A controlled fire event by the Oak Lawn Fire Department shows how quickly flames can spread in a home during the Oak Lawn National Night Out event held Tuesday night in the village's Municipal Hall parking lot. (Photos by Joe Boyle)
Oak Lawn’s ‘Night Out’ is community celebration
By Joe Boyle
Presentations by the police and fire departments — along with food and music — were the major highlights of the Oak Lawn National Night Out on Tuesday.
National Night Out is held the first Tuesday in August. The lone exception is Texas, which marks the occasion in October.
National Night Out was first established in the suburbs of Philadelphia back in 1984.
The annual Oak Lawn event is held in the parking lot of Municipal Hall, which also shares police and fire department stations.
The original National Night Out events encouraged residents to turn on their porch lights in recognition of the police force. Parades have since been organized. But in the past 20 years, the event has become a more festive occasion that allows the police and firefighters to interact with residents and children in a more relaxed setting.
“The Arts Committee has added more this year,” said Trustee Paul Mallo (3rd). “We are more spread out through the parking lot. We have face painting and music, too. There is just more for everyone this year.
“This is a national event,” Mallo added. “Everyone should come out and have fun.”
A large crowd of people continued to file in throughout the evening. Hot dogs, hamburgers and popcorn were available from Boy Scout Troop 596, based out of Mount Zion Church in Oak Lawn. Kids had an opportunity to enter police vehicles and check out a jail cell inside the police station.
Youths also received plastic firefighter helmets and had an opportunity to slide down a fire pole. Region 4 South Mobile Field Police put some of their gear on the kids who came by their table.
The Oak Lawn National Night Out is among many now that are held in the southwest suburbs and in Chicago. Each offers something a little different. Besides food at the Oak Lawn event, two presentations were held that drew large crowds.
Officer Bob Carroll, of the K-9 unit, introduced Thor, a 2-year-old German shepherd that is the unit’s canine. Carroll then proceeded to have Thor approach a truck that contained narcotics and other illegal devices. Thor found the drugs quickly.
“This dog will find the drugs in a few minutes in which we may take a couple of hours,” said Carroll, who has been a member of the K-9 unit for the past year.
Carroll said he enjoys working with Thor, who was originally from Slovakia.
“He loves to come to work,” Carroll said about Thor. “And he loves to find drugs.”
Another police official noted that money raised for the unit, the dog and equipment comes from the offenders who are arrested for narcotics and other crimes.
“So, I guess we should thank them,” the officer said.
The other presentation was from the fire department, which held a “controlled burn,” that included two similar living rooms. The one room included sprinklers, which put the blaze out in just over two minutes.
The second room had no sprinklers. The department started the fire and the flames spread quickly with black smoke spewing out of the top of the structure. The fire department allowed the blaze to envelop the room and then quickly put it out.
Fire department officials informed an attentive crowd that included parents and children that sprinklers would be a great help in extinguishing a fire. They reminded parents to have smoke detectors in their homes.
Oak Lawn Mayor Terry Vorderer said the village has a reason to be proud of their police officers and firefighters.
“We really love our police and fire departments,” Vorderer said. “Our village really appreciates what they do. And for people who don’t live here, maybe you should think about moving to Oak Lawn.”
