This morning, the wonderful “gals” at Garland Flowers at 137 South Oak Park Avenue in Oak Park were met by an unannounced street closure on Oak Park Avenue. The Village of Oak Park, the Township of Oak Park and the Seniors Center decided that this morning was the perfect day to partially close Oak Park Avenue to disconnect the old water and sewer service to the soon-to-be-opened Senior Center on the east side of Oak Park Avenue.

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.

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!

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.

From the Oak Park Police Department:

Oak Park Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying a man who robbed the Bleeding Heart Bakery, 1010 North Boulevard, Mon., Dec. 5 and left the clerk locked in a basement storage area.

Sketch of Bleeding Heart Bakery Suspect

The robber is described as African American, five feet, eight inches tall, and approximately 24 years old. He was last seen wearing a brown, zippered hooded jacket and a Louis Vuitton style baseball hat. A sketch is attached.

The robbery occurred at about 7:15 p.m. The suspect entered the business, grabbed the clerk and demanded money from the cash register. He then forced the clerk to a basement storage area, where he removed additional cash from a lock box. He locked the clerk in the basement area and fled. A neighbor heard the clerk’s shouts for help and called police. The clerk sustained minor injuries.

Anyone with information about the suspect or the crime is urged to call the Oak Park Police Department at 708.386.3800. Anonymous tips can be made by telephone to 708.434.1636 or via e-mail at www.oak-park.us/police.

As soon as we have a picture, we’ll post it here.

It has been almost a year since there’s been a comment about the Village Of Oak Park’s ever increasing cost to park here in the People’s Republic.  No fair making comments about “No park – Oak Park!”.

The cost to park at the Avenue Parking Garage has gone from $174.00/quarter to $195.00/quarter as of January 1, 2012.

It might be nice if the VOP could make sure that the lights are not always burnt out in the garage, that the elevators are kept in good working condition (hint: why does the elevator on the east have a carpet covering damaged tiles?)  and that the handicapped doors all work (hint: take a look at the pedestrian door at the south-westerner most corner, just off the alley and North Blvd).

Overheard from an Oak Park Resident who parked in the garage recently…

Ten dollars to park here!  Who do they (the Village) think they are, Downtown Chicago?

It is our Village after all!