Village of
Westchester JUNE, 2020
POLICE DEPARTMENT
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PUBLIC WORKS
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FIRE DEPARTMENT
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COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
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FOOD PANTRY
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SCHOOL DISTRICT
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LIBRARY
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From the Desk of Mayor Paul Gattuso I would like to send a heartfelt shout out to Paula Saraceno !!! Happy 90th Birthday Paula Saraceno!! For Paula’s birthday, the Westchester Fire and Police graciously led a parade of almost 100 cars filled with family and friends from near and far (Westchester to Wisconsin). Well-wishers continued to drive by throughout the evening, their cars decorated with posters and balloons, horns blaring in celebration of her 90th birthday. She was even serenaded by musicians playing trumpet and ukulele. Paula was born at West Suburban Hospital April 23, 1930 to Rose and Thomas Buffa. She graduated from St. Frances of Rome elementary school and Morton High School in Cicero where her youngest daughter, Jill Franklin taught for 23 years. Paula met her husband John J. Saraceno Sr, from Argo Il, at St.Blase dance, marrying 2 years later on August 27,1949 at Ascension Church in Oak Park. In October 1954, they purchased their 1st home on Pelham Street near the south east corner of Mannheim and Roosevelt, moving in with their two children, Susan and John Jr. Paula said “John and I looked at many western suburbs and felt Westchester would be a nice place to live. Paula said, “I lived here for 66 years surrounded by so many of my family and friends and feel so grateful to call Westchester my home!” On Oct 9th, their first day in the house, it rained all day and night, the neighbors up and down the block had flooded basements but Mr. Baltis, the home builder, fortunately had left a standpipe in their basement drain which kept their new house dry. Paula and John could see
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all the way south to Canterbury Street as there were no other homes built yet in that section of town. It was not uncommon to see a pheasant, fox or deer roaming the neighborhood. They also had to wait 2 months before they had a working telephone as Illinois Bell had yet to install lines in their neighborhood. To the north was a vacant lot where her children would build wintertime forts with Christmas trees that the village would collect and leave there. On Independence Day the family would sit in the backyard watching the annual fireworks show from across Roosevelt Road. Eventually a Sunoco gas station was built to the west. Paula would send her children over to F&L with pitchers of ice water and coffee for the construction workers as they built their building on the corner of Mannheim and Roosevelt. Many businesses have come and gone over the years, with Mr. Steak, Golden’s Rexall Drugs, Miska’s Liquors, Village Hardware and Lorraine’s Food Shop all within walking distance, making it a short walk to get necessities or a treat. Paula walked her four oldest children to Divine Infant School since bus service was not available for her children even though they lived in the far corner of the parish. During the snowstorm of 1967, Paula remembers her children pushing cars on Mannheim Road to safety while opening her doors to let people call their families. Paula and John continued to grow their family adding 4 more children, Judy (Swede) Swenson, Sally (Bill) Jirek, Steven (Sharon) and Jill (Chuck) Franklin. Their six children attended Divine Infant School, Immaculate Heart of Mary and Fenwick High Schools. Paula now has 19 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. Fourteen of her grandchildren attended Westchester grade schools, Divine Infant (4), Divine Providence (8), Westchester Public School (2) and two graduating from St Joseph High School. Three of her five greatgrandchildren currently attend Divine Providence School. As of today, there are four generations of Saraceno’s living in Westchester. The newest addition is great granddaughter, Samantha Mary Saraceno born March 25th to John III and Amber. Eventually Paula moved to the south west side of Westchester where she presently lives. Walgreen’s demolished their original home on Pelham. The pharmacy sits right where her house was and the Red Maple tree planted by John Sr. and his sons, continues to grow shading the pharmacy drive-thru. And last but not least Paula would like to thank everyone for taking time out of their day to make her birthday extra special. It was a day she will never forget—filled with love and happiness.
P olice D e partment
A Message from Chief Daniel Babich Dear Residents As we are all trying to move on with our lives after all the major events from the Corona virus Disease life will always still bring daily opposition and challenges to our lives. Something I would like to recommend and share to my residents what I have learned from over 33 years of being in law enforcement. In our lives, things change for one reason or another, especially involving family members. Please make a habit of placing a large contact information card located on your refrigerator for who you would like to be contacted in case of emergency with bright highlighted letters. Also, list your main doctor’s information along with a list of your medications, so when an officers come into a home and something has happened to you, there are times we are unable to get proper contact information, it helps police officers to contact the right people to secure your home and property, and most of all, so police officers are not forced to go through your personal belongings to locate a family member’s phone number. Also, as we all know sometimes we have a falling out with family members and officers do not want to contact the wrong person and let them take over with securing your home until you are able to do so yourself. This contact card will help save officers time in
searching and most of all locating the proper person you want in your home.
