Husband-and-wife Rabid Brewery co-owners Raiye Rosado and Tobias Cichon spar on the beer field before the official start of the Box Battle Basho on Saturday, Oct. 15. (Bill Jones/H-F Chronicle)
Local News, Opinion

The Weeks | Sept. 3: Flossmoor Fest safety steps, The Gem, D161 board turnover, Box Battle Basho II

THE WEEK >

Meetings

Flossmoor Board of Trustees will meet at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, at village hall, 2800 Flossmoor Road. 

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  • Find the agenda here.
  • Attend virtually here or dial (312) 626-6799. ID 854 0120 0155, passcode 60422.
  • Highlights: Trustees will consider adopting a Youth Supervision Policy and Code of Conduct for Flossmoor Fest. The policy will require that everyone age 17 and younger be accompanied by and remain with a parent or adult who is age 21 or older. The Code of Conduct requires that everyone at the event refrain from fighting, taunting, harassment and not cooperating with the village’s posted list of prohibited items, including backpacks. In a memo to trustees, staff said: “Our staff has been working hard to ensure that Flossmoor Fest maintains its unique charm and community spirit, while balancing measures to keep it as safe as possible for all attendees. The board’s adoption of this policy will assist toward those efforts.”

Homewood-Flossmoor Park District Board of Commissioners will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 5, in the Goldberg Administration Center, 3301 Flossmoor Road, Flossmoor.

  • When the agenda is available it will be posted here.

Homewood-Flossmoor District 233 Board of Education Personnel Committee will meet at 7:30 a.m. in the Superintendent’s Conference Room, South Building, Homewood-Flossmoor High School, 999 Kedzie Ave., Flossmoor.

  • Find the agenda here.

Homewood Appearance Commission will meet at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7, in village hall, 2020 Chestnut Road. 

  • Find the agenda here.
  • Attend virtually here or dial 1-312-626-6799, ID 844 1118 8079, passcode 170845.
  • Highlights: Commission members will consider a request for a sign variance from Goodman Insurance, 18033 Martin Ave., and an appearance review of facade improvements requested by Woori Taekwondo, 18027 Dixie Highway. The new owner of the former Vice District Brewing building is proposing to replace the stucco surface of exterior walls with wood siding. 

Stuff to do

Tuesday, Sept. 5

  • Storytime in the Park. Flossmoor Public Library hosts a storytime at 10:30 a.m. for children with Miss Jenny and a special guest reader at Leavitt Park, 1011 Leavitt Ave. Bring your own blankets/chairs. Storytime will be moved to the library in the event of bad weather or heat advisories. Children under 9 years old must have an adult caregiver stay with them during the program.
  • Park storytime. Homewood Public Library hosts a storytime at 10:30 a.m. for children through age 8 with Miss Angela in Irwin Park, 1800 block of Ridge Road. 
  • Yoga for Healthy Movement. The Cancer Support Center, 2028 Elm Road in Homewood, will host a session from noon to 1 p.m. to reduce stress and address the physical side-effects of cancer. Classes consist of breath work, gentle stretches, seated and standing poses using the chair or wall for assistance, relaxation and meditation. Call 708-798-9171 to register for this in-person program. 
  • Moves That Matter. The Cancer Support Center in Homewood will host a session from 2 to 3 p.m. that will help participants release tension, increase flexibility, improve posture, coordination, injury prevention, pain management and joint and gross stability. Each person works at their own pace and in their comfort zone. To attend this class in person please call 708-798-9171.

Wednesday, Sept. 6

  • Community Red & White Day. Flossmoor is encouraging H-F area residents to wear and decorate in red and white colors on Wednesday, Sept. 6, to show support for the Homewood-Flossmoor High School Vikings. 

Friday, Sept. 8

  • Homewood-Flossmoor High School homecoming football game. The game versus Waubonsie Valley will be Friday, Sept. 8, at H-F Stadium. Tickets for the 7 p.m. game are available here.
  • Brew & View. Homewood-Flossmoor Park District will host a beer-tasting event starting at 6:30 p.m. in Irwin Park, 1800 block of Ridge Road in Homewood. There will be food trucks and a showing of the movie “Pitch Perfect” at dusk.
  • Crumbl Cookies grand opening. The celebration will be from 8 a.m. to midnight Friday and Saturday at the new store, 17751 Halsted St. in Homewood.

