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11/26/2008
Sure! Help
out the businesses in Oak Forest! With all the bailouts going on I think you all forgot one thing. We the people also need
some bailouts. I lost my job and I see no one bailing me out! The way I see it is that money goes to money. The thing
you dont understand is if we do not have money to spend then the businesses dont have money to get!!! So go ahead and bail
them out!!! It wont change a thing!!!! So many people in Oak Forest have lost their homes and jobs and I think the city and
its officials dont give one hoot. We bailed out the banks but they wont try to help the people that are near forecloser. You
have to remember that when the people lose, the whole country loses!!!! I dont know about the rest of you but I sure could
use a helping hand right now before my house hits the foreclosure list in Oak Forest!!!!!
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11/24/2008
Maybe blockbuster is closing due to low business and the fact they could consolidate with their other shop
just a few miles away. Nah, can't be that or the bad economy, which I am sure is the "Queens" fault.
She caused the whole Wall Street thing, maybe Wall Street should be renamed 159th Street. But hey look, she got the
gasoline prices lowered on 159th Street and Cicero. At least she did some good.
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11/24/2008
Mr. Brad Duff-Hudkins weren't you and your wife also appointed to commissions by Mayor Kelly???? Hmmm...why
is it good for you and not good for Alderman Clemons. She was chosen because she has more experience. Besides being upset
for not being chosen for the alderman position, can you please tell me what experience you have after only living in Oak Forest
for ONE YEAR? Clearly, you really can't be upset, can you?
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11/24/2008
I understand the mayor is having trouble finding a woman police chief.
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11/22/2008
I see Blockbusters is closing as well, due to high taxes. Thank you, mayor for making Oak Forest
a Ghost Town. Ken & Dick's had to move to Midlothian because of the high taxes in Ghost Forest.
I
see you have appointed another women to the city council. Also a non-veteran woman on the Veterans Commision. Makes one
wonder!
Are the city bail-out loans only going to women owned business?
I think the talk about an airport
in Peotone is a waist of time. All they need is a few more business closed on 159th steet and it can become a landing strip.
How about all the hookers standing by the apartment buildings on 159th. Oh! I forgot, this is a womens lib town.
Please don't bother to run for re-election.
Mrs. Tin Man!
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11/19/2008 Race is on for April ballot November 16, 2008
Oak Forest Mayor
JoAnn Kelly was pleased her appointment of Ald. Laura Clemons (1st) was approved by the city council last week. But
not everyone was happy. And it could make for an interesting, perhaps contentious election come April. Clemons was
named to fill the position left open by last month's death of Tony Chinino. She has the kind of experience Kelly
said she was looking for in a replacement, namely having served on at least one of the city's commissions. Clemons
was chairwoman of the streetscape committee for three years and served since June 2007 on the civil service commission. But
critics said it was an act of cronyism meant for Kelly to surround herself with another valuable ally. Oak Forest cable
commissioner Brad Duff-Hudkins, who recently announced he would run for 1st Ward alderman, criticized the pick. "Mayor
JoAnn Kelly had a chance to appoint someone with a fresh voice and vision to the Oak Forest City Council. Instead she chose
the path of politics as usual by rewarding a longtime political supporter," he said. Duff-Hudkins said he was
disappointed Kelly did not choose him but said it would not deter him from running for the position in April. Another
candidate passed over in favor of Clemons was the son of the late alderman, Tony Chinino Jr. Despite obtaining signatures
from 1st Ward residents who wanted to see the younger Chinino take the seat, Kelly went with Clemons. Prior to the
appointment, Chinino said he wanted to finish out his father's term at least until April to carry out some of the projects
his father wanted to finish. Then, he said, he would decide if he wanted to run. Chinino did not return a phone call placed
last week. If Kelly's snub is enough to convince him to run, that could make for a tight race. Michael
Drakulich can be reached at mdrakulich@southtownstar.com or (708) 802-8841.
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11/19/2008
David Krell for 6th Ward Alderman
Dear Neighbor,
My name is David Krell and
I have a few questions for you. Are you tired of:
The politics-as-usual?
The wasteful spending?
The
businesses leaving?
The lack of communication between our elected officials and our community?
The empty
store fronts and buildings around Oak Forest?
Well, So am I!!!
Its time for a change!
Thats why
I am running for 6th Ward Alderman of Oak Forest.
Together we can make this great community even better!
This
ward and the entire city needs leaders who will do right for this community. With that being said I promise I will work hard
to:
Create an open government
Get input and ideas from the citizens on what you would like to see happen
with Oak Forest
Cut wasteful spending
Keep taxes reasonable
Get the most out of our hard
earned tax dollars
Decrease crime rates
Bring businesses back to Oak Forest
Allure new residents
Make this community the best it can be
My wonderful wife, Lori and I have live in this ward for 10 years.
We have 4 awesome children, John, Kimberly, Katie and Ryan, who are themselves attending these excellent schools and participating
in our great programs.
