If a private real estate concern were to engage in trenching the street, there would have to be permits and notifications. There was not advance notice to either Garland Flowers – a wonderful flower shop, if you’re interested – or Maya Del Sol restaurant over at 144 S. Oak Park Avenue.

Does the fact that the owners of Maya Del Sol restaurant have been critical of the Village’s plan to tear up Oak Park Avenue have any bearing on the situation? What are the plans for Oak Park Avenue? The Village of Oak Park is acting like a three-year-old not making any noise. Parents recognize that when a kid is not making noise, he or she is making trouble. The sound of “crickets chirping” from the Village is troubling.

How much effort does it take to alert business owners that construction will take place? It seems as if our governmental entities – the Village and Township feel that they can be bad neighbors.

IDOT Harlem Avenue resurfacing project:

The contractor will be grinding the asphalt and placing binder south of I 290 the week of May 21st – 25th. They anticipate grinding and placing binder between I 290 and North Avenue the week of June 4th. There will likely be minor curb and sidewalk replacement for the entire Oak Park stretch starting next week and lasting until the end of the month.

IDOT North Avenue resurfacing project (Elmwood to Ridgeland & Austin to Central):

The contractor just recently received permits and has just started to work on this project again. They are currently removing manhole frames in the pavement so they can grind the street. Next week the contractor will be removing and replacing sections of concrete curb and sidewalks. The contractor anticipates grinding the pavement and replacing binder following the concrete work, approximately the week of May 28th. The majority of the work will be done east of Austin Avenue to Central and there will be a two block section of construction between Elmwood and Ridgeland.

Thanks to Wendy for all her hard work and for keeping us up to date on the goings on up around North Avenue.  As Wendy says, “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.“

The Combined Veterans of Berwyn and the City of Berwyn – Town of Stickney, will host their annual Memorial Day Parade on Sunday, May 27. The parade will begin at 2 p.m. at the intersection of Windsor and Oak Park avenues and continue down Oak Park Avenue until they reach Mount Auburn Cemetery, 4101 Oak Park Ave., Stickney, where a remembrance service will be held.

The River Forest Service Club and the River Forest Park District present the River Forest Memorial Day Parade which starts at 10 am on Monday, the 28^th of May.

Unless a member of your family is serving or has served in our Armed Forces or you’re a history buff – as am I – you might be forgetful of the fact that the United States has been engaged in combat operations for more than eleven years.  No matter how you feel about the War, everyone must recognize the fact that with service come sacrifices.  At Memorial Day, we are reminded of those who have given their lives for our freedom.

But what’s often overlooked is the sacrifice of the families of servicemen and servicewomen.  And the handicaps that many members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard, National Guard and National Reserves bring back home.

Please take a few moments while engaged in the parties and shopping to remember the reason for Memorial Day?

After all, you’re still alive – you are reading this – and doing at least as good as everyone else in your circle of friends and family. So, your Mom deserves a “Hello”, “Shout Out” or maybe an “Atta-girl”.

I’ll bet that you know that the busiest day for restaurants is Mother’s Day. But did you know that many Moms do not want to go out on that day?

Since the “economy” hasn’t picked up for many, maybe a dinner of luncheon at your home might be a grand idea. Remember that the way to Mom’s heart may well be her stomach… It worked for Dad so why not Mom too!

“My basic principle is that you don’t have to make decisions
because they are easy; you don’t make them because they are cheap;
you don’t make them because they’re popular;
you make them because they’re right.”
– Rev. Theodore Hesburgh, SCS, STD, President Emeritus of the University of Notre Dame.

Tina Valentino is the Editor/Publisher

The free lunch.  Of course, there is no such thing.  And despite of the ultra-inefficiency of the Do Not Call Registry, I have not won a free $1,000 Walmart Gift Card either.  Nothing worth having is cheap as Fr. Hesburgh points out, or easy.  “Things” and “favors” and “special offers” are generally not free.  There are always strings attached no matter how sincere of legit the offer may seem.  Ask any senior who has been the victim of a gypsy scam or burglary, or any poor soul who has coughed up their bank account number to a persuasive peddler only to have their savings disappear.  Our first and foremost lesson should be that our freedom has not been and is not free.  Ask a veteran.  A disabled veteran.

But there are free experiences around us at all times, some offer fascinating lessons in history and tradition while some are just fun and entertaining.  For example, on Monday, May 28 at Noon, the Village of Hillside invites all residents to attend a Memorial Day Observance at the Memorial in the Hillside Commons.  I have attended the ceremony numerous times and visited the Commons’ memorial.  Like Franklyn Park’s memorial and ceremony, Hillside’s always-moving tribute to those who have made the ultimate sacrifice is an excellent opportunity to experience, remember and cherish what too many of us take for granted.