POLICE BLOTTER 1) At 7:19pm on April 19, 2020 a Hit and Run occurred in the Dollar General parking lot at 10201 Roosevelt Road. A patron of the store advised they were inside for approximately 20 minutes and advised their vehicle was struck while inside. 2) At 9:19am on April 29, 2020 a Retail Theft was reported at Jewel Foods located at 2128 Mannheim Road. The manager reported that on the previous day, 2 females exited the store with over $3,000 in merchandise from the Osco portion of the store. 3) At 6:33am on May 5, 2020 a Burglary to Motor Vehicle was reported on the 1300 block of Westchester Blvd. The resident reported that he noticed that his vehicle appeared to have been entered with items moved around the vehicle but nothing appeared missing. 4)
At 8:19 am on May 6, 2020 a
Theft was reported on the 2200 block of Buckingham. The resident reported that a large package delivered by U.P.S. was taken from the front porch the previous day. 5) At 4:20pm on May 6, 2020 a report of Graffiti was taken on the 9900 block of Canterbury. A garage was spray painted sometime during the previous day. 6) On May 6, 2020 there were 5 reports of Burglary to Motor Vehicle taken by the Westchester Police. 2 of those items occurred on the 10800 block of Berkshire most likely occurring during the previous evening. 7) At 6:03pm on May 15, 2020 a Theft was reported on the 1900 block of Portsmouth. The resident advised that an Amazon delivery was taken from the front porch earlier in the day.
Sincerely Chief Daniel Babich Westchester Police Department
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PUBLIC WORKS
Branch Pickup Branch pickup for June will be the week of June 1-5, 2020
Branch pickup for July will be July 6-10, 2020 Branch pickup for August will be August 3-7, 2020 The Public Works Department will pick up branches the first full week of every month. (April-November) All brush must be put out on the front parkway no later than 7:00 a.m. on the designated pickup day. Branches can be up to 7 ‘in length and stacked with the butt ends facing the street in the same direction. If not stacked properly, a “restack” notice will be left. Public Works Crews will only pass through a designated pickup area once due to time schedule and other workload responsibilities. Thursday and Friday are Open Load days for pickup of any brush that will not fit through the chipper, such as logs, stumps, and large limbs. These must be cut for one man to lift. Dirt must be removed from the root ball for pick-up. Landscaping contractors are responsible
for their own brush pickup and disposal. Please note the following schedule for branch pickup: MONDAY: From Mannheim Road west to Wolf Road and from Canterbury south to Windsor-including both sides of Windsor Drive. Also, Waterford, Waverly, Camelot and Concord. TUESDAY: Roosevelt Road south to Cermak Road-from Gardner Road west to Mannheim Road. WEDNESDAY: From Roosevelt Road north to the expressway and from Gardner Road west to Mannheim Road. Also, Roosevelt Road south to Canterbury from Haase west to Heidorn. THURSDAY: From Belleview west to Wolf Road, Martindale Drive to 31st Street Remember….. Waste Management will also pick up your branches if they are bundled no more than 4’ in length. These will be picked up on your regular garbage day every week. Bristol Avenue Storm Sewer Replacement and Street Reconstruction (Devonshire StRoosevelt Rd) As of May 4, 2020 Public Works began replacing the 12 inch clay storm sewer
with new 12 inch PVC pipe. Crews will also be replacing all old inlets and catch basins. Street reconstruction has a tentative start date of June 1, 2020, when all curb and driveways will be replaced along with a new asphalt road. Bristol Avenue reconstruction should take place over 25 working days. Construction season has started. Please drive carefully in all work zones. Parkway Restoration: The Public Works Department is now repairing parkways damaged by sewer and water excavations and snow plow damage, weather permitting. Pothole Repair The Public Works Department repairs potholes throughout the Village, weather permitting. Please call Public Works at 708-345-0041 to report potholes. The vac and jet machine will continue to clean out storm sewer inlets, as weather permits. As Always….. Village residents are asked to call Public Works at 708-345-0041 or the Police Non Emergency number after hours at 708-
345-0060 if an unusual amount of water is visible in the street or parkway. This could be a main break or water leak that requires our immediate attention. 50/50 Shared Cost Sidewalk Replacement Program The Village offers a shared cost sidewalk replacement program. If the sidewalk in front of your residence is in poor condition and you would like to replace it, the Village will share the cost with you. Please call Public Works at 708-345-0041 for more information or to register. The work done for this year’s program is projected for the summer season and is done on a first come first serve basis. Sprinkling Ban Reminder We have water use restrictions in effect every year, May 15-September 15, from 12pm to 6pm. This includes: (1) Outdoor Watering (2) Cleaning Outdoor Surfaces (3) Cleaning Buildings (4) Pool Filling Sprinkling during unrestricted hours (before noon, after 6pm) shall be allowed on even numbered days for those even numbered addresses, and on odd numbered days for those residents having odd numbered addresses. If we have a dry summer, further restrictions may be necessary.
