Oak Leaves

OPRF ‘summit’ focuses on math, science

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:34:58 -0600

Science and math education were front and center at a day-long technology “summit” at Oak Park-River Forest High School Feb. 3. More than 200 educators, researchers and business professionals participated in panel discussions, break-out sessions, and heard from keynote speakers on the benefits of strong science and math education, both for individual’s career prospects and the overall national economy. The stated goal was to build partnerships between middle schools, high school and universities, develop research and mentoring relationships, and motivate and encourage students to consider the science and math fields as career choices. Mission accomplished, said Bill Grosser, head of …

Police: Man shot dead in Austin

Sat, 11 Feb 2012 09:48:00 -0600

A man was shot dead early Saturday in the West Side Austin neighborhood. The man in his 20s was shot in the head about 4:38 a.m. in a possible drive-by in the 200 block of North Lorel Avenue, police said. He was dead at the scene, police said. No one is in custody early Saturday and Grand Central Area detectives are investigating. …

Kirk moved to Chicago rehab center

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 17:06:02 -0600

U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk, who suffered a stroke nearly three weeks ago, was transferred Friday to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago.

Gaskill case headed to grand jury

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:14:00 -0600

Robert Gaskill, the River Forest foster paraent who is accused of molesting two children in his care, appeared before a judge Thursday morning and learned his case will be presented to a grand jury. Judge William H. Wise continued Gaskill’s case until Friday, Feb. 24, at which time he said he expected the two charges of predatory criminal sexual assault lodged against Gaskill to be replaced by a superceding direct indictment. Two River Forest police officers who had been in court earlier left, prior to Gaskill appearing, apparently after being informed their testimony would not be required Thursday morning. Deputy …

Snow makes its way back to the area Friday

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:00:02 -0600

Feeling a chill in the air? Snow will be back as soon as Friday when lake effect snow could hit the city and Northwest Indiana with six inches.

Community agriculture presentation offered in Park Ridge

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:00:01 -0600

Certified organic vegetable grower Tony Ends, of Scotch Hill Farm in Brodhead, Wis., will give a presentation about community-supported agriculture Feb. 18 at the Park Ridge Non-Profit Center, 720 Garden St., Park Ridge. The talk, including a Q-and-A session, will take place from 4-5:30 p.m. and is free to the public. Scotch Hill Farm has practiced community-supported agriculture for 17 years and delivers fresh produce to households in Park Ridge, Oak Park and three neighborhoods in Chicago. The farm’s mission is to grow organic food without pesticides or herbicides while caring for livestock using humane practices. Delivery to people who …

Pope: Gun regulation committee possible

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:33:43 -0600

While there has been little agreement on the issue of handguns in Oak Park, a suggestion to establish a citizens committee to explore the issue further may found common ground with Village President David Pope and one of his harshest critics. Meanwhile, a federal judge is working to come to a decision on legal fees in the NRA’s lawsuit against Oak Park and Chicago that could bring a hefty price tag. In the wake of a village board of health committee hearing Jan. 24, longtime handgun ban opponent David Schweig called for a citizens committee composed of people from both …

Crime taskforce’s cases up by 65 %

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:34:04 -0600

An annual report issued last week by West Suburban Directed Gang Enforcement taskforce mostly highlighted a number of headline-grabbing arrests that took place in 2011. But it also addressed a strategy the multijurisdictional law enforcement group has grown fond of: long-term investigation. WEDGE is a special unit composed of officers from Berwyn, Cicero, Elmwood Park, Forest Park, Oak Park, Riverside, River Forest and Stickney. Since late 2008, the group has worked to tackle regional drug and gang problems. Presently, the task force is working to craft a long-term strategy to deal with those issues. This means there will likely be …

Catholic cemeteries offer to bury 300 bodies stacked at morgue

Wed, 08 Feb 2012 17:28:02 -0600

The Archdiocese of Chicago is offering to pay for up to 300 burials for the bodies being held at the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Oak Park cops nab suspect in bank robbery