On Saturday, May 12, Melrose Park’s Little League Baseball will hold its annual parade, complete with screaming fire truck sirens and public works vehicles full of kids with baseball hats that are too big for their little heads.  But that’s the draw — it’s a free experience that takes us back to our own sweaty, no-uniforms-required sandlot games.  My grandfather always kept a lawn chair and jacket in the truck of his car and, on countless spring and summer nights he wisely opted to watch local t-ball players from the sidelines instead of overpaid MLB prima donnas on television.  You can’t put a price on a kid’s first at bat.

As for myself, you can fine me sitting on the curb outside the Quad at Dominican University in River Forest on Friday, May 4 at dusk for the annual Candle and Rose Ceremony, first held in 1928. Begun by Sr. Constanza, an English professor, the tradition has changed very little over the decades, and is a powerful free experience, pairing graduating seniors bearing lit candles with their partners who carry roses, which they exchange during the program. Candles represent the light of learning, the light of Veritas (truth) passed on from senior graduates. Roses (Caritas or charity) remind those seniors to be “faithful to the teachings and standards of Dominican tradition,” symbolizing beauty, love and compassion.

Its been 30 years already since I carried a rose across the Cloister Walk. But it was just today that I was reminded of Thoreau’s words: All good things are wild, and free.

According to Uncle Dick, he and his lovely bride of more years than I can shake a stick at – awoke at o-dark-hundred so the Uncle Dick could muster at Midway Airport.  My Uncle and his fellow travelers were transported to the waiting chartered jet and whisked off to our nation’s capital.  Once on the ground in Washington DC they were toured “all over the place” including the new World War II Memorial on the Mall.  Since all of the WWII vets on the flight are getting up in years, there were plenty of wheelchairs and young volunteers to escort the vets to see the sights.  After a full day of sight seeing, the intrepid travelers were loaded on the charter flight for the return trip to their departure point, Midway Airport.

Upon arrival at Chicago Midway Airport, the plane’s passengers were welcomed with a water canon salute from the Chicago Fire Department.  I am told, by those who know, that the water canon salute is reserved for only the most important, highest ranking visitors.  Our WWII vets sure qualify in that regard!  The more than seven hundred volunteers who make Honor Flight Chicago work had one more surprise in store.  When the flight disembarked, our Vets were greeted by members of our active-duty armed forces, backed up by a contingent from both the Chicago Fire Department and Chicago Police Department.  The tired Vets were serenaded by Bag Pipers and escorted by sailors from Great Lakes Naval Station to the main arrival concourse to be greeted by an assembled throng of well wishers.  My wife’s Uncle is not given to tears – a trait that is common to that age group of heroes – but his eyes were a tad wet from the reception from family and strangers.

None of the WWII Veterans pay anything for the days activities.  All costs are paid for by Honor Flight Chicago.  To date, Honor Flight Chicago has flown over 3,000 veterans to Washington, D.C. and there are more that 1,000 on a waiting list. On each trip to Washington, D.C. Honor Flight Chicago takes between 95 and 100 veterans. The cost of each trip is $50,000.00 or $500.00 per veteran. Sponsorships are available and encouraged.

The mission of Honor Flight Chicago, a 501(c)3 not-for-profit organization, is to raise funds to provide more WWII Veterans the chance to visit Washington DC and the WWII Memorial. On June 3, 2012, Honor Flight Chicago will host “Made in America” Benefit Concert to be held at the Paramount Theatre, located at 23 East Galena Blvd., Aurora, IL. All of the proceeds will benefit Honor Flight Chicago. The headliner will be Ricky Lee. The opening act will be Chicagoland’s patriotic sweethearts, the Legacy Girls. There’ll be two shows at 2:00 & 6:00 pm. General admission tickets are $40 and admission for WWII Vets is only $20. Advance ticket sales are available on the following websites: www.honorflightchicago.org, www.paramounttheater.com or www.rickyleemusic.com. The Paramount box office can be reached at 630-896-6666.

Keep on going, and the chances are that you will
stumble on something, perhaps when you are least
expecting it. I never heard of anyone ever stumbling
on anything sitting down.
— Charles F. Kettering

Tina Valentino is the Editor/Publisher

Oh well. Nothin’ I can do. Water under the bridge. Too late.  It’s out of our hands. Let it go. What’s the use. None of our business. Or, as Doris Day might chime in, “What will be will be.” Only to be followed by shrugging one’s shoulders.

