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Chicago Tribune
04-08-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Predominately Black Matteson names first African American police, fire chiefs
Matteson recently appointed the village's first African American police and fire chiefs, with both having extensive experience in the south suburbs. Mikal Elamin, previously police chief in Chicago Heights, was sworn in as police chief last month and Derek Bryant, who had been fire chief in suburban Broadview, was sworn in as fire chief. Nearly 80% of Matteson's population is African American, and Mayor Sheila Chalmers-Currin said their appointments reflect Matteson's 'continued commitment to excellence in public safety.' The chiefs were sworn in at the Village Board's July 21 meeting. 'These outstanding industry professionals will not only enhance our regional reputation as a safe and well-rounded community, but will also create opportunities for growth, extended training, and a renewed spirit of community engagement,' the mayor said. Bryant was fire chief in suburban Broadview since January 2024 and was that suburb's first African American fire chief. Broadview's population includes about 68% African American residents. Bryant was also a firefighter for 22 years in Calumet City, with his retirement from that city effective the day he was sworn in as Broadview's chief. While with Calumet City, Bryant was operations commander, and he was also a police officer in Hazel Crest from 2004 to 2021. He was the safety and security director for Bremen High School District 228 from 2004 to 2021, according to his resume. Elamin had been with the Chicago Heights Police Department for 28 years, holding positions including deputy chief, operations commander and chief of investigations, according to his resume. Bryant earned a master's degree in public administration from the International University. He has held a prominent role with the Chicago Black Fire Brigade, where he actively recruited young African American men and women to learn more about potential careers in fire service, according to Matteson. Elamin holds a bachelor of science degree in administration of justice from Southern Illinois University. He also holds a certificate of completion from the Northwestern University's Staff and Command Institute. Bryant, a Chicago resident, Bryant, specialized and has overseen upgrades, grants management and the procurement of essential fire apparatus, Matteson said in announcing the appointments. In Broadview, he oversaw the village's fire prevention bureau, and in that role led fire code enforcement, inspection operations, plan reviews and public education initiatives, Matteson said. In Chicago Heights, Elamin, a Flossmoor resident, set the Police Department's vision, goals and policies in alignment with legal requirements, community needs and best practices in law enforcement, Matteson officials said.
Chicago Tribune
03-08-2025
- Chicago Tribune
Homewood neighborhood near James Hart Middle School bands together after shootings
Residents who live near and on Olive Road in Homewood say they enjoy a quiet life ideal for raising a family. The area, only a few blocks away from James Hart Middle School, the Homewood-Flossmoor sports complex and public pool, and the Izaak Walton nature preserve, is tree lined and quaint. 'It's pretty idyllic,' Eric Crump said Friday, pointing out an ash tree across the street from his home on the 1300 Block of Olive Road that was turned into a Little Free Library after the tree died a decade ago. 'I see people stop there, grandmas with little kids, looking through the books pretty regularly,' Crump said. But the peaceful, wholesome self-image of the neighborhood contrasts with two shootings within a several block radius since April. A bullet hole remains visible on the front siding of Crump's house from the night of July 21. Crump and neighbor Tracie Moxley, whose home farther west was hit with gunfire April 20, several days after Easter, were among those to form a neighborhood watch group after the July 21 shooting. The goal of the group, named Izaak Walton South Neighbors, is not for neighbors to take matters into their own hands, but to partner with police and promote observation and communication among residents, Crump said. 'It's really a great catalyst for helping our neighbors come together and be more of a neighborhood than we ever have been,' Crump said. 