40 years ago

No raise, no ticket. Thus argued Gary Doss, local cop and secretary of the Fraternal Order of Police here. That’s also what the feud between the FOP and the village council was about. It came to this: “Do your duty – including issuing traffic tickets – or get suspended without pay.” The decider was Mayor Earl Witt, who ordered police to enforce the law while a pending pay increase was unresolved. The contentious meeting at the village hall was tempered by the welcome return of Commissioner Bob Dowd, absent several months due to a serious illness.

Regarding the salary-increase hoo-ha, stay tuned.

From the May 14, 1969, Forest Park Review

30 years ago

MARUNDE IS MAYOR, announced the all-caps headline on April 18, 1979. He replaced Santo Rizzo, former commissioner who served as interim mayor following the sudden death of long-time mayor and state senator, Howard J. Mohr, in January 1977. Fred Marunde extended a 300-vote lead in the primaries to an 800-vote plurality in the general election, defeating John Stange to become mayor of Forest Park. A moderately heavy turnout reflected a campaign that, according to publisher-editor Bob Haeger, “continued to gather intensity since the primary and wound up with supporters of both candidates exchanging barbs.” Here’s a capsule wrap-up of Forest Park mayors after and before this election. (Thanks to village historian Rich Vitton.)

Tony Calderone 1999 -?-, Lorraine Popelka 1987-99, Fred Marunde 1983-87, Santo Rizzo 1977-79, Howard Mohr 1963-67 and 1971-77, William Meyer 1955-63, Vernon Reich 1943 and 1947-55, Fred Becker 1943-45, Tom Collis l935-39, Charles Hussey, 1935-39, George Gold 1927-35, Henry Kaul 1917-27, Henry J. Mohr (As village president 1902-05 and l910-13. As mayor 1913-17.)

During the term of Henry J. Mohr (grandfather of Howard Mohr,) the title “mayor” replaced that of village president. With the new title came a longer length of term, from two to four years. A complete list of Forest Park mayors and village presidents is on display in the basement of the village hall across from the Wall of Fame.

From the April 18, 1979, Forest Park Review

20 years ago

Last week’s column carried a split photo of reviewer Doug Duechler and local actor Ben Goodman, who played the Randall McMurphy role in Circle Theatre’s production of The Cuckoo’s Nest. It showed a devil’s glint in Goodman’s eye and a straight-on laughing shot of Duechler.

Goodman, born in Dublin, married and the father of four, first became enamored of the theater at the University of Arizona in the early ’70s. He took a drama course largely because some friends had – and found it satisfying. Confessing to a bashful streak, Ben Goodman, as a teen, would go to a dance, but bring a book. After he and his family came to Chicago, he found himself singing in the karaoke spotlight at Orphan’s, a Lincoln Avenue club. He hit a few clams, he said, but enough good notes came out OK. A few years later, he and his family moved to Forest Park and he landed the lead role in Finian’s Rainbow. Confident, yet realistic, he kept his day job, that of a butcher in Elmhurst.

“Positive thinking,” said Goodman. “It plays bigger than talent.”

From the April 12, 1989, Forest Park Review

10 years ago

Man walks into a drug store. (Not a joke.) Happens to be the Walgreen’s at Roosevelt and Harlem. He turns down the hygiene aisle – which just happens to be pretty clean – then sweeps about 40 sticks of men’s deodorant into his duffle bag and walks out. Is approached by two employees after his exit. Tells them he’s got a knife in his jacket packet and will cut them if not left alone. They back off and he trots west down Roosevelt. In search of armpits?

From the March 17, 1999, Forest Park Review