Local News
Polk insists residents should use 9-1-1 when they need help
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva With snowstorms and bad weather hitting the area, first responders and 9-1-1 operators are taxed and stretched out. But Palos Park Police Commissioner Dan Polk said that should not deter people from calling 9-1-1. He insists on it. At the Jan. 24 village council meeting, Polk made a passionate speech…
District 230 waits for judge’s decision on mask mandates
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Stagg and Sandburg students, parents and teachers are awaiting the decision of a Sangamon County judge to find out if there is any change in the mask mandate. District 230 was one of 145 districts in the state taken to court by parents who are against the mandate and believe…
Summit approves deal with CEDA for water assistance
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Help may be on the way for some Summit residents that have trouble paying their water bills. The Summit Village Board recently approved an ordinance authorizing an agreement by, and between the Community and Economic Development Association of Cook County. It’s a vendor agreement for the Low-Income Household Water Assistance…
Willow Springs hires Grace as village administrator
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch Citing his experience in Lyons, Willow Springs Mayor Melissa Neddermeyer said Ryan Grace was the best of five finalists interviewed for the job of village administrator. Grace, 38, had been public works director in Lyons the past four years, working on a wide range of village issues and events in…
Body of missing Forest View woman found
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan The search for 20-year-old Charisma Ehresman of Forest View is over. The body of the young woman was found Friday evening in her vehicle in Chicago’s South Austin neighborhood, on the city’s west side, which borders Oak Park. The car had apparently been there for several days. The Cook County…
Heritage Middle School cheer team takes first
Spread the loveBy Carol McGowan Congratulations are in order for the Heritage Middle School Cheer Team. The team competed for the first time on Saturday, January 15, at Old Quarry Middle School in Lemont and took first place. It was a huge accomplishment for the team and Summit School District 104 is very proud of…
Area Sports Roundup: Sandburg bowls ’em over at state; Marist cheerleaders win sectional
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Is there a state trophy coming for the Sandburg boys bowling team in the future? With this unpredictable sport, that’s hard to predict. But after a fourth-place finish in the IHSA state tournament, held Jan. 28-29 at St. Clair Bowl in O’Fallon, the needle is pointing up. The…
Intense dance performance nets Evergreen Park sixth place at state finals
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Actual competitive dancing returned to the state level this year and Evergreen Park’s dancers couldn’t be happier. The Mustangs are on the rise, and the team enjoyed its highest state finish by placing sixth in Class 1A in the IHSA state meet held Jan. 28-29 at Grossinger Motors…
Cool customers: Chicago Christian snaps losing streak with tight win over Shepard
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Staff Writer Chicago Christian’s players acted cool after the game. No yelling. No jumping around. No histrionics. It was a subdued celebration after a 44-40 road victory over Shepard on Jan. 26 in the Battle of Palos Heights. The Knights acted like they had been there before, even though the…
Setting the standard: Sandburg seniors show underclassmen how it’s done
Spread the loveBy Randy Whalen Correspondent Erin O’Connor has a nose for the ball. The determination of O’Connor was demonstrated on one play midway through the second quarter in Sandburg’s 46-45 win over Lockport on Jan. 27. The Eagles had just missed a shot and the ball looked to be going out of bounds. But…
Neighbors
Young Spiderman fan wishes students a great summer
Spread the loveBy Nuha Abdessalam Spiderman-kid bids farewell and wishes a beautiful summer break to students of Glen Oak Elementary in Hickory Hills. Since the summer of 2023, when he discovered the movie “Spiderman: Into the Spider-Verse,” a story about multiple Spidermen from different dimensions, 6-year-old Ribhi Gaber has been more than just a fan…
Worth finalizes rules for open burning in village
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle After several discussions over the past month, the Village of Worth has new guidelines for open burning by businesses and in residential areas. Mayor Mary Werner mentioned during the Worth Village Board meeting Tuesday night that a discrepancy in an ordinance regarding open burning had a 10 p.m. deadline. However,…
Orland Township event focuses on mental health
Spread the loveBy Kelly White Orland Township is taking the time to focus on mental health. Residents were invited out to join Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady for an event called, Minds Matter 2024, on May 16 at Orland Township, located at 14807 S. Ravinia Avenue in Orland Park. “This was an excellent opportunity to…
Bridgeview shooting not related to Summer Smash
Spread the loveBy Bob Bong Bridgeview Police Chief Ricardo Mancha on Monday wanted to emphasize that a shooting in the village Saturday night had nothing to do with the Summer Smash music festival that took place over the weekend at SeatGeek Stadium. “It was an isolated incident,” he said. “Completely unrelated to the Summer Smash…
Summer jobs available for youths through Lyons Township
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch The summer jobs program offered each year by the Township of Lyons is up and running. The program for high school and college students “is designed to give young individuals an opportunity for summer employment,” Trustee Donna McDonald said at the township board’s June 11 meeting. The jobs program started…
Pair busted for Summit phone store robberies
Spread the loveBy Bob Bong Two Chicago men have been charged with robbing two phone stores in Summit earlier this year. Jacari Franklin and Austin White are charged with robbing the T-Mobile store at 5640 S. Harlem Ave. on March 28 and the AT&T store at Archer and Harlem avenues on April 18, police said.…
Car enthusiasts crowd annual Father’s Day show in Lyons.
Spread the loveBy Steve Metsch Held under sunny and warm skies Sunday, the annual Father’s Day Car Show in Lyons was deemed a smashing success by participants and visitors. Not only were car lovers able to admire the four-wheeled beauties, some owners spent quality time with Dad or a spouse. Don Raschka, 80, of Central…
May this summer be a good season
Spread the love. By Peggy Zabicki Your correspondent in West Lawn 3633 W. 60th Place • (773) 504-9327 . “Summer was our best season. It was sleeping on the screened porch on cots, or trying to sleep in the treehouse, summer was everything good to eat. It was a thousand colors in a parched landscape.”…