'When an incident does happen, everybody rallies around. They don't just retreat into their house and draw the blinds,' he said. Moxley said she believes the legacy of the shootings, which are usually unheard of in their area, will be greater community connections. The first meeting of the Izaak Walton South Neighbors on Monday drew about 50 people, with the next scheduled for Aug. 11. As community members band together, Homewood police say they are investigating the shootings and their causes, providing little information in the meantime. At the most recent Village Board meeting July 23, trustees deferred action to police Chief Denise McGrath, with Trustee Patrick Siemsen saying, 'rest assured, she will get to the bottom of this.' Several Homewood residents pleaded for action during the meeting, including Maggie Gosselin, who lives several blocks south of Olive Road. Gosselin said her two 13-year-old sons, who attend James Hart Middle School, were about to bike to Izaak Walton to go fishing when they heard gun shots at about 5:45 p.m July 21. 'My kids look at me and they're like, 'Mom, I don't think those were fireworks,'' Gosselin said Thursday. 'And I'm like, 'You're right. I don't think those were fireworks either.'' Gosselin said she instructed her sons to bike to their friend's house, in the opposite direction of the gunshots, and said the boys now take an alternative route to get to the nature preserve. 'One of them in particular was afraid, he didn't want to go back,' Gosselin said. 'And this is where they spend their entire summer.' Gosselin said she hasn't taken part in the neighborhood watch group since she lives several blocks away from where the shootings have taken place, but she hopes the village considers installing cameras or helping the neighborhood boost security. Deputy police Chief Kelly Strayer, in an emailed statement to the Daily Southtown, said the three shootings 'appear to be random, and investigators are actively working to determine the circumstances surrounding each case.' Strayer said police increased patrols in the area and officers are 'working diligently to gather any information that may lead to identifying those responsible.' 'We strongly encourage anyone with information related to the shootings to come forward, as public assistance is a vital part of our investigations,' she said.
Chicago Tribune
17-07-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Lansing considers TIF district at struggling Torrence Avenue shopping center
Lansing officials are studying whether to create a tax increment financing district at the long-struggling Landings Shopping Center on Torrence Avenue, north of 171st Street, could boost economic development there. The Village Board made way Tuesday for a feasibility study to determine the eligibility of properties within the shopping center for a TIF district. TIF money can be used to pay for public improvements as well as incentives for developers. 'We just have a lot of vacancies up there, and we haven't been able to do anything about it,' Lansing Administrator Dan Podgorski said Thursday. Podgorski said the village considered creating the Landings TIF district about five years ago but decided to wait until more of the strip mall's abandoned properties were off the tax rolls. The village owns one such property, the former Ultra Foods at 16831 Torrence Ave., which Podgorski says has sat empty for about a decade. He said establishing a TIF district could encourage another grocery store or other retailer to move into space that is now tax exempt. 'This would be a TIF that would be project driven — that we would need in order to bring those developments,' Podgorski said. 'We would need the incentive.' In a TIF district, property taxes for all government bodies are frozen at levels at the time it is created and any increase due to higher property values, the increment, is used to pay for improvements or incentives TIF districts typically expire after 23 years but can be extended to up to 35 years Other taxing bodies, such as school districts, don't see increased property tax revenue from any development until after the TIF expires, and don't have a share of any community's sales tax money redevelopment might create. The board agreed to pay adviser SB Friedman, which similarly surveyed the long-vacant Sears store at Orland Square shopping center, an estimated $64,500 to survey the Landings Shopping Center. The area the firm will study includes several vacant retailers, some of which still have their old signs. On the north side of the strip mall, adjacent former clothing stores Factory 2-U and Givona Jolie stand empty, adorned with banners indicating their availability for sale. Cars begin to crop up further south in the parking lot, as Forman Mills and Burlington continue to attract sparse traffic. The area being studied also includes breakfast restaurant Golden Bear Pancakes and Crepery Restaurant, at 16851 Torrence Ave., and Kenny's Ribs and Chicken, at 16825 Torrence Ave. Podgorski said he is excited about the future of Lansing's economy as the village focuses on ushering in businesses on other parts of Torrence Avenue, including the additions of a Starbucks, Chipotle, Taco Bell and Chick-fil-a. 'You've got a dozen or more new businesses in that corridor — we feel we're like just getting started,' Podgorski said. He said there are other properties throughout Lansing the village hopes to acquire and redevelop. 'We're building that momentum,' he said.