F ire D e partment JUNE 2020
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Extreme Heat As summer and warmer weather approaches, the Village wants to remind residents about things they can do to prepare for extreme heat. To begin preparing, you should build an emergency kit and make a family communications plan. • Install window air conditioners snugly; insulate if necessary. • Check air-conditioning ducts for proper insulation. • Install temporary window reflectors (for use between windows and drapes), such as aluminum foilcovered cardboard, to reflect heat back outside. • Weather-strip doors and sills to keep cool air in. • Cover windows that receive morning or afternoon sun with drapes, shades, awnings, or louvers. (Outdoor awnings or louvers can reduce the heat that enters a home by up to 80 percent.)
• Keep storm windows up all year. • Listen to local weather forecasts and stay aware of upcoming temperature changes. • Know those in your neighborhood who are elderly, young, sick or overweight. They are more likely to become victims of excessive heat and may need help. • Be aware that people living in urban areas may be at greater risk from the effects of a prolonged heat wave than are people living in rural areas. • Get trained in first aid to learn how to treat heat-related emergencies. Information above was prepared by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). For more tips on what to do during and after thunderstorms and lightning, please check the FEMA’s website at http://www.ready.gov/heat
JUNE 2020 Detached Garages on Alleys Did you know all detached garages adjacent to alleys must have address numbers on them. This will help the Police and Fire Departments respond to events such as garage break-ins, in progress crimes and medical/fire emergencies. The goal is to easily identify the correct location instead of counting houses from the corner, or identifying where a problem exists that needs to be addressed. Garages shall have address numbers placed in a position to be plainly legible and visible from the alley fronting the property. These numbers shall: • Contrast with their background • Be Arabic numerals or alphabet letters. • Be a minimum of 4 inches in height with a minimum stroke width of 0.5 inch. Trees & Bushes on Private Property Did you know that the village has requirements for trees and bushes on private property that overhang sidewalks, alleys, and streets? If you live along an alley and have bushes/trees along your property line, it is your responsibility to ensure that all trees and bushes have their branches cut or trimmed so that no part thereof shall overhang the alley at a distance less than twelve feet above the alley, or any other public property. This applies to bushes and trees along the public sidewalk as well. Private property owners that personally trim trees standing upon their private property are permitted to place the excess branches, trimmings and other waste at the curb of their property for removal by the department of public works.
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Excess branches, trimmings or other waste from the trimming or cutting of trees standing on private property that are trimmed, pruned or cut by a landscaping company or any other entity besides the property owner shall be carried away and disposed of by said landscaping company or entity. Real Estate Sales Did you know that the Village requires all properties to have a compliance inspection prior to sale? The Certificate of Compliance Program is designed to help protect the lives and property of the community, along with preserving the property values in Westchester. This program monitors the life safety, fire and plumbing codes of all residential properties, which include single-family, duplex and multi-family properties and commercial properties at the time of ownership change. If you are considering selling your property, you must apply for a certificate of compliance. You should call us as soon as possible to make sure there are no surprises when you are getting close to closing. The property owner or his/her agent must complete and submit an application. The application for a Compliance Inspection is available on our website or from the Community Development Department Staff. The inspection fee must be paid prior to scheduling the appointment. If you are curious about what the inspector will be looking for, you can find the inspection checklist online at the Village’s website www.westchester-il.org, on the Community Development/Building page under Building Permitting.
