🌱 Chicago Mayoral Race + Hyundai Thefts + St. Patrick's Day Parade

Hello, Oak Park and River Forest! In today's Daily:

• Block party applications are open
• One Earth Film Festival returns this weekend
• An OPRF athlete sets a new school record

But first, today's weather: Breezy in the afternoon. High: 58 Low: 33.

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

1. Two more Hyundais were stolen from Oak Park streets Feb. 26, according to the police department. Both were parked at residences in the 1000 blocks of North Woodbine and North Fair Oaks Avenue. (OPPD)

2. Austin resident and Cook County Commissioner Brandon Johnson will face Paul Vallas in a runoff for Chicago mayor next month following Election Day. Mayor Lori Lightfoot gave a concession speech last night, marking “the first time in 40 years an elected Chicago mayor lost re-election,” according to WBEZ. (WBEZ)

3. The Annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade is set for Saturday in Forest Park. The event begins at 1 p.m. and will parade down Madison Street for the 27th year. (Village)

4. The Oak Park Public Works Department is now accepting block party applications for the upcoming season. Blocks are limited to two events each, according to Village Manager Kevin Jackson. Block parties can begin April 1. (VOP)

5. One Earth Film Festival returns Friday, with screenings planned through March 12. Local venues for the annual environmental festival include the Oak Park Public Library and First United Methodist Church. Select virtual screenings are also being offered. (One Earth)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Oak Park Art League hosts a new watercolor course. (10 a.m.)
• The main library in Oak Park hosts “drop-in reading time” for kids in honor of Read Across America Day. (11 a.m.)
• Duly Health and Care offers free blood pressure screenings at Oak Park Public Library. (11 a.m.)
• FitzGeralds kicks off Women’s History Month with Fox Crossing Stringband. (7 p.m.)
• Join Illinois libraries for a virtual conversation with author Mary Roach. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• OPRF High School pole vaulter Josh Meister set a school record at a recent invitational. (Wednesday Journal)
• Dominican University’s student newspaper recently won 11 awards from the Illinois College Press Association. (DU)
• Oak Park native and former National Youth Poet Laureate Kara Jackson will release a debut album in April. (Broadway World)
• The Oak Park Public Library will join several organizations nationwide in celebrating “50 years of hip-hop” this year. (OPPL)
• River Forest residents can now register for a community garden plot. In-person registration at The Depot is required. (Park District)

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Featured events:

• Tacori Tax-Free Event (March 3)
• Black Opry Revue (March 4)
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That's all for today! See you tomorrow for more local stories.

— 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.