Chicago Tribune
17-07-2025
- Politics
- Chicago Tribune
Oak Park trustee urges fast action in response to racial equity report
From afar, many view Oak Park as a place of racial harmony where integration and equity are strong community values. But a recent 66-page racial equity assessment commissioned by the village of Oak Park and performed by scholars from the University of Illinois at Chicago Great Cities Institute indicates there remains much work to do for Oak Park to make its citizens feel included and valued. The assessment, which was conducted mostly in 2023 was presented to the Oak Park Village Board on July 1, a timeline that frustrated at least one Village Board member. 'I think we are probably leading the nation in discussing these things,' said Corey Wesley, one of two Black trustees. 'What I want to know is, what are we doing about these things?' The assessment was based on interviews with village staff, members of municipal boards and commissions and a survey that was answered by 557 people. It did not include interviews with Village Board members other than village President Vicki Scaman, an omission that irked Wesley. Many people interviewed for the survey stated that the reality in Oak Park does not match the village's image. 'Racism exists every single day in the village of Oak Park,' Scaman said as the results of the assessment were presented. 'What the brochure looks like and the reality don't always match. We have work to do.' The assessment states many Black people in Oak Park don't feel included in the village and don't feel as much of a sense of belonging as white residents. Black residents also are underrepresented on village commissions. 'The ultimate goal here is that more people here in Oak Park have a sense of ownership in our community,' Scaman said. 'We're launching a whole other way of governing. This report starts from a place of truth.' The assessment indicates white residents of Oak Park are, on average, wealthier than the village's Black and Hispanic residents. The median annual household income for white households in Oak Park is $124,609 compared to $85,506 for Hispanic households and $62,320 for Black households. Among households in Oak Park that are considered poor, 36% are classified as white, 34% are Black, 11% are Asian and 10% are Hispanic. According to the assessment, approximately 60% of the residents of Oak Park are white, 18% are Black, 10% are Hispanic, 6% are mixed race and 5% are Asian. The assessment also noted class differences in Oak Park, with homeowners having a median annual income of $141,471 compared to $56,810 for renters. It also noted a divide between north Oak Park, where homes and lots are larger, and south Oak Park, where homes are more modest and lot sizes significantly smaller. Wesley and village board Brian Straw, who is white, have argued that Oak Park should encourage increased housing density and making housing in Oak Park more affordable, which would encourage more racial diversity. 'We should find the things that are broken and fix it,' Wesley said. The assessment noted that a municipal reparations program, which has been studied, would likely not survive a legal challenge. A preliminary investigation indicated there is not sufficient evidence of racial discrimination by the village to survive the strict legal standard that courts apply in cases where government treats people differently on the basis of race. It noted when the village put out a request for proposal for someone to research historical evidence of racial discrimination by the village that could justify a reparations program, the village did not get a single response. Oak Park officials still are considering whether to issue a formal apology as part of recognizing harms caused by past practices and still may consider reparations. The village is conducting a racial equity policy audit to consider the racial impact of all village policies. The audit is expected to be completed in about six months. When that is complete village staff will create a Racial Action Plan which the Village Board would then review. Wesley, however, pressed for faster action. 'If we want to build trust for our community let's show that we're actually moving on these things quickly, as quickly as they come up versus a year from now,' Wesley said. 'I want to move quicker and I want to have more impact than we're having.'
