🌱 Fake OPRF Story Gains Traction + River Forest Newspaperman Dies

Good morning! Thanks for starting this Saturday with the Oak Park River Forest Daily. Let's get to today's top stories.

First, today's weather: Variably cloudy; not as warm. High: 71 Low: 62.

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

1. A false West Cook News story about OPRF High School’s grading policies went viral this week. Right-wing websites and politicians shared the false story and garnered attention on social media, claiming the school was implementing a race-based grading policy. District officials confirmed the story is fake. (Paid source: Tribune)

2. City News Bureau Chief Paul Zimbrakos died this week at age 86. The “legendary” news editor and longtime River Forest resident spent more than 40 years at City News. (CBS)

3. A Day in Our Village will return to Oak Park tomorrow for the first time since 2019. Festivities begin at 11 a.m. in Scoville Park. (VOP)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Take broken items to Fox Center for its monthly Repair Cafe. (10 a.m.)
• Trailside Museum hosts a “raptor tour.” (2 p.m.)
• DuPage Birding Club President Denis Kania gives a presentation at River Forest Public Library. (2 p.m.)
• Head to One Lake Brewing for the Second Annual One Lake Music & Arts Festival. (3 p.m.)
  

From my notebook:

• The next Oak Park health department COVID-19 vaccine clinic is set for June 7. (VOP)
• Forest Park is one step closer to completing its 15th street sewer separation project. (Forest Park Review)
• A free vintage car show will be held June 11 outside OPRF Museum. (Wednesday Journal)
• Oak Park Conservatory is celebrating Pride Month with a display of rainbow flowers on the garden wall. (PDOP)

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Featured businesses:

• Laurie Christofano, Realtor | RE/MAX In the Village — (Visit website)
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Events:

• Meet Me in Manhattan, An Old Fashioned Way to Beat Cancer www.scoreboardcharities.com (June 10)
• Avant Garden (June 10)
• Wellness Together Walk-Along At Oakbrook Center (June 11)
• Elmhurst Running Club 4onthe4th (July 4)
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Announcements:

• Three Units Remain at The Cheshire on Washington Boulevard in Oak Park (Details)
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That’s all for today, Oak Park and River Forest! I will be away next week, but the Daily will be in good hands until I return on Tuesday, June 14. I hope you’re having a great start to June and look forward to bringing you more headlines soon.

— 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