going to be anything like that," he testified, with his wife, stepson and other relatives looking on. "I was duped into pursuing a license in La Grange (and) it's too late to change my business plan ... I have invested more than I can afford to lose in this business."

He tried to explain how rare it is to actually come across stolen items, noting his relationship with other police departments -- whom he has to report all pawned items to under Illinois law -- is impeccable.

"I'm just a guy trying to pursue his business (dream) and I'm being unfairly discriminated against," he said. "I look forward to being a proud business owner in La Grange."

However, the roughest testimony against Grayson's best intentions came from a lawyer on the commission, La Grange Business Association Chairman Michael La Pidus and a former Cook County prosecutor.

"There is no such thing as a bucolic, safe pawn shop. They are toxic by nature," said Ashland Avenue resident Thomas Epoch, the former criminal prosecutor and top assistant to a former Chicago police superintendent. "They (cater to) people on the down and out and (if allowed) it will be as if La Grange put in a store to sell paint then it decided to sell (now illegal) lead paint."

La Pidus, whose sandwich shop is located across the street from the long-vacant storefront, said his organization's opposition is supported by "hundreds" of other concerned residents,. business and property owners and "has nothing to do" with Grayson or "an impeachment" of his character.

"This issue has to do with the nature of the business he wants to open up," he said, referring his the efforts of he and others to spruce up the downtown from the virtual ghost town it was 20 years ago to the thriving upscale environment it has become. "We're trying to preserve that progress and grow that. Unfortunately, a pawn shop does not lend well to continuing that."

Self-proclaimed private property rights resident advocate David Beyer said a pawn shop would affect the "perception" of those who pass through the downtown in a negative way -- and actually offered to start a fund to help Grayson recover some of his lost investment if he takes his business elsewhere.

"They're just going the sign that says 'pawn shop' ... (but) this is not what we want in La Grange," said Beyer, even though Grayson vowed those words will not appear anywhere on his doors or windows. "I don't want a pawn shop in town and I'd be more than happy to contribute to a fund to help (Grayson) recover that investment."

Few other commissioners even raised an eyebrow before voting on the ban -- to be heard by the Village Board on Monday, July 13 -- but member Jeff Nowak clearly had his mind made up early on.

After challenging Grayson to explain just how he plans to conduct business and transactions, Nowak dealt him a blow to any chance of success for Grayson.

"The village of La Grange has made great strides in the past several decades to make this a Main Street U.S. A. and look how far the village has come," he said, calling on colleagues to endorse the staff recommendations concerning pawn shops and other uses because this is no close call.

"I simply can't support the existence of a pawn shop in our community ... and I simply can't buy into the notion a pawn shop would complement our business district," he said. "In my opinion it would be detrimental."

He further said the fact pawn shops are so regulated by the state legislature tends to "open up the market to illegally obtained items" which may be turned in for cash in La Grange.

Burkland, who specified that uses such as consignment and resale shops -- which are not regulated as such -- are an entirely different use in the zoning classification manual used by La Grange. Other recommended deletions from permitted uses would be used building materials and swimming pool stores.

Commission Chairman Stephen Randolph speculated afterward while there was no legal basis for his opinion, the village could just let the business open and operate then deny renewal of the license when it comes up for renewal.

However, the business still needs to meet building and fire codes, pass a law enforcement background check and be granted an occupancy permit before it can even open its doors.

Landlord John Brannen has been unavailable for comment.

A Residents View, Bluff St. Construction

2009-06-27T07:44:00.000-07:00

By Karen Hanrahan

This La Grange Resident has had an experience of the bluff construction project that is up close and personal. Having the work happen right next to where you reside certainly gives one a perspective.

What does it take to build a new road? Well, it takes lots of guys, lots of trucks, and lots of other very large construction equipment. It takes a lot of dirt, gravel and a ton or two of cement. There is the very early morning noise, the ever present fine white dust and the major tremors that shake the entire house.

Let’s not forget the displacement of vehicles from one’s driveway or the parking tickets from the Village of La Grange. The Village drops off wonderful weekly updates in the mailboxes of residents near the six million dollar road project. These notes have included a mention of leniency for street parking in the area that seemingly they have not shared with the local police. This resident has had five tickets left on her car since the construction began.

We were all given one day notice to a water main shut off. We had no water for an entire day, and had a boil alert for 48 hours following. This work at home resident hiked up to Blueberry Hill to urinate as needed.

So far the construction project is on schedule.

GORDON PARK LAND SALE IN BALANCE

2009-06-23T23:06:00.000-07:00

By James Pluta
News Editor

From the looks of things, it appears the long-shuttered Rich Port YMCA property in La Grange will continue to remain dark and lifeless, as the fight over its demolition and eventual redevelopment remains on hold.

The Park District of La Grange Board of Commissioners is taking steps to possibly counter a Cook County Circuit judge's ruling June 22 to block the auction sale of a 2.82-acre sliver of Gordon Park property behind the facility, slated for a proposed residential and commercial development.

Judge LeRoy Martin Jr. issued a final ruling in a case filed months ago by resident Orlando Coryell -- the spouse of a La Grange Library Board trustee -- saying Atlantic Realty Partners had an "unfair advantage" over other prospective bidders on the combined two parcels of land with zoning in a planned unit development that included a vacated Shawmut Avenue.

As a result, the proposed La Grange Place continues to be just that -- a proposed redevelopment by the Atlanta-based company -- which may or may not see reality.

The land at Ogden Avenue and La Grange Road, which became inactive a few years ago, is slated for townhomes, apartments and retail.

Coryell, who filed suit even after voters gave the go-ahead for the sale of public land in a highly publicized and contested November 2008 referendum, has been arguing, with the help of others and his attorney, Mark Wohlberg, against the sale of open green space.

The judge did not find fault with the manner of how the Jan. 8 auction was held, but stated the way in which the property was already zoned with one entity in mind constituted it as a private -- not public -- sale, according to court records.

However, park and village officials have said the part of the park in question is occupied by a garage and storage shed and is used very little by park patrons. Plus, proceeds from the sale would be put back into a new, revitalized park at the same location.

Wohlberg has said he feels Coryell's efforts were "vindicated."

So, while everyone awaits a followup hearing on the case scheduled to be heard by Circuit Judge Susan Gillis on Wednesday, July 22, the Park Board is now strategizing with its legal counsel to plot out what to do next and will likely appeal.

Martin (a former Chicago police superintendent) apparently hinted at how the Park Board may revise its zoning to make it a public sale, options of which are now being looked into.

NO CRIMINAL CHARGES IN MAY 19 FATAL

2009-06-19T00:39:00.001-07:00

2 TICKETS ISSUED TO DRIVER WHO RAN DOWN C'SIDE MOM

By James Pluta
News Editor

A 45-year-old woman whom La Grange police finally revealed June 18 was responsible for the tragic death one month ago today of a Countryside wife and mother as she tried to hoist a baby stroller onto a raised curb at 47th Street and 8th Avenue has been cited -- not criminally charged -- in the death.

Mary McPhillips of Chicago, who was driving eastbound in the curb lane on the south side of 47th when, for still unknown reasons, ran down Cari Cook as she was pushing her 2-year-old daughter, Ellie, and carrying her 4-month-old son, Carson, has received two traffic tickets -- for failure to exercise due care to a pedestrian and improper lane care (usage) -- and faces a Tuesday, Aug. 4 court hearing likely to be well-attended by family and friends of Cook who have since launched a crusade to see to it safety improvements are implemented along the roadway.

In fact, some residents who attended a June 2 village planning workshop to discuss proposals to reduce speed along 47th to 30 from 35 mph and to have jurisdiction of the four-lane street transferred over to La Grange and other ideas said privately they plan to make another large and vocal showing at the next Village Board meeting at 7:30 p.m. Monday, June 22.

The long-awaited disposition of the Illinois State Police and Cook County State's Attorneys Office investigation into the traffic fatality -- which took one day short of an entire month as detectives sifted through accident reconstruction evidence and testimony from those involved -- was revealed in a press release issued by La Grange Police Leiutenant Vic Arnold in the absence of a vacationing Police Chief Michael Holub.

"No data submitted and/or evaluated indicated that alcohol or drugs were a factor in this tragic event," the release stated. "The Illinois State Police did not discover any mechanical defects or roadway deficiencies that were contributory factors."

The investigation included assistance from the La Grange Police Department and the Cook County Sheriff's Police.

Cook, whose son suffered a broken leg in the crash and whose daughter was spared any injuries, was a former teacher and volleyball coach who grew up in south suburban Oak Forest. She and her husband, Matt, and the children were relatively new parishioners at St. John of the Cross Catholic Church in neighboring Western Springs.

Matt Cook, who attended high school with his future wife, has also been heavily involved in an extensive door-to-door petition campaign aimed at urging implementation of many safety ideas and changes to make 47th safer -- including the fact that many streets and sidewalks do not match up on one side vs. the other side of the street because they have been misaligned since the neighborhood to the south was subdivided and built up decades ago.

Although La Grange only had input into the investigation and was not directly responsible for carrying out the probe, some residents also have criticized the questionably long period of time it had taken to determine exactly what happened that morning.

The court case will be heard in Cook County Circuit Court in nearby Bridgeview.

PALMER ACCEPTS NEW POSITION

2009-06-09T20:33:00.000-07:00

Downtown restaurant owner Steve Palmer has a new title to add to his career resume.

Palmer, a former La Grange police officer who co-owns Palmer Place Restaurant & Bier Garten with his brother Phil and mother Ruth, was appointed June 9 to the Township of Lyons Special Police Advisory Committee chaired by Jerry Strazzante.

Newly elected Democratic Supervisor Russ Hartigan of Western Springs made the appointment of Palmer, a Republican. The new elected township slate also now includes three Republicans.

The 9-member committee is an oversight board for the special police detail provided the unincorporated La Grange Highlands community south of La Grange by Indian Head Park police officers -- a contract designed to supplement the police coverage that area already is provided by the Cook County Sheriff's Police.

The committee was established more than 30 years ago by former Republican Township Supervisor Ann Painter -- a resident of the Highlands -- at an annual town meeting held every April. At the time, responding to resident concerns of poor service from the county, the Sheriff's Department run by Democrat Richard Elrod, was sort of replaced.

Two other unincorporated areas of the township -- La Grange Estates mobile home park on Joliet Road near Countryside and Sterling Estates mobile home park on Frontage Road near Justice -- are still patrolled only by the county. But local police often supplement them in their efforts when needed.

The position does not involve any compensation.

RESIDENTS CALL FOR 47TH CHANGES FOLLOWING MAY 19 PEDESTRIAN DEATH

2009-06-02T22:35:00.000-07:00

By James Pluta
News Editor

Within days of what many local residents say was the avoidable death of his wife and the mother of their two young children along the high-speed 47th Street corridor in La Grange more than two weeks ago, Matthew Cook took to the streets and sidewalks of the village seeking support for some kind of change to the unmarked state road to improve safety for pedestrians.

And with petitions in hand containing the signatures of more than 250 area residents and counting, he boldly stood before a standing-room-only crowd of nearly 200 people packed into the gymnasium of Seventh Avenue School on the night of June 2, almost tearing up, to call for the kind of change that will assure everyone such a tragedy will not occur again.

"Something has to be done to prevent this from happening to anyone else ever again," said Cook after about 40 residents presented a wide variety of input at the three-hour Village Board planning meeting held in response to the accident at 47th and 8th Avenue that claimed the life of 30-year-old Countryside mom Cari Cook exactly 14 days earlier.

Joining friends and family who also testified wearing purple ribbons on their chest as a reminder of Cari and what he said was her favorite color, Matthew Cook described the petition effort and changes it will call for when he submits it to the village and state officials later this month.

"There are 250 people I represent tonight ... and at the top of the (petition) list is to reduce speed on 47th," he said, adding there are simply not enough breaks in the road to slow down traffic, as is the case on streets bordering Waiola Park to the west. "We need to somehow slow down traffic (to avoid) everyone having to dart across traffic to get to the other side."

