May 27, 2009 10:06 pm US/Central
Bodies Held Hostage In O'Hare Expansion Battle
Families Of Those Interred Getting Runaround Trying To Move Loved Ones
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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St. Johannes Cemetery is surrounded by airport runways, construction equipment, and airfreight depots.
CBS
The final resting place for hundreds of Chicago's German immigrants is not exactly restful. It's surrounded by airport runways, construction equipment, and airfreight depots.
Someday a runway might run right over St. Johannes Cemetery, though diehard opponents are still fighting it in court.
And now CBS 2 Chief Correspondent Jay Levine reports the people interred at St. Johannes Cemetery are the innocent victims of the bruising battle over airport expansion. This is not a story about the controversial O'Hare modernization project, but about non-combatants caught in the crossfire.
Alice Yazel took CBS 2 to the graves of nine family members. She's been fighting the cemetery since last August.
"Every time you go to court, there's another reason to have an extension and another month 'til you meet again and another something that comes up, it never seems to end," Yazel said.
The irony is that the church that owns the cemetery, and especially its attorneys, seem less concerned with the feelings of loved ones of those buried here, than they do about the continuing battle over the expansion of O'Hare Airport. They're using the cemetery as one of the few remaining reasons to block it.
"We feel they're holding our families hostage," Betty Dohe said.
She and her husband, Bob Dohe, want to move Bob's father, Walter, a decorated World War II veteran.
"We've been told by other people that this shouldn't take any more than a week," Bob Dohe said.
Roman Szabelski of Chicago Catholic Cemeteries says that's about right.
"If have state permit, should be able to turn it around in a day or two… no problem," he said.
He believes the families' nearly year-long struggles are the result of someone holding up paperwork or removal from a cemetery.
Joe Karganis, the attorney for Bensenville, for homeowners, and now for the church, might be that someone.
While he did not return CBS 2's calls, Karaganis was quick to respond to a City of Chicago radio ad offering to pay for all necessary and reasonable costs associated with the relocation of graves from that cemetery.
Karaganis claimed the ad was "causing severe emotional and spiritual anguish" to those still fighting the city.
But what were his delaying tactics doing to those who wanted to leave?
"He is now on high blood pressure medication because of all this," Betty Dohe said of her husband. "The stress has really gotten to him. And I'm concerned for his health."
CBS 2 reached the former DuPage County judge assigned to mediate the court battles. Judge Ted Duncan's response to all roadblocks and red tape: "On advice of Karaganis, we're attempting to avoid legal costs and appeals."
"The next court date is August 2. The Dohes can come then and work out their differences with Karaganis."
Whose side is this guy on anyway?
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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