From our fiends at Berwyn Development Corp and the Roosevelt Road Business Association President, Paul Zimmerman

With construction substantially complete, a unified and more pedestrian-friendly Roosevelt Road welcomes back residents, visitors and commuters with the installation of traffic calming hardware. As part of the award-winning, comprehensive streetscape improvement undertaken by the City of Berwyn, Village of Oak Park and Town of Cicero, three lighted crosswalks have been installed along Roosevelt Road at the intersections of Home Avenue, Gunderson Avenue and Lombard Avenue.

The in-roadway warning lights are the first crosswalks of this type to be installed on an Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) roadway. The marked crosswalks have protective lights installed directly into the roadway that flash when activated by pedestrian push-buttons. Illinois State Law requires motorists to stop for pedestrians at marked crosswalks. The LED lights increase the visibility of the crosswalk and provide an early warning to motorists to brake to a full stop for crossing pedestrians. These energy efficient lights are solar-powered.

“This is a win-win situation for businesses and their patrons and has unified the business district by creating more defined paths for pedestrians. On bustling roadways like Roosevelt Road, this type of crosswalk helps clarify right-of-way and increases everyone’s safety,” stated Paul Zimmermann, President of the Roosevelt Road Business Association. “The lighted crosswalks have been effective at reducing roadway incidents and are being used nationally with excellent results. They are a great addition to the corridor,” added Anthony Griffin, Berwyn Development Corporation Executive Director.

The entire streetscape project, spanning just over one and a half miles, consists of very few traffic signals where safe pedestrian crossing is permitted. The addition of three lighted crosswalks adds much needed safety to this pedestrian-oriented commercial corridor.

For more information about the Roosevelt Road streetscape project, visit www.rooseveltroad.com.

One of the vexing issues associated with any major municipal construction project is that the “punch list” – the odds-and-ends of any construction project, can often drag on for a very long time after the project has been substantially completed.  Kudos to Paul Zimmerman for keeping the focus on Roosevelt Road!

From our friend and the President of the North Avenue Business Association, Wendy Tannenbaum:

The North Avenue Business Association (NABA) is sponsoring scholarships to two graduating high school seniors who plan on attending a college or university as a business major or in a business related field.  Each scholarship amount is $1000.00.

Students applying must reside in the Village of Oak Park, River Forest and the Chicago neighborhoods of Galewood and parts of Austin.  Chicago resident boundaries include Armitage (2000 North) to the North, Division (1200 North) to the south, Austin Boulevard (6000 West) to the east and Harlem Avenue (7200 West) to the West.

Eligible students must rank in the upper 20% of their class, have a 3.00 GPA, a combined ACT score of 21 and demonstrate financial need.

Students must complete an application, write an essay, provide a copy of their academic transcript and two letters of recommendation.  The application deadline is March 16, 2012.    For more information, please contact Deborah Fossey at 708/456-8843 or email: info.naba@yahoo.com.

Take your business in a new direction. GO NORTH! Join the North Avenue Business Association. Stay informed, get connected and support the North Avenue Business District.  For more information about NABA contact Wendy Tannenbaum, President
North Avenue Business Association phone: 773/622-4422 fax: 773/622-1443
wendytannenbaum.naba@yahoo.com

The National Weather Service predicting up to eight inches of snow today and tonight.  Our local municipal officials in Oak Park, River Forest & Forest Park are urging residents, merchants and visitors to plan accordingly.  When – let’s be proactive here and assume the worst – the Snow Emergency Parking Rules go into effect, cars may be towed.

Also, please be considerate of your neighbors by shoveling their sidewalks, if you’re able to do so.  You might receive some home-made goodies, or at least a smile from them.  What a wonderful way to show that you’re not such a bad neighbor.

Finally, we’ve said it before and we’ll say in again… if you experience an emergency, please dial 9-1-1;  and be sure that you’re not overexerting yourself moving the snow.  Many a heart attack comes from “just one shovel more!”

• Please pay close attention to the cold temperature and how tired you become. Don’t work to the point of exhaustion. Take breaks indoors to warm up.
• Stay hydrated – and that doesn’t mean beer or hard liquor!  You sweat more than you think while shoveling snow. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids before and after shoveling to replenish fluids lost in the process.
• Bend legs slightly at the knee, letting thigh muscles do most of the pushing and lifting work. Better yet, push the snow, do not pick it up!
• Your clothing should be well-fitting and worn in layers, and you should shed clothing as the body becomes warm. Remember, overheating puts strain on the heart. Wearing a scarf over the nose and mouth helps reduce breathing cold air, which also makes the heart work harder.

And remember… Snow shoveling is not the exercise to use to start getting in shape!  Use common sense and reach out to your neighbors both to assist and for assistance!

With the coming of the New Year – wishing everyone a Happy, Healthy & Prosperous New Year at all – businesses who are located in the Village of  Oak Park and the City of Chicago need to renew their business license.

From our gal friend, Wendy Tannenbaum, President of the North Avenue Business Association:

Oak Park Business License Renewal Information
A message from Village Clerk Teresa Powell

This is a reminder to all Oak Park Businesses that your 2012 Business License should be displayed when you open for business in 2012.

The Village will be open until noon on Friday, December 23rd, and from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on December 27th-30th (the Village will be closed December 26th).  If you haven’t already sent in your payment, you may want to stop by our office to renew your license sometime in the next few days.

And a very happy holidays from the Village of Oak Park.

Teresa Powell
Village Clerk
Village of Oak Park
123 Main Street, Oak Park, Illinois  60302
708/358-5672 tpowell@oak-park.us www.oak-park.us

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Chicago Business License Renewal Information
Big Changes in 2012

In 2012, all business license renewals must be done online.  The online license renewal process will be fast, easy and secure.  You will need an Account Number and a Personal Identification Number (PIN) in order to access the On-line Business License Renewal System.

This information is provided to Chicago businesses via the business renewal notice mailed out to you prior to your business deadline.  “Online Business Renewal Tutorial” workshops will be held in early 2012.

The next online business license renewal tutorial will be January 11, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection office, City Hall, 121 N. LaSalle Street, Room 805.  Please reserve your attendance by calling 312/744-2086.  Space is limited.  For more info, go to www.cityofchicago.org/bacp.

Travion D. Trapp, a 19-year-old convicted felon out on parole,  was charged last night, Dec 16, 2011, by the Cook County State’s Attorney with two counts of robbery and one count each of attempted murder, aggravated kidnapping and burglary. He is scheduled for a Bond hearing today.

Trapp, of the 300 block of North Hamlin Avenue in Chicago, was on parole after serving one year of a three-year sentence for robbery, according to the Illinois Department of Corrections.

Based on the sketch on the clerk’s description of her assailant distributed to both the public and other law enforcement agencies, an alert officer from Chicago’s 25^th Police District recognized the suspect from an earlier traffic stop.  At almost the same time, a Park District of Oak Park employee at Ridgeland Common, 415 Lake St., contacted police with information that allowed them to place Trapp in Oak Park the day of the robbery.

In addition to Oak Park Police officers and investigators, members of the West Suburban Directed Gang Enforcement (WEDGE) task force also provided assistance in tracking down and arresting Trapp.