🌱 Book Fair Begins + Bike Path Plans + Historic Homes Hit Market

Happy Friday, friends! The Oak Park-River Forest Daily is here to bring you all your latest local headlines ahead of the weekend.

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Now, today's weather: Mostly sunny and pleasant. High: 84 Low: 74.

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

1. Twenty-four hour gas stations were up for discussion at this week’s Oak Park Village Board meeting. A police department report shows 18 violent offenses occurring at local gas stations since 2019, 13 of which happened overnight. A majority of the incidents were reported at the Chicago Avenue BP where a teenager was shot and killed earlier this summer. Safety strategies will be further discussed at the Sept. 6 meeting. (Paid source: Oak Leaves)

2. Dom’s Kitchen & Market will open an Oak Park location inside the former Marshall Field’s building on Lake Street. The Wednesday Journal reports a lease agreement is still pending for the space, which has been vacant for most of the past decade. (Wednesday Journal)

3. Forest Park officials are moving ahead with plans to build a Van Buren Street bike path between Madison Street and the Blue Line station. The project will cost nearly $500,000 and link Forest Park to trails in River Forest, Elgin and other areas. (Forest Park Review)

4. It’s the final day to donate materials to the Oak Park Township School Supply Drive. A Backpack Pick-Up event is set for Aug. 12 for local families. (Township)

Oak Park-River Forest Pic of the Week

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• The Friends of the Oak Park Public Library Book Fair begins today at the Main Library. Though it’s being held on a “smaller scale” than past years, more than 30,000 books are available to browse, along with DVDs and CDs. The free event runs through Sunday. (2 p.m.)
• La Grange Endless Summerfest kicks off at Gordon Park, featuring a carnival, market and live music. (5 p.m.)
• Learn to paint autumn birches at Dole Center. (6 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Two historic homes just hit the market in River Forest, dating back to the 1800s. (Wednesday Journal)
• Shuttle service is available for Taste of Elmwood Park attendees this weekend. (Taste)
• The Park District of Oak Park will open resident registration tomorrow for fall and winter programs. (PDOP)
• Materials Services Assistant Susie Young recently celebrated 30 years with River Forest Public Library. (Instagram)

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Events:

• Elmhurst Brewing Crafts & Drafts Market! (August 7)
• Sandwiches + charcuterie boards from Tempesta Market, Thursday! Order by Tuesday. (August 11)
• One-of-A-Kind Meerkat Experience Coming to Oakbrook Center (August 30)
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Have a great Friday!

— 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.