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 20:16:01 -0600

(OAK PARK) Police dragged a suspect from a trash dumpster where he was hiding after allegedly robbing a bank Tuesday afternoon in Oak Park. A man wearing sunglasses and a scarf over his face entered the Charter One Bank branch at 810 S. Oak Park Ave. in the western suburb at 1:44 p.m. He displayed a handgun and ordered everyone inside the bank to the floor. Witnesses say he then jumped over the counter, grabbed an undisclosed amount of cash from a cash drawer, and ran out of the bank. The suspect’s description was broadcast to patrol units, which responded …

Oak Park cops nab suspect in bank robbery

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:33:25 -0600

Oak Park police dragged a suspect from a trash dumpster where he was hiding after allegedly robbing a bank on Tuesday afternoon. A man wearing sunglasses and a scarf over his face entered the Charter One Bank, 810 S. Oak Park Ave., at 1:44 p.m. He displayed a handgun and ordered everyone inside the bank to the floor. Witnesses say he then jumped over the counter, grabbed an undisclosed amount of cash from a cash drawer, and ran out of the bank. The suspect’s description was broadcast to patrol units, which responded to the area around Oak Park Avenue and …

Swimmers, parents protest crumbling OPRF pool

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 04:15:03 -0600

Alarmed by the recent closure of the Oak Park-River Forest high school swim team’s diving board, nearly 80 students and parents gathered in the high school library Jan. 19, to voice their concerns directly the District 200 school board. The controversy come one year after the 2011 girls swim team was forced out of the same pool for months, due to several code violations after mishandled repair work. School officials removed the diving board from the school’s swimming pool in early January, citing safety precautions. They then discovered they couldn’t replace the board, after measurements showed the distance between the …

River Forest-Oak Park community stunned by Gaskill arrest

Tue, 07 Feb 2012 22:56:49 -0600

River Forest and Oak Park residents were still reeling this week from the news that a well-known community member had been arrested for sexual abuse. Robert L. Gaskill, 63, of 601 Ashland Ave., was charged Saturday for allegedly sexually abusing two adolescent girls in his care. The registered foster parent is being held in lieu of a $50 million full cash bond. He faces mandatory life in prison if convicted. As local police and the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services continue to investigate, neighbors were taking a wait-and-see attitude. Monday afternoon the Gaskills house stood dark. Neighbors said …

Cicero couple nabbed for alleged video pirating

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 13:13:56 -0600

Elmwood Park police broke up an illegal video pirating scheme after a routine traffic stop for malfunctioning brake lights. When police pulled over the car on Jan. 26 at Grand Avenue and 75th Avenue, the officer noticed a suitcase on the back seat and got permission to search the car. Officers found more than 800 DVDs in the suitcase and in a backpack. The car’s occupants, Paula Loaiza, 35, and Juan Salgado, 29, of 2137 S. 61st St., Cicero, told police they had bought the suitcase and backpack from a man in Chicago. That opened an investigation by Elmwood Park …

Sen. Kirk upgraded to ‘good’ condition, watched Super Bowl

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 18:20:34 -0600

Sen. Mark Kirk’s condition has been upgraded from “fair” to “good.” Doctors hope to be able to re-attach the 8-inch-by-4-inch section of his skull that had to be removed after he suffered a stroke two weeks ago. Then the Highland Park Republican can begin physical therapy. “Sen. Kirk is making good progress in his recovery,” said Richard Fessler, his neurosurgeon at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. “He is visiting with family and even watched the Super Bowl last night. He has been upgraded to good condition, and we anticipate he will be able to start the rehabilitation phase soon.” Fessler has said …

Triton offers degree for building contractors

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:58:13 -0600

Triton College hopes to add entrepreneurship and professionalism to the word “handyman” with a new degree the college is offering. This semester students can take classes that will eventually lead to them receiving an Independent Building Contractor associate’s degree. The degree will provide training in trades such as carpentry, plumbing and interior finishing as well as help the student obtain the financial and managerial knowledge to become a small business owner or obtain apprenticeship training. Antoinette Baldin, dean of Business and Technology at Triton, said the degree is geared to people who may be looking to change careers. “We’re seeing …