Animals/Wildlife

The Opossum (Part One)

Posted on by Michelle M. Ryan / 4 Comments
Baby opossum compared to a 7″ fork. (Photo by Michelle Ryan)

Warning: This article contains a graphic description that may be disturbing to some readers.

I noticed the dead animal, either a cat or an opossum, laying in the alley behind my yard just as I was heading for a walk. I was planning on clearing the alley abutment that day and was certainly not expecting what other plans were in store.

As I approached the animal, the fur was a golden brown, more suitable to a cat. However, the hairless curved tail was unmistakably an opossum. Although I don’t like removing roadkill, I’ve done it by my house. This cleanup was the worst I’ve done. Not only was there an adult opossum, but a few babies also dead within a few inches from mom. Worse yet, the opossum was disemboweled with intestines still attached but laying outside of the body.

It was getting hot and there is no shade on the outside in the alley, so I cut the foliage from the inside. I got on the ground clearing a bunch of weeds. And then …. I found it. There was a small animal moving around on the ground right outside my fence. I grabbed it and realized it was an opossum that obviously survived whatever happened to its family. It was a little over a few feet from mom but hidden.

I brought it near the garage and put it in the shade while looking for a proper box. It was making a chirping sound like a bird. Then I went back into the alley on hands and knees searching for any other survivors. I looked over and over but didn’t see anymore. This turned everything upside down. The rest of the yardwork was cancelled. The next several hours were spent doing research on how to care for it. As a rehabber, I’ve only dealt with raccoons.

I got a small cardboard box with cedar chip bedding and placed it on a heating pad in the bathtub. I added a nice baby blanket and two heated water bottles wrapped in blankets. (These were removed for the pictures.)  As a general rule, the first 12 – 24 hours should focus on keeping the animal warm and hydrated. No food. Pedialyte is recommended, which I didn’t have. Wildlife-Education.com recommends three teaspoons of sugar, and one teaspoon of salt dissolved in one quart of very warm water.

The poor opossum was cold when I found it and I have no idea how long it was out there, so it wasn’t good. His heated box was good. There is an issue with opossums needing to be tube-fed because they don’t naturally suckle. That’s a big problem. I’ve never done it and am not comfortable with putting a tube down an animals’ throat. How far do you go? What if it goes in the wrong place?

I searched for a long time online. Instructions were not clear enough. Like, measure from the tip of the nose to the end of the stomach. Well, I can see the tip of the nose but how do you know where the stomach ends? Finally, I found someone (don’t recall the site) who said you go by the last rib.

I had a catheter/feeding tube from a vet, which some rehabbers use. Others warned against these because they have two holes at the end and fluid can get into the lungs. Finally, I found a video by Floyd Murray who had a baby opossum about the same size and used a syringe. I decided to try that.

Another crucial factor was how much to feed. It’s based on their weight, measured in grams, and I only had an old oz/pound scale. It was 1 1/2 oz. I could barely get the opossum’s mouth open but managed to get a few drops of the makeshift Pedialyte every few hours. I slept in intervals. Everything fed had to be heated up. It was inconvenient but well worth the effort. The H&I network was playing the medical drama House from 1 – 3 a.m., which was a big help.

The next day I called the Morgan Park Animal Hospital, Bevlab Clinic, Beverly Hills Clinic, and PetSmart, in that order based on closest location, for Esbilac puppy milk replacement. There were disputes online about puppy milk versus goat milk. Well, only PetSmart had puppy milk. No one had goat milk.

The first stop was to Walgreens for the Pedialyte. Unfortunately, neither Walgreens nor PetSmart had gram scales. The opossum clung to the syringe with the Pedialyte and seemed to enjoy it. It was the best feeding, as he seemed to be getting the hang of it. I searched online for a gram scale and placed an order. Sometime between midnight and 3 a.m., the opossum passed away.  

One of the first facts that wildlife rehabilitators learn is that half of the animals that go to rehab centers die or have to be euthanized. Furthermore, the Wildlife Rescue League states that an opossum’s life span ranges from 2 to 3 years with mortality particularly high during the first year of life. There is some sense of solace with this knowledge. However, it does not prevent the caregiver considerable sadness and tears when an animal dies.  

I don’t believe in coincidences. There is always a message being sent that we can learn from. I’ve told others that when they have an animal encounter that alters their plans, gets their attention, causes them to do research, etc., they’ve been tapped. There is a need to help them. We really don’t know what could be going on in our own backyards. Had I not found it, he would have naturally decomposed and I never would have known. This was the first time I’ve ever touched an opossum but he touched me in more ways than one. The opossum, in general, deserves a follow-up article.    

Animals/Wildlife

The Buzz Goes On

Posted on by Michelle M. Ryan / 4 Comments
Photo by Michelle Ryan

It was mid-summer July when the gardening extends into the evenings. While coming out of the garage with my garden caddy, I noticed a large insect on the lid of a nearby garbage can. I needed the can and was sure that once I moved it, the insect would be on its way. Instead, it fell to the ground once I took the lid off. It was a bumblebee (I thought) and was moving around on the ground.

