Ray Hanania
No appetite for restaurant after gov’t rudeness
By Ray Hanania
Palos Park is a quaint, forest-laden southwest suburban community boasting beautiful trees, wildlife, and amazing looking homes on lush land. Literally designed to be a park, the population is only 4,900.
Yet, in that tiny picturesque island, you will find very disrespectful village council members.
The council met Monday, Feb. 27, inviting homeowners to express their views about plans by Wu’s House restaurant, 123rd and LaGrange Road, to increase their already large parking lot.
The disrespect and lack of civility I heard towards residents who have legitimate concerns about the parking expansion was disturbing. (Watch the video at Hanania.com on “Hot Topics.”)
After Hackney’s restaurant closed after 33 years of good neighborliness in 2019, the council approved Wu’s to build a humongous fifth location. Wu’s said they only needed 93 parking spaces.
But cars waiting to enter caused long traffic jams on 123rd Street in both directions. Wu’s hired a parking service, and the village let them park cars at Village Hall, apparently for free.
Last fall, Wu’s came back saying they needed more parking, asking to add 73 more spaces on an adjacent piece of land thick with 90 trees and used for storm water retention near a small creek.
When the plan was introduced to the Plan Commission, residents complained. They argued an increase in traffic, all those cars, the destruction of the land, the trees and retention pond would change the idyllic nature of the village. They also complained Wu’s leaves their bright lights on all night. All reasonable points.
In November, the Plan Commission rejected parking expansion and destruction of the retention land, but the Village Council demanded they re-examine it. The Plan Commission rejected it again in December.
At the February meeting, however, a Plan Commission member who twice voted against the expansion, Angela Roderick, changed her mind. It raised a lot of eyebrows and concerns. “What happened?” several residents asked. No council member would answer.
If the erosion of village landscaping isn’t enough to cause concerns, the subsequent disrespect board members showed to residents who expressed their concerns, should be.
All the speakers, the vast majority against and a few for, were respectful, although some pressed the council for answers, which the trustees wouldn’t give. After all, their homes are at stake.
Ronette Leal McCarthy, who is running to succeed retiring Palos Park Mayor John Mahoney, criticized the Plan Commission’s flip-flop and spoke against the expansion. She urged the council to reject it. McCarthy made great points that the council wouldn’t address.
As she started to speak, Trustee G. Darryl Reed gave a snarky expression of apparent disgust, prompting McCarthy to ask, “Mr. Reed, did I say something wrong?” Reed didn’t answer and only spoke after residents were done.
“There are children in the audience that clearly don’t know how to behave themselves. I would ask that maybe you put their big boy and big girl britches on, and just shut the hell up while we are talking,” Reed later snapped angrily, an apparent slap at McCarthy.
He lectured about process and criticized residents who “abused” Plan Commission members during their hearings, adding, “There is always ways to cast aspersions on someone’s good name or character. And I have heard some character assassination going on in here this evening under the guise of ‘Oh, this is just our position.’ Yeah. OK! And then privilege, when a black man [Reed is African American] makes a facial expression and someone has the audacity in a public forum to ask him to explain himself. No! No! It ain’t that kind of party, people. It’s not. And the children, and the children are still talking out of turn. When you don’t have anything important to say, then you make noise.”
Nothing important to say? Wow!
Council member Dan Polk angrily lectured, “At no time have I ever heard such denigration, such personal animosity directed to the citizens of the Village of Palos Park or the council of the Village of Palos Park. That might work in Chicago, but we don’t play that way here, homie! We respect people for what they bring to the party.”
“Homie?” Seriously?
The council’s disrespect for the concerns of homeowners is appalling, suggesting the council doesn’t care about the impact the destruction of beautiful land and more cars will have. It must be about politics, or something else that they are not saying.
Commissioner Nicole Milovich-Walters, also running for mayor, was deadly silent. In fact, other than attacking residents who spoke, none of the trustees addressed any of the specific issues.
After seeing the disrespect, I lost my appetite for Wu’s. Palos Park officials owe its citizens an apology.
(Ray Hanania is a former Chicago City Hall reporter and award-winning columnist. Visit hanania.com for more information.)