He said people can talk to their friends and neighbors to slow down and drive more carefully, but noted most people just do not listen.

Increasing police presence -- beyond the four squads per shift Police Chief Michael Holub said the village is limited to in addition to part-timers and auxiliary officers -- is the "best way" to solve speeding problems, Cook said.

That, he said, is in addition to aligning sidewalks with curb cuts on both sides of 47th and painting crosswalks at every intersection along the stretch, including where his wife was hit as she attempted to lift the stroller carrying her 2-year-old daughter up onto a raised curb and through some parkway to access the nearby sidewalk.

It is just one of many so-called "mismatched" intersections separating the north and south sides of 47th, in which neither side streets or their corresponding sidewalks line up. In some cases, the roads and walkways are a good 30 to 50 feet apart from each other.

For resident Angela Geraci, 747 S. 10th Ave., sidewalk alignments and sidewalks in the south end neighborhoods her hot button issues.

"I ask the village to now fix all the remaining sidewalks on the south end (from) 10th all the way down," she said -- but she added the woeful lack of sidewalks at all in some parts of the area also is a major problem.

"You say 11 years ago most residents didn't want sidewalks, but I don't accept that excuse for not having sidewalks now. Between 49th and 50th alone, there are 15 kids and children are forced to walk on the street every day ... This area is another accident waiting to happen."

Another idea Cook raised, which Mayor Liz Asperger said was a novel approach to tackling the issue was the suggestion of a "pedestrian stoplight" at hazardous intersections activated at the press of a button. She said another man's approach, of installing removable rubberized speed risers, instead of permanent speed bumps, was a fresh idea worthy of consideration.

When one woman from the 600 block of 10th Avenue hollered for a show of hands supporting the pedestrian red light concept, some 90 percent of those seated raised their hands and applauded.

Cook also suggested La Grange take a cue from Chicago and consider the installation of speed bumps -- not on 47th where they'd have to get state approval -- but on every side street approaching 47th where there is a high level of pedestrians, so as to warn motorists of a dangerous crossing ahead.

"Somehow slow down that traffic," he implored the village. "Maybe making that kind of change would be easier than (making changes immediately) on 47th Street."

Other suggestions ranged from installing a four-way traffic signals at the state and county-controlled intersection of 47th and East Avenue where La Grange's western edge meets the southwest corner of Brookfield and the northwest corner of McCook.

A resident of Blackstone Avenue at 47th complained about the speed of village snow plows driving down 47th in the winter and the year-round dilemma of errant motorists jumping curbs and ending up on sidewalks and in people's yards -- prompting another person to suggest a 2-foot fence barrier between the street and sidewalk once sidewalks are re-aligned.

However, some residents expressed reservations of reducing speed and/or the number of lanes down 47th.

Chris Morris, who lives south of 47th on 8th, said he was "concerned" about the proposal to reduce east-west lanes from two to one in each direction.

"It is very difficult to access 47th Street ... in between the speedy traffic and a lot of traffic," he said. "The only real stop ... is the light at 47th and La Grange Road. You're just going to have longer trains of cars. But can you create natural traffic breaks?"

One Countryside resident said a much larger regional issue directly tied to increased traffic on such thoroughfares as East Avenue, 55th and 47th streets and La Grange Road over the past 12 years has been the closure of Joliet Road between McCook and Lyons -- which was shut down because it was crumbling into the Vulcan quarry and has been in litigation for years.

Joe Pardo, a resident at 47th and 10th Avenue for the past 44 years, said police provide "zero" presence along the stretch where the latest accident occurred.

Wally Lewandowski of the 400 block of South 9th said one idea he believes would be effective in reducing the number of speeders and potential car vs. pedestrian accidents would be to place an undercover officer at existing crosswalks ticketing drivers who fail to stop.

One resident called for installation of speed cameras along 47th, while another suggested the village temporarily employ a couple traffic officers just to target that area until the problems significantly drop. Yet another resident suggested placing empty squad cars at key side streets to fool drivers into driving slower and more cautiously.

No tickets or charges have been issued to date in the May 19 late morning crash, which left the Cook's 4-month-old son Carson with a broken leg and a daughter in the stroller and the family dog unharmed.

Another passing motorist, struck by the alleged offending driver as she attempted to avoid striking Cook in the roadway, has told The La Grange Doings he helped save the boy's life after he fell out of a baby carrier and onto the street.

At the meeting, Holub informed residents the investigation being conducted into the fatal accident by the Illinois State Police and the Cook County State's Attorney's Office was "still pending" and that detectives are avoiding all speculation.

"It's still an active case and this is going to be an objective and thorough investigation," he said, referring to 47th Street, especially in the area west of the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad tracks at East to La Grange Road "an enforcement nightmare" in which irresponsible drivers use side streets to avoid lights, speed detection and trains.

A related issue involves drivers cited for speeding who are sent to Cook County Circuit Court
and who frequently have their tickets dismissed unless they were going more than 10 or 12 mph over the posted 35 mph limit. That issue has been resolved in part by issuing municipal tickets in which motorists pay fines and avoid having traffic violations on their permanent records.

But even though Village Manager Robert Pilipiszyn made it clear the village has again petitioned the Illinois Department of Transportation -- which has jurisdiction over the road from Harlem Avenue west to Hinsdale -- to reduce the speed limit to 30 mph and for a jurisdictional transfer of the stretch through La Grange along with a redesign of the roadway to one lane in each direction and a center turn lane from the current four lane/no turn lane configurement, speed and local control is not the only issue.

In fact, residents in attendance loudly applauded suggestions by Matthew Cook and others to make some immediate changes to 47th and almost every misaligned side street that crosses from one side to the other -- alterations many said could be done over the next couple weeks just like when La Grange put in a crosswalk at 47th and 9th Avenue a few years ago without state approval.

That revelation, which Asperger admitted was done because La Grange disagreed with statistics presented by IDOT against a proposed speed reduction, caused some residents to jump to the conclusion the village could just go ahead and enact any changes they choose without retribution.

But, said Asperger, with State Reps. Jim Durkin (R) of Western Springs and Michael Zalewski (D) of Chicago in attendance at the meeting and agreeing to cooperate in lobbying IDOT officials to address the problems raised by the village and residents, she would rather seek cooperation and sound well-researched solutions without forcing the issue this time around.

Although Pilipiszyn said IDOT indicated it would consider the speed reduction, a jurisdictional transfer would be much more costly because the state would first have to improve the street with the redesign in mind -- a "working" figure Asperger said was estimated a few years ago to be about $4 million.

The intersection of 47th and East, he said, is also in line for future improvements including traffic lights and an underpass or overpass funded largely by the federal CREATE program that could be many years from reality.

Still, legislators in attendance voiced support for improving that part of the village.

"Your views have been heard," said Zalewski, who listened to about half of the testimony before heading to another meeting. "I think IDOT should have been here to heat every single word. I'll find my own special way of communicating what they should have heard."

Later, near the conclusion of the workshop attended by five of the six trustees, Durkin -- who lives steps away from another misaligned intersection of 47th at Grand Avenue -- said he witnesses accidents there every other week and empathized with the La Grange residents.

"It was a planning disaster ... when they did that," he said. "If it comes to the question of a jurisdictional transfer, I will listen to the (pros and cons and) I will be reasonable. IDOT is almost 'programmed' to say no, but they will not get away with it this time. If we have to be heavy handed with IDOT, so be it. It's personal to me and extremely personal to everybody in this room."

Ninth Avenue resident Jan Kinsley couldn't agree more.

"We need to take strong measures at this point," she said, saying many parents won't let their children cross 47th to go to the library, the Park District recreation center on East Avenue or even the South Campus of Lyons Township High School.

After the meeting, trustees Mike Horvath and Jim Palermo agreed they saw no reason why aligning the sidewalk access on both sides of 47th cannot be done immediately. Improving traffic and safety issues was one of Horvath's main campaign issues when he ran for trustee, he said.

Trustee Bill Holder took a more cautious approach, but said while in theory curb cuts and signs are "quick and easy" things the village could do, they may not be the ultimate answer to improve safety. He said the intersection of 47th and East "frightens (him) to death" so much that he won't even let his 16-year-old daughter who just earned her license drive through there.

"I think the turnout was important; it showed that people care," he added. "It showed this issue is a real one, not just for one neighborhood, but to a broad cross-section of representatives (in all parts of town). All of this takes cooperation."

Asperger, saying she was "delighted" so many residents decided to spend an evening to dissect the issue and come up with some well thought-out solutions, stressed there would be no final decision that night and no way of setting a timeline or next meeting date on the topic. But she did add the village has $250,000 budgeted for that area in 2010 and has committed $20,000 for a planning study this year.

"It's unfortunate, but so much of this is ... in careless driving behavior," she said. "Where there are stop signs, people just roll through. There are some horrendous driving behaviors ... (but) we will do as much as we can as quickly as we can."

SPECIAL MEETING TARGETS 47TH ST. SAFETY FOLLOWING MAY 19 FATALITY

2009-05-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

A special meeting of the La Grange Village Board has been set for 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 2 at Seventh Avenue School, 701 S. Seventh Ave., to discuss safety concerns along a busy stretch of 47th Street where a 30-year-old Countryside mother of two lost her life May 19.

Village Manager Robert Pilipiszyn has already made it clear the village not only wants the state to reduce the speed limit to 30 from 35 mph on 47th between Willow Springs Road and East/Eberly Avenue -- the fatality occurred in the eastbound curb lane at Eighth Avenue in broad daylight -- but wants the roadway turned over to village jurisdiction so it can be converted into a softer, 3-lane roadway with one lane in each direction and a center turn lane.

However, residents in the neighborhoods on both sides of 47th, including a group who held an impromptu memorial for the woman last week, have been urging the village to give them an opportunity to speak on that and related safety issues.

So, instead of holding such a forum during a regular Monday night board meeting where general village business is discussed and voted upon, it was decided to hold a special, non-voting neighborhood workshop meeting just to share and receive input on the topic.

State lawmakers, who are in the position of convincing the Illinois Department of Transportation to act on the matters at hand, have been invited to the meeting.

No tickets or charges were ever issued in the accident, which remains under investigation by the Illinois State Police and the Cook County State's Attorneys Office.

DOWNTOWN STREETS TO BE REDONE

2009-05-21T12:35:00.000-07:00

Central business district streets will soon be resurfaced, so a meeting has been scheduled for 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 27 in the Village Hall auditorium, 53 S. La Grange Road.

The summer resurfacing project will include Burlington Avenue from Kensington Avenue to La Grange Road, Calendar Avenue from Ashland Avenue to La Grange Road, Harris Avenue from Ashland Avenue to La Grange Road to Sixth Avenue and Ashland Avenue from Burlington Avenue to Harris Avenue, according to Public Works Director Ryan Gillingham.

The Village is in the process of developing the plans and specifications for the project and will be explaining the details of the work at the meeting. Public input from the business and shopping/dining community also will be encouraged.

All residents, business and property owners living on or adjacent to the streets included in the project area are urged to attend.

Village staff and the engineering consultant will be there to discuss details pertaining to the work scope, project schedule and answer questions.

The project mainly consists of resurfacing the existing roadway surface by grinding off a layer of asphalt and replacing it with a new surface.

Intermittent improvements to some drainage structures, sidewalks and other infrastructure components also will be made.

The project is scheduled to begin in mid-July and be completed by the end of August.

At certain points in the construction process, parking will be limited, and the village will work with the contractor as much as possible to minimize any inconveniences.

Further information is available by calling Gillingham or Assistant Director Mike Bojovic at (708) 579-2328.

HOT OFF THE PRESS: SENIOR CENTER CHANGES IDENTITY

2009-05-12T00:46:00.000-07:00

Some things may change, but they often stay the same.

Directors of the former Southwest Suburban Center (The Senior Center) in La Grange broke bread with friends and supporters yesterday (Monday. May 11) to unveil the 28-year-old organization's new moniker: Aging Care Connections.

So don't jump to using the acronym like they did before (SWSCA). Cause it sounds like it reads: ACC.

