From our friends, Lori Malinski and Wendy Tannenbaum…

Recycling in Oak Park

Used computer equipment can be dropped off from 9:00 to noon, Monday through Friday, now until April 30 at The Nineteenth Century Club of Oak Park, 178 Forest Avenue in Oak Park.  For more information call the 19^th Century Club at 708/386-2729 or visit www.19thcenturyclub.com.

They accept all computer related equipment, anything that can be plugged into a computer and fax machines.  Computers are refurbished and donated to non profit organizations and to Computers for Schools Foundation, in Chicago.

Also accepted are recyclable/reusable products like glasses, cell phones and toner cartridges.

Recycling in Chicago

Dispose your household chemicals, cleaners, oil based paints, solvents, cell phones, compact fluorescent bulbs and  computer related equipment at the Household Chemicals and Computer Recycling Facility at 1150 N. Branch Street (2 blocks east of the Kennedy Expressway and Division).

Hours:  Tuesdays (7am-12pm)
Thursdays (2 p.m. -7p.m.)
The first Saturday of every month (8am-3pm)

See the City of Chicago website for more information.

Bicycle Safety Tips

• Bicycles may not be ridden on the sidewalk by anyone over 15 years old.
• Bicycles are prohibited on sidewalks in business districts by riders of any age.
• Cyclists on the roadway should ride as close to the right-hand side of the street as possible.
• Bicycles cannot be used to carry more than the number of people for which to bike is designed or equipped.
• Remember to secure your bike when it is not is use.
• Don’t leave your bike in unsecured yards, parks or anywhere else it could be easily stolen.
• Advise children to not let anyone borrow or try their bike that they do not know and to avoid persons or groups who might try to bully their bikes away from them.
• Register your family’s bikes with the village. Registered bikes have a much better chance of being returned should they be stolen.
• Maintain control of your bike at all times. It’s is an unlawful to ride with both hands off the handlebars, feet off the pedals or to carry anything which prevents you from having control.
• Always wear a helmet when riding your bike.

Did You Know

It is unlawful to park within 15 feet (approximately one car length) of a crosswalk or stop sign. Violators could receive a parking ticket or even a moving violation ticket.

NUMBERS YOU SHOULD KNOW

• Extended parking passes: 358-5750
• Day Parking Passes: 358-3197
• Night Parking Passes: 358-6483
• Police non-emergency dispatch: 386-2131
• Crime Tip Hotline: 434-1636
• Animal Control: 358-5680
• Property complaints/violations: 358-5443
• Village Manager’s Office: 358-5770
• Public Works: 358-5700

Robbery Safety Tips

Always conceal what you have to steal, such as money or a cell phone.

Cell phones are just like cash when thieves see a cell phone they want it. To be safe, treat your cell phone like your cash: don’t let anyone know you have it.

Call the non-emergency dispatch number (386-2131) when you observe suspicious people.

The police want to hear from you, and you could prevent a crime! Provide as much information as possible, including the time you noticed the person, the clothing worn, the shoes worn, and the manner in which the person walks.

The street

• Be aware of who is around you. If someone looks suspicious or makes you feel uneasy, avoid that person. Go inside a store or business if necessary.
• If you must make a call while you are walking, go to a safe, public place, like a store. Make your call, then conceal your phone the way you would conceal your cash before going back to the street.

Your car

• When leaving your car, lock it and close the windows. Take your key. Don’t leave items inside the car, even if you think they look like trash—they’ll still look attractive to a thief.
• When you get in the car, close and lock the doors immediately. Keep the doors locked and the windows rolled up.
• Avoid making cell phone calls while driving. If you must make a call, pull over and keep an eye on who is near your car.

At home

When you are exiting or unloading your car, when walking from your car to your home, or when spending time in your front yard, follow these precautions:

• Be cautious of anyone on the street who makes you feel uneasy.
• If you view such a person and are in the front yard, quickly go inside and lock the doors. If you are in a car, stay in the car with locked doors and windows. Either use a cell phone to call someone to escort you inside, or drive away and come back later.
• Never ever open your door to anyone you do not know.

The ATM

• Use ATMs in well lighted, populated areas. Store and bank ATMs during the day are best. Scan the area before using the ATM. If you see a person loitering in the area for no apparent reason, go to another location.
• If you see something strange during your transaction, push cancel, take your card, and leave the area!
• After the transaction, be alert. You’ll have cash in hand making you a possible target. Scan the area. Leave immediately. If you suspect danger, promptly enter the nearest store or building.

From our friends, Lori Malinski and Wendy Tannenbaum…

The Oak Park Development Corporation is accepting 2010 facade grant applications beginning April 5, 2010.  The grant offers a partial reimbursement to building/business owners that are upgrading the facades of commercial property in Oak Park.

