🌱 Car Thefts Continue + New Aldi Store + Hospital CEO Optimistic

Good morning, Oak Park and River Forest. In today's Daily:

• Chicago mayoral candidates will meet tonight on the West Side
• The Hemingway Birthplace Museum hosts a free book discussion
• Trinity High School athletes are honored

But first, today's weather: Light snow at times. High: 34 Low: 18.

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

1. Four cars were stolen from Oak Park streets Tuesday, according to the police department. Thefts were reported in the first block of Harrison Street, 100 blocks of South Clinton and Home avenues and the 200 block of South Oak Park Avenue. Attempts to steal cars were also made Jan. 24 in areas of South Grove Avenue and Washington Boulevard. (OPPD)

2. West Suburban Medical Center’s new CEO Manoj Prasad said he believes the Oak Park hospital will “flourish” under its new ownership. Resilience Healthcare purchased the medical center last year, along with Weiss Hospital in Uptown. (Wednesday Journal)

3. A new Aldi store is set to open today in North Riverside. The location at 7517 Cermak Road "is larger than previous Aldi concepts, featuring wider aisles and a larger produce section." (Landmark)

4. The Village of Oak Park will host a workshop next month for local nonprofits seeking community block grant funding. Applicants are required to attend the Feb. 3 virtual workshop and applications are due in March. (VOP)

5. The Wednesday Journal reports three basketball players from Trinity High School were named to the Girls Catholic Athletic Conference All-Red Division Team this month. Lauren Miller, Cierra Richardson and Sophia Rodriguez are averaging a collective 11 points per game. (Wednesday Journal)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• The Park District of Oak Park hosts “Twitter for Beginners.” (Noon)
• Oak Park Public Library welcomes elementary schoolers for a sour candy taste test. (4 p.m.)
• The Collaboration for Early Childhood hosts a Bingo Night fundraiser at One Lake Brewing. (6 p.m.)
• A free Hemingway book discussion is held at the Ernest Hemingway Birthplace Museum. (6:30 p.m.)
• The main library hosts an artist reception for David Alvarado in conjunction with his “Odd Fellows” exhibit. (6:30 p.m.)
• Join Carnivore Oak Park in the kitchen at Cheney Mansion for a lesson on winter stews and braising. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• This week marks 121 years since Oak Park was officially declared a village by Cook County officials. (VOP)
• Chicago mayoral candidates will attend a forum in Austin tonight. (AustinTalks)
• Oak Park parishes will host a meeting tonight for local Catholics to offer feedback on the future of the parishes’ religious education program. (SCSLSG)
• The Park District of Oak Park camp guide will be released online tomorrow. (PDOP)

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That's all for Thursday. Thanks for staying up to date on the latest local news.

— 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.