False Signs Mislead Preserve Visitors

LA GRANGE, IL — Even if they wanted to close two area forest preserves, the village presidents of La Grange, La Grange Park and Western Springs would have no power to do so. Yet false signs were posted over the weekend at Bemis Woods and Salt Creek forest preserves informing the public that the preserves were shut down by police order "in the pursuit of public health."

At a quick glance, the orange flyers seemed somewhat official with the word "attention" underlined and the names of the three village presidents at the conclusion of the document. But the flyer was littered with unusual capitalization and referred to La Grange as "Lagrange," not a mistake that the leaders of La Grange and La Grange Park would likely permit.

According to the flyer, the forest preserves would be closed through May 22. The flyer said police would routinely inspect the preserves and that violators could be fined up to $500 — or "500$,"as the flyer put it.

In a Facebook post on Monday, La Grange Park said one of its officers noticed the signs posted at forest preserve entrances. The three villages have confirmed with the Cook County Forest Preserve District that they did not authorize the signs. The district's preserves remain open.

Western Springs police said they were looking into the matter.

One person wrote on Facebook, "Clearly English was not a particular study for the offender."