As for me, I have lived in Oak Forest for 33 years. I attended one of our excellent school
districts of Forest Ridge 142, and Oak Forest High School. As a child, I was involved in Oak Forest Baseball, Cub Scouts Pack
341, Boy Scouts troop 341, and Bengal Swimming. This wonderful community gave me great guidance and opportunities.
I decided to run for Alderman to give back to my community, improve our community, and to make sure that our children and
residents have the same guidance and opportunities I had growing up in this great city.
You can learn more about
me and my proposals by visiting my website at http://www.davidkrell.net
If you have any questions or concerns you would like to share with me, please feel free to contact me at 708-382-9692
or email me at dkrell@wowway.com .
Sincerely,
David Krell
Candidate for 6th Ward Alderman
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11/19/2008
You don't make any sense. Take time to reread what you write.
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11/19/2008
The comment written on November 14th about the 1st Ward Alderman makes absolutely no sense. If you're
going to post something can you please make some sense of it.
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11/19/2008
You cannot compare Chinino to Bush, Stroger or Daley. Those guys are real politicians!!!! Oak Forest is
a rinky dink hick town and the politics are a joke!!!! No one on the city council right now have any idea on what they are
doing and are just playing politicians right now. I know Chinino and he would be the best thing to happen to this city and
I am sick of the Mayor appointing her friends to the council and giving her top supporters jobs with the city. The only alderman
who has half a brain is Simon, the rest are puppets of the Queen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Stop plying politics and get down
to business and get this city moving forward!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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11/14/2008
You said..."I think that the appointment of Mr. Chinino's replacement was a slap in the face to
Mr. Chinino. I think the Queen should have appointed Mr. Chinino's son to replace him. The Queen screws up again!!!!!!!!!!!
I cant wait til she is out of office!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
I say that hiring someone's son worked
out really well in the past.....Stroger, Daley, Bush shall I go on. Give the guy a chance. The position is only
for a few months. If you don't like it then vote Chinino in. Why should he be given the position just because
of genetics?
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11/13/2008
Dear Residents,
Just a note to remind everyone that the dedication
of the Veterans Memorial at City Hall will be on Saturday November 15th at 11:00am. Please attend and show your appreciation
for all these men and Women who have sacrificed so much for all of us. There will be music by the Singing Men Of Note,
and other honors for the Veterans, some of whom paid the ultimate price while defending our freedom. We truly want this
event to be a huge success and we need your attendance to make it so.
Please forward this memo to everyone
on your contact list. Thank you very much.
Richard Simon
Alderman 2nd Ward
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11/12/2008
Brad Duff-Hudkins Announces Candidacy
My name is Brad Duff-Hudkins and
I am running for First Ward Alderman.
My wife, Christine, and I chose to move to this great community just
over a year ago and we got involved in the community almost
immediately. She serves as a commissioner
on the City of Oak Forest
Streetscape Commission and I am on the Cable Commission.
I feel that serving
on the City Council requires a commitment to be
informed, the ability to listen to diverse opinions, and the
willingness to demonstrate leadership in decision-making. I believe
that my background, education
and work experience have prepared me to
serve in your best interests.
As a new resident, I bring a
new voice, a new vision and new
excitement for making Oak Forest the best place to live, work and play
in the Southland. In my search for a new home, I evaluated the
surrounding communities' services, infrastructure,
and crime rates.
We knew Oak Forest was where we wanted to live.
I am the candidate that can
lead our ward through this time when Oak
Forest is seeking to attract new business, allure new residents, curb
foreclosures, and decrease crime.
The First Ward and the city as a whole deserve leadership that will
tackle the tough issues with humility, thoughtfulness and fairness.
I pledge to you that I will:
* Work to ensure open government
* Seek to increase citizen involvement
in the decision making-
process
* Fight to make the issues of the First Ward a priority
* Remember it is you I serve and you that bestowed that honor
upon me
Over
the next six months, I will make every effort to meet you. I
want to hear your thoughts, ideas and concerns.
I want you to play a
role in determining the future of the First Ward.
Should I miss you, please feel
free to contact me with your comments.
I can be contacted at 708-382-4015 or by email: brad@duff-hudkins.com
Sincerely,
Brad Duff-Hudkins
Candidate for First Ward Alderman
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11/12/2008
I think that the appointment of Mr. Chinino's replacement was a slap in the face to Mr. Chinino. I think
the Queen should have appointed Mr. Chinino's son to replace him. The Queen screws up again!!!!!!!!!!! I cant wait til
she is out of office!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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11/12/2008
A new alderman for the First Ward was appointed last night. She apparently had knowledge of the agenda
prior to her appointment because she voted as soon as she was sworn in. Guess we know what kind of representation those
of us in the 1st Ward are going to receive.
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11/10/2008
There may possibly be three Candidates running for the 1st Ward. The first Candidate Anthony Chinino Jr has lived in the first ward
all his life, is Married with one son, who attends dist 145 schools, Chinino has worked very closely with his father
in the first ward and would like to continue on with his fathers efforts on the improvements to this first ward
and our city. With your support, Chinino hopes to bring all of your concerns and ideas on the betterment of our
city and especially the first ward!
