By Joe Boyle
A recent shooting incident in Palos Hills has drawn the ire of an alderman who said information about the crime was not distributed to local officials.
Ald. AJ. Pasek (3rd) said that he was having dinner with some friends when he was asked about the shooting that occurred in Palos Hills. The alderman said he was surprised to learn about the incident and added that he was embarrassed that he was unaware of the crime.
"If the mayor (Palos Hills Mayor Gerald Bennett) is informed by an email, it should be sent out to (local officials)," Pasek said during the Palos Hills City Council meeting last Thursday night.
Bennett said that it is not as easy as that, especially when there is an ongoing investigation. All the information may not be readily available, he added.
"All I'm saying is that I just want to know," Pasek said. "I don't need all the information right away but we should know when this happens. That's all I'm asking."
Palos Hills Police Chief Paul Madigan said they don't send out separate emails to public officials when these incidents first take place.
An emotional Pasek asked the board what they thought. Ald. Mark Brachman (2nd) intervened and said that more could possibly be done in terms of relaying information to the aldermen in the future.
The mayor wanted to point out when information goes out about such an incident initially, more details are needed to verify what actually happened. When the details of the crime become more clear, it is reported on the city website, Bennett said.
The shooting took place about 11:55 p.m. Aug. 22 at a home in the vicinity of Stratford Lane and 90th Avenue. Mark Kinastowski, 53, of Palos Hills, was arrested at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25 in connection with the shooting. Palos Hills police had responded to the scene and learned that a 25-year-old Tinley Park man was shot during a dispute at the home. The victim was taken to a hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Kinastowski fled the scene before police arrived, but an investigation led to his arrest on Aug. 22, Palos Hills police said. He has been charged with a felony count of attempted murder and a misdemeanor count of battery, according to police and the Cook County State's Attorney's office.
The Palos Hills shooting incident was reported in the Aug. 27 edition of The Reporter.
On another matter, Pasek was angry about the amount of money the city is paying to remove geese from Gerald R. Bennett Park at 108th and Roberts Road. A company was hired by Nick Oeffling, director of the city's Public Works Department, at the end of last year.
Oeffling pointed out that the price — $800 a month — was comparable to other companies. However, this year geese continued to arrive at the park during the summer, much to the displeasure of visitors who complained about the waste they were leaving.
"We had a major geese problem last fall," Oeffling said. "I looked into how to eliminate them but the geese have been a problem through the summer."
Pasek said that when such decisions are discussed there is a need for more vetting and believes these added expenses are an unnecessary drain on the city's finances.
However, the mayor and some other aldermen disagreed.
"It's a public park and you want to maintain it the best way possible," Bennett said.
Oeffling said that his department had received numerous complaints about the geese. Ald. Mike Price (1st) agreed that the geese have become a nuisance.
"It is a safety concern," Price said. "We got a lot more people coming out there to the park. I'm not exaggerating that there are 20 to 30 people out there every day and they have been complaining about the geese. I think we have to listen to them."
Madigan said that the police department has also fielded many complaints about the geese.
However, Oeffling said he would reevaluate the work of the company that has been removing the geese at the end of the year.
Bennett did relay concerns about the spread of the coronavirus that is occurring in Palos Hills of late. He reminded everyone at last Thursday's meeting to proceed with caution over the Labor Day weekend when more people would be gathering and some may let their guard down.
Bennett said that a 40-percent hike in positivity rates have been recorded in Palos Hills this past summer, or about 500 cases.
"Believe it or not, family gatherings are becoming a problem," Bennett said. "A cousin or two may come by and then before you know it, the problem happens."
By Joe Boyle
A recent shooting incident in Palos Hills has drawn the ire of an alderman who said information about the crime was not distributed to local officials.
Ald. AJ. Pasek (3rd) said that he was having dinner with some friends when he was asked about the shooting that occurred in Palos Hills. The alderman said he was surprised to learn about the incident and added that he was embarrassed that he was unaware of the crime.
"If the mayor (Palos Hills Mayor Gerald Bennett) is informed by an email, it should be sent out to (local officials)," Pasek said during the Palos Hills City Council meeting last Thursday night.
Bennett said that it is not as easy as that, especially when there is an ongoing investigation. All the information may not be readily available, he added.
"All I'm saying is that I just want to know," Pasek said. "I don't need all the information right away but we should know when this happens. That's all I'm asking."
Palos Hills Police Chief Paul Madigan said they don't send out separate emails to public officials when these incidents first take place.
An emotional Pasek asked the board what they thought? Ald. Mark Brachman (2nd) intervened and said that more could possibly be done in terms of relaying information to the aldermen in the future.
The mayor wanted to point out when information goes out about such an incident initially, more details are needed to verify what actually happened. When the details of the crime become more clear, it is reported on the city website, Bennett said.
The shooting took place about 11:55 p.m. Aug. 22 at a home in the vicinity of Stratford Lane and 90th Avenue. Mark Kinastowski, 53, of Palos Hills, was arrested at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 25 in connection with the shooting. Palos Hills police had responded to the scene and learned that a 25-year-old Tinley Park man was shot during a dispute at the home. The victim was taken to a hospital and treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
Kinastowski fled the scene before police arrived, but an investigation led to his arrest on Aug. 22, Palos Hills police said. He has been charged with a felony count of attempted murder and a misdemeanor count of battery, according to police and the Cook County State's Attorney's office.
The Palos Hills shooting incident was reported in the Aug. 27 edition of The Reporter.
On another matter, Pasek was angry about the amount of money the city is paying to remove geese from Gerald R. Bennett Park at 108th and Roberts Road. A company was hired by Nick Oeffling, director of the city's Public Works Department, at the end of last year.
Oeffling pointed out that the price — $800 a month — was comparable to other companies. However, this year geese continued to arrive at the park during the summer, much to the displeasure of visitors who complained about the waste they were leaving.
"We had a major geese problem last fall," Oeffling said. "I looked into how to eliminate them but the geese have been a problem through the summer."
Pasek said that when such decisions are discussed there is a need for more vetting and believes these added expenses are an unnecessary drain on the city's finances.
However, the mayor and some other aldermen disagreed.
"It's a public park and you want to maintain it the best way possible," Bennett said.
Oeffling said that his department had received numerous complaints about the geese. Ald. Mike Price (1st) agreed that the geese have become a nuisance.
"It is a safety concern," Price said. "We got a lot more people coming out there to the park. I'm not exaggerating that there are 20 to 30 people out there every day and they have been complaining about the geese. I think we have to listen to them."
Madigan said that the police department has also fielded many complaints about the geese.
However, Oeffling said he would reevaluate the work of the company that has been removing the geese at the end of the year.
Bennett did relay concerns about the spread of the coronavirus that is occurring in Palos Hills of late. He reminded everyone at last Thursday's meeting to proceed with caution over the Labor Day weekend when more people would be gathering and some may let their guard down.
Bennett said that a 40 percent hike in positivity rates have been recorded in Palos Hills this past summer, or about 500 cases.
"Believe it or not, family gatherings are becoming a problem," Bennett said. "A cousin or two may come by and then before you know it, the problem happens."