For more information: click on the Oak Park Development Corp’s website www.oakparkdevelopmentcorporation.com/financial-assistance-programs for information and applications  or contact the Oak Park Development Corporation at 708/383-3838.

The Village of Oak Park has announced a series of “Green Tuesday Lectures” in conjunction with the Environment & Energy Commission.  Speakers will provide regional, local and operational insights on each topic. Lectures will be held from 7 – 9 p.m., at the Oak Park Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd.  For more information, call 708.358.5700 or e-mail publicworks@oak-park.us. Sessions are as follows:

• April 6 – Our Community Garden: Understanding the benefits of creating a community garden to support locally grown vegetables, container gardening and composting.
• April 13 – Energy Conservation: Learn about the ComEd Challenge, smart meters and incentives available for energy efficient initiatives.
• April 20 – OPRF Community Foundation Sustainability Vision Planning: General overview of the planning process, baseline indicator measurements and outreach efforts for community input.
• April 27 – What’s New in Waste: Current recycling and waste diversion efforts, new programs and future projects.

Unneeded medication disposal… Residents can drop off unneeded medications from 8 a.m. – 1 p.m., Sat., April 10 at the Public Works Center at 201 South Blvd. This one-day collection event is sponsored by the Environment & Energy Commission, the Cook County Department of Environmental Control and the Oak Park Board of Health. For more information, call 708.358-5700 or e-mail publicworks@oak-park.us.

Great Paint Exchange… On Sat., April 17, residents may safely dispose of unwanted, but useable paint at the Great Paint Exchange. Half-to-full cans of paint will be accepted from 9 – 11 a.m. at the Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd. Anyone in need of paint may pick it up from 12:30 – 2:30 p.m. For more information, call 708.358.5700 or e-mail publicworks@oak-park.us.

Earth Fest… In honor of the 40th Anniversary of Earth Day, the Village is encouraging activities throughout the community on Sat., April 24. The Village’s first Earth Fest is intended to spread awareness about environmental issues, support environmental initiatives, highlight Oak Park’s dedication to sustainability and build momentum for the environmental movement. A kid-friendly indoor festival featuring eco-related activities will be held from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Oak Park Public Works Center, 201 South Blvd. Local businesses and organizations are encouraged to purchase booth space to sell their wares or distribute information. In addition, local businesses are invited to host their own Earth Day sales, activities or events. For example, local restaurants may offer a sustainable/local menu on this day, or a retail store may offer a discount on recycled wares. For more information on participating, call 708.358.5778 or e-mail village@oak-park.us.

There was a star danced,and under that I was born.
William Shakespeare, Much Ado About Nothing, II, i, 351

Tina Valentino is the Editor/Publisher

Happy Birthday. April is different things to different people, of course. Easter, Spring and that one day of the year that encourages and condones practical jokes. When I think of April, I can’t help but think of William Shakespeare’s birthday—April 23rd—the day his birthday is observed (which, strangely, is also the date of his death). And I also think of April 23rd as the day I was hired for my first job at the Proviso Star-Sentinel newspaper after graduating from Rosary College. Nothing happens by chance, as my mentor Sr. Cyrille Gill always told me.

When invited back to speak to undergrads years later, I would always begin by telling them the truth—that I had no business being at Rosary College studying the liberal arts. I had abandoned a practical career plan at Triton to attend Rosary and study the liberal arts, major in English, and sign on to a lifelong payment book of student loans. With every payment and every week since graduation, I have thanked the liberal arts for not only my paycheck but for the quality of my life. I quote the Classics when I write knowing that they are as appropriate and meaningful now as they were when they were first written. The quote above by Shakespeare was one of the first to stay with me all those years ago and I couldn’t help but think of it as I stood with Lois Baumann in front of her Stairway of the Stars on 5th Avenue in Maywood, ravaged by fire, still reeking of smoke, boarded-up and fenced off. So many young children had been “born” where I stood.

It all seemed so metaphorical to me. I have known Lois Baumann for years, easily identifiable by her spiky blonde hair, raspy voice and fun demeanor. I had passed her Stairway and Maywood Fine Arts building almost daily, seeing kids tumbling and jumping from the windows along Lake Street. But it wasn’t until I stood in front of that blackened shell of Lois Baumann’s dream did I realize how much we had in common and how  generous she has been with her life in passing on her love of the arts to thousands of children—most of them just like me, who simply had no business studying dance or piano or learning to paint or draw or dreaming of being a ballerina when there was barely enough money at home to pay the bills. Most of them won’t become professional dancers or famous musicians despite the hours they spend with Lois and Ernie Baumann; but they will walk away more hopeful than when they arrived; they will be rich in tolerance and multi-ethnic friendships and spirit, leaving legacies far greater than those who associate successful lives with monetary wealth. Help Stairway to rebuild… and little stars to dance.