The second Candidate Brad Duff- Hudkins has lived here
for little over a year
who is married with no children, knows very few residents in the first ward. The third
possible appointee/candidate Laura Clemons, who is not married, has no children, serves on the Street Scape Committee,
Kelly Created who was/is also on the 2005 - present Kelly Committee for Mayor 09 in regards to the
Southtown article Ball & Wolf were on committees only after Kelly appointed them to Alderman, not to mention the fact
that they were/are on committees, Kelly had created for her thanks to those who worked and supported her campaign
Tony Chinino Sr first ran for alderman in 2003 the Candidates were Tony Chinino Sr, Mike
Feeley and Pat Nolan Chinino, a longtime Resident, Coach, Mentor, and Volunteer etc... Feeley, a
former Public works Superintendent, who was being indited by the FBI Nolan, a new Oak Forest resident with
a little over a year in the first ward COOK COUNTY, ILLINOIS REPORT-EL45
PAGE 011 CONSOLIDATED ELECTION TUESDAY APRIL 1, 2003 Oak Forest,
Ward 1 - Alderman (4-Yr Term)
Vote For 3 (With 6 of 6 Precincts Counted)
(With 8 of 8 Precincts Counted)
Anthony
G. Chinino . . . .297 46.99
Michael W. Feeley. . . .
. . .197 31.17
Patrick P. Nolan . . . . . . . . 138 21.84
_________________________________________________________________________
Southtown Star
First Ward resident hopes to fill his father's aldermanic post
The unfortunate death of Oak Forest Ald. Tony Chinino (1st) late last month
leaves Mayor JoAnn Kelly the task of filling his seat until the April elections. One
potential appointee says he wants to finish the work the late alderman started. That
person is the late alderman's son, Tony Jr. "My dad had a few ideas
left that he wanted to work on. I want to finish it out and see them through at least until April," Chinino said. Among such projects the 33-year-old manager of a trucking company would like to see taken care of
are fitting Forest Avenue with new sewers, repaving 167th Street between Central and Cicero avenues and continuing the beautification
and upgrading of city parks. Chinino insists this isn't a case of nepotism,
where a family member feels entitled to fill out another family member's post. "No,
I'm not trying to do that. I just want to get done what my dad was trying to do," he said. The odds of Chinino finishing his father's term, though, might be a little long. Mayor Kelly said she's received word from three other potential candidates. She also said she would prefer someone with the experience of serving at least on a committee or commission.
She said having served as alderman and city treasurer had better prepared her for being mayor. "The people who already have devoted time as commissioners, who already have done service for the city,
those are the people you would love to see on the city council," Kelly said. Kelly
has gone through this process before. She appointed Diane Wolf to replace Beverly Swartz in June 2005 after Swartz moved to
Tinley Park. Then, in March 2006, Kelly appointed Fran Bal to take the seat of
Carol Scozio who retired because of health problems. The appointments are subject
to city council approval. Kelly said she would like to have the new alderman
up for a vote at the next city council meeting Tuesday. She said she was talking to the rest of the aldermen individually
as to who she had in mind. She declined to release any names. Chinino Jr. said
he's been circulating a petition among 1st Ward residents to present to Kelly, hoping that the show of support would convince
her he is the choice. He said he was looking forward to being a good addition
to the council and left the possibility open that he could run in April regardless of what Kelly does. "I'd like to sit down and talk to her and see what she thinks. I don't want to be a
distraction. I don't want to stop progress. I have a few personal things I'd like to take care of. But it's not
to say in the future I wouldn't go after it on my own terms," he said.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11/10/2008 I live at 151/Lavergne and this armed robbery incident has me concerned. Particularly since I knew
nothing about it and it occurred seconds from my house. Thankfully I have my gun with me at all times in my house.
Unfortunately, law abiding, non-felon citizens in Illinois are not allowed to arm themselves for protection and the criminals
are allowed to carry weapons. I'd have gladly emptied my .40 Glock -- with hollow points to inflict more damage
-- into this offender. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11/7/2008 Met Hank Kuspa last night at the Meet & Greet The Pizza was
good, the residents attendance was even better and it was encouraging to see the business owners and City employees. Mr.
Kuspa’s Answers to many of our questions left us with confidence that he is going to work with the residents
and businesses and not against us like the current administration is doing now.
I'm calling all my friends
and neighbors asking them to host a coffee/Tea, display a window/yard sign.
Hank Kuspa’s voice has been heard!!! VOTE! Hank Kuspa For Mayor
City of Oak Forest -2009 Oak Forest Residents
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11/1/2008
I agree with the 1st ward resident. Why are people so childish, who ever posted the comment about Kelly's
outfit needs to Grow Up!!! You must not have any compassion for Mr.Chinino & family, if Kelly's wardrobe was your
main concern,
you have issues to resolve with God
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