It’s never a good feeling when you expect something designed to fly away just falls down. After scooping up the bee onto a picnic table, the wings did not appear to be damaged. I carried on with nearby gardening but kept checking on the bee. It would soon be time to call it quits for the day, so now what?

Research revealed that plenty of others inquired about what to do if you find a bee that can’t fly. HoneybeeSuite.com recommends mixing a teaspoon of sugar to two teaspoons of water to help feed a struggling bee. Other sites recommended doing nothing because they don’t live that long anyway and let nature take its course. I decided to let the bee decide. I went ahead and mixed the sugar water. It was placed on several leaves with a syringe in a barrel planter with marigolds.

The barrel was moved onto the picnic table to secure it from the raccoons expected to arrive within a couple hours. The bee walked right through the leaves and chose a marigold to cling to. Its legs and antennae were still moving. If I was a bee in my final hours, I’d like to go out on a bed of marigolds. They’re soft and fluffy with an intoxicating scent.

As I gazed at the bee’s large head and legs, I had a flashback to the movie The Fly starring Jeff Goldblum. (I highly recommend this for the Halloween season. This version stayed with me for months. It was so creepy, it led to research about teleportation. Many before me had online discussions looking for closure with this movie.)

The next day I checked on the bee and there was no more movement. As life passed through its body, it still clung to the marigold. To my relief, I could hear nearby buzzing of another bee that has a nest above a privacy bench leaning against the garage. It was a message of “We will buzz on and carry our pollen.” Another message was “We are living in your garage.”

Yes, I’ve known about the nesting space for years and there have been different types of bees buzzing around it. There is a small piece of siding trim that fell off and the bees are in between the siding and the plywood wall of the garage. I never blocked the opening, even after a couple years of not noticing anymore bees. That would have been the time to do it.

Being wildlife-friendly, I never wanted to trap anyone inside. Put yourself in their position. They don’t see our property as ours. Perhaps our property is infringing on what was once all theirs. We need to work together. Once in a while, I’ll find a bee drowning in a birdbath and quickly scoop it out with a leaf or something. Once their wings dry, they fly on their way.

Bumblebees are fun. They’re big, fuzzy, pretty, and they make a cool buzzing sound. However, I discovered the bee I found was actually a carpenter bee. Similar to carpenter ants, carpenter bees like to make homes in wood. However, neither actually eat wood as termites do. According to the University of Kentucky (UKY), carpenter bees prefer unpainted, weathered wood, especially softer varieties such as redwood, cedar, cypress and pine.

Frankly, I’ve never heard of carpenter bees and they are often mistaken for bumblebees. The blurry picture above shows a couple yellow stripes and it felt furry. The lower portion of the bee’s body is a bit long, pointed, and shiny with no fur. Bumblebees are boxier in shape with more yellow stripes and fur covering their whole body. Other differences include bumblebees live in colonies while carpenter bees are solitary.  Both are excellent pollinators.

Although carpenter bees can drill holes in wood, urbanwildlifecontrol.com states it is actually woodpeckers that can cause more damage to wood as they are after the sweet tasty larva of the bee. There is no shortage of information on how to kill bees and reasons why. However, there is also a wildlife-friendly population that supports how important they are for the environment. Some folks have actually made homes for carpenter bees with the wood they like as an alternative nesting site to keep them around.

Carpenter bees hibernate for the winter (UKY). If I seal the opening, they will have no choice but to drill out through the plywood into the garage in the spring, which might be worse. If I keep the open-door policy, they can come and go as they please. There is no damage to the interior plywood in the garage at this point, as far as I know. This carpenter bee certainly raised my awareness and I have mixed feelings. As for now, I’m not going to do anything other than keep an eye on things.

Uncategorized

How I Heard of Amber Heard

Posted on by Michelle M. Ryan / 2 Comments
This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is crown-Braid-Pexels-tiem-anh-mat-trang-8846537-2-700x467.jpg
A Crown Braid/Pexels

I never heard of Amber Heard until the trial between her and Johnny Depp. Now she’s quite well known but not in a good way. Rumors abound that she will not work in this town (Hollywood) again.

Once in a blue moon, I’ll think of an old favorite celebrity and look them up online. Depp is one such favorite. As a guest on talk shows, he was quite funny without trying to be. Years ago, he was on one such show that I don’t remember and was drinking wine. When the next guest came on, Depp was comically distracting when he kept refilling his glass. I was searching for that scene online and found other videos I wasn’t expecting.

One involved a woman filming Depp in a kitchen where he was cranky, drinking, and slamming cabinet doors. He was clearly not in a good mood. The placement of the cell phone and the way it was being hurriedly adjusted behind his back indicated he did not know he was being recorded. Why was someone doing this? 

This reminded me of another disturbing video of actor David Hasselhoff. His daughter recorded him drunk on a bathroom floor eating a hamburger. She was pleading with him to promise to stop drinking. After the video was released publicly, Hasselhoff received treatment for his addiction. In contrast, the equally humiliating video of Depp seemed that someone was setting him up for a different reason. Of course, it was later realized that it was Heard making the recording that was played in court.

