HS Board

Submitted by Paul Valade — May 14, 2020

“It was a day I will never forget,” St. Raymond School Assistant Principal Cathy Hart said about the school’s recent May Day Parade.

To kick off the month and Teacher Appreciation Week, more than 50 faculty and staff members of the Mount Prospect school participated in a 50-vehicle parade on Friday, May 1. The parade, which wound through nearby residential areas and included participation from Mount Prospect police officers, lasted around 45 minutes.

Nadine Scheller, Marketing & Enrollment director at the school, said the school received positive feedback from families, many who camped out waiting to see the teachers. Parents said the parade was heartwarming and a great way to come together.

Before starting, principals gave treat bags to the teachers and shared words of encouragement.

“I am so proud of the way our community came together for this event. Reconnecting with our students, the families and the teachers really renewed everyone’s spirits. It was a wonderful example of what makes our St. Raymond community so special,” Principal Mary Eileen Ward said.

The Family and School Association also provided gift cards and families gave plants and flowers to the educators.

Scheller said teachers and staff had been feeling disconnected from their school family, which includes more than 500 students from 328 families.

“It was a perfect day to bring the community together. The sun was shining, the weather had warmed up and, for a short time, it felt a little more ‘normal’ to see each other,” she said. “It was the community spirit and family feel that gave everyone an uplifting feeling to a new month.”

Copyright 2022 Daily Herald (www.dailyherald.com)

Submitted by Jason Kaczorowski — April 2, 2020

With the COVID-19 Coronavirus spreading across the entire planet, it is easy to look around these days and see we are sheltering in place at home in safety, socially distancing ourselves during mandatory grocery shopping missions and large events are being cancelled for the foreseeable future.

For couples awaiting their wedding date during this unprecedented global crisis, there is certainly confusion, uncertainty, doubt and depression. Weeks ago everything mattered — which wedding hashtag to pick, the perfect signature cocktail, where to spend your honeymoon unwinding after months of planning madness — and now all that matters is having each other.

In an official statement from its website, the CDC states, “Officials may ask you to modify, postpone, or cancel large events for the safety and well-being of your event staff, participants and the community. The details of your emergency operations plan should be based on the size and duration of your events, demographics of the participants, complexity of your event operations, and type of on-site services and activities your event may offer.”

Fortunately love was not cancelled for Mount Prospect newlyweds, Teri and Steve Gonczy.

In a post on a community Facebook group on Monday, March 30, Mount Prospect resident Angela Nicolosi sought volunteers who were interested in raising the spirits of a couple of local residents.

Angela’s husband Rick Kesler is a pastor at The South Church of Mount Prospect and was contacted by a deacon who was searching for a way to help a couple who was intending on getting married at another local Mount Prospect church, St Raymond Parish, but was unable to because the church was indefinitely closed and he unfortunately couldn’t marry them off-site.

As Angela wrote on Facebook: “Tuesday, March 31, at 2 p.m., Rick will marry them in the sanctuary of the South Church. That’s it — just the four of us with proper physical distancing. However, I was thinking that if we walked them down the aisle and out the front doors of the church that it would be way cool if they were greeted with a bunch of people cheering for them and maybe holding signs saying something like ‘Congratulations Steve & Ter.’ Balloons, kazoos, pinwheels would all be acceptable. Properly distanced of course, especially since they are in the “at risk” group because of their age. If those of you outside the church could snap some pics and send them to me and/or post them on our page then we could “shower” them with more pics and make their occasion a little more memorable in these strange times.”

The couple celebrated their vows at 2 p.m. on Tuesday, March 31 at the The South Church of Mount Prospect. Though nobody was permitted to attended the couples ceremony due to COVID-19, the newlyweds were greeted by neighbors outside the church who held up signs from distance congratulating the couple.

Copyright 2022 Daily Herald (www.dailyherald.com)

By Jean Murphy
Daily Herald correspondent — March 27, 2020

Local real estate agents, like everyone else around the world, are confronting a new reality these days and seeking new ways to conduct their business.

Jim Regan of RE/MAX Suburban in Mount Prospect wasn’t noting many changes in his business at first, but that has changed. He no longer sees Realtors doing open houses, although some are still scheduling showings. And, of course, no one is shaking hands.