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Food Pantry volunteers taking SNAP applcations Starting May 26, Westchester Food Pantry volunteers will begin taking SNAP applications over the phone. SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) was formerly known as “food stamps,” and it is the largest anti-hunger program in America. To apply, participants must meet certain income guidelines. Volunteers will ask for a list of all earned and unearned income received in the prior 30 days. Additionally, volunteers will ask the following questions to determine household size and composition: • Does anyone else live with you? • What are their ages and relationship to you? • Who do you buy and prepare food with? • Is everyone in your household a U.S. Citizen? • Have you or any of the other members of your household been declared disabled by the Social Security Administration? To apply for SNAP, please call the Westchester Food Pantry at 708-927-4826. Clients will be connected to a volunteer who can help them apply for SNAP benefits over the phone. To receive assistance with food, please come to the Westchester Food Pantry any Friday evening between 5:30-7:30pm. The Pantry is open to all Westchester residents; in addition, we also serve the communities of Berkeley, Bellwood, Broadview, Hillside, Hines, La Grange Park and Western Springs. Clients can come to the Pantry once each calendar month--no appointment is necessary. At each visit, clients receive pantry staples, fresh bakery good, fresh produce, eggs and frozen meat. During the months of June and July, we will be operating a drivethru model. Pull up on the east side of the Westchester Village Hall (10300 Roosevelt Road), show proof of residency in our service area, and volunteers will bring groceries to your car.
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A Letter from the Superintendent Dear Parents, Guardians and Community Members, The Governor’s decision to cancel inperson schooling for the remainder of the 2019-2020 year has left us all feeling like we have not had the proper closure to the year. I wish our students had the opportunity to connect with their teachers and classmates in person one last time. In these times, we need to focus on the positive. I know there are so many great connections that are happening across the district between students and their teachers via online meetings. I am so proud of the ways our families and staff are contributing to helping each other by donating supplies, food, and PPE. These are the moments that make me proud to be your superintendent. Below are frequently asked questions. While we can provide some answers now, we will be sure to follow up as more information becomes available or if there are any notable changes to share. Is my child moving onto the next grade? The short answer is, “Yes!” By this time of the year, our staff would have been in direct contact with any family who has a student that is being considered for retention at a particular grade level. That being said, the expectation of our E-Learning program is ‘student engagement.’ We want to focus on the continuity of learning as to avoid any major gaps in academic progress within and between grades. Our approach is in alignment with the recommendations from the Illinois State Board of Education that the ultimate aim needs to be: 1) All students have opportunities for continued learning that focuses on critical standards; 2) Districts work to minimize instructional loss; and 3) Students and families are given routines and structures to ensure they stay connected to schools and learning. If you have any specific concerns about a retention or promotion situation, please contact your school office directly. What about all of my child’s stuff? You all should have received an email from your school principal asking if you want your children’s supplies and personal materials. If you marked that you would like to get them back, we will make arrangements for you to pick them up. Our classrooms have been vacant for over a month with highly restricted access. We understand the tremendous level of concern across our community when it comes to disinfecting and minimizing exposure to the Coronavirus. We will take the necessary precautions to limit contact. For any pressing needs for a particular item, please contact your school directly. Principals will follow up with a more detailed schedule of delivery.
What about Summer School and Summer Activities/Programs? It is unknown at this time if schools and districts will be able to host in-person instruction or activities during summer 2020. The Governor will make any decisions regarding summer programs in consultation with public health officials and in compliance with any Executive Orders from the Governor’s Office. What about next year? On April 17, 2020, the Governor announced the statewide mandatory suspension of in-person instruction has been extended through the end of the 2019-20 academic year. Future decisions regarding the statewide suspension of in-person instruction will be made by the Governor in consultation with public health officials and in compliance with any Executive Orders from the Governor’s Office. What about registration? We are fortunate that we moved to online registration a few years ago. We will open online registration for all returning families on July 7. Depending on the current Stay at Home orders in Illinois we may have to adjust how we complete New Student Registration. More information will be out as we get closer to July. We may not have all the answers now, but we will continue to communicate with all of you as we know more. Thanks to all of those who continue to stay home and follow the government’s social distancing guidelines. I am thankful to everyone who worked together in the best interests of those who are most at risk. Take care and be safe. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to reach out to me via email (psalemi@sd925.org) or call 708670-1927. Sincerely, Phillip Salemi Superintendent
Westchester Primary School Kindergarten Pre-Registration Due to the current Stay At Home order, Kindergarten Pre-Registration will be conducted online this spring. Beginning April 13th, we will open our online Kindergarten Pre-Registration for the 2020-2021 school year. Please visit our school district web site at https://www. sd925.org/ and follow the following menu path: •C lick on the “Registration” tab •C lick on “Kindergarten” tab This is the first step in enrolling your child for kindergarten starting this fall. You will receive a notice after the review of your materials confirming the pre-registration process is complete. In early July you will receive information in the mail to complete the online registration/residency verification process and pay fees. Checklist for Pre-Registration • Complete Kindergarten Enrollment Form •E mail a copy of your child’s official birth certificate. A child must be five (5) years
old on or before September 1, 2020. • Email a state or government issued photo ID with your name and current address • E mail birth certificate and ID to gchayka@sd925.org • Please note that all items (completed enrollment form, ID and birth certificate) must be received to process preregistration. Please bring completed health records, along with your child’s official birth certificate, to the Kindergarten screening. The date for this screening will be announced later. Please visit our school district web site at https://www.sd925.org to find more information on the required health records. Please contact Gina Chayka, WPS Administrative Assistant, at gchayka@sd925.org if you have questions or need assistance completing the preregistration process.
