🌱 Candidates On Crime + Juneteenth Celebrations + Sheila Mack Book

Good morning, Oak Park and River Forest! And an extra hello to our dad readers — happy Father’s Day weekend! Let’s get to the news.

First, today's weather: Sunny and cooler but pleasant. High: 73 Low: 57.

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Here are the top 3 stories today in Oak Park-River Forest:

1. The Oak Park Department of Public Health reported 182 new cases of COVID-19 in the village this week. The weekly report does not include people who tested at home. (VOP)

2. Oak Park resident and Cook County Board president candidate Richard Boykin is calling his opponent Toni Preckwinkle "soft on crime," telling the Tribune “We almost have virtual lawlessness in Cook County.” The Democratic primary is June 28. (Paid source: Tribune)

3. Happy Juneteenth weekend! River Forest is partnering with Forest Park and Maywood for the inaugural West Villages Juneteenth Parade today, beginning at 11 a.m. Oak Park is celebrating with a parade and community cookout tomorrow. Both villages have already held flag-raising ceremonies to commemorate the anniversary of emancipation. (VRF)

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Make a leaf sculpture at Dole Center. (10 a.m.)
• Stop by Val’s halla Records for another Record Store Day drop. (11 a.m.)
• Celebrate the holiday with the West Villages Juneteenth Parade. (11 a.m.)
• Take a wellness walk in Thatcher Woods. (1 p.m.)
• Oak Park Public Library hosts “Crime & Coffee: The Case of the Murderous Dr. Cream.” (3:30 p.m.)
• Cajun Boil & Bar hosts “Cajun After Dark.” (10 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Oak Park reporter Bill Dwyer and retired local police officer Rasul Freelain are collaborating on a new book about Sheila Mack, the Oak Park woman who was killed in Bali in 2014. (Wednesday Journal)
• The Summer Concert Series will continue in Scoville Park tomorrow. (PDOP)
• Oak Park’s Catholic churches are continuing their unification efforts as their official consolidation begins July 1. (St. Giles)
• Lake Theatre is already selling tickets for the highly anticipated biopic “Elvis,” which comes out June 23. (Classic Cinemas)

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That's all for today! Patch and I will be back with a new Daily on Wednesday, June 22. Have a great weekend!

— 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 Daily? Contact me at georgi.presecky@patch.com