Local News
Countryside puts dog park on hold, will require leashes in two parks
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch The city of Countryside has put on hold building a dog park, but canines and their owners are still in store for a treat. The city council has unanimously approved a plan to permit dogs in City Park and Countryside Park this year. Previously, they were not allowed in the…
Bridgeview approves auto repair shop
Spread the loveMoves up time for May 1 village board meeting By Steve Metsch Bridgeview is getting a new automotive repair shop. The village board at its April 17 matinee meeting approved a special use permit that will allow a repair shop at 9010 S. Beloit Ave. There was no discussion among trustees. The board…
Summit Fire Department blood drive draws a crowd
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan The Summit Fire Department, along with the Village of Summit, and the Argo Summit Lions Club held a blood drive this past Saturday, and it drew a crowd that even impressed the American Red Cross. It took place from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. with non-stop donors walking through the…
Hodgkins toasts village businesses
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Hodgkins Mayor Ernest Millsap and the Board of Trustees celebrated the village’s businesses at its annual Business Appreciation Breakfast on April 10. Over 100 people gathered at the Hodgkins Administration Center for a hearty breakfast hosted by the village. Representatives from many businesses that are located in or that work…
Pickleball courts coming to Palos Park
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva There will finally be outdoor pickleball in Palos Park. In a process that went longer than anticipated, the Palos Park Village Council was able give the green light to get a pickleball project started on the Village Green. The council voted April 8 to award the contract to U.S. Tennis…
First Secure Bank to host American Eagle gold coin sale
Spread the loveFrom staff reports First Secure Bank & Trust of Palos Hills announced its annual May sale of 1-ounce and ¼-ounce American Eagle Gold Coins, produced by the U.S. Mint, will take place from 10 a.m.to noon on Saturdays, May 4, May 11, May 18 and May 25. The sale will take place at…
Donate teddy bears to our local police
Spread the love. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . Have you ever seen the 1955 movie The Night of the Hunter? The children in this movie show such bravery and acceptance in what life has thrown at them. They have to deal with unimaginable events and sadness. …
Boy Scouts collecting tattered flags for disposal
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Goodbye April, hello May. Our American Flag, the symbol of our country, should always be treated with respect. But after bearing Chicago’s brutal winters and hot blazing summers along with being in the…
Oak Lawn trustee says village needs state grocery tax
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle An Oak Lawn trustee said that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposal to eliminate the state’s grocery tax will be costly for the village. Trustee William “Bud” Stalker (5th), accompanied by Mayor Terry Vorderer, recently returned from a fact-finding trip to Springfield where they learned more about the governor’s proposal to eliminate…
Neighbors
Countryside puts dog park on hold, will require leashes in two parks
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch The city of Countryside has put on hold building a dog park, but canines and their owners are still in store for a treat. The city council has unanimously approved a plan to permit dogs in City Park and Countryside Park this year. Previously, they were not allowed in the…
Bridgeview approves auto repair shop
Spread the loveMoves up time for May 1 village board meeting By Steve Metsch Bridgeview is getting a new automotive repair shop. The village board at its April 17 matinee meeting approved a special use permit that will allow a repair shop at 9010 S. Beloit Ave. There was no discussion among trustees. The board…
Summit Fire Department blood drive draws a crowd
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan The Summit Fire Department, along with the Village of Summit, and the Argo Summit Lions Club held a blood drive this past Saturday, and it drew a crowd that even impressed the American Red Cross. It took place from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. with non-stop donors walking through the…
Hodgkins toasts village businesses
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Hodgkins Mayor Ernest Millsap and the Board of Trustees celebrated the village’s businesses at its annual Business Appreciation Breakfast on April 10. Over 100 people gathered at the Hodgkins Administration Center for a hearty breakfast hosted by the village. Representatives from many businesses that are located in or that work…
Pickleball courts coming to Palos Park
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva There will finally be outdoor pickleball in Palos Park. In a process that went longer than anticipated, the Palos Park Village Council was able give the green light to get a pickleball project started on the Village Green. The council voted April 8 to award the contract to U.S. Tennis…
First Secure Bank to host American Eagle gold coin sale
Spread the loveFrom staff reports First Secure Bank & Trust of Palos Hills announced its annual May sale of 1-ounce and ¼-ounce American Eagle Gold Coins, produced by the U.S. Mint, will take place from 10 a.m.to noon on Saturdays, May 4, May 11, May 18 and May 25. The sale will take place at…
Donate teddy bears to our local police
Spread the love. Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . Have you ever seen the 1955 movie The Night of the Hunter? The children in this movie show such bravery and acceptance in what life has thrown at them. They have to deal with unimaginable events and sadness. …
Boy Scouts collecting tattered flags for disposal
Spread the love. By Mary Stanek Your correspondent in Archer Heights and West Elsdon 3808 W. 57th Place • (773) 517-7796 . Goodbye April, hello May. Our American Flag, the symbol of our country, should always be treated with respect. But after bearing Chicago’s brutal winters and hot blazing summers along with being in the…
Oak Lawn trustee says village needs state grocery tax
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle An Oak Lawn trustee said that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposal to eliminate the state’s grocery tax will be costly for the village. Trustee William “Bud” Stalker (5th), accompanied by Mayor Terry Vorderer, recently returned from a fact-finding trip to Springfield where they learned more about the governor’s proposal to eliminate…