Many people still remember when the Summit-based Desplaines Valley Community Center changed its name to the current, well-known Pillars -- a habit the newly named agency hopes will also catch on quickly, like wildfire.

Aging Care Conections still remains at its convenient and somewhat accessible location at 111 W. Harris Ave. in downtown La Grange.

In the last couple of years, the Senior Center leaders had quietly contemplated relocating inside a yet-to-be-buuilt Township of Lyons senior citizen affordable housing apartment building next to Town Hall on Joliet Road, but that never came to pass.

The name, said Development & Community Relations Director Niki Chibucos, "more closely aligns with its mission to enrich the quality of life of older adults and their families through a range of programs and services that enhance their well-being and independence."

The need for a new name emerged after a strategic plan completed in 2005 called for the transitioning of programs related to recreation to other sites in Aging Care Connections' 22- community service area.

Because of the duplication of offerings and the goal to attain cost-effective operation, it was decided Aging Care Connections should focus on delivering services and programs related to its particular strengths.

According to Chibucos, those strengths include: the respect and credibility of its professional staff; its core competencies in information and referral, assessments and case management; its strong understanding of services to the elderly and the network providers; and its reputation, history and location in the center of the communities it serves.

With the assistance of a Taproot Foundation service grant to develop key messages and branding strategy, the process leading to the selection of an appropriate name began.

They stated after lengthy interviews with the community, constituents, staff, board members and funders, the outcome of the grant was the identification of the organization’s key branding attribute as the expert information and community resource on aging.

The organization’s expert, professional staff enables Aging Care Connections to offer clients the promise to connect them to comprehensive and expert information, resources and program options to enhance their well-being and independence.

A directional tag line, “Leaders in Information. Your Connection to Care.” was developed.

A second Taproot Foundation service grant focused on naming and visual identity was awarded and the process to select a name began.

The goal, they said, was to create a simple, memorable name reflecting the key messages and branding developed in the earlier grant.

Aging Care Connections emerged as the most appropriate name to convey the resource and direct service components in the comprehensive range of benefits offered by the organization.

A logo was designed along with the tag line “Your source for senior care.”

Aging Care Connections’ inaugural annual report for the 2007-2008 year was also debuted on May 11.

A third Taproot Foundation service grant produced the report -- which highlights the organization’s commitment to serving older adults through social services and programs ensuring their independence and safety in the community.

Aging Care Connections is a non-profit organization connection to expert information, programs and services enabling older adults to remain independent and their families to make the best, most informed decisions regarding needed care in their lives.

Serving Lyons, Riverside and south Proviso townships, Aging Care Connections’ programs and services are made possible by community support and donations, and, in part, by the Illinois Department on Aging, AgeOptions, Community Memorial Foundation and local United Ways.

The organization investigates elder abuse in 10 other communities in Leyden and Norwood Park townships.

For further information, call (708) 354-1323 or visit http://www.agingcareconnections.org/.

LTHS CANDIDATES FACE OFF AT FORUM

2009-04-02T06:43:00.000-07:00

By James Pluta
News Editor

Five of seven candidates for four 4-year seats on the Lyons Township District 204 High School Board provided about 60 voters assembled in the newly redesigned South campus performing arts center by the La Grange Area League of Women Voters March 30 the chance to hear what they are all about.

Those running for reelection include incumbent School Board President Mark Pera, Vice President James Kohlstedt and members Allen Polich and William Purcell, former board member Todd Shapiro and newcomers George Dougherty and Raju Patel.

(At the conclusion of this story, we present some basic information about candidates running for the District 102 School Board and names of candidates seeking office in Districts 105 and 107. RESULTS of all local municipal, school and Park District races will appear Tuesday night)

Intriguing new ideas were raised during the 90-minute forum by newcomers Patel and Dougherty. But the incumbents touted their ability to build new facilities while keeping finances in check during tough economic times and working closely with feeder districts.

The latter theme, however, became a sticking point between Dougherty -- who criticized the 10-year span of time it took for the feeder districts to form a much-needed data sharing consortium with LT just now starting up -- and Kohlstedt vociferously defending the program's long, thought-out creation.

Dougherty, an attorney and 10-year La Grange resident, while praising incumbents for the district's "good financial condition," said if wasn't for the support of board members Heather Alderman and Purcell -- whom he has endorsed -- the consortium may still be in the making.

"We lost a generation of students if we waited 10 years (to form the consortium)," he said. "That should have been a no-brainer for everybody ... this is one (conceptual discussion) that should have went faster."

But in response -- oddly enough, when both were asked about later start times -- Kohlstedt said it took time for LT to convince six separate but associated ever-changing elementary district boards and administrations to attain unified agreement.

"It is not possible in two years or four years," he said of the idea Pera said was first proposed a decade ago. "If this data consortium is the start of a partnership, it was brought about as a partnership. If it's going to now form, it's going to form now as a partnership."

Pera later said the consortium took 10 years of "hard work and cooperation" to get moving, yet will help raise student performance in the long run.

He also said there was a fundamental misunderstanding about the consortium, in that it was not created to share test scores but to focus on every elementary teacher and classroom to determine "what is wrong and what isn't" in hopes of fixing it.

On the subject of students starting school at a later time, Dougherty said he would "listen to input" on the idea, but Kohlstedt said while he does not believe "in reinventing the wheel," it would have to first be addressed with teacher and staff labor unions.

Pera added that doing so could affect athletic practice and event start times and may only spur the negative effect of allowing students to stay up and sleep later.

Patel, who sits on the board of an inner-city parochial school in Chicago that serves a largely low-income, African-American community, said he would focus on improving test scores and the work of under-performing students.

Dougherty, who advocated making LT "a more student-centered institution," stressed "not enough time or attention" is focused on the "middle" group of students who can fall more quickly and easily and whose low test scores can "bring down the whole class."

Patel suggested the district "needs to do a better job" with children from one-parent households and minority and immigrant students whom in the past 10 years have more than doubled to 10 percent of the student body.

"We are not addressing changes in our student body mix," he said, adding he would also like to improve graduation rates. "We need to reach out to (those populations) differently."

Kohlstedt, admitting LT faces some critical cultural issues, praised the current board for establishing an alternative school option for troubled students and appointing liaisons with both the African-American and Hispanic communities.

"I do not believe we are in a tense (or unsafe) environment" and what is most important is connecting with students and their families, he said, adding it is customary for some Hispanic boys to quit school and go to work at 16. "This board is working very hard to work closer with our minorities and their needs."

Dougherty later agreed that while such liaison relationships are vital, they should be handled by a much larger group of advisors, not just one liaison.

Shapiro, who served the board until 2007, said the more LT encourages all children to get involved in extra-curricular clubs and sports, the more they will feel connected.

When asked what qualities they believed LT graduates should leave with, Patel said a good set of character morals, educational skills to seek gainful employment and/or exceed college entrance requirements and basic financial skills such as budgeting and saving.

Dougherty added critical thinking to the mix, suggesting too much focus may be placed on achieving great test scores.

Many of the candidates agreed with the use of class rankings and the intrinsic value of homework.

Kohlstedt said it teaches "discipline for life" and Shapiro responded "absolutely, but within reason."

Pera said "something is lost" when meetings are taped or aired live on cable television and agreed with Kohlstedt people "play" to cameras -- but communication has improved with better and more frequent website updates and features.

"LT has done a lot to make information available to the community, Kolstedt said.

Shapiro said website data is now so accurate, parents know their child's grades before they do.

Patel, who favors airing meetings on cable, said he'd like to improve relations even more with feeder districts, in part by assigning board members to be liaisons to each district and using technology to seek a broader input perhaps through website surveys.

Dougherty also embraced Pera's ideas for more town meetings, but said the board needs to a better job of "reaching out" to all of the communities it serves

In the area of finances, Kohlstedt stressed proposed tax increment financing districts in the district's nine communities can be flexible and said school boards should be proactive in negotiating better agreements -- by example LT's recent ability to lobby for "a much shorter period" for what could have been a typical 23-year TIF district in McCook.

Pera said the board has always been able to protect the district in such talks and noted some of the districts will soon expire and produce additional new tax revenue to 204.

Patel agreed the district's projected $800,000 deficit could be erased in this year's budget through new TIF revenues and federal per-student aid, but said he was "concerned" with bonds coming due in two years and the need to refinance and seek better interest rates.

Patel, who has spent 23 years in banking, said District 204 needs a balanced board representing various backgrounds and feels he can bring a fresh perspective.

One example he cited is his desire to be creative by checking out the favored tax benefits of considering the use of solar power to generate energy in the schools.

Shapiro, a chief financial officer for the Illinois CPA Society who said he served on the board in the late 1990s when times were also tough financially, said he has helped do curriculum reviews, add a pool, fieldhouse and an improved theatre but wants to help the board face a new crossroads as it faces a minor deficit and takes on a new superintendent this summer for the first time in 17 years.

Polich had a representative read his opening statement at the forum, although Purcell, who is also on the ballot but was absent, did not.

An 8-year board veteran and a 4-year member of the LT Community Council, the spokesman said his focus is to "take LT to a higher level of excellence."

The former 13-year educator, administrator and coach stated he has "no hidden agenda" and was proud to be with a board that made significant improvements without new taxes.

Dougherty said his negotiating skills would be an asset to next year's teacher contract talks and vows to not only provide new focus, leadership and perspectives but spend money wisely.

An advocate of better communication with staff, parents and the community, he is supported by incumbent Village Board trustees Michael Horvath and James Palermo.

Pera, a 27-year Western Springs resident and Cook County prosecutor who unsuccessfully sought the Democratic nomination for the 5th district congressional seat last year, called himself a proven consensus builder.

Kohlstedt, a lawyer and father of four LT graduates, said he's glad to have been part of such a successful district.

"You as a community have every right to be proud of this high school," he said in closing. "This board is a consensus-based board, not a politically divided board."

SCHOOL DISTRICT 102: 4 FOR 3 SEATS

School District 102, which serves students in parts of La Grange and La Grange Park, has four candidates seeking election to three 4-year seats.

They include Delegate Assembly endorsed incumbents Jennifer Comparoni and Michael Guagenti and newcomer Mark Stenner, as well as non-endorsed independent Peter Daniels.

Although we did not individually interview each one, and nor did we attend the same public forum that night due to a conflicting schedule, we did manage to collect some of the candidates' campaign materials being distributed to the community.

Comparoni, a first-term member and 10-year La Grange resident, wants to provide the best education possible, ensure sound fiscal management to protect taxpayers' investment and increase the district's accountability to the communities it serves.

She says the current board has initiated an ambitious agenda to evaluate and strengthen its education program, operated within fiscal means and carefully managed its resources, taken its role as resident representatives seriously, with accountability and believes the next four years will be critical.

Many of the board's initiatives are in early stages and require further development, she stated, and it must continue to seek creative solutions to get more utilization from existing space, be poised for the transition of a new superintendent and administrative team and provide financial stewardship through the economic downturn without going to referendum,

She holds an masters of business administration from the Harvard Business School and has a background in management consulting.

Guagenti, co-founder of a boutique investment banking firm, has stated his goals include providing direction to the district while optimizing resources to stretch academic and social capabilities of every child.

Also a 10-year La Grange resident, he is in his frist term as well and currently serves as the
board's vice president.

Stenner, a 14-year La Grange Park resident and a liability insurance manager, believes a high-quality curriculum is paramount to a successful district and wants to pursue continuous involvement in a financially prudent manner and championing clear communications with all constituent groups.

Daniels, an attorney and a member of the district's Finance Advisory Council, believes the district financial status to be "precarious" and says if spending continues to increase, revenue cannot remain static or decrease -- and suggests the board be conservative and focus on basics.

He also believes the board needs to do a comprehensive review of all its general, supplemental and special education programs, of which he has experience in and would bring a unique perspective to the board to deal with.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS 105, 107

Elementary School District 105, which serves students in La Grange, will see a contest between five candidates for four, 4-year seats including Mark Smith, Kristine Lonsway, Michael Warkentien, Eileen Tucker and David Herndon.