In summary, Heard wrote a leading article in a 2018 issue of the Washington Post where she claimed, “… two years ago, I became a public figure representing domestic abuse. I had the rare vantage point of seeing, in real time, how institutions protect men accused of abuse.” Although Depp is never mentioned by name,she was married to him from February 2015 – January 2017. Depp argued that the article clearly referred to their marriage.

Depp sued Heard for $50 million in a defamation case. She counterclaimed for $100 million. Depp prevailed with $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages because she “acted with actual malice.” (The punitive damages were reduced to $350,000 because of a statutory cap.) Heard was awarded $2 million by the jury in compensatory damages for her counterclaim but nothing in punitive damages.

Speculation among attorneys on Court TV pondered that the jury could come back with a verdict within a day… both could be awarded zero dollars because of their fame, etc. The jury did not come back with a slam dunk. They deliberated for 14 hours over the course of three days with both winning something monetary, but more was at stake.  

Depp said the jury gave him his life back. The last movie that I was aware of with Depp was Murder on the Orient Express in 2017 with several other high-profile celebs. According to Vox.com, in “December 2016, it was announced that Depp would play a key role in the Harry Potter spinoff franchise Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” In 2018, Depp sued a British tabloid for libel after it referred to him as a “wife beater” in an article. The case went to trial in 2020 in London (with no jury) and “the judge accepted that ‘Mr. Depp put Heard in fear of her life.’ Soon after, Depp announced that he had been asked to resign from the Fantastic Beasts franchise.” Depp’s main goal was to get his name back in a favorable way.

On the other hand, it seems that Heard tried to jump on the bandwagon of the #MeToo movement but fell off.  Unlike in the UK, she had to convince a jury and failed. The case was quite convoluted but there were some key factors that reassured me that gut instincts were sound.

When Heard testified, she was quite dramatic. However, there were no tears in her anguish. Wouldn’t a professional actress at least be able to conjure up some tears? I remember years ago a child actress was interviewed on how she was able to cry on cue. She said the director instructed her to think of a sad time and re-envision that time. The girl said she remembered when her pet died and how she felt and was able to cry for the camera.

Heard was heard on a recording taunting Depp that no one would believe that he was a victim of domestic violence following fights they had. Police responded to one such fight and testified there was no evidence to support Heard’s claim of being hit. While explaining another fight on a stairway involving her sister, herself, and Depp, she opened a can of worms. She mentioned that Depp’s ex-girlfriend, super-model Kate Moss, also fell down some stairs when with him. Enter Kate Moss.

Moss testified that she and Depp were leaving a vacation resort and she slipped down a few stairs following a heavy rain. She hurt her back and screamed, as it happened so fast. Depp came running and carried her back to her room and got medical attention. This was important to Depp’s character. At 58-years-old, he’s had lots of girlfriends. None have come forward on a bandwagon claiming abuse, not even to rekindle a fading star of their own.

Depp’s testimony was more believable in that he didn’t try to come across as an angel, that we know he’s not. He admitted to being violent toward the cabinets, etc., but not women. He made headlines in the 90s when he trashed a hotel room and paid nearly 10K for damages. Depp spoke slowly, very slowly, in court. I heard slurred words and wondered what was in his drink. I remember when he was engaged to Winona Ryder and had a tattoo “Winona Forever.” When they broke up, Depp had the last two letters removed, which left the words “Wino Forever.” Perhaps it’s a self-fulfilling prophecy.

The six-week trial was like watching a reality show. Although Heard’s performance didn’t go well, she sure showcased some nice hairstyles. My favorite was the braided crown around her hairline. Another light moment was when a reporter stated that Depp was munching on gummy bears strewn on the table and shared with his legal team throughout the trial. This is not likely the last we’ve heard from Heard or Depp, especially regarding the threat to the #MeToo movement.    

ChicagoLand

The Summer Trip of 2021

Posted on by Michelle M. Ryan / 5 Comments
(Destination reached on top of Flyover & Lake Shore Drive/Photo by Michelle Ryan)

Every summer there comes a point when the yard rules everything. Time seems to move in slow motion as the heat and humidity slow everything down. Boundaries need to be set or the housecleaning could easily be abandoned. This summer was quite different from last. However, vaccinated or not, I’m still behaving as if there was a deadly virus out there. Going out publicly for anything other than necessities is rare.

There was finally a much-needed distraction and (outside) opportunity to go somewhere other than the yard. A friend wanted to visit the Flyover Bridge that extends over Lake Shore Drive. This bridge began construction in 2014 and was expected to be finished by 2018. The $64 million project wasn’t completed until 2021. “The flyover links the two halves of the Lakefront trail for an uninterrupted 18-mile pedestrian and bike-friendly stretch between 71st Street and Hollywood Avenue.” (CBS News, May 10, 2021)

It was the first time I’ve left home farther than Crestwood in 11 months. I warned ahead of time that I will need to have open windows in the car to honor social distancing. No problem. We had air conditioning and open windows at the same time. Never mind that it defeated the purpose. It worked for both of us. Admittedly, it felt uncomfortable to go this far. We drove down Halsted St. to 79th and went east to Jeffreys, which led to Lake Shore Drive. I’m not sure if we were near the 57th St. beach, but it was close.