Every year at this time, I would be geared up for Kiddieland’s “Tax Ride Off” grand opening weekend in April. In my mind, I’m still clutching my ticket, deeply inhaling the intoxicating combination of popcorn and train engine fumes, salivating for a hot dog and savoring the last refuge of childhood—stubbornly refusing to give in even though I know full well that Kiddieland is long gone. In my heart, though, I still believe it could have somehow been saved if not for so many who turned a blind eye, said “Oh well” and shrugged their shoulders. Landmark authorities, legal experts, powerful politicians across the state and even Kiddieland die-hards just chalked it up to retail progress and kept their noses out of the family feud. I’m sure glad the colonists didn’t feel that way. Outnumbered 3-1, George Washington could have very well said, “Men, it’s out of our hands. There’s not much we can do at this point. It’s a done deal.” What?   Without trying? As Winston Churchill said years later, “Wars are not won by evacuations.”

Which leads to me to applaud my courageous neighbors, the Missionary Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo in west Melrose Park. Practically penniless and powerless against the porno palace proprietor, they could have simply retreated into their convent, prayed for the poor souls that would patronize the “strip club” and hoped to God they would be safe living next door to a businesses that welcomes drunken degenerates to the neighborhood. They could have. But they didn’t. And they rallied many others to their cause, holding a successful vigil last month on their property that is now literally inches away from the scum of the earth. Even the most elderly of the Sisters joined the protest, in their habits, in their wheelchairs, holding a sign that said “Got Morals?” Television stations, newspapers and radio shows took notice and shined some heavenly light on this sneak attack upon a small, unsuspecting congregation of nuns that have dedicated their lives to teaching little children and caring for the sick and aging among us. Will the win their fight? I don’t know if Doris Day will weigh in on this or not. But I do know they are living the words of the Bibles book of Galations: Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Many times, I have shrugged my own shoulders. Yet when it comes to principle, I’m usually in the middle of the fight, getting my knuckles bloody, making life harder for myself and watching people roll their eyeballs. If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Thankfully, George Washington and his ragged troops felt that way. And God bless the Missionary Sisters, their Provincial Guild and their neighbors for feeling that way. Some things are just worth fighting for and, once again, they serve the community; this time, as an inspiration.

North Avenue Business Association’s 2012 Business to Business Expo was a Success!

Over 50 business owners/municipal representatives joined us at NABA’s B2B on March 22nd.    Many that attended stated the atmosphere was light and easy and that they had connected with other businesses.

Thank you to Kally Walsh and the staff at Shriners Hosptial for Children for their assistance and for hosting our event;  NABA is proud to partner with Shriners Hospital.

Special thanks to financial advisors Dwight Atchley and James Kingsley from Edward Jones, for sponsoring our breakfast and to Woody Mosgers, from What Goes With What, who made breakfast popovers.

NABA would like to acknowledge the following businesses and municipal representatives who participated as exhibitors:

• CAA, The Hearing Place
• City of Chicago, Alderman Nicholas Sposato, 36th Ward
• City of Chicago 29th Ward Office (Alderman Deborah Graham)
• City of Chicago, Office of Emergency Management & Communications
• City of Chicago Police, 25th District
• Cook County State’s Attorneys, Community Justice Center
• Edward Jones
• FirstMerit Bank
• Farmers Insurance Group, Robert Gray Insurance Agency
• Hair it is…by Darla
• Kumon Math & Reading Center of River Forest
• Labor Ready
• Larry Friedman Insurance Agency
• Minuteman Press of Oak Park
• Obey Media, LLC
• Oak Park Development Corporation
• Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce
• Sassetti LLC
• SCORE Chicago
• Shriners Hospitals for Children-Chicago
• State of Illinois, State Representative, 78th District Camille Lilly
• State of Illinois, State Senator, 39th Distinct, Don Harmon
• US Bank
• US Cellular
• Village of Oak Park, Village Clerk Teresa Powell
• Village of Oak Park Departments of Emergency Management & Response, Health, Police, Public Works, Recycling, and Business Services

Finally, I want to express my appreciation to the following businesses and individuals who donated items for the drawing and for other assistance during this event:

FirstMerit Bank, Joe Graber, Hair it is…by Darla, Labor Ready, Larry Friedman Insurance Agency, Maria Hayley, Minuteman Press of Oak Park, Panera Bread, Robert Gray Insurance Agency, Starbucks Coffee Company, US Cellular, 3Planets.com, and Sylvia Zamora

Thank you to everyone for participating in this event and for your part in making this event a success!