The School Board in Pleasant Dale District 107 has four 4-year seats on the ballot being sought by seven candidates. They include Mark Mirabile, Leandra Sedlack, Patti Essig, Gina Scaletta-Nelson, Karen O'Halloran, Michael Rak and Lauri Valentin.

LG WOMAN BECOMES GOPs 2009 LINCOLN 'FELLOW'

2009-03-08T22:31:00.001-07:00

By James Pluta

Katie Justak of La Grange grew up in politics, learning at a young age the importance of party loyalty.

That's one reason why she was selected as one of only 10 Republican women to participate in the 2009 Illinois Lincoln Excellence in Public Service Series -- a monthly fellowship meeting in several cities across the state and in Washington, D.C., designed to teach everything there is to know about GOP political campaigns.

"I think this fellowship is a rare opportunity to get more exposure to the different tiers of government and the different aspects of public service ... and I'm looking forward to what's ahead," said the 33-year-old Justak in a recent interview. "It's a great opportunity to network and meet people from all facets of politics."

The series of workshops began in January in Chicago, where they learned the "nuts and bolts" of the program and met people of varied political experience who have graduated from the series, from former Gov. George Ryan's leiutenant governor, Corinne Wood to Village Trustee Pam Fenner in the far western suburb of Carol Stream.

Each month features keyote speakers and written couse work and in January the guest was Andy McKenna, chairman of the Illinbois Republican Party.

The next meeting was a two-day stint focusing on public speaking at the end of February.

This month, the group travels to Springfield.

The nearly 2-year village resident and wife of Mel Justak, a wills and estates attorney, was the qualifications co-chairman of this election season's nonpartisan Citizens' Council of La Grange.

She was introduced to politics at a young age by her father, Ray Narbone, who for years was active in the Republican Party of far south suburban New Lenox, where she grew up.

A longtime party chairman, her Dad was a tax collector in the early 1980s and got her involved in various political campaigns before his retirement from politics nearly 20 years ago.

"I then remained active in campaigns through high school and college," she said, adding she was a big fan of former president Ronald Reagan. "I've always been interested in politics and I have always followed it."

She said when she looks back on when she devloped an interest in politics, it was in the Reagan years.

After college, she worked public relations jobs -- starting off in consumer marketing and later switching to healthcare, with a couple of well-known PR fims in Chicago, before accepting a position with the American Academy of Periodontology, as a liaison between the academy, dental students and educators.

"It was a unique opportunity and I enjoyed being in that role," she recalled, noting that in the ensuing years she began to raise a family and moved from the city to La Grange.

Justak said she applied for entry into the series in October after finding out about it from fellow New Lenox native, State Rep. Renee Kosel, R-81st District, whose campaigns she has worked on in the past and who served as her participating sponsor.

She said despite all of the hype over Democrat President Barack Obama and the Democratic-controlled Congress, "now is a good time to be a Republican and to be involved ... no matter what your political affiliation."

She said she believes there is "a lot of talent" in the GOP in the way of future party leaders and that this past election started a new momentum among the party loyal, especially with the election of Michael Steele as the new embattled chairman of the Republican National Committee.

"The party," she said, "is looking for some new direction."

Justak says she has gotten to know people from both parties and has focused most on communications.

"What it comes down to is just wanting to participate in the community in a different way," she said. "My interest comes down to wanting to make a positive difference at the local level, which (in La Grange municipal contests) is nonpartisan."

She said the Citizens' Cuncil is just one way to get involved and a real opportunity at that.

"Were all concerned citizens looking out for the greater interests of the community," she said, adding she "probably will be involved" in the pre-election distribution of voter brochures touting the mostly uncontested campaigns of Council-recommended candidates running in village, park district and library races on Tuesday, April 7.

She said as a result of her participation in the Lincoln Series, she will be looking to get more involved and really determine where exactly she would like to focus her efforts in the future.

Ironically, Justak found herself immersed what in recent weeks has become a spirited political dispute involving opposing factions of the Republican Organization of Lyons Township (ROLT).

A registered Republican who just moved here 20 months ago, she was part of a handful of party members who were barred from voting for a slate of candidates at a party caucus meeting held earlier this month at the Robert Coulter American Legion Post in La Grange.

She, as well as others, were prohibited because they hadn't been current on party dues.

At the head of the line was La Grange businessman Michael LaPidus and his friend, fellow downtown businessman Steve Palmer, along with former State Rep. Eileen Lyons and others.

LaPidus, who unsuccessfully ran for township GOP committeeman against Cook County

Commissioner Tony Peraica in 2004 and who plans to run for the seat against Peraica again in 2010, turned his dispute into a legal challenge and won.

He not only has filed complaints with the Cook County States Attorney's Office, the Illinois Attorney General and the Illinois State Board of Elections accusing the Peraica-led party of "pay to play" politics, but led a petition objection that caused the GOP to replace its slate slate of township candidates -- despite the fact a coalition ticket was in the works between the Republicans and Democrats for weeks.

Justak said she supported LaPidus in his crusade to get the caucus vote declared illegal.

"I tried (to get in to vote) when I got there, but I was unable to join because I didn't pay dues, that's what I understand," she said, contending she and others should have been allowed to vote. "All Republicans should have had the ability to vote or been (admitted) as part of the caucus."

Opponents of Laidus called the challenge an exercise in futility that only resulted in a huge waste of money -- but LaPidus and his supporters it revealed the kind of exclusionary tactiocs Peraica uses to carry out his job.

BREAKING STORY: 'PAY-TO-PLAY' IN LG?

2009-01-15T02:07:00.000-08:00

A downtown La Grange business owner and unsuccessful candidate for Lyons Township Republican committeeman in 2006 is accusing his onetime opponent, Cook County Commissioner Tony Peraica of Riverside, of the same brand of illegal "pay-to-play" politics allegedly practiced by Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich.

But in this case, says Roly Poly Sandwiches owner Michael LaPidus, -- an outspoken political activist and downtown business leader -- the Repulican Party of which he is a part is acting as though it is above the law, by illegally requiring that the party loyal pony up annual membership fees before they are allowed to cast their votes at party meetings.

LaPidus, who plans on seeking the GOP committeemanship again next winter, presumably against Peraica, has been busy trying to recruit his own candidates to run for open township seats instead of letting Peraica co-opt with Democratic Township Committeeman Steven Landek of Bridgeview by forcing upon the party a move to form a so-called "unity ticket" in which members of both parties will avoid an April contest by hooking up on the same uncontested slate.

Hours after the governor gaveled in the "new" state Senate in Springfield and ushered in newly elected president John Cullerton of Chicago and minority leader -- former La Grange trustee Christine Radogno -- the reform-minded Peraica was at the Robert Coulter American Legion Post in La Grange chairing a quadrennial party caucus, which LaPidus said was a sham and should be negated by state law enforcement or election authorities.

Shortly after arriving at the Jan. 13 meeting with Palmer Place co-owner Steve Palmer and another man, GOP caucus spokesman and Town Board incumbent attorney Tom Garrette
said LaPidus was denied entry into the voting portion of the meeting by a judge at the door because his "credentials didn't check out," as his party dues were delinquent and he was "not a member in good standing" at the time.

Peraica was unavailable for comment the day after, but his aides referred calls to Garrette.

LaPidus, whom Garrette said had been calling party members of late to run against the township slate or slates as the case may be, appeared to show up just to "raise a stink" about the slating and push his second committeeman candidacy in the February 2010 party primary.

"They were just there to make trouble," said Garrette, an attorney from Justice who formerly worked for Peraica and who serves as a monthly administrative adjudication hearing officer in Justice.

But LaPidus, admitting he was not current on the $25 membership fee considered one criteria for being in good standing with the party, said he lawfully called police when he and his colleagues were "locked out" of the meeting -- which prompted him to file a complaint with the Illinois Attorney General's office and the state Board of Elections.

"That's a poll tax and (is) a criteria you have to meet before you're allowed to vote," he said after the meeting that ended with a unanimous slating of an April 2009 general election ticket headed by businessman Bill Baker of Hinsdale. "We were supposed to be in that room ... That's pay-to-play, and with everything going on right now with Blagojevich, it's unbelievable he did this. He has a total disregard for any rules or democracy."

LaPidus, who said he filed the complaints along with his chronology of events and the police report from that night, is seeking a reversal of the slating vote to "expose" Peraica's alleged unethical behavior.

Regardless of the legal opinion for which he still has received no reply, he said Jan. 15 he also intends on pursuing legal action -- not just to prove his point but on behalf of party members being "illegally" cheated out of participating in party matters because they don't pay up.

Furthermore, he said he was "amazed" that he watched La Grange attorney Tim Sprague, who sits on the Town Board and was endorsed for re-election with Garrette that night along with a host of other political newcomers, allegedly lock the doors in front of him.

"How dare them taint the Republican party," LaPidus said.

Sprague and Garrette are the only two Republicans on the incumbent Town Board led by supervisor Pat Rogers until he was elected judge last fall and were part of a similar unity ticket in 2005 which now-Supervisor Russell Hartigan said he would like to see Peraica and Landek create again.

Landek also has not returned calls to his offices since a day after his caucus slating, not just because the unity ticket is not together yet -- presumably -- but because he rarely returns media telephone calls.

Over at the Democratic caucus at Toyota Park in Bridgeview -- where Landek is mayor -- the caucus doors were never locked and party members did not have to prove they paid up, but just that they were registered voters who voted in the last primary -- even though Landek has instituted a nominal membership fee since he first won the position a decade ago.

Garrette defended Peraica's directive for members to lock the post doors and contended that's how the GOP caucuses are always held.

It was a move, said an admittedly tardy Justice village president Kris Wasowicz, that also left Willow Springs Mayor Alan Nowaczyk and former State Rep. Eileen Lyons of Western Springs in the cold for being late.

(Wasowicz didn't complain, even though his village contracts with Garrette for the handling of certain ordinance violation tickets, but if he had voted he would have been forced to support the candidacy of highway commissioner hopeful John Small of Justice, chairman of the village party the mayor ran on two years ago whose faction he is now running against.)

Garrette said Lyons claimed she came to the post hall prior to the 6:15 p.m. published caucus start time, and maintained "nobody was locked out" who was prompt.

And while both parties have until Monday, Jan. 26 to create a unity ticket -- a goal clearly not known or embraced by all rank-and-file party members -- they still unanimously voted in full slates this week. To form such a ticket, party loyalists will have to accept the replacement of some slated candidates for more qualified and/or compromise candidates.

Others put on the Republican ticket, besides Baker, Garrette and Sprague included Dawn Arayjo of Summit for clerk, Roy Hodson of Justice for assessor and Steve Krueger of Willow Springs for collector, as well as Jean Stack of the La Grange Highlands and Shirley Polaski of Countryside for trustee.

Hartigan, of Western Springs, was chosen by fellow Democrats to run with incumbent Clerk Maryjo Noonan of Western Springs, Assessor Barbara Weyrick of Indian Head Park, Highway Commissioner Landek and Collector Edward King of La Grange, along with trustee hopefuls William Mundy of Summit, Mark Anderson of Lyons, Jerry Strazzante of Willow Springs and incumbent Mary Van Allen of Justice.

Garrette said it is most likely trustee candidates will be traded between parties if a unity ticket is formed, which both he and Hartigan said was in the hands of the committeemen. But it could not be confirmed which are the so-called "swing" candidates.

The first day of the weeklong filing deadline period is Tuesday, Jan. 20 -- which affects races in all Illinois townships, cities and villages, school, park, library, fire and special township police protection, mosquito abatement, sanitary and other special taxing districts.

La Grange will not likely see contests in any of its three governing bodies, except perhaps the Park District, while neighboring Brookfield will see a two-faction race.

POLICEMAN OFF TO AFGHANISTAN

2008-11-23T06:04:00.000-08:00

By James Pluta
News Editor

Come January, Maggie Reif's eyes and ears will be glued to the television, radio and Internet reports, hoping for news -- hopefully, nothing but good news -- concerning the American military presence in war-torn Afghanistan for 12 consecutive months.