We parked ($6.00) by Lake Michigan and had a picnic on the ground. There were no tables. We had turkey subway sandwiches and I brought a homemade bean salad. There was a set of monkey bars nearby, or so I thought, but no. Grown men were using them doing chin-ups and ab curls. It was actually a workout station for adults as well. Up close, the bar actually had handles for the chin-ups, etc., but there were no handwipes or sanitizers.

A seagull decided to join us. The seagull knew we just arrived and decided to check us out. He approached gradually, moving closer. He was just watching us. It was obvious he had experience in this. At one point, I tilted my head slightly sideways to carefully take a bite out of the sandwich and the gull tilted his sideways as well. He also tilted his head backward a couple times and let out several shrieks to let the rest of the flock know that we were his territory. My friend tossed him a chickpea and I thought, uh-oh, here we go. He spit it out. He stayed for nearly a half hour trying to lure us.

There was also a flock of Canadian geese that gradually made their way near us as well. They are quite handsome. They were busy pecking away at the lawn. One got quite close but was polite. It’s amazing how they have adapted to people. They seemed to be city geese. I’ve wondered about the ones in the cemetery next door to me. Do they also go to Lake Michigan?


(Abrupt drop-off of Lake Michigan/Michelle Ryan)

A trip to the lake is nothing without getting close to the water. We packed everything up and headed to the lake making our way down several three-to-four-foot sea walls. There was an abrupt drop-off about four feet above the water. As we strolled along the edge, there was a ladder that led straight down into the lake. I wondered how deep it was in that area because the water was too dark to see below. My friend estimated it to be about eight-to-twelve feet. I thought this must be where divers enter the water in the event of a rescue.

There were only a few other people who were that close to the water – a young couple sitting on one of the walls, a jogger, and a man with two young kids. As we continued walking further north, I looked back and saw that the female of the couple took off her outer gear to reveal a pink bathing suit. Hmm. I thought she couldn’t actually go into the lake at this point, right?

Well, she walked to the ladder and climbed down into the lake. Her boyfriend was taking pictures of her from the edge. He then headed back to the sea wall and stripped down into swimming trunks and suddenly ran right off the edge into the water (see above photo). I nearly flipped.  One of the kids nearby asked his dad what they were doing. The father said, “They are breaking the law. There are big rocks underneath. That is very dangerous.”

It was odd to see two heads bobbing up and down in this dark, desolate area of the lake. The actual beach was quite a ways south. Then the woman began swimming out further into the lake, which was making me uncomfortable. The waves were not too bad, but it’s still risky. The couple did not stay in the water for too long. It was obvious they had done this before. They knew exactly where to get into the water and I felt better seeing them safely return to their place on the sea wall.

According to an article by Dan Moran in Lake County’s News-Sun, (May 24, 2019), “The Big Lake (Michigan) is essentially an inland sea with every natural reality involved in that definition, from weather-driven waves and currents to northern-climate temperatures that can suck the energy out of any swimmer, even a strong one.”

(Wildflower Path leading to Flyover Bridge/Michelle Ryan)

As we headed back to the car, we spotted a path with a small field full of wildflowers on both sides. It beckoned us to take a stroll. At the end of the path, we could see the flyover bridge. There was a ramp that led upward with four slender lanes. The closest lane to the railing is for walkers, single file, and bicycles to the left. The orange line separates coming and going. The construction of the sides is wire.

(Heading up Flyover Bridge, Lake Shore Drive/Michelle Ryan)

We only got to about the middle of Lake Shore Drive below us, then headed back. Going downward on the ramp was much easier. A funny scenario was coming behind us. A baby stroller was rolling down the decline with a young man running behind it. We started laughing as they approached and he was grinning as he grabbed the handle of the stroller to slow it down. My friend exclaimed, “Your wife would kill you if she saw this.” More chuckles abounded. The baby also looked happy.  

(Another view from above/Michelle Ryan)

A sit-down was required after all the walking. As we sat in the car, people-watching was the next area of interest. One woman stood out as she was dressed in black Muslim attire from head to toe. Only her eyes were visible. (This could have been an Abaya or Chador combined with a Hijab as the head covering.) She was an awesome mysterious sight as the soft material flowed in the wind behind her as she walked.

An elderly white man with white hair and wearing white shorts and socks was not at all bashful as he walked topless. It did not look like he spent much time in the sun, which added to his whiteness. As he walked past the pull-up bars, he grabbed on and tried to hoist himself up. He only made it a few inches off the ground but he walked away with complete confidence.

Last but not least, was a seemingly free-spirited girl in a short red tartan skirt. She had brown hair about chin-length and not much makeup. We kept seeing her throughout the area everywhere we went. I wondered if she was casing us. She was walking by herself wearing headphones. Back and forth. Just before we left, she was last seen purchasing the use of a scooter and off she went with her brown hair flowing freely.

It was certainly an adventurous day. By the end of it, everyone likely went back to their homes and lives.  This is just one of many missed experiences from the general population of the summer before.

