Bridgeview brothers plead guilty to stealing converters in Orland

Phillip Orbeck

By Desplaines Valley News

Two brothers from Bridgeview have begun serving their three-year sentences after pleading guilty earlier this month to stealing catalytic converters from two vehicles in Orland Park.

Nicolas Orbeck, 31, and his brother Philip Orbeck, 28, both of Bridgeview, were charged with two counts of felony theft after police arrested them on March 25 after receiving  a call of suspicious men at McCarthy Farms, 10301 W. 159th St., while it was closed.

Nicolas Orbeck

Police said the men had removed a catalytic converter from a vehicle at McCarthy Farms and another from a bus at the Orland Park SportsPlex, 11351 W. 159th St. 

Catalytic converters are prized by thieves because of the precious metals they contain, including platinum, palladium or rhodium. They are fairly easy to remove from a vehicle and the converter can fetch from $100 to $150 at a scrap yard.

The brothers pleaded guilty on May 9 at the Bridgeview courthouse and were taken into custody.

The next day they were transferred to the Northern Reception Center in Joliet for processing. They will likely be sent to a minimum security prison to serve their sentences.

According to the Illinois Department of Corrections website, they will be eligible for parole next year.

Desplaines Valley water restrictions kick in as summer approaches

By Bob Bong 
Desplaines Valley News

With all the rain we've had so far this year, you might be wondering why towns are starting to impose restrictions on outdoor water use.

Turns out, it's not all about being environmentally responsible. 

There's a state rule that towns that get Lake Michigan water are required to have some sort of water conservation plan and restricting outdoor water usage during the summer is the preferred method.

"Rules included in the Lake Michigan Water Allocation Program require communities to have some kind of water conservation plan in place," said Jim Casey, an engineer with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, Office of Water Resources.

"We keep the requirement language purposely vague to encourage towns to comply," he said.

For most of the towns in the Desplaines Valley that means a ban on sprinkling except during set hours from mid-May to mid-September.

"If we learn of a town that doesn't have a conservation plan, then obviously we would ask them to create one," Casey said.

"We have restrictions but we have not been as diligent in enforcing them as we should," said Bedford Park Mayor Dave Brady.

"And, obviously, we can impose even tougher restrictions if we need to, such as during a drought," he said.

A brief survey of area communities showed that all but  Justice and Willow Springs have village-imposed water usage restrictions.

"Our water is controlled by the Justice-Willow Springs Water Commission," said Justice Village Clerk Kathy Svoboda. "They would be responsible for any conservation plan."

Officials with that agency did not return messages.

Restrictions in other communities include:

• Summit: No watering, sprinkling, washing cars etc. from noon to 6 p.m. from May 15 through Sept. 15.
• Bedford Park: No sprinkling or cleaning of streets, curbs and alleys between May 15 and Sept. 15 except from 7-11 a.m. and 7-11 p.m.
• Bridgeview: Watering hours are from 8 a.m. to noon and 8:30 p.m. to midnight from May 15 to Sept. 15. Even numbered addresses water on even numbered dates, odd numbered addresses water on odd numbered dates.Brookfield: From May 15 to Sept. 15, lawn watering, the filling of swimming pools and watering of new sod is not allowed from noon to 6 p.m. daily. There are no restrictions for gardens, shrubs or car washing.
• Countryside: No watering of lawns or gardens from noon to 6 p.m.  from May 15 to Sept. 15. Residents may water during other hours on an even/odd basis depending on the last number of the home's address.
• Hodgkins: Watering is restricted to evening hours from 5-9 p.m. daily from May 15-Sept.15.
• Indian Head Park: No outdoor water use from noon to 6 p.m. daily from May 15 to Sept. 15.
• Justice: No restrictions
• Lyons: Lawn sprinkling and watering is permitted from midnight to noon and from 6 p.m. to midnight on Sunday, Wednesday and Friday of each week from May 14 through Sept. 15, unless a total ban is ordered by the village president.
• McCook: Sprinkling is permitted only from 6 a.m. to noon and from  4-10 p.m. from May 15 to Sept.15.
• Willow Springs: No restriction.

Communities with restrictions will usually give first-time offenders a warning. 

In Lyons, offenders will be given local tickets with fines ranging from $25 for a first offense up to $750 fine for repeat offenders.

Bedford Park will issue a warning followed by a $50 ticket for a first offense to $500 for repeat offenders.

Orland Park florist moves to Palos Heights

Sass & Class Flowers moved last month from Orland Park to Palos Heights.

By Bob Bong
Southland Savvy

Work hasn’t even started yet on the massive LaGrange Road widening project through Orland Park and it has already claimed one business.

Courtney Twomey, owner of Sass & Class Flowers, in April moved her shop from its longtime home on LaGrange Road to new digs at 12250 S. Harlem Ave. in Palos Heights. She now shares space with Chalet Florist, which is owned by Tim Jackson.

“I moved because I was going to lose part of my parking lot to the widening project and because business was sure to fall off during construction,” said Twomey, who opened the shop at 146^th Street and LaGrange Road in Orland Park more than a decade ago.

“I really enjoyed being in Orland Park,” she said. “But it was time to make a move.”

Twomey also said she was transitioning Sass & Class from a retail flower shop into a specialty shop for weddings and events.

“My wedding business is booming,” she said. “I plan to get out of the retail side within the next six months to a year.” 

She said that despite the move the shop’s phone number, website and email stayed the same.

 For information, call 708-460-4036 or visit Sass & Class online or check out their Facebook page.

Evergreen Plaza to close interior

The Plaza in Evergreen Park, which opened in 1952, will close its interior stores on May 31, according to a story in the BeverlyReview.

Evergreen Plaza Managing General Partner Bruce Provo told the paper that the economics of running a 920,000-square-foot retail center with few existing tenants prompted the closure.

Provo said Carson’s, Planet Fitness, Enterprise and Applebee’s had long-term leases and would remain open, according to the paper.

The mall has been trying to sell or reinvent itself for several years and most recently was in talks with Tampa-based DeBartolo Development LLC to purchase a $20 million bank note for the mall, which went into foreclosure in 2011.

DeBartolo was reportedly planning to demolish most of the existing buildings and spend approximately $111 million to redevelop the property as a 450,000-square-foot retail center including a big-box tenant surrounded by smaller stores.

Alexander's closes in Palos Heights

Alexander's Restaurant and Banquets closed recently less than a year after it opened at 13248 S. 76th Avenue in Palos Heights.

A village staffer said the property had been acquired by a bank in Palos Hills.

Dental office opens in Bedford Park

Bedford Dental has opened at 7250 S. Cicero Ave. in Bedford Park. Hours are daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. For information, call 708-496-8896.

If you see a new business in town or wonder what happened to an old favorite, drop me a line at bobbong@hotmail.com.

You can also follow business happenings at Comings & Goings.