So, too, will the attention of her son and the five children of her police officer husband, Steve, for their father -- and 9-year-old Andrew's step dad -- may frequently be in harm's way, serving as a sergeant with the Illinois Army Air Guard as one of three door gunners on a CH-47 double-rotor Chinook helicopter in the skies over Afghanistan.

"I always just wanted to serve my country," said Kneifel, 39, in a recent interview, just before leaving Nov. 12 as part of an 80-member Peoria-based 238th General Support Aviation battalion and undergoing two months of intensive combat training in Fort Sill, Okla., before deploying for a year in the Middle East.

"I've got a little fear, a little bit of anxiety," he said, revealing he will be home for Christmas before deploying overseas. "I also know there's nothing I can do about it. This is the real thing. I'm going overseas for 12 months whether I like it or not."

Other than serving as air support for the 101st Airborne Division, he admits he doesn't really know where he will be geographically and can only guess.

Beyond that, it's probably best he doesn't know -- or say, for his own safety and security.

"I have an idea about some of our missions; we'll be doing a lot of troop transports and flying seven hours a day ... but that's about it," he revealed, surmising they might often find themselves near the country's eastern border with Pakistan -- where much fighting is taking place. "I'm going to be right in the middle of it."

Since, 2001, the 15-year municipal patrolman -- 12-plus with the La Grange Police Department -- has been in the reserves. And he has been in and out of the service since his teens.

He was recognized at an Oct. 27 Town Meeting by Village President Liz Asperger, three days before colleagues threw a farewell party for him and members of the American Legion Coulter Post 1941 presented him with a blue star flag and four days before family and friends joined him in a goodbye party thrown by the owners of La Perla & Thipi Thai.

He was recently feted by Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan for his efforts in helping prevent crimes to seniors and was cited in July of 2005 for dedication and exemplary service for helping out in a multijurisdictional drug investigation that led to many arrests.

In 1990, he served in the first round of fighting with Iraq on active duty during Operation Desert Storm -- where he was a mechanic fixing jet engines on the RC-135 refueler in Saudi Arabia.

More than a decade later, for six months in 2001, he trained in biological and chemical
warfare to prepare for deployment in Operation Desert Shield.

But, he recalled, he was never called up.

Then came the call to action -- just a few months back.

"I was told (in September) and I had a feeling it was going to happen," he said, shortly before taking a leave of absence from the force. "I figure it's better Afghanistan than Iraq. I think we're done in Iraq, but there's still work to be done where I'm going."

Kneifel, a squad leader hired by La Grange in January of 1997 and appointed elderly service officer in February of 2007 -- serving as point man for senior outreach through a grant-funded initiative called Aging Well -- has been in the military for 13 years.

He entered on a delayed enlistment in 1986, a year before he graduating from Evanston High School.

"After high school, I began training," he said, noting he attended basic and technical training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

In the beginning of 1992, he went on active Army duty after going through basic and advanced infantry training at Fort Benning, Ga. His first tour of duty was in Fort Campbell, Ky., where he served for two years before a long break in service.

He re-enlisted in the Illinois Army National Guard in 2000 and has been in the reserves one weekend a month ever since.

His first assignment was with the Illinois Air National Guard Reserves, where he actively served for one weekend a month and three weeks in the summer for five years stationed right outside O'Hare International Airport in Chicago.

Kneifel got married to his first wife in 1990 and had five children together.

While still married in early 1994, he started his law enforcement career as a patrol officer in Bowling Green, Ky., after getting out of the service the first time around.

His inspiration for joining the military was, in part, due to his stepfather's own background. A fellow officer -- Miles Odom -- was also deployed to Iraq a few years ago.

"My step dad was in the service and he talked about it a lot," he said, noting his stepfather was an Army and Reserves officer who served during Vietnam.

He realizes the Afghanistan and Iraq conflict is a different war than his stepfather fought. Still, he feels safer than one might imagine, given the constant news of American and allied attacks and casualties abroad.

"I've trained on helicopters and it's not too often that one goes down," he said, "but when it does, it really does (hit) home. It's tough to see my (military) brothers go down like that."

"But ..." added Kneifel, ever the polite person one can only imagine he has taught his children to be: "things can happen."

After all. he said, even the streets of La Grange can be dangerous -- referring to a shootout outside of Harris Bank south of 47th Street a few years ago in which an armed robber led police on a multijurisdictional chase and killed himself after breaking into a home and killing a family dog during an all-night standoff six towns away in Villa Park.

His said his children are old enough to understand potential consequences of his departure, his wife was a bit upset upon hearing the news and his stepson was confused.

"It was a little hard for him to understand and it's going to be a little tough when I'm away ... but hopefully, it's going to go quick," he said. "What will help this time is I'll have my cell phone and laptop, so we'll be emailing a lot, and I'll have my camera taking pictures and sending them over and using my webcam and voice over the Internet."

Still, he says he looks forward to serving his country and coming home -- quickly.

"I just want to get it going," he said. "I'll be working a lot of hours so the time (will go) by quick. It's going to be hard but we'll all get through it."

Senior citizens at the Southwest Suburban Center on Aging on Harris Avenue in downtown La Grange will undoubtedly miss his daily presence and frequent friendly visits, as will those in churches and civic organizations and even private residences around town.

For nearly two years, "Officer Steve" has been fulfilling a goal he said he realized was an unmet need on the department before he became an ESO and one that was only being addressed on a part-time basis before him by his close colleague, Detective Dave Rohlicek, who has since trained Kneifel.

Every day, he helps out seniors with any issue they face, whether it be handicapped access or Medicare dilemmas, educating them about protection from home repair scam artists or identity thieves, or something as simple as conducting well-being checks or helping them figure something out.

"I go to a lot of senior meetings," said Kneifel, who earned his ESO certification through the Illinois Attorney General's Office in Springfield. "I really enjoy helping the seniors out. It's just a great feeling."

He said Police Chief Michael Holub -- also a U.S. Army veteran who served as an overnight guard during the Vietnam era in Washington, D.C. -- has been most accommodating about his partial pay with benefits leave. And, most seniors he's told about his deployment have been "pretty supportive," he said, adding, "They're going to pray for me."

However, he said he will not only miss not his wife and children and senior pals but the whole town.

"It's been going great and I love it here; I really do," he said. "It's such a close-knit community and I'm so glad that while we're growing we're still able to keep control of the crime rate."

VOTERS APPROVE PARK LAND SALE

2008-11-04T22:23:00.000-08:00

Park District of La Grange voters have apparently given the Park Board the green light to go ahead with its plans to sell 2.82 acres of the 17.5-acre Gordon Park for a rumored $6 million, despite a contentious battle fought by a vocal opposition to the proposal.

According to unofficial results released late Tuesday night by the Cook County Clerk's Election Department, the referendum question was approved by a 54.73 to 45.27 percent margin. With all 16 precincts reporting, there were 4,164 yes votes and 3,444 no votes.

Although the proposed sale of public green space quickly gained opposition more than a year ago and spurred a lawsuit from resident Orlando Coryell (the president of the Citizens' Council of La Grange) and a vitriolic Internet blogging campaign by other opponents (with a little help from the Citizens Advocacy Center in Elmhurst), a pro-referendum group -- Citizens for a Great Gordon Park -- organized late in the game, with a $30,000 startup donation from Atlantic Realty Partners.

ARP is the proposed developer of the former Rich Port YMCA site, which will include the controversial 2.82-acre site in question based on an auction bid already negotiated with the Park District. Park officials believe the amount will be significantly higher than any other bid when the land is put on the auction block, as required by law. The development, to be called La Grange Place, is a mixed-use apartment and townhome complex with more than 30,000 square feet of retail space.

The land for sale is on the northwestern edge of the park, according to the Park District, just east of La Grange Towers and south of the Plymouth Place retirement community, comprised of two parcels. The larger parcel is on a hill and not used for many activities, the district maintained, and the smaller, 1.1-acre piece, has an empty maintenance shed -- the contents of which are now located in the new community center on East Avenue.

In a separate deal, the Park District has already agreed to swap a vacated .7-acre Shawmut Avenue (which splits the 2.82 acres) with the village. Shawmut will become a street and in exchange the village will give the district the east side of the Locust Avenue parking lot between the Y building and the park, which will become green space in a new 14.7-acre Gordon Park. That project will be heavily financed with proceeds from the land sale.

No official Election Night gatherings were held, partly because of the belief it may have taken too long to determine the final results. As a matter of fact, a glitch in the county's computerized vote tally equipment or software caused just that to occur.

Long before the results were known Tuesday, pro-referendum activist Kate Brogan said it was such an odd ballot question in the first place.

"A 'no' vote (is) not going to stop anything," she said, speculating the La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue property would be redeveloped one way or the other and perhaps with a big-box retail giant instead. "In my mind, (ARP) made a wise business decision."

Brogan's group had the same color signs as the opposition -- one green on white, the other white on green. Over the weekend, vandals stuck duct tape over the word 'yes' on many of the pro-referendum signs, according to police.

The next step? The closing on the land deal and property exchange and final approval of the agreement by the village, which still is finalizing redevelopment plans before it issues demolition or building permits for the project.

BATTERIES NEEDED FOR SECRET SANTA

2008-11-03T08:37:00.000-08:00

Santa is headed to La Grange and needs loads of batteries to power the toys that fill his sleigh. The Community Nurse Secret Santa program needs the community to “power up” for the nearly 900 children whose Christmas stockings will be stuffed with battery operated games and educational toys. Books for all ages are also needed.

All battery sizes are needed including AA, AAA, C, D, 9 volt and button cell.

Books for all ages are also a high need to fill the empty stockings hanging in the workshop. Every child receives an age-appropriate book including soft books for infants, board books for toddlers and early and teen readers.

Also needed:

Underwear (panties or boxers) in children’s’ sizes 4 thru 20
long sleeved tops, jeans, sweaters/fleece in children’s’ sizes 4 to 18, especially sizes 14, 16 and 18
warm pajamas/sleep pants in sizes 4 to 14, adult size S, M, L
hats, gloves (warm and waterproof)
action figures & characters (i.e. Dora)
building toys (Lego’s, K’nex)
books
art sets
craft sets
sport balls/ all types and sizes: volleyball, soccer, football, baseball

This season, nearly 900 personalized wishes will be filled by Secret Santa elves, generous community members and organizations including Indian Guides (they adopt 200 children), LTHS (they adopt 100 children), Adventist LaGrange Memorial Hospital (they adopt 50 children) and local companies.

Community Nurse serves more than 2,750 low income and uninsured families from Brookfield, Burr Ridge, Clarendon Hills, Countryside, Hinsdale, Hodgkins, Indian Head Park, LaGrange, LaGrange Highlands, LaGrange Park, Lyons, Oak Brook, Western Springs, Willowbrook and Willow Springs.

Donations of new items can be brought to CNHA’s clinic at 110 Calendar Ave. in La Grange. Office hours are Mondays-Friday 9am to 5pm. Monetary donations can be mailed to Community Nurse, 23 Calendar Ave., La Grange, IL 60525. For more information, call 708.352.0081.

METRA RUNS EXTRA LINES TODAY!!!

2008-10-31T02:32:00.000-07:00

Downtown commuters who want to skip out of work early to meet and greet the trick-or-treaters and take their own children out in costume around town (taking advantage of a beautiful Friday afternoon while they're at it) can take advantage of a special Metra schedule today on the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad.

So if Dad or Mom has already left for the day by the time you read this, call 'em up or email 'em and let them know: Metra is running extra early and mid-afternoon trains home to the suburbs for Halloween!

For details, call (312) 322-6777 or 836-7000 from any area code, or log on to www.metrarail.com.

ELECTION DAY IS ALMOST HERE

2008-10-21T22:05:00.000-07:00

A host of municipal and township clerks from across Cook County and Lyons Township
recently gathered at Town Hall in Countryside for a primer on the two upcoming election cycles.

The workshop was presented by Cook County Elections Director Jan Kralovec and Illinois State Board of Elections counsel Kenneth Menzel.