Chime In

Illinois Opens to Phase Five

Posted on by Michelle M. Ryan / 5 Comments

#4 A year ago we had no idea where we’d be as far as the pandemic was concerned. Last year Dr. Anthony Fauci stated that possibly by the fall of 2021, we might be able to go back to normal. Illinois has now opened to full capacity (restaurants, bars, entertainment venues, churches etc.)

What are your thoughts?  Will you still practice protocol if you go back to social events, etc.?

ChicagoLand

A Phone Call You Don’t Want to Make

Posted on by Michelle M. Ryan / 8 Comments

2020 has been an unprecedented year, to say the least. A memorable year, yet one we wouldn’t want to repeat. Despite COVID-19 and the tumultuous election, there was a real-life horror story that made headlines in (at least) Illinois and Kentucky this past fall.

A 31-year-old woman, Ladawndra Ellington, who was living in Louisville, Kentucky, with her boyfriend, 30-year-old Melvin Martin, Jr. Ellington had not been seen in several weeks.

Neighbors noticed Martin coming and going from their apartment. Martin was seen carrying large black garbage bags and at least one large suitcase to a garbage dumpster. At the time, no connection was made that Ellington’s body (part of) was in those bags. Who would suspect such a thing?

Martin had been having financial issues (including the IRS) and decided to come to south suburban Markham to stay with relatives. He arrived via a Greyhound bus with suitcases, which he was quite guarded about. Relatives had an inkling of suspicion about the suitcases when Martin asked them for clothing, yet never unpacked.

When Martin’s mother dropped him off at the local library, she went home and decided to see what was in the suitcases. To her shock, there were body parts including a head, lower torso, and organs. The mother called 911 and reported what she discovered. Markham Police went to the local library and arrested Martin.

Martin was on the IRS website at the library when police arrived and investigators found several letters from the IRS in Martin’s baggage. Markham Police Chief, Terry White, said “Martin cooperated with police and was remorseful.”

The woman was killed in a domestic assault in Louisville, following an argument this past summer. She had been dead for at least 30 days and was reported missing. Her torso was found in a park near Louisville, Kentucky.

Police said Martin had prior domestic arrests and court records show Martin has a history of domestic violence charges including protection orders requested by different women. Ellington filed an emergency order of protection against Martin in late May, 2020.

According to a Facebook posting by her church, Ellington belonged to Ekklesia Christian Life Ministries and was remembered as a kind, gentle soul “who helped deliver food and essentials to the homeless.”

It is not known whether Ellington was aware of the prior restraining orders other women had filed against Martin, or of his prior domestic arrests. Martin was extradited to Kentucky and is facing charges for murder, domestic violence, tampering with physical evidence and abuse of a corpse.

Martin pled not guilty and bond was originally set at $500,000. The county argued that Martin’s “extensive criminal history, including domestic violence, warrants a higher bond.” The judge agreed and increased bond to $1 million, considering Martin could also be a flight risk.

Melvin Martin, Jr.

The whole scenario is like an episode of Dateline. The picture is noteworthy because Martin looks like an average black man. He doesn’t look “crazy.” Charles Manson is a good example of someone who looked crazy, but let’s face it. Most killers don’t look obviously dangerous. According to Chief White, Martin indicated that, “As grotesque as it might sound, that he still wanted to be with at least part of her.”  

Other issues are worth pondering. The bus trip from Louisville to Chicago was reported as five hours long. Chief White stated, “There were some early reports of a foul odor coming from the bags,” but it is not clear who all noticed. Did anyone notice on the bus? Perhaps social distancing prevented that.

The fact that Martin’s mother turned her son in to authorities is also noteworthy. Obviously, her son would be arrested and likely charged with murder. This is quite controversial about whether to call the police on your child. Although Martin is a grown man, he will always be her son. How many times have we seen in the news, how a mother denies her son was involved in a shooting despite him being caught on surveillance camera showing otherwise?

The incident also reminded me of when the Unabomber’s brother reported him to authorities. A sibling connection can be rivalrous throughout a lifetime. However, the mother and son connection is umbilical. Realizing that your son is likely a killer and reporting him to authorities cuts the cord in a whole different way. It brings a whole new level to, “If you see something, say something.”

References: Chicago Tribune & WDRB Media, Louisville, KY.

Blue Island Chronicles

Iversen’s Bakery

Posted on by Michelle M. Ryan / 0 Comment
Photo by Michelle M. Ryan

(Update: Iversen’s Bakery closed its business on July 16, 2022.)

The small quaint bakery has been in business for 62 years at 12948 S. Western Avenue and advertising with the Blue Island Forum since 1998. When I initially called the bakery for this interview, Herta Iversen answered the phone and said her son, Chris, is in charge. She explained that her husband passed away a few years ago.

I was looking forward to this interview because it was a small family business that’s rolled with the changes and we could all learn something. While waiting and sniffing the scrumptious air, several customers came in. They knew exactly what they wanted, as if this was a morning ritual and the whole atmosphere was friendly and old-fashioned.