In addition, his usual “home stager” who arranges furniture in listed homes to present them in the best possible light, told him she is no longer carrying out in-person staging appointments. Those who want her expertise need to send her photos or converse with her using video chat apps on their smartphones.

Regan also ran into an instance in which buyers wanted to make an offer on an elderly woman’s home and found that her plans to move into an assisted living facility were being postponed because she felt safer remaining in her single-family home.

“My thought is that a house that’s been vacant for at least 14 days might be more appealing to a buyer who is venturing out to look at property,” he said. “I think a lot of sellers who occupy their homes might be nervous about showings — and (potential) buyers going into an occupied home would also be concerned.”

One of the things that may happen when we return to “business as usual,” whatever that is, could be that we will see a lot of pent-up demand, coupled with fewer new listings having come on the market in the meantime because of the virus delaying sellers’ plans. That will result in more of a seller’s market,” Regan believes.

“With the low, long-term interest rates we currently have for mortgages (3.5% to 4%), it is certainly a phenomenal time to buy and first-time buyers naturally want to take advantage of those rates,” Regan said.

Stephanie Szigetvari, vice president of brokerage services for @properties and designated managing broker for the @properties’ Arlington Heights office, agreed that their business dropped dramatically between the second and third weekends of March.

“We’ve definitely seen a change since the previous week,” she said. “Homes are still going under contract, some with multiple offers, because there continues to be a segment of people who need to sell and/or purchase a home at this time.”

But more and more Realtors are using virtual tours and live Facebook tours to conduct “showings” of the property first, before physically showing the home, Szigetvari said. This helps determine if a buyer really has an interest in the property, without putting the seller through the process of protecting and safeguarding their family and home.

Sellers are also requesting that the number of potential buyers touring a house be limited to only one, plus their agent, as a way to minimize exposure.

There has also been an uptick this past week of current deals being canceled because the buyer has either lost a job or worries that they will soon, she added.

The majority of deals ready to close are successfully closing, with the help of title companies and mortgage lenders allowing digital signing of documents and curbside closing capabilities, Szigetvari said.

But realty agents are having to adjust to the new reality. For instance, at a recent closing, a Realtor in Szigetvari’s office discovered she couldn’t get routine things as quickly as usual. She stopped by a village hall to get the usual transfer stamp needed at closings, only to find the facility closed because of the virus. So, Realtors are having to pivot around issues like that, which are popping up, she said.

“The COVID-19 virus is also causing all of us in the business to try to move things along quicker so that the transactions actually take place,” she said.

“Homes have been steadily appreciating, but the prices are not at all inflated, so people can get nice homes at a good value with great interest rates. It is a perfect storm for buyers, so we don’t want the virus to interfere, if possible,” Szigetvari added.

Tom Zander, managing broker for the Mount Prospect office of Picket Fence Realty, has also seen his office’s number of showings reduced, but said some showings are still happening and one of his agents received multiple offers last Sunday on one of his properties.

“There are some sellers who do not want showings until we know more, yet others are fine with showings continuing. Appraisals and closings are also happening. Title companies, where many closings take place, have tightened restrictions allowing only the key participants in the building, and some are even closing remotely, using new tools like ‘DocuSign,’ which allows buyers and sellers to sign documents through their cellphones without meeting in person. This is a learning curve for everyone. When this is over, we wouldn’t be surprised if many of our everyday procedures are permanently changed as a result of the new streamlined practices of the pandemic,” Zander said.

Last Wednesday, RE/MAX brokers and agents all over the country received an email message and video from Adam Contos, CEO.

“There is no such thing as ‘business as usual’ right now. Reactions vary, circumstances vary by location, and emotions are high — even within our own network,” he said. “Some of you are ready to fight and push on, while others may need time to accept the current reality. And that’s OK. Your health — both physical and mental — and the health of our communities are the most important things to us. I urge everyone to make health your No. 1 priority right now.

“We will continue to adapt and communicate changes in our operations and resources — all to help you help your communities,” he continued. “This is a global emergency, and everyone must take it seriously.”

For instance, RE/MAX recommends no one hold open houses for the foreseeable future and it is planning to launch a weekly webinar that gives guidance and action items to help agents and brokers navigate their business during uncertain times.