The group was hosted by Township Supervisor Pat Rogers, Trustee Russ Hartigan and Clerk Mary Jo Noonan, all of Western Springs.

Hartigan, a Democrat, has made it clear he intends to run for supervisor in April 2009, but only if also-Dem Rogers is elected to a judgeship in Cook County's 4th Subcircuit on Tuesday, Nov. 4.

Kralovec, who works under County Clerk David Orr, said the Nov. 4 ballot will feature a statewide advisory referenda calling for a Constitutional Convention for the first time since 1970, federal, state, county and judicial races ... a grand a total of 312 "ballot swipes" in all.

In La Grange, Park District voters will be casting a yes or no on an advisory referenda question asking whether the Park Board should sell 2.82 acres of land in Gordon Park to a private developer, Atlantic Realty Partners, for a mixed use residential/retail development at La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue -- site of the still-standing former Rich Port YMCA,

In addition to seven presidential candidates -- from the Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, New, Constitution, Independent and Green parties -- there will be a U.S. Senate race between incumbent Rep. Richard Durbin, D-Il. and four opponents; one-third of state Senate seats; all state representatives; the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District as well as the County state's attorney, circuit court clerk, recorder and Board of Review.

There will also be a countywide referenda proposing a right to recall five state constitutional officers and 71 retention judgeships on two full pages of the ballot.

This fall and next year voters can choose between the optical scan or paper ballot, or the touch screen machine to cast their votes.

A recent survey commissioned by the county showed 61 percent of suburban voters overwhelmingly preferred the touch screen method.

"The big word for November is numbers, or volume," said Kralovec, noting this is the sixth election using the new equipment. "The big challenge is that any voters who haven't voted since the last presidential election are going to be surprised they won't be able to vote unless they've re-registered."

This year, Cook County is not in short supply of election judges.

It is employing some 20,000 high school students this fall and there are even some judges they cannot place who will be used as backups in the case of no-shows.

Judges are paid a generous $170 or more for the day.

Menzel said access state election rules and ballot information is available online and in print.

For instance, the Green Party is now an established party "at every level of government" just like the two major parties, in Illinois.

The standard filing deadline for April township and municipal races (listen La Grange Citzens' Council) and referenda will be from Jan. 19 to 26, 2009, with the objection period to follow.

So stay tuned, people, the silly season is not over yet.

CLOSE CALL, BUT THEATRE TO GET TIF $$$

2008-10-16T06:42:00.000-07:00

After much debate Oct. 13, the La Grange Village Board has formally decided to grant $1 million in Tax Increment Financing funds to the owners of the historic downtown theater.

The 4-2 decision, opposed by Trustees Mike Horvath and James Palermo, will be realized by the purchase of a facade easement and an operating agreement attesting the movie house remains until the village's investment has been repaid, regardless of ownership.

The action, supported by Trustees Mark Kuchler, Mark Langan, Thomas Livingston and Village President Liz Asperger in the absence of Trustee Barb Wolf, directs staff to proceed with the drafting of a final agreement for the public/private partnership with La Grange Theatre owners John Rot and David Rizner. Wolf was clearly against TIF funding for the theater, she expressed in an email read by Asperger.

And although Asperger calmly said the board "obviously (has) different opinions" which were "hashed ... out quite thoroughly," Horvath vehemently suggested it was "reckless to move ahead without construction estimates" for the revised $2.7 million project.

Kuchler, who voted for the plan which he actually came up with as a compromise two weeks earlier even though he was not in favor of using TIF money, said having all of the theater owner's financial data is vital to making sure the village is not overspending.

"I don't think we should be spending surplus funds," he said. "I do think saving the theater is a worthy cause, but we have to be careful with taxpayer dollars."

Before the vote was taken, Asperger observed that there were three trustees who did not support using TIF funds but those who did decided to replace the theater subsidy with $1 million in planned improvements to the La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue intersection.

The board, which delayed action on another $350,000 initially considered part of the request, agreed to reserve that discussion for the future.

CITIZENS' COUNCIL DEBATES PURPOSE

2008-10-09T21:40:00.000-07:00

It appears the Citizens' Council of La Grange may have reached a crossroads.

In a lively debate that took up most of the group's latest session Oct. 8, its members -- just two weeks shy of the first application deadline for April 2009 candidate hopefuls -- expressed vastly different opinions over whether their biennial role is to simply recruit, evaluate and recommend the most qualified groups of candidates in the village's three major races as the bylaws portend or whether they also should campaign for and assure the election of those very residents.

Circulating and filing candidate petitions and state-required ethics statements as a unified party, which some privately argued is the start of the political process even more than endorsements themselves -- or "recommendations" as some members maintained is the actual terminology -- assures fewer signatures need to be collected than if they all ran and filed independently and, above all, that the "party" slate secures top ballot placement in every contest.

So said Council President Orlando Coryell, who, while chairing the more than three-hour meeting of slightly more than 50 members, got the debate rolling -- and quite boisterously -- by seeking any input he could muster on the public "perception that the Council secures the election of the candidates it endorses."

And that may be an understatement, since the topic generated almost as much discourse during and after the meeting as a petition filed on behalf of the husband of another surname as District 5 delegate Kathleen Deane to seek the appointment of a ninth member to that district's full eight-member composition -- and not that only six of 12 incumbent officeholders had expressed an interest in running to date.

Moments after the Council unanimously approved District 1 delegate Steve Palmer's suggestion that the first set of interviews and endorsements with either Park or Library applicants be conducted a half-hour earlier, at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 12, to give the body more time to complete the often-exhaustive process, Coryell kicked off the debate over the Council's purpose by stressing that once the endorsement process is done, few delegates show up in January and frequently not until the fall of the next election cycle.

"In the past, we haven't disclosed to candidates that (the recommendation) is the end of our legal responsibility, so do we tell the candidate that?" he asked, noting while Council members do not have to actively campaign for them they routinely do as a technically separate body.

One vocal delegate quickly replied the bylaws are clear campaigning for candidates "is not the function of the Council." And if and when it happens, as some seasoned veterans of the system pointed out has always been the case in years past, suggested, "now we are extremely biased ... exactly the opposite of what we want to be to the community. Our work should stop there."

That same man, who stressed the candidate slating was a recommendation and not something candidates should be allowed to call an endorsement, later reiterated if his purpose is just to interview and recommend candidates as the bylaws state, then he serves "no useful purpose" from January to May.

Coryell clarified the Council "is not formally involved in the election process" -- a fact corroborated by District 10 delegate Vera Catuara in that, after slating, some of the same members "as a group, not as the Citizens' Council" then "form a new political party to help slated candidates" for every election before disbanding until the next election.

However, while it was not disclosed what happens in those January to May meetings of the Council in a time when Coryell said the Council typically diminishes to some 15 members or as few as five or eight -- except, perhaps, party business -- former 8-year Village Board trustee, District 1 delegate and unsuccessful but endorsed 2005 mayoral candidate Ted Hadley defended the body's role and what he said was the reality of its existence.

"We didn't want a party system in this village," he said, noting the Council is there to pick a broad, diverse slate of candidates to build strong boards and then help them get elected. "On the whole, this system has put a pretty good government in place ... (but) if you just sit here (and endorse) and then walk away, then what's the point of endorsing?"

He contended once the Council endorsements are set, it is the Council's duty to make sure the slate(s) it recommends are successful, like it or not.

"That's what happened, that's just the history, that's how it's been," he added.

But Coryell said if that's what some members want, then the volunteers involved now must then "maintain a viable Council" from January to May and beyond -- because "morphing" into a party is clearly not its purpose -- and spend the non-election period "changing the bylaws.

"Instead of having a duty to the citizens of La Grange," he said although did not necessarily advocate, the group can have "a duty to the selected members" instead.

And although membership chairman and District 7 delegate Rob Pierson said "if there's a political party formed (post-slating), it's not us," Catuara also said "since this organization organized, the same group does (the party work) after the Citizens' Council disbands.

"It has been a part of the Citizens' Council (role) since it was formed," she said, noting once slating occurs "we do the paperwork" to get them on the ballot to be elected because many times candidates have no idea how to file petitions. "We make sure what has to be done and we hope they will be elected."

She added if all everyone wants to do is vote, the process is not going to work for the candidates.

"This is almost a necessity," she said. "If we're going to recommend and not (help) ... it seems useless."

District 4 delegate Nancy Weiler said "20 years ago you were told you would support the candidates" after slating occurred.

"I remember putting a sign in my yard for a candidate," she said. "Historically, the Council was expected to go to lengths (to help the slate get elected)."

And though there was disagreement as to what the future should hold, Coryell agreed with Catuara to an extent.

"At our meeting in January, we (typically have) adjourned and the meeting for the party started and we moved into party business -- same room, same people," he said, adding "anyone could then show up" and join although such an announcement has never been made publicly.

"We have lost two-thirds of the time, so we have a one-third success rate with competition races," he noted.

While Council-slated candidacies have routinely spurned independents in the past, few opponents have won. That dynamic changed in 2005, when Hadley was endorsed but resoundingly lost to then-trustee Liz Asperger. Confusion also reigned in 2007, when a candidate falsely ran as an endorsee when he clearly was not.

The petition to add a ninth member to District 5, containing the signatures of 80 registered voters in the district -- as allowed for in the bylaws for anyone who is "dissatisfied" with any district makeup -- was opposed by some delegates who said it appeared there might be a move to "stack the deck" in that district, perhaps for one or more desired candidates.

Catuara, a nearly 20-year delegate whose geographical area in one of the village's furthest corners boasts only herself, said she wondered why District 5 should deserve an additional member when every one of the other 10 districts were lacking a maximum of eight per district and why the petitioner's dissatisfaction was not described.

District 5 includes such notables as Orlando Coryell -- who is also the husband of Library Board member Caroline Coryell and a resident who sued the Park District over its controversial decision to sell public park land for private development -- as well as longtime Park District activist Kate Brogan, Council officer Joan Vander Linde, whose husband is Village Board Trustee James Palermo, and new delegate and Council Qualificatons Committee Co-Chair Katie Justak.

Delegates in other districts include, in District 1, the wife of Village Trustee Mark Kuchler, Deann Kuchler, former Park Board Commissioner and park land sale opponent Kevin Shields; in District 2, former park land sale opponent and La Grange Towers resident Bill Dobias and Qualifications Committee co-chair Ken Levinson; longtime civic activist Jeanine McLaughlin and Pierson's wife, Nancy and in District 11, the wife of former trustee candidate Nicholas Pann, Carolyn Pann.

Spouses, under the bylaws, are allowed to vote for each other at slating time, as was the case with Palermo two years ago.

The only ones expressing an interest in slating for re-election to date are Village Trustees Mike Horvath and Barb Wolfe, Village President Liz Asperger, Library Trustees Becky Spratford and Mary Nelson and Park Commissioner Tim Kelpsas.

Park and Library hopefuls vying for four and three seats, respectively, have until Wednesday, Oct. 22 to submit applications, with slating taking place Nov. 12 and possibly one other night that month. Village candidates vying for five seats including three trustee seats, clerk and president have until Monday, Nov. 3 and will be slated Wednesday, Dec. 10.

It was agreed when interviews take place, each candidate will be given five minutes to speak five minutes to answer structured questions and 10 minutes to answer Council inquiries. The voting of recommended candidates takes place in privately and is announced publicly.

THEATRE FUNDING MOVING FORWARD

2008-09-29T21:53:00.000-07:00

Well, it appears the lobbying efforts by owners of the LaGrange Theatre to seek some type of village financing to subsidize a nearly $3 million renovation of the 83-year-old movie house may soon become reality.

When that occurs, however, is not yet known. The Village Board is not scheduled to meet again formally until 7:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 13.

The board, after a protracted 3-1/2-hour debate at a Sept. 29 special meeting called specifically for the purpose of discussing funding options, reached consensus on some points, bringing it close to signing off on a final decision -- even though it may only be via a 4-3 split board vote.