Debbie Dornhecker, Chris Iversen, & Socorro Jimenez
Photo by Michelle M. Ryan

Chris Iversen was very busy and warned me that he will be doing things while talking to me, as he led me in back to the kitchen area. It was funny when I looked around for chairs but there really wasn’t anywhere to sit and chat. This was a stand-up interview. During the interview, someone walked in and handed him a gallon of milk, which he promptly refrigerated (noteworthy). There was quite a bit of noise from the clanging of large baking sheets, but we prevailed.

I asked early on about Mr. Iversen’s mother’s accent. She is from Germany and his father was from Denmark. They came over from Europe in the early 1950s, both children of farmers. Neither could speak English and they met at Fenger High School where they learned our native language. Mr. Iversen made sure that I noted his last name’s spelling “sen” to represent Danish heritage.

According to “A Handbook of Scandinavian Names,” the suffix “sen” differentiates Danish from Swedish. Swedes usually go by a “son” suffix in their surname. Additionally, when Scandinavians immigrated to the U.S., they often adopted the “son” version to Americanize themselves, regardless of their origin. I appreciate the Iversen’s honoring their heritage.  

Iversen’s Bakery is literally a family business. Regarding standout memories of anything exciting or unusual, Mr. Iversen replied, “All memories revolve here. I was four or five-years-old when my dad brought me to the bakery around 1:00 in the morning on holidays. I brought my own daughters to the bakery with the baby carrier on the desk. That’s just what you do. When you have a family business, there’s no time off when you have a baby. The babies start acclimating to the business from the git-go.”

Photo by Michelle M. Ryan

I asked about how the baking industry has changed over the years, which I found the most educational. Apparently, as arteries have gotten harder from too much cholesterol, regulations have also gotten harder. There are regulations regarding the kind of shortening (or oil) bakeries can use. I wondered if there were inspections, but Iversen explained that, “It’s our manufacturers that have to change, which in turn, affects the bakery having to change our formula to adapt.”

I remembered the time when I tried to bake healthier cookies. I substituted a fat-free spread for butter and the cookies literally spread across the baking sheet. Another time I used fat-free cream cheese, thinking I could have my cookie and eat it too. Well, they turned out awful.

As home bakers, we can choose what we want to use, but it never occurred to me that professional bakers actually had regulations.  Another challenge is competing with grocery chains. This is completely understandable. Imagine Jeben’s Hardware versus Menards. We all like better prices but remember, we may very well be putting our favorite Mom-and-Pop stores out of business. Personally, I do not find a bakery or deli counter at a large chain store that can even compare to an old-fashioned family bakery such as Iversen’s.

Photo by Michelle M. Ryan

There is good news regarding the bakery’s busiest time of year, which are holidays – Iversen related, “Thanksgiving, Christmas, the Light Parade, Valentine’s Day, Paczki Day or Fat Tuesday, St. Patrick’s Day, and the South Side Irish Parade. Halloween used to be better but it’s lost some of its luster. The Light Parade is a wonderful thing we do here in Blue Island.” I can attest to the wonderful seasonal celebration here. I saw big cookies shaped like turkeys. They had beautiful frosting with details in different colors.

Biggest sellers include the seasonal items, donuts, sweet rolls, and decorated cakes. Mr. Iversen emphasized that, “Decorated cakes are what we specialize in and we can do better than grocery stores.” Specials are offered regularly and you never know what sign may be displayed in their window. I couldn’t help but notice the sacred sign posted looking for part-time help upon my arrival. I asked if he only wanted people with experience and he said, “No, we’re really willing to teach and we’re always looking for good people. In back, yeah, I need some experience but even there, I’ve been willing to train.”   

Photo by Michelle M. Ryan

I was especially attracted to the yellow smiley-face cookies, which made me smile back. May I suggest that if someone you know needs cheering up, these cookies may help. I’m not sure if they are a regular feature but the care that goes into the decorating is certain to make someone’s day! With all the color, scrumptious scent, and friendly atmosphere, the bakery seems to be thriving. Iversen’s, plus thriving, equals Thriversen’s (you read it here first).

The most important part of the Business Spotlight is that we get a chance to hear a perspective from a longstanding business owner. We need to pay attention to them because they have wisdom to share and help make a better community.  I asked if he wanted to share any dislikes or concerns?

Mr. Iversen raised an important issue regarding parking in front of businesses. He has lost customers because cars park in front and sit for hours. He tried to get a “15-Minute Parking” sign in front but to no avail. The police are not enforcing parking ordinances. I reassured Mr. Iversen that Blue Island is not the only suburb that isn’t enforcing parking ordinances. I could see the look of some reassurance in his eyes. Personally, I find it troubling that municipalities claim to be so strapped for money when they have an untapped source of revenue for blatant violations.

Upon arrival for this interview, I parked in the Moraine Valley lot behind the building. As a former student of this college, I know the lot can fill up quickly and a couple times I parked kitty-corner in the lot at the northeast corner of High St. & Western. Moraine’s website states “Free parking is available in the City of Blue Island parking lot, located immediately west of the building. Additional parking is available in the city lot one block southeast.” It would be helpful for faculty to mention this to students, so that customers (especially elderly) have access to our local businesses.