Chicago Tribune
15-07-2025
- Business
- Chicago Tribune
Skokie Village Board blocks Buddhist center near downtown after neighbors object
The Skokie Village Board approved one piece of a proposal to develop a Buddhist center just south of downtown Skokie, but rejected two others, leaving the religious group with uncertainty. One village trustee also expressed unease after a resident referred to the Buddhist group as 'these people.' The Board, at its July 7 meeting, was considering a developer's plans that called for a three-story community center with 17 dormitories to be located at 7852 Lincoln Avenue, near Babb and Lincoln Avenues. It remains unclear whether they could modify their plans and get a green light from the village. Mayor Ann Tennes cast the tie-breaking vote to reject Dharma Drum Mountain Buddhist Association's site plans to build the community center and also reject their proposal to include dormitories. Tennes did not vote on the proposal's religious use of the property, which passed on a 4-2 vote. 'The (Buddhist) group is now re-evaluating its plans. Since their original proposal included a dormitory and that part was not approved, they will need to decide how to move forward with a revised building plan for religious use,' said Meredith Gioia, communications manager for the village of Skokie, in an email. She said the group could potentially revise their plan prior to the Board's second reading, which would give the Board a chance to consider it at a future regularly-scheduled meeting. The Skokie Plan Commission had previously approved all three parts of the group's proposal before sending it to the entire Village Board for consideration. Before the vote at the July 7 meeting, neighbors living closest to the proposed site stated their objections to the proposal, including traffic and parking concerns. Nadiia Vasilj, who lives within a half mile of the proposed site, said she didn't oppose the project because it was a Buddhist proposal. 'Every single window of my house faces some kind of church,' she said. 'Lincoln and Babb are super busy. We also have a junior high at that intersection,' she said, referring to Lincoln Junior High. 'The structure itself does not represent Skokie. We really like the bank, which has Skokie representation, it has a beautiful building and a lot of parking lot [sic].' When asked why the developer set its sights on 7852 Lincoln Ave., Dharma Drum Mountain's President Alan Myers said he was aware that a former Zen center operated at that location at one point, and was hopeful that the neighborhood would be receptive to another Zen space. Some trustees on the Village Board expressed concern, however, that parking or traffic on Lincoln Avenue were not the real issue discussed by some of the commenters. 'One of the speakers referred to the residents, or the folks who want to come, as 'these people.' It just kind of struck a chord with me,' Trustee Keith Robinson said. 'People deserve to do what they want to do, practice whatever they want to.' 'We have to be more inclusive and not to 'other.' To me it was an 'othered' statement,' he said. A major sticking point that concerned some residents was the possibility of Dharma Drum Mountain hosting an abbot visit, which could bring in 200 guests to the community center. Myers said if the group decided to invite an abbot, it would be infrequent, and no more than once every two years. It also wouldn't be guaranteed, as the abbot would have to accept the invitation, he said. Provisions in the group's application also require Dharma Drum Mountain to give the village a 90-day notice for major events, and to provide guests with off-street parking within a half mile of its proposed location. Employees of the center are required to park onsite, according to the developer's application. The group's regular 20 to 25 daily visitors to the center are also able to park onsite and at nearby businesses' parking lots when not in use by those businesses, Myers said. The dormitory access would also be limited to six weekends a year, Myers said, and would be used for religious retreats. Each dormitory would have a limit of two guests. Trustee Gail Schechter asked whether the village should consider a parking permit for Babb Avenue residents to park their vehicles, which Mayor Ann Tennes shot down after immediate groans from the audience at the meeting. 'I had actually spoken to a couple of individuals on the block, and what I was told was that they do not want that because it's an inconvenience to them to get the stickers and more importantly to get the stickers for their guests as is required in permit parking areas,' Tennes said. While the Village Board rejected the site plans, it remains unclear whether Dharma Drum Mountain can make adjustments to the site plans to get a second vote from the Village Board and possibly receive approval for their project, commented Patrick Deignan, communications and community engagement director for the village. In early 2024, a developer intending to convert two seven-story residential office buildings into apartments failed to get an approval from the village board on its first reading, but after adjustments were made to it, the board voted to approve the development. 'There could be a wide range of scenarios to work through with the applicant on this proposal,' Deignan emailed Pioneer Press. 'The applicant is determining next steps, and has not given the Village an indication of what they would like to do and if they will make any modifications to the project.'