A majority of the board, including Village President Elizabeth Asperger, favored using Tax Increment Financing money to meet the request -- to the tune of $1 million to $1.35 million -- with a proposed structure in the agreement calling for a facade easement financed by the village and an operational covenant that assures the property will remain a theater until all or a portion of the village's investment is paid for with revenues of a 50-cent entertainment tax.

It has not yet been determined whether the financing would incorporate a mixture of TIF and General Funds or one or the other, although a majority of TIF money is likely.

Since it was only a workshop, there was no formal or final vote taken by trustees, just an informal poll and a general agreement to direct staff to prepare an intergovernmental agreement based on majority viewpoints and seek approval from the theater owners.

But before any final action is taken, some trustees wanted to see more undisclosed financial statements, credit reports and some evidence of payback worthiness before they decide how much they should give away.

Theater owners John Rot and David Rizner, who also co-own the nearby Horton's Home Furnishings on the same stretch of downtown La Grange Road, had originally asked for village assistance of up to $1.7 million of the estimated $3.1 million project cost. They said they were not seeking a bailout, but a fair shake since they represent such a unique institution.

Village staff, through a 10-page working term sheet and a 6-page memorandum not released publicly -- which Asperger said reflected discussions on the topic over the last several weeks --recommended an agreement which would have the owners fund $1.35 million of the total revised project cost and the village contribute $1.35 million with a zero-interest loan paid back using proceeds of the entertainment/amusement tax expected to generate $100,000 annually.

Village Manager Robert Pilipszyn said the parties were "unable to finalize" a village-recommended 20-year operational commitment or an agreement for Rot and Rizner to pay in full if they default on the contract.

Asperger initially called the staff recommendation "thoughtful and very prudent" and one that aims to develop a consensus among board members with vastly differing views related to what kind and how much money would be spent and the scope of the village's commitment. She later acquiesced to the compromise which, in part, would provide some funds to renovate the theater and remaining TIF surplus dollars to fund an ongoing economic development initiative.

However, disagreement over the initial recommendation, whether the funds should be in the form of a grant or loan, how much should be awarded and whether staff should have even done any more than provide data without a proposal to the board fueled the rest of the debate.

Trustee Thomas Livingston said he believed the draft agreement would have moved the board in the right direction and addressed an appropriate balance of funding sources, but Trustee Mark Kuchler strongly criticized staff's over-involvement in the board's policy decision.

"When staff advocates a position, they become advocates of the position," said Kuchler, who got fellow trustees to agree to consider the idea of La Grange purchasing a facade easement from the theater and an operational covenant that the theater would remain in place indefinitely or until the owners or future owners essentially return the village's original $1 million investment.

Trustee Mark Horvath stressed the need for a long-term commitment of the theater to remain in town if public funds are used. But he also cautioned spending TIF surplus money that rightfully should be reimbursed to tax payers.

"Just because it's there doesn't mean you have to use it," he said. TIF was designed to cure blight. We cured blight, so let's not be in a rush to spend it under the economic development banner."

And Trustee Barbara Wolf said while she doesn't support the use of TIF money,she believes there should be support for using the General Fund, which could be repaid by the new tax.

For a more in-depth story on the meeting, revisit The News blog in a couple of days.

FIREFIGHTER FUNDRAISER

2008-09-28T17:30:00.001-07:00

La Grange Firefighters Local 2338 will hold its rescheduled annual golf outing fundraiser -- originally set for Sept. 16 but cancelled due to heavy rains -- on Wednesday, Oct. 22 at Palos Country Cub on Southwest Highway in Orland Park.

The event will offer golf and dinner for $90 or just dinner for $35 per person, including a two-hour open bar and numerous prize giveaways.

Proceeds will go towards the Illinois Burn Camp Alliance at which the labor union sponsors a child for one entire week at Camp Duncan in Volo; the Park District of La Grange's annual Halloween Walk in downtown La Grange during which it awards one bicycle each to a boy and girl costume contest winner and the La Grange Little League in which it sponsors a team that plays in the summer months at Sedgwick Park, according to Fire Lt. Don Gay.

Further information is available by calling firefighters Gay, Bill Brzgalski or Brian Sible at (708) 579-2338.

NO HEARING FOR LAND SWAP: VILLAGE

2008-09-28T13:59:00.000-07:00

Contrary opinion from an opponent of the Gordon Park land sale and the discussion of a land swap between the La Grange Village Board and the Park District of La Grange was clarified by Village Manager Robert Pilipszyn late last week.

At the Sept. 22 Town Meeting at Spring Avenue School, resident and attorney Tom Beyer said a public hearing is required for the swap because the wrong Illinois Revised Statute is being used to justify the exchange. If the right one was used, he maintained, a hearing would be mandated. If not, the village could be opening itself up to lawsuits, he contended.

However, Pilipszyn said the village attorney assured him the Illinois Local Property Transfer Act "is the correct and appropriate statute" for purposes of the Park District land exchange because it addresses the transfer of property from from one public entity to another.

The legislative intent of the statute cited by Beyer as the proper statute prescribes a process to exchange land between a municipality and a private party -- but the Park District is a division of local government and not a private party.

"We're acting on authority granted to both of us under the Property Transfer Act ... which does not authorize the transfer of property to a private party, which closes the loop," he said. "The Property Transfer Act doesn't even authorize atransfer of property to a private party, which makes it really clear as to the purpose of that statute."

Thus, he added, it will be helpful for the Park Board to complete the transfer of property before the Tuesday, Nov. 4 referendum to make it abundantly clear as to the ownership of property in the park.

The board plans to swap a village parking lot next to Gordon Park for a vacated portion of Shawmut Avenue within the park

The Park Board voted to put the land sale issue on the ballot after a Cook County Circuit judge ruled the parcel was more than 3 acres and required voter approval.

PARK REFERENDUM NOW HAS TWO SIDES

2008-09-24T11:37:00.001-07:00

The gloves are now off in the Tuesday, Nov. 4 referendum which will ask La Grange voters whether or not they approve of the sale of a portion of the 17-acre Gordon Park to a private developer proposing to build a mixed-use residential/retail complex there.

Opponents of the land sale lobbied both the Park Board of Commissioners at its Sept. 18 meeting and the Village Board at its Sept. 22 "town meeting" at Spring Avenue School -- but that is where a proponent of the deal also announced her group's pro-referendum efforts.

Dubbed "Citizens for a Great Gordon Park," organizer Julie Workman, an attorney, said the organization was formed by about 10 La Grange residents who are in support of the referenda calling for the sale of 2.82 acres at the park behind the former Rich Port YMCA at La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue.

If approved, the Park Board would sell two parcels, a 2.5-acre and a .77-acre piece of land on either side of the vacated Shawmut Avenue along the north edge of the existing YMCA building, at public auction, as required by law.

Workman, a nine-year resident and former YMCA fitness instructor who told the board she was speaking on behalf of the new organization, said their big effort is one of simply getting out the vote.

"We are concerned citizens who want to get the word out about the referendum," she said, not revealing other member's names. "We want to make sure they get to the bottom of the ballot ... and make sure people are aware of the issue and vote yes."

She stressed a vote of approval will mean a more than $6 million profit to the Park District for a portion of the park that is "totally underutilized" and will leave another 14.7 acres that, with the new money, will be "completely redone."

That, she and Park Director Dean Bissias said in a separate interview, will include two new ballfields, soccer and lacrosse fields, a splash pad, butterfly garden, handball courts, open land and a new drainage system. The land for sale features two storage buildings, an often vandalized playground, two tennis courts and a soccer field, Bissias said.

"The park will no longer flood every time it rains like it does now," she said, adding improvements will also included four new lighted tennis courts and expanded parking.
"It's going to be the envy of all the residents around here," she said. "We want the truth to get out."

But her words were quickly drowned out by opponents of the sale, particularly former 12-year Park Board member Kevin Shields, who promised the Park Board last week he would fight the proposal "tooth and nail" because it is short-sighted.

"I think the person who encouraged you to vote yes ... is being misled. I think a lot of attention has been given to mislead the residents of the village," he said. "AllI hear is 2.82 acres and it's not the case. It is a total loss of 3.5 acres. It is well-established that taking public land and selling it to wonderful profits cause a developer wants it (is wrong). Where is our village planner in preserving our park land, our open space?"

Four days earlier, he convinced the Park Board to agree to work with the nonprofit Park Patrons Around La Grange foundation to help dismantle and sell the metal storage shed and the bricks from its maintenance building, on land proposed to be sold to Atlantic Realty Partners.

The bricks, he said, originally were the pavers used along Ogden Avenue through the village and are a valuable commodity.

He further said the land sale just doesn't make sense.

He said when School Distgrict 105 wanted to sell its 1.5-acre tot lot several years ago, residents "came to the rescue" to save the land and prevent it from being redeveloped as a new residential subdivision.

He called the Gordon Park parcels on the selling block "a beautiful piece of land" with mature trees.

"It's just absurd. We're below the per capita (formula for park land) and we don't even meet half the acreage ... It's just mind-boggling," Shields said. "To me, it doesn't add up. It's going to be a nightmare. You're not going to be able to (keep) that to be a functional intersection.

"'It's going to be the envy of the residents?" he added. "I don't think so. It's going to be such a hassle to get to that park."

Attorney Tom Beyer of La Grange, who also railed against the sale at last week's Park Board meeting, praised the Village Board for delaying action on a proposed land swap with the Park District and said they were inviting more litigation if they approve it as proposed.

As proposed, the village would possibly exchange its parking lot on the YMCA site for a portion of the vacated Shawmut Avenue, that runs east off La Grange Road then turns into grass.

"The swap is being brought forth under the wrong statute," he said."Instead of using the statute specifically relating to swaps -- which require publishing and a public hearing with a 4/5ths majority vote to pass -- what the Park District has done to date is not acceptable."

The Village Board was scheduled to take action Sept. 22 on an intergovernmental agreement and ordinance defining the land exchange, but Village President Liz Asperger said that was on hold until attorneys work out the finer details of the pact.

Beyer said reasons put forth by the Park Board as to why the land should be sold off are "simply invalid," including the fact there were 11 issues involving police there. "To take down the (storage) sheds and build 282 apartment units and have less parkland for all the people that are going to be there makes no sense at all."

The proposed La Grange Place would also include 26 townhouses built into the existing park hill north of Shawmut, parking beneath the 5-story apartment complex built partially on the land to the south of Shawmut and 33,000 square feet of retail frontage in the apartment building and at the intersection.

Resident Harlan Hirt also told trustees he believed the land swap was proposed to avoid a referendum.

"The swap should not be consummated," he said, after handing over a prepared statement to Asperger. "The village does not need to sweeten the deal ... Table your action until the results of the referendum are known."

After a hourlong closed session at the Sept. 18 Park Board meeting, commissioners approved two proposed real estate contracts with ARP, which include offers on two parcels of the park land officials said they are confident will be higher than an auction will fetch.

An auction is required under the law if voters approve the referendum.

The Park Board also approved its end of an intergovernmental agreement that calls for the exchange of a third parcel of land, a vacated part of Shawmut, for a village parking lot along the east side of Locust Avenue adjacent to the park.

Locust runs through the existing parking lot to the building's east. If redeveloped, the road would exit directly onto Ogden, with a proposed traffic light, instead of on an angle with nothing but a stop sign as is currently the case.

The Park Board agreed Aug. 30 to place a referendum on the Nov. 4 ballot after it chose not to appeal a Circuit Court ruling that the amount of land in its original contract with ARP exceeded three acres. Park District lawyers aregued only 2.82 acres were to be sold, but the judge disagreed.

Under state law, the sale of under three acres of park land has to be approved in court and with more than three acres, by the voters.

ARP already reached a settlement with one opponent of the land sale who lives in the adjacent La Grange Towers condominium highrise. ARP said it would set aside 1/2 acre of parkland behind the Towers if it ultimately buys the land in question.

CALLING ALL CANDIDATES

2008-09-15T06:04:00.000-07:00

In a matter of months, municipal elections will be in full swing, so candidates planning to run for election, or reelection as the case may be, to the La Grange Village Board, Park Board of Commissioners or Library Board better start lining up.

First, we've got to get through that presidential and congressional election in November.