The bakery opens at 5:00 a.m. and closes at 5:00 p.m. (Monday – Saturday). See their ad in our paper. Keep Iversen’s Bakery in mind when buying a special gift for that someone special in your life and you will also support a great Blue Island business.

On Monday, November 16, the State is requesting that everyone follow another stay-at-home practice (30 days), as we are heading into a second surge of the coronavirus. Iversen’s Bakery intends to keep regular business hours at this time. They can be reached at 708-385-3410. This article was originally published in the November, 2019, issue of the Blue Island Forum newspaper and has been updated.

Blue Island Chronicles

Mysteries from The Vault

Posted on by Michelle M. Ryan / 2 Comments

A recent report by CBS news showed a video of hundreds of people gathered outside of The Vault located at 13057 S. Western Avenue in Blue Island. Social distancing was obviously not in place, nor face coverings in use. When reporter Suzanne Le Mignot called The Vault for explanation, the owner hung up on her.

Le Mignot was able to get in touch with Mayor Vargas who stated that the Blue Island Police have gone to this venue three times since the start of Phase 4, which was just over a few weeks ago. Two of the visits found that The Vault was not in compliance with social distancing, mask wearing, and occupancy, whereupon the owner was given notice to comply.

The Vault is a game room, sports bar, and venue space. Their website shows many pictures of children. As expected, their faces express glee while playing the many games offered. Is it likely that they will be thinking about Personal Protection Equipment? It will be up to parents to ensure proper protection.

I spoke with a Vault rep regarding the CBS video and protocol followed, especially children’s parties.  The rep explained that the CBS video was outside and did not reflect indoors. “The staff disinfects everything commonly handled every hour after a party has their scheduled time.”

Since The Vault offers entertainment for both children and adults, this establishment is not alone in the issue of safety concerns. Bar owners have bemoaned the problem of trying to control everyone from socializing with others at another table in such a venue. Some owners have been strapped with fines for breaking rules. The fines have further threatened businesses on the brink of closure from the stay-at-home order itself, while cities need businesses to stay open for the tax revenue.

Another obvious issue is the process of drinking. It’s one thing to wear a mask to a store where you would not engage in consuming drinks, but the whole purpose of the bar is to provide drinking. A mask would likely be in the way. I’ve imagined a mask with a slit that would allow access to a straw to ingest one’s beverage.

But then there is also the alcohol-induced camaraderie. Once the alcohol takes effect, the atmosphere can change with people getting louder and friendlier with each other. Let’s face(mask) it. Inhibitions are lowered, and people let their guards down, as well as their face coverings. As voices get louder, spit may go flying where you’d rather it not.

Are we literally dying to reopen too soon? The mystery remains. Reopening too soon can spread the virus and set all of us back to the previous phase. Business owners are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. However, just because some communities want to open venues and push business forward doesn’t mean you have to partake. It comes down to your own choice. Enter at your own risk.

Blue Island Chronicles/Calumet Park Chronicles

Old-Fashioned Lawyer Shares Memories

Posted on by Michelle M. Ryan / 0 Comment
(Photo by Michelle M. Ryan)

Ronald Babb had a law office in Blue Island’s historical Masonic Temple from 1993 until 2018 when the Temple was sold. The thought of retirement crossed his mind and that was the one thing that two of his three daughters said to him, “Dad, wouldn’t this be a good time to retire?” He didn’t feel like he wanted to retire yet and had to relocate to Oak Forest (15601 S. Cicero Ave. #103).

Babb has lived in Blue Island since 1970 and served as an alderman from 1983 to 1990. He grew up in neighboring Calumet Park “from about the age of nine or ten years old until I got married at 21 or 22.” I was surprised to learn that he actually lived on the same block as me.

Since he still lives in Blue Island, I asked what he likes about it. “It’s interesting because as kids growing up in Calumet Park, most people then had a feeling that we weren’t as good as the people living in Blue Island.” I was again surprised because I personally have never experienced that feeling, yet, this is not the first time a Cal-Parker has mentioned this. He said, “I don’t think it’s true and I didn’t think it was true back then.”

Babb continued, “But you see, Blue Island was a hub back then. Back then was in the 50s and into the 60s because you had all the car dealers and Kline’s. At one point, we had a Montgomery Ward and a Sears store, two or three men’s and women’s clothing stores, two maybe even three jewelers. It was quite different. The businesses were quite different than the ones that are here now, but see, this was in the days before shopping malls, so Blue Island was in a really different position. They were a business hub.”

I told him of my mom and I taking a bus from Cal-Park to Blue Island and it was like a field trip. Babb reminisced about how, “You could also go the other way to Roseland. Roseland was a big place too. There was the Home Store, Gately’s People Store, which was big according to standards back then. And of course, a big thing that Blue Island and Roseland had back then was a movie theater. This was mostly when there were no TVs, or maybe TVs with four channels and that was it,” he chuckled.

Attorney Ronald Babb
(Photo by Michelle M. Ryan)

I asked when he knew he wanted to go into law? Babb was married and working, so he went to college part-time. “I got interested in Liberal Arts but originally started as an engineer. Political science, psychology, and history are easier to do than math, science, and physics. For one thing, you can usually just read the material, then take a test. With math and science there are ongoing assignments every day. I wasn’t able to do that because I worked. With history, if I couldn’t get everything done each day, I could catch up on the weekend,” he said.

