🌱 CTA Adds Security + Oak Park Library Names Interim Director

Good morning, Oak Park and River Forest! Here's your latest local news.

First, today's weather: Variable cloudiness. High: 54 Low: 44.

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

1. A Chicago woman was arrested for spitting in the face of an officer on a CTA train in the 1100 block of South Boulevard on March 9, according to Oak Park police. The arrest comes just after Chicago officials announced heightened security on the CTA due to increased violence. (OPPD)

2. The next community meeting will be held tomorrow for Oak Park’s community safety assessment. The event at OPRF High School will focus on “evaluating the traditional police call-for-service model.” (VOP)

3. Lori Pulliam will serve as interim executive director of the Oak Park Public Library, the board announced March 8. She served as director of Public Services and Programs at the library and will return to that role once a permanent replacement is named. (OPPL)

4. The health department will host a vaccine clinic this evening at Oak Park Temple. Appointments are available for anyone over age five. (VOP)

5. Longtime Oak Parker and original Open Door Repertory Theatre member Michael Goodman is reflecting on the theater closing its doors after more than 20 years. “To those who are grieving the loss of ‘life’ this theater created, recapture your fond memories,” Goodman writes in the Wednesday Journal. (Wednesday Journal)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Kids ages 5-12 can see “A Universe of Stories” in Andersen Park. (9 a.m.)
• Hear the songwriter circle perform at FitzGeralds. (7 p.m.)
• Oak Park Art League hosts “an evening of fiber art camaraderie.” (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Applications for the Housing Choice Voucher program are open now through March 25. (VOP)
• Oak Park Festival Theatre named Tom Arvetis its new managing director. (Chicago Reader)
• Wind Symphony and Kapelle will present free concerts at Concordia this weekend. (Patch)
• A Chicago woman is campaigning to name L stops after trailblazing women. (Yahoo)

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Events:

• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (March 15)
• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (March 17)
• Artistic Women of Faith (March 17)
• FREE WEBINAR | Saints, Symbols, and Spaghetti (March 18)
• American Diabetes Association Diabetes Alert Day: Understand Your Risk (March 22)
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That's all for today! Have a great Tuesday.

— 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.