🌱 Burglar Targets Garage + Grocery Tax Resumes + Book Donations Open

Hello, Oak Park and River Forest readers!

I’m sad to say this is my last day curating the Oak Park-River Forest Daily. After more than two years rounding up your local news, I feel very grateful to have been a part of this community and hope you will keep in touch. Though I have played many roles at Patch since 2019, this has been by far my favorite.

I hope to see you down the road. But first, let's get to the top stories for July 1, including:

• A catalytic converter thief targets cars in a hospital parking lot.
• OPRF High School officials make progress on filling board vacancies.
• Frank Lloyd Wright's Robie House is featured in a new WBEZ series.

But first, today's weather: Not as hot with a t-shower. High: 83 Low: 67.

Here are the top 5 stories today in Oak Park-River Forest:

1. The Oak Park Police Department reported two major residential burglaries this week. An offender broke into a home in the 500 block of Washington Boulevard, found the victim’s car keys and proceeded to steal a vehicle. A garage burglar stole more than $5,000 worth of items including bikes and furniture from a home in the first block of Superior. (OPPD)

2. The Illinois grocery tax is back in effect today. Gov. J.B. Pritzker paused the one percent tax last year due to high inflation. The new state budget also calls for a gas tax increase, meaning "the new tax rate will jump to 45.4 cents a gallon for unleaded gas” beginning today. (Patch)

3. OPRF High School officials announced three finalists in the running to fill a vacancy on the school board. A second round of interviews is set for July 13. (Wednesday Journal)

4. Oak Park’s Robie House is featured in WBEZ’s new summer series “What’s That Building?” The Prairie-Style Frank Lloyd Wright home dates back to 1910 and has been owned by the University of Chicago since 1963. (WBEZ)

5. The library will host a presentation on Oak Park author Ernest Hemingway’s “multifaceted connections to baseball” on July 9. In-person and virtual options will be available. (Library)

Shoutout to the awesome local business that keeps this newsletter running:

Looking for a unique and delicious dining experience? Since 2017, Savory Crust has been serving up mouthwatering baked empanadas with flavors and fillings that pay tribute to their Filipino roots, and they’re coming to Oak Park on Wednesday, July 5. Try traditional empanadas like Argentinian beef, or unique flavors such as chicken curry and Philly cheese steak. And the best part? Their empanadas are never fried. Order fresh, or frozen, for easy meal planning here by 3 p.m. on Tuesday, July 4.

Want to see your business featured in this spot? Click here to get started.

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• The Library Book Bike, Boy Scout bake sale and more will be on site today at the Oak Park Farmers Market at Pilgrim Church. (7 a.m.)
• Bring broken items to Fox Center’s monthly Repair Cafe. (10 a.m.)
• Take a guided wellness walk in Thatcher Woods. (1 p.m.)
• FitzGeralds hosts the 40th Annual American Music Festival. (1 p.m.)
• The Park District of Oak Park wraps up Dino Week with a screening of “Jurassic World: Dominion” in Scoville Park. (Dusk)

From my notebook:

• Two catalytic converters were reported stolen from cars in Oak Park this week, including one from a vehicle parked outside Rush Oak Park Hospital. (OPPD)
• About 45 residents attended an information session on improving the Oak Park Avenue streetscape in 2025. (Wednesday Journal)
• Save the date, pet lovers: Animal Care League will host its “Mutt Strut” virtual 5K July 14-16. (Chamber)
• Donations are open for the Friends of the Oak Park Public Library Annual Book Fair, also set for July 14-16. (Library)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Laura Ruiz, REALTOR® at REALTY OF CHICAGO — (Visit website)
• Laurie Christofano, Realtor | RE/MAX In The Village — (Visit Website)
• Add your business here

Featured events:

• Doug Lalli appears live at Tre Sorelle by Mancini Saturday July 1 (July 1)
• Elmhurst Running Club 4 on the 4th (July 4)
• Anime Midwest's Massive Annual Anime Festival (July 7)
• Add your event

You're all caught up on this first day of July! Have a happy, healthy and safe Independence Day weekend, Oak Park and River Forest. And thanks again for everything!

— 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 writing has been recognized with awards from the Ernest Hemingway Foundation, 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.