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.

Yes! It will be snowing indoors ~ on Saturday December 10th from 10 am to 1 pm. Come for amazing photo’s with Santa as the snow falls like magic from the inside of Scoville Square Lobby at 137 N. Oak Park Ave. in Oak Park’s Avenue Business District!

Pick up your “Dear Santa” letter and mail it right from the North Pole Santa express Mail box Located inside the Scoville Square Lobby.

Come back every week to enjoy all new scenery and enjoy new and unique photo opportunities through Christmas Eve!

Panhandling is a persistent issue in the commercial districts in Oak Park.  In large part it is due to the generosity of those who live in Oak Park.  However, many panhandlers may be asking for money for reasons other than food, clothing and shelter.

We have the good fortune to have many resources in our community that help those who are truly in need. These is not one of these agencies who are in need your support to continue doing the valuable work they do.

• Oak Park-River Forest Area Walk-In Ministry 708-386-1946
  Offering help and Restoring Hope in Times of Unexpected Hardship
• Oak Park-River Forest Food Pantry 708-386-1324
  Working together to provide hunger relief in our community
• Thrive Counseling Center 708-383-7500
  Building healthy minds, families and communities
• Threshholds   773-572-5205
  Bright futures for people with mental illness
• West Suburban PADS 708-338-1724
  Opening doors, building futures, ending homelessness

One way to show your concern for those who are needy is to hand out Palm Cards instead of cash when approached by a panhandler this holiday shopping season in Oak Park. The Palm Cards offer a list of organizations that can help someone in need, as well as a list of overnight shelters.

Palm Cards are available from Downtown Oak Park Merchants, or click here for a printable version.

Oak Park Shoppers and Merchants get an early holiday present on weekends – free parking in Village parking garages in the business districts. Free Saturday parking actually will begin the day after Thanksgiving when garage parking will be free on Fri., Nov. 25 and Sat., Nov. 26. Free garage parking also will be offered on Saturdays, December 3, 10, 17 and 24. Parking in Oak Park always is free on Sundays. Among its nearly 1,000 retail businesses, Oak Park boasts more than 90 restaurants, a multi-screen theater, many specialty shops and art galleries, and a mix of both national chains and local stores. For more information about shopping and dining in Oak Park, visit www.ShopOakPark.com. For more information on parking in Oak Park, e-mail parking@oak-park.us.