As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler;
solitude will not be solitude,
poverty will not be poverty,
nor weakness weakness.
– Henry David Thoreau

Tina Valentino is the Editor/Publisher

I’M BORED. I love my Facebook friends but some, mostly the younger ones, are on my last nerve. My friend’s dog, Fredo, is bored and that’s why he digs through the garbage and treated himself to some Christmas panettone, a fresh loaf of bread and a generous portion of cardboard recently to help pass the time. But these constantly-bored teens and young adults need to either sit down with a volume of Thoreau’s works (God forbid), get a life, or both. These regular postings of “Text me I’m soooooo bored” are as difficult for me to comprehend as an episode of “Hoarders.”

I don’t honestly remember ever being bored although there are many days now when I wish I had absolutely nothing to do. As I put Neighbors together every month, I see so many things that I wish I had time to do, organizations I would like to help, programs I would love to attend. This month is no exception—there never seems to be enough time, but I would gladly join with the naturalists at Trailside in River Forest to help restore and beautify the grounds. For years, I have wanted to enjoy tea and a $10 Monday program at The Nineteenth Century Club in Oak Park and ruminate about the arts, music, literature and the social sciences. Give me the chance to leisurely check out the Franklin Park Library’s digital collection or sign up for Motivated Mondays at the Hillside Library. And just once, let me take my seat for River Forest Library’s fireside chat; read a book to a child at Hephzibah Home; vacuum the halls of Ronald McDonald House; pitch in at the Bellwood Boys and Girls Club, the Bellwood VFW Post, the Franklin Park American Legion or Villa Scalabrini Home for the Aged in Northlake.

It’s a well-kept secret that I took four years of Italian in high school and I admit, with great shame, that I cannot speak a word except for the usual mangled suspects like agita, gabbadost, maliocch’, mannaggia, menzamenz, mezzamort and scustumad. But last month at Mass, Father Richard Woods, O.P., scholar and professor of Theology at Dominican University, planted a single, simple Italian word in my head: Lento, to slow down, to take stock. Something Thoreau did often, resulting in his extraordinary life, writings and legacy. “Our life is frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify, simplify! Simplicity of life and elevation of purpose,” he wrote from experience.

So not only do I urge my young Facebook friends (and hoarders) to take stock, I remind myself as well. We all face deadlines in different ways. Clearly, it’s not just about the countless hours of being stuck in the office carefully converting artwork, preparing postscript files and creating the PDF files of Neighbors magazine for the printer each month so that an issue, a story, a column might be so good it could win an award. “Be not simply good, be good for something,” Thoreau also said. Whether you observe Lent or not, lento in any language translates into something meaningful for everyone. Slow down, enjoy this issue and, hopefully, there will be more time to patronize, celebrate, contribute to and elevate the neighbors you’ll find in these pages.

The City of Chicago unveiled a snow response website at www.chicagoshovels.org to assist residents and businesses during severe winter weather.  The site has a GPS system which will feature real time locations of Chicago snowplows.

The site includes online winter apps that will help people better navigate during the winter months.  Twoinch.es informs and alerts drivers of winter snow routes and parking bans.  Wasmycartowed.com uses data to assist with towed or relocated cars. There’s also a shovel-share program.

Call Oak Park’s snow info line at 708/358-SNOW (7669) to find out if the emergency snow parking ban is in effect.

For more info, go to Oak Park’s website at www.oak-park.us/publicworks.   Then click on the Winter Snow link.   Find out info about winter snow parking routes, snow parking FAQ’s and restrictions and sidewalk shoveling requirements. For more info, contact the Department of Public Works at 708/358-5700.

Shoveling requirements

Below, please find the requirements for snow removal from the City of Chicago and the Village of Oak Park.   To view, please click below:

• Chicago Snow Removal Ordinance
• Oak Park Snow Removal Ordinance

Emergency Preparedness Resources

NABA has put together an Emergency Preparedness Resource list. This valuable list includes phone numbers and websites.  To view,  click on NABA Emergency Preparedness Resource List.

Chicago’s Emergency Preparedenss info and resources:  www.AlertChicago.org

Oak Park’s link to Emergency Preparedness Planning and Response, go to: www.oak-park.us/prepared/index.htm.

Sign up for Emergency Alert Notifications:

Sign up to receive emergency alert notifications at www.AlertChicago.org.

Sign up for alerts from Oak Park’s Community Notification System by using this link: www.oak-park.us/notifyme/. You can be notified by phone, email or text when the no parking ban goes into effect.

Seconds Count in the Event of an Emergency

Please attach address numbers on the back of your building or garage abutting the alley, so that emergency vehicles can find your residence or place of business in the event of an emergency.