A little more than a week after voters visit the polls on Tuesday, Nov. 4, the Citizens' Council of La Grange will begin its biennial process of endorsing candidates for the village's 12 open seats.

The Council, which is comprised of 47 delegates (of a requisite 88 representing 11 geographical districts), met Sept. 10 and will meet again at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8 before gathering all candidate data, doing interviews and reference checks before endorsing on Wednesday nights, Nov. 12 and Dec. 10.

Incumbents will be notified this week to file applications and data sheets by Monday, Nov. 3. Park and Library board data is due Wednesday, Oct. 15.

The Council's mission is to "identify, interview and endorse highly qualified, community minded residents to run for public office" in the upcoming April 2009 elections. All facets of the process are public, but the actual endorsement vote is typically done in private.

A volunteer group, the Council considers itself "a nonpartisan, broad-based group of committed, informed citizens who evaluate candidates" for various village boards. The group has been around since the 1930s.

Council members, or delegates as they are called, must be registered voters and residents for at least one year. Although delegates represent whichever district in which they reside, there is at least one opening on all but one of the geographical districts.

The Council, according to its president Orlando Coryell, is not a political party but must file as one after its delegates help endorsed candidates collect signatures on their respective nominating petitions. Anyone can run for office independent of Council candidates and all petition documents must be filed no later than Jan. 19.

The group met Sept. 10 and decided not to hold a second meeting in October in a proposed attempt to build the roster of available delegates. However, since endorsement sessions are held on two separate days, it is possible more delegates could sign up (and attend two meetings as required) in time for the December session.

Endorsements for three Park Board and four Library Board candidates will be in November, with the session for Village President, Clerk and three trustees in December. For all offices except library, one must be a minimum one-year resident. A Library trustee only has to have resided in the village for at least one day, said Coryell.

Although the Park District, like schools, vets all of its employees because of required background checks, that is not done by the Council, Coryell said.

The Council decided to distribute flyers to residents, schools and businesses instead of just using email as was done this summer to recruit delegates. However, there is concern over distributing flyers to all 5,000 households in La Grange through the village, since some consider the Council a political organization, Coryell said.

A move by new delegate Ted Hadley to add a meeting in October was rejected by a 34-13 Council vote after board secretary Rob Pierson suggested doing so may invite abuse and cause partisan groups to pack the Council (as it has in the past) until endorsements are finished so they can assure "their" candidate is slated.

Hadley was the Council's endorsed candidate for village president in 2005, but lost to incumbent Liz Asperger. He joined the Council this summer.

Coryell, who is in charge of the meeting schedule, said the Council cannot bar new members who show up for the first time in October from participating in endorsements.
"That's not democracy," he said. "We're an inclusive, not an exclusive group."

Another delegate told the Council she "would like to see a larger representation" from under-represented areas, especially given the fact many recent endorsed candidates have come from one geogrphical area: the village's central historic distrct.

"We need to make this a more diverse council," she said. "It can only be a better community if you do that." There are two African-American delegates and slightly more men than women. However, it is not known which districts are better represented.

Some at the meeting agreed the District 102 caucus -- a separate organization with a similar charge -- has long been padded with special interests, which the Council says it wants to avoid.

There have been years in which voting membership was near the maximum or in the high 60s or 70s, said Coryell, who added one winter was so rough endorsements were only voted on by eight members. A majority of whoever is present determines which candidates are slated.

Although it is not yet known who my or may not run, incumbents whose terms are up in April include Asperger, Village Clerk Robert Milne and Village Board Trustees Mark Langan, Barb Wolf and Mike Horvath; Park Commissioners Tim Kelpsas, Bob Ashby and Chris Walsh Jr. and Library Trustees Mary Nelson, Jane Byczek, Becky Spratford and William Coffee.

UNDERWATER PEOPLE

2008-09-15T03:24:00.000-07:00

There's always that one nitwit who decides his car is invincible and won't be mechanically affected as he drives through the virtual lake La Grange folks call the Ogden Avenue viaduct.

Oh well, maybe he was just trying to prove something. Or file a juicy insurance claim. Those are the kinds of things we'll never know. But they're usually fun to watch, that is unless someone gets hurt.

The torrential downpour that lasted virtually all weekend caused many flooded streets, yards and homes in the area -- and it was so bad at 47th Street and East Avenue where La Grange meets Brookfield and McCook, the intersection was closed to traffic.

That made for some creative detours, depending on where drivers were headed.

The newly painted black viaduct that runs over Ogden just west of where motorists turn onto Burlington Avenue was also under water for quite a while this past weekend.

La Grange firefighters found themselves helping their brethren deal with severe flooding woes in nearby Stone Park. They were assisted in their efforts by the Elmhurst Fire Department.

No word yet on whether the rains will cause the cancellation of the 15th Annual Golf Outing helping to fill the coffers of the La Grange Firefighters' Local 2338 Benefit Fund this Tuesday, Sept. 16 at Palos Country Club on Southwest Highway in Orland Park.

If they end up taking to the links, the water traps on the course may be more plentiful than usual.

Anyone who'd like to play ($90 for golf and dinner, 35 bucks for dinner only), with a shotgun start at 9:45 a.m., a 2-hour open bar before dinner and numerous raffles can call Bill Bryzgalski Don Gay or Brian Sible at the Fire Department, (708)579-2338.

GOOD SAMARITAN MAKES JACK'S DAY

2008-09-09T19:22:00.000-07:00

By James Pluta

I always say it's the little things that really count. But sometimes it's the little mistakes that reveal bigger things -- or stories as is the case for folks like me -- and this time I'm glad I mis-heard an important little someone's name.

After all, I may not have ever known about last week's bigger story.

First off, let me apologize to Jack Kunkle of La Grange. Things were so noisy at the start of last week's "Lounging in La Grange" Adirondack chair auction downtown that I thought I heard his father, John Kunkle, say he was about to spend $2,500 on a chair for his son of another name.

But that's where the new story begins, when Dad was in line waiting to buy the chair -- and a miraculous gesture took place. So here it goes:

"I went up to buy the chair and the lady behind the counter said 'It's already taken care of' and, as it turns out, somebody had already paid for it for me," said Mr. Kunkle. "I have no idea who it was. I was floored, I was overwhelmed. That's all I know is I'd been told it's been taken care of."

Wow. I mean, he knew a few friends and neighbors have been aware of his family's unfortunate predicament, ever since his son Jack, now a 7th grader at Park Jr. High in La Grange Park, was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor eight months ago.

A lot of people at school and in the neighborhood knew about the 'jackkunk' link on the website, www.carepages.com which chronicles Jack's plight and treatment plans -- and some also knew about the La Grange Business Association auction Sept. 4.

"I really just went for the sole purpose of bidding on the Chicago Cubs chair and hopefully winning it," said Mr. Kunkle. "When I did, I was in a zone. I walked up to pay for it, figuring I'd stick it in the car and go home. But then this. It was just unbelievable."

He put a post on his website that night and let his and his wife's curiosity go unanswered.

"There's a side of us that says we're dying to know, but another part of us that's just gracious and feeling it was a fantastic gift," he said, adding, "Whoever did it wanted to be anonymous and that makes us feel good."

The chair, he said, is at home being enjoyed by Jack, and will likely be kept in the basement this winter. That's where Jack, his friends, his sisters -- eighth grader Emily and Lyons Township High School junior Leigh -- and their friends hang out.

"They're fantastic and his friends are the best group of friends," he added.

The Long and Winding Road...

Jack, said his father, had been really sick after the holidays earlier this year and on the morning of Friday, Jan. 18 , he woke up with an unbelievably bad headache, vomiting.

So his folks called the doctor, who suggested they have him checked out at the University of Chicago Children's Hospital. That's where a neurosurgeon told them Jack had a brain tumor, attached to his brain stem toward the rear of his head.

Three days later, Jack was operated on and after surgery, he didn't come home for a month. He spent two weeks in the hospital and another two at The Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

He then underwent six weeks of radiation and is now going through chemotherapy -- which will continue until February.

"The MRIs show the surgery was successful and killed all but a little bit and radiation got the rest of it," said his father. "He's doing good. It's a horrible toll, but he has such a fantastic attitude, which helps us all through it."

Jack swims at the La Grange Field Club and with the community swim team The Lions.

He also has been active in the Theatre of Western Springs' children's program and has
earned a bit part in a Park Theatre production of "Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory" this November.

"(We like him doing) anything where he can be a kid again," said Dad.

Best Seat in the House...

The Cubbie blue and red chair, which spent the summer in front of Palmer Place, finds a place in the backyard of the Kunkle home just about every day.

"He loves it," Dad said of the chair. "But every night we bring it in."

And, every day, they count their blessings.

"It's unbelievable, it really is," he said. "We are all still so overwhelmed by it. What a gift."

GORDON PARK FATE LEFT TO RESIDENTS

2008-09-02T12:16:00.000-07:00

On Saturday the Park District of La Grange voted in favor of allowing residents decide the fate of Gordon Park, a referendum question will appear on the November ballot.

Developers want a portion of the park be sold in order to enhance their plans for the former site of the Rich Port YMCA, at the northeast corner of La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue.

HOT OFF THE PRESSES... LA GRANGE THEATRE RESTORATION

2008-08-30T08:54:00.000-07:00

Hot off the presses ... is the Village Board's tentative informal 4-3 decision Aug. 25 to agree that giving the owners of La Grange Theatre up to $1.725 million in surplus tax increment finance district funds is an appropriate policy decision worth exploring.

We, of course, want to know what you think.

A minority opinion called for a possible post-TIF district policy, when the district expires next year, to explore other funding sources like community fund-raisers and, possibly, loans.

Others said the facade and marquee restorations were more important than anything in the $3.13 million project and that maybe the money should be considered a loan instead of a grant.

As promised, the property owners would agree to put up $1 million more and the La Grange Business Association pledged $50,000 toward marquee work on the project, which includes rehab of all four auditoriums, more and newly placed restrooms, new equipment and utility systems, and a new indoor/outdoor retro lobby and concession stand.

Trustee Mark Kuchler summed it up best, even though those in favor of the onetime gift to John Rot and David Rizner seemed more convincing in their positions, when he said he was not in favor of giving up $1.725 million for the rehab and restoration of the movie house.

"The level (of funding) is an issue ... (but I don't need the best looking lobby or community room cause we already have (one in) the library, Park District, here," he said. "I don't want to tell you how to do your business, but when you're here asking for $1.7 million, I guess that allows me."

Trustee Mike Horvath also chimed in, noting this is not a TIF-eligible project.

"This one borders on crossing the line (as far as TIF abuse)," he said, later adding, "It's troubling to me that government entities are always moving in to save the day. I don't see that as a role in a big way of a municipality. There's nothing that meets the TIF standard."

Horvath, who also suggested "a community effort" be started if it is such an asset, said the theater owners need to "get more creative" and asked whether La Grange is "a ending institution or venture capital opportunists."

Village President Liz Asperger, however, likened the funding to the $5 million of property the village purchased to spur economic development on the Triangle property, investment in the parking deck or the $1 million in planned intersection upgrades at La Grange Road and Ogden Avenue.

"This is our role as a government body, to take a long-term view of this and ask 'Is there some risk? Yes. Is there a potential reward? Yes, more than some.'" she said. "This is affordable family entertainment, the theater acts as an anchor. It's an economic engine and provides in part that sense of place, that sense of pride. (And) it's an appropriate TIF project."

Trustee Mark Langan also defended the one-time grant, calling the village a bridge between the business community and its residents.

"This is an opportunity for us to do something unique," he said. "We've got to do something to keep economic development going ... and this is an economic decision."

So the question remains: Is this a municipality's role, to save and preserve an historic building that is privately owned? How much is enough and how much is too much?

Also, is the theater renovation something community residents should try to raise money to do?

We agree with the board majority that it's a community asset and one that needs to be preserved. After all, the village restores its historic train stations -- the Stone Avenue work is coming up -- and the old Town Hall where it works and hosts meetings.

But we know some of you don't agree. Please us know how you feel.