“I just want to remind everyone how resilient the U.S. housing market is, even in the most difficult times,” Contos added. “From here, I ask that we (virtually) come together as RE/MAX, lift each other up, continue to help people — including our buyers and sellers — and do all we can to share kindness, gratitude and selflessness in our local communities. We are all in this together.”

Copyright 2022 Daily Herald (www.dailyherald.com)

By Steve Zalusky — April 9, 2020

Mount Prospect Mayor Arlene Juracek urged those ignoring the state’s stay-at-home order to “stop being knuckleheads out there” and practice social distancing guidelines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Speaking at Tuesday night’s virtual village board meeting, Juracek noted that at the time there were 46 confirmed coronavirus infections in the village. That figured reached 49 on Wednesday.

“We’re trying to maintain our trust and our partnership with the community … not be seen as martial law,” Juracek said.

Police Chief John Koziol said officers are not stopping residents and asking why they’re out of their homes but are taking other measures to enforce the order. That includes patrolling parks and reminding people there to practice social distancing.

“The Mount Prospect Park District has made all basketball hoops and swings inoperable,” Koziol said, adding that caution tape has been placed around playground equipment. “I’m asking the parents in our community to help out here, too. These children don’t really realize they are doing anything wrong.”

The department also is notifying the village’s building inspection division when it receives complaints of nonessential businesses’ being open. Inspectors are contacting businesses to obtain compliance.

Officials say other village services continue to be delivered, even as village buildings are closed to the public until at least the end of the month.

The village staff is assisting residents with online services or, in some cases, by appointment. Residents can call, email or use the village’s online request portal to report a concern, request an inspection, pay a utility bill or submit a permit.

Village Manager Michael Cassady said water and sewer bills due March 15 have been extended to May 20. Refuse bills dated March 31 have been extended to May 20. In addition, the due date to buy and display vehicle stickers has been extended from April 30 to May 31.

Copyright 2022 Daily Herald (www.dailyherald.com)

by Steve Zalusky — March 30, 2020

The Eagle Scout motto, “Be prepared,” has particular relevance for one Mount Prospect business.

A little more than a year ago, Mount Prospect granted approval for two Eagle Scouts to open the village’s first distillery, dubbed Two Eagles Distillery, at 1852 S. Elmhurst Road.

But Two Eagles had to pivot in response to the coronavirus just as the business was getting poised to begin self-distribution. Now the distillery, as others, is devoting its energies to producing hand sanitizers.

“We had a bunch of vodka sitting here,” said Operations Manager Jesse Zien, one of the two Eagle Scouts.

In early March, however, Zien and his partner, Master Distiller Matthew Georgacakis-Nurre of Mount Prospect, sat down and decided to hold off on bottling it.

“We kind of had a feeling that there might be a need for hand sanitizer. We knew that we could make it,” Zien said.

Things then began falling into place. The federal government gave the go-ahead to manufacture the product, but only under a specific recipe calling for such ingredients as glycerin, isopropyl alcohol and hydrogen peroxide in addition to the high-proof spirits.

The company started a GoFundMe page and within hours, $2,000 in donations poured in. As of Saturday, the tally had reached $18,000.

Now, the company is rolling out four-ounce bottles and giving it away to first-responders, as well as restaurants, public works facilities and anyone performing essential services. Zien said gallon bottles are on order.

On Monday, Ten Ninety Brewing Co. in Glenview, which has 10 times the capacity of Two Eagles for making fermented spirits, will start fermenting grain and shipping it to the Mount Prospect distillery.

“It’s going to give us the ability to really start pumping this stuff out,” Zien said.

The manufacturing crew includes the two partners, plus their legal counsel, Agostino Filippone, who also sits on Mount Prospect’s planning and zoning commission.

“We are donating all our time to do this and we are making hand sanitizers as fast as we can,” Zien said. “Everyone is pitching in. Many hands make light work.”

Recipients include Aurora, Des Plaines, Mount Prospect and Wheeling first responders, local restaurants and a home health care provider. Requests have been received from plumbers, sanitation workers and construction workers.

Copyright 2022 Daily Herald (www.dailyherald.com)