Oftentimes, teachers help us all along career paths and Babb had a teacher who said he should take the LSAT (Law School Admissions Test). He took the test and did very well. Another political science teacher suggested he apply for Northwestern. He thought, “Why would they want me? (chuckles) But they did. It’s a good school.”  

While Babb was struggling to get through college, his wife was very supportive. She had a master’s degree in teaching, but he said, “You have to put in the time.  I just worked, went to school and slept for a number of years. As a young man you don’t get into trouble doing that,” he again chuckled.

Babb went to law school at Northwestern with an undergrad at the University of Illinois at Chicago. “It was an interesting time. I started law school in the fall of ‘69. This was at the start of the Viet Nam war. This was after the 1968 Democratic Convention of Chicago where all these people were arrested, and the Chicago Seven trial was going on in my first year of law school. It was a turbulent time,” he said. Babb was admitted to the bar in 1973. “I enjoyed my time there. I learned a lot and met some really interesting and really smart people. I’m still in touch with a couple of the people I knew there.”

Upon asking of any standout memories, without hesitation, he answered, “Before the Bridgeview Courthouse was there, Oak Lawn used the council chamber as a courthouse. In my first month as a lawyer, I was with another lawyer with about seven months experience. The sheriff came in and said you need to talk to a guy. He was brought in wearing shackles and had shot and killed seven people − his parents, next-door neighbor, a little girl riding a tri-cycle … ”

“This was back before there were a lot of mass slayings. We had to stand before a judge for a bond hearing, which was denied and it was handled by the court at 26th and California.” (This was the first time that Babb’s name appeared in a newspaper and his wife said, “You’re in the paper for representing a crazed killer.”) “The defendant was ruled unfit to stand trial, and sent to downstate Chester, a (maximum security) mental health facility. He was rehabbed on meds, sent back to Chicago to spend a month or two in Cook County jail. This process was repeated for about 10 years until the defendant died in prison of a heart attack.” 

Babb continued to work as public defender for 17-and-a-half years before going into private practice. He reflected, “It was interesting and sometimes a little depressing. I handled a number of murder trials over the years. Some lawyers are in a task force that only handles murders and I didn’t want to be in there.”

Currently, his practice is mostly real estate and evictions, not too much criminal law anymore. I asked if someone is considering going into law, what advice would you give? “Well, there are a lot of lawyers. I read that we now have 90,000-something lawyers in Illinois. If someone nowadays wants to go into law, I wouldn’t discourage them but I wouldn’t tell them that they’re really going to make a lot of money.” (According to 2Civility.org, as of 2016, there were 94,610 registered lawyers in Illinois.)

Regarding the best part of being an attorney, Babb answered, “A good part is being your own boss, but that would be the same for anyone with their own business. Helping people is another. Most lawyers fulfill a good service. I feel that most of the time. Sometimes it’s a drag but that is part of life. Young people today think everything should be easy, like we don’t need to work for it.”

In contrast, the hardest part of being an attorney or having a law office, Babb states, “Like any business, you have to deal with income versus expenses, you have to balance. If you increase fees you can drive away business.”

I wondered about when we hear about attorneys being charged with a crime and they’re disbarred. All the work to become licensed and they take a wrong turn. Babb explained, “They’re under the same kind of pressure as everyone else. There could be bad cases, some are prone to greed. I knew three or four like this. One or two that I used to work with went to prison for stealing funds from clients. One was a judge involved in briberies and went to prison for about ten years. But this is no worse than policemen and other professions.”

I expressed my joy of two old favorite law shows − The Practice and Boston Legal by David E. Kelley (also an attorney). Babb admitted he loved those shows. “In truth, I always liked Perry Mason because that’s going back years, but even with Perry Mason, they win too much. In reality, the criminal defense attorney, no matter how good or bad, you don’t win much. And as a citizen, I don’t think you want them to win much because there is a reason your client is there.”

(Photo by Michelle M. Ryan)

I asked Babb what message he would like Blue Islanders to know? “I’m very sorry we couldn’t find an office in Blue Island. We had plenty of cooperation. Mark Miller from the city went with us and talked to people and actually showed us a few places but there was no place that would not have taken a lot of work and an extra investment on our part to make the space inhabitable,” Babb said.

When Babb said “us,” he’s referring to he and his longtime secretary, Dawn Tobin. She has been with him since 1993. Being the gentleman that he is, he wanted to make sure she got an honorable mention. I can attest to this from whenever I’ve called the office. She is very professional, nice, patient, efficient, and empathetic. These are all important traits when dealing with their main area of practice involving evictions.

In closing, Babb has the same clientele coming to him, many Blue Islanders, and many saw his ad in the Forum. He’s had good returns from advertising in the Forum, which he appreciates, and so do we.

This article was originally published in the December/2019 issue of the Blue Island Forum Newspaper. Attorney Babb is still seeing clients in a limited capacity throughout the current pandemic situation. Appointments can be scheduled at 708-388-7783.