Westchester Intermediate School While our most bizarre 2019 school year has come to a close. Many of our teachers worked to maintain positive connections with their students. We were able to provide support where it was most needed and continued to go about the job of learning. Our staff, students, and families did everything they could to confront and overcome the struggles of learning in a remote fashion. For our fifth graders who are moving on to middle school next year, we are super proud of the strides they made educationally in their three years with us. We have a lot to celebrate this year. We wish them the best of luck on the next part of the school journey. We also can’t wait to meet our incoming third graders from the Westchester Primary School. We are excited to get to know you and your families. We hope you have a wonderful summer and we’ll see you in August. Go Huskies!
Westchester Middle School The entire WMS community would like to congratulate the WMS Class of 2020. We are proud of their accomplishments and look forward to their future achievements. Good luck to our 8th graders and their families!
Ellis Allen Bianca Alcarez Aniyah Anderson Francesca Arroyo Naylah Ayala Maria Bagry Paris Ballentine Liam Barrett Santino Bertucci Jacara Brooks Franz Marion Cabillo Eduardo Calderon Adrian Campos Eric Canady Mario Cepeda Elery Cheatham Jackon Claster Anna Connelly Schandy Cordero Scott Creviston Adan Delgado Anthony Dinkel Sue Mikhaela Dionela Dwight Dodd Philip Duff Samuel Duffy Elijah Eason Jazlyn Evans Adreana Fabian William Faust Dylan Flynn Lucille Forde Ella Forgue Benjamin Fulgencio Caleb Galletti Anna Galvan Emiliano Garcia Kyara Garcia Leart Gashi Jeffery George Kamryn Gibson Julien Gonzalez Scarlett Goodluck Walter Guilfoyle Maya Hansen Arthur Harris Makayla Haynes Daniel Heerboth Kenneth Hernandez Savannah Hoffa Raul Holguin Javon Holmes Abigail Hopp Jermaine Hudson Tytiana Hunter Nour Issa Sabrina Jackson Damari Jones Pamela Jones Jack Kaden Michael Kirk Joy Knighton Daisy Laslie Joshua Lauvina
Brynn Layton Danielle Leanos Tracy Lee Martin Leiva Yaretzi Lizama Bryssel Loera Anthony Lopez Kaitlyn Lopez Cassandra Lovera Janelle Macasero Alex Martinez Angelica Mateos Naomi Matthews Kayla McCain Brandon Metcalf Brandon Meyer Matthew Michaels Aiden Mitchell Michelle Moore Arissa Neace Britney Nguyen Vincent Nguyen Juan Nunez-Gonzalez Joseph Ohazurume Chiamaka Okoli Kaitlyn Patrick Tiara Peters Jacob Pinckney Molly Pondelicek Briana Pop Portland Powell Jaylen Price Taniyah Reynolds Joshua Rivera Brandon Rosales Thalia Ruiz Nathan Sanchez Mason Santos Janiyah Scott Lyiah Seals Almir Selimi Damien Singleton Deshawn Smith Anthony Spidale Matthew Swan Mikaelah Thomas Nilah Thomas Deshaun Truss Jatli Vazquez Kelly Webb Owen Wesolowski JayShon Williams Mckayla Williams Mariah Wilson Marica Wilson Alexander Wutzke
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