Saturday, Sept. 9

  • Hidden Gem Half Marathon. The 2022 Chicago Area Runners Association Race of the Year is renowned among runners for its shady route and enthusiastic neighborhood cheer teams. And Flossmoor Station beer at the finish line. The race will start at 7:30 a.m. on Flossmoor Road in front of Infant Jesus of Prague School. The finish line is on Sterling Road adjacent to the Flossmoor Public Library. 
  • Flossmoor Fest. The festivities downtown begin as the Hidden Gem ends. Music by the Conservatory Vintage & Vinyl will start at 11 a.m. Introductions will be at 11:30 a.m. on the stage in front of the Flossmoor Public Library, 1000 Sterling Ave. The Homewood-Flossmoor High School marching band will perform at noon, followed by the Jesse White Tumblers. Live music performances will begin at 2, 3 and 5 p.m. There will be food vendors and activities for kids. Festivities end at 7 p.m. This year, the festival will have new restrictions to promote safety. 
  • Paper shred/electronic recycling/drug take-back. State Rep. Will Davis will host a recycling event from 9 a.m. to noon at 1912 W. 174th St. in East Hazel Crest.  
  • STEM Saturdays. Free science activities from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Homewood Science Center. at 18022 Dixie Highway.
  • Homewood Farmers Market. Live music, fresh produce, baked goods, crafts, food and more from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Martin Square, 18000 block of Martin Avenue in downtown Homewood. 
  • Box Battle Basho II. Cardboard warriors invade Rabid Brewing, 17759 Bretz Drive in Homewood, starting at 4 p.m. with the kids’ battle. The adults will take the field next. Come with cardboard armor and weapons, but if you need help, there will be a workshop from 2 to 4 p.m. Use cardboard, glue and tape. Don’t reinforce much, this should be designed to be destroyed.
  • Community bike rides. Barb and Dan Lawler’s Road Ride starts at 8 a.m. at GoodSpeed Cycle, 2125 183rd St. in Homewood. It’s a 25-mile fitness ride. The Off-Leash ride is a 9-mile ride at about 9 to 10 mph that starts at GoodSpeed at 8:30 a.m. Saturday and lasts about an hour.

Notices

Flossmoor brush pickup schedule change
Because of Labor Day and the events on Sept. 9, free brush pick up for September will begin the week of Sept. 11-15, instead of the first week of the month. Residents should have any brush placed on the parkway by 7 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 11.

Holiday trash pickup schedule
Homewood Disposal will be closed Sept. 4 for Labor Day, so trash pickup will be delayed one day all week.

< THE WEEK

Flossmoor gets advanced EMS training tool. Flossmoor Volunteer Fire Department Corporation donates training mannequin to fire department.

New faces on Flossmoor Board of Education. D161 appoints Agbarah to fill vacant position  D161 board seeks another new member after Scharon resigns.


Ribbon cuttings welcome the opening of The Hartford and the reopening of Windy City Cannabis. Ribbon cutting marks opening of The Hartford to residents | Windy City Cannabis reopens with bigger, renovated space.

DEMOCRACY WATCH

Accessibility of elected officials is important for the health of local democracy. People need to be able to easily find officials so they can ask questions, share concerns, report problems and sometimes just chat. I mentioned recently the various efforts Homewood officials make to be available. 

Flossmoor Mayor Michelle Nelson has a different approach. She frequently stops by Homewood Mayor Rich Hofeld’s weekly office hours in the lobby of village hall every Saturday morning. When she was elected in 2021, she had planned to do something similar for Flossmoor residents. 

She tried. However, Flossmoor village hall is not open for business on Saturdays, as Homewood’s is, and although she tried several different times and places, none seemed to work out. I asked her recently whether she was still working the problem.

She said after several tries, she decided to just “be everywhere.”

She has done that. I have covered lots of Flossmoor events over the years. I don’t think I’ve been to many (maybe none) where Nelson was absent. She attends block parties, neighborhood meetings, visits businesses and if it is physically impossible to be everywhere all at once, she gives the impression she almost can.

She seemingly was everywhere before she ran for office, so as mayor, she’s continuing and expanding the practice. That’s a better fit for her, perhaps, than office hours.

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