Commercial Taxes Increase + Village Now Hiring

Good morning, OPRF! Let's get to today's headlines.

First, today's weather: Rain in the evening and overnight. High: 88, low: 73.

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

1. Oak Park experienced one of the biggest increases in commercial property taxes in Illinois over the past two years, according to Cook County Treasurer Maria Pappas. The village collected 20 percent more in total commercial tax revenue in 2020 than in 2019. (Wednesday Journal)

2. The Oak Park Residence Corporation awarded $2,000 scholarships to two Oak Park River Forest High School graduates who reside in OPRC buildings. Charmir Akins and Josiah Turner were the first winners of the new scholarship. (Wednesday Journal)

3. “The way that we are trying to put a lid on the transmission of coronavirus is by having people wear masks,” Oak Park Health Director Dr. Theresa Chapple-McGruder said in a recent village video about the local mask mandate. “My mask protects you, your mask protects me.” (VOP)

4. The Village is hiring! Open positions include animal control officer, human resource coordinator and more. (VOP)

5. The Illinois Department of Public Health will distribute COVID-19 vaccines this weekend at Franklin Park Fest, which begins today despite surging coronavirus cases. (Franklin Park-Herald Journal)

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest

• Madison Street Theater presents "Get Happy - Angela Ingersoll Sings Judy Garland." (10 a.m.)
• Oak Park's Citizen Involvement Commission meets. (5:30 p.m.)
• The Oak Park & River Forest High School Board meets. (6:30 p.m.)
• River Forest librarians share new titles with “Book Buzz.” (7 p.m.)
• Comedy Club night at Oak Park Brewing Company. (8 p.m.)

Oak Park-River Forest Patch Notebook

• Dominican University is one of more than 360 private and public campuses requiring COVID-19 vaccinations. (DU)
• Oak Park and River Forest High School officials are responding to questions about why they cannot mandate COVID-19 testing for unvaccinated students. (OPRFHS)
• The Oak Park Public Library is offering book club kits to help cardholders start their own clubs. (OPPL)
• North Riverside officials are asking park visitors to stop feeding wildlife. (Riverside-Brookfield Landmark)

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That's all for today! See you back here tomorrow for the Friday edition of the Patch Daily.

— Georgi Presecky

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Oak Park-River Forest Daily? You can email me at georgi.presecky@patch.com.