OakPark.com's most-read stories of 2012

By Rosie Powers
1. Maywood man charged in attempted child abductions in Oak Park and Chicago
A 28-year-old Maywood man was charged with one count of kidnapping and one count of child abduction for separate abduction attempts of two Oak Park girls as they walked to school, the morning of Dec. 5.
2. Oak Park principal, staff member likely tampered with tests at Mann School
The principal and one staff member at Mann School are the likely individuals who tampered with state-mandated standardized tests that were given to students at the school in March. District 97 Supt. Albert Roberts addressed the controversy before a packed auditorium of parents in a public meeting held at the school on April 4.
3. Oak Park Village Manager Tom Barwin resigns
Oak Park Village Manager Tom Barwin announced at a village board meeting Feb. 21 that he's resigning from his post after five and a half years on the job.
4. Mann principal search will begin in April
The search for the next principal at Mann Elementary School began in April. Previously, Principal Nimisha Kumar resigned her position at Mann after an internal investigation by D97 found that this month's state standardized tests were inappropriately administered by staff.
5. Val's halla Records struggles to stay afloat
While vinyl is getting new life among the younger crowds, a trend that has Camilletti excited, Val's has to face the fate many small businesses can't avoid: a stack of continuous bills. The store held a "Help Val Keep the Lights On" event Dec. 13 to start the bill-denting process.
6. Former OPRF volleyball coach charged with felony harassment
Former OPRF boys volleyball coach John Kasik was arrested in October for allegedly threatening to kill a Lisle High School volleyball coach and rape the coach's wife and daughters.
7. Oak Park village board OKs Lake and Forest high-rise
By a 7-0 vote late Jan. 9, the tallest building in Oak Park is one step closer to being built. After more than four hours of discussion, the village board unanimously approved a 20-story high-rise that a developer plans to build at the corner of Lake and Forest. That vote overturns a previous rejection of the project by the Oak Park Plan Commission last year.
8. State removes foster and adopted kids from River Forest home in wake of abuse charges
Rob Gaskill, 63, a River Forest resident who, with his wife, has fostered 75 children over 20 years, was arrested Feb. 2 and charged with sexually assaulting two juvenile victims over a 13-year period.
9. Decision on narrowing Madison Street in Oak Park could come by June
Oak Park has been talking for more than a year about the possibility of squeezing the car-dominated stretch, which would take Madison Street down to three lanes from four, in order to add bike lanes in either direction, along with safer crosswalks for pedestrians heading north and south.
10. Oak Park teenager dies of suspected drug overdose
Police investigate an April 8 incident that left a 17-year-old Oak Park boy dead from what they suspect was an accidental drug overdose.
Reader Comments
No Comments - Add Your Comment
Note: This page requires you to login with Facebook to comment.
Facebook Connect
Answer Book 2017
To view the full print edition of the Wednesday Journal 2017 Answer Book, please click here. |
Quick Links
Sign-up to get the latest news updates for Oak Park and River Forest. | |
![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() | |
Subscribe | Classified |
Multimedia | Contact us |
Submit Letter To The Editor | |
Place a Classified Ad |
Latest Comments
The $1.6 million being spent on this housing Center...
By Tom MacMillan
Posted: April 23rd, 2018 7:07 AM
Words cannot express the Pride that I feel, when I...
By Monda Roberts
Posted: April 22nd, 2018 12:38 PM
I agree Tom. When I hear the latest artifice from D200...
By Bruce Kline
Posted: April 22nd, 2018 11:30 AM
People who continually rant and rave about replacing a...
By Bruce Kline
Posted: April 22nd, 2018 11:15 AM
Pritzker wants traders to be here only so he can tax...
By Tom MacMillan
Posted: April 22nd, 2018 6:53 AM
Imagine an OPRF where the people get to stay in town...
By Tom MacMillan
Posted: April 22nd, 2018 6:37 AM
Its old so it has to be replaced. The money is in the...
By Tom MacMillan
Posted: April 22nd, 2018 6:30 AM