🌱 Aggravated Battery At Hospital + Local Author To Be Honored

Good morning, Oak Park and River Forest! Let's get to today's Daily.

But first, today's weather: Mostly sunny. High: 46 Low: 35.

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Here are the top 4 stories in Oak Park-River Forest today:

1. Charges have been filed in two cases of aggravated battery at local hospitals, the Oak Leaves reports. Sametio Edgar, 34, of Chicago was arrested in connection with a battery Feb. 13 at West Suburban Medical Center. Oak Park resident Steven Richmond, 33, is charged with striking an employee at Rush on Feb. 14. (Paid source: Oak Leaves)

2. Forest Park zoning officials approved a dispensary company’s request to move into the former CVS site on Circle Avenue, the Review reports. Some neighbors “raised concerns” about how it will affect nearby business, including the Let’s Play Work indoor playground. The village council could consider final approval as soon as Tuesday. (Review)

3. Local dentist Dr. James Scapillato is campaigning to make March 3 a “Special Needs Day of Dentistry,” the Wednesday Journal reports. He sees more than 75 patients with special needs each year at Family Dental Care Oak Park. Scapillato wants to raise awareness and connect families to dentists who can better serve them. (Wednesday Journal)

4. Award-winning Oak Park author Harriette Gillem Robinet will receive the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame's Fuller Award next month at a ceremony at Dominican University. The free event is set for March 14 and is open to the public. (CLHOF)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• First Presbyterian Church of River Forest hosts a Missions Fair. (11:30 a.m.)
• Learn about multicultural art at Dole Center. (1 p.m.)
• Celebrate “African-American Music In Its Pivotal Decades” with the River Forest Public Library. (2 p.m.)
• Handel Concert Week continues with a performance at Pilgrim Congregational Church. (3 p.m.)
• Juan de Marcos and the Afro-Cuban All Stars perform at Dominican University. (7:30 p.m.)
• It’s the final day of Dine-In Elmwood Park, the village’s restaurant week. (All day)

From my notebook:

• Oak Park officials issued an online survey about its new ordinance limiting the use of plastic utensils at local eateries. (Engage Oak Park)
• Candidates running for the Oak Park and River Forest High School board are divided on whether a referendum is necessary to determine funding for a $102 million renovation project. (Wednesday Journal)
• Housing Forward is seeking volunteers to help at the emergency shelter. (Housing Forward)
• River Forest residents can sign up for electronic waste pick-up at their homes. The deadline is March 15. (VRF)
• Triton College wrestlers won the Great Lakes district title this week for the first time since 1998. (WGN)

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Featured events:

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That's all for today! See you tomorrow for another week of newsletters.

— Georgi Presecky

About me: Georgi is a Chicago-based newsletter writer and partner content curator. She spent five years on the entertainment beat for FF2 Media covering film festivals across the U.S. Her feature articles have been recognized with awards from the Illinois Women's Press Association and National Federation of Press Women. As editor-in-chief of the Lewis University newspaper, she and her staff earned honors from the Associated Collegiate Press and American Scholastic Press Associations. She began working for Patch in 2019.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Oak Park-River Forest Patch newsletter? Contact me at georgi.presecky@patch.com.