🌱 Frank Lloyd Wright House For Sale + Community Mental Health Plans

It's Saturday, Oak Park and River Forest! In today's local headlines:

• Harlem Avenue improvements are on the way
• Events are planned in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
• Dominican University will honor the National Day of Racial Healing

But first, today's weather: Sunny. High: 33 Low: 30.

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Here are the top 4 stories today in Oak Park-River Forest:

1. More than 60 people tested positive for COVID-19 in Oak Park this week, according to the health department. Local cases are down about 30 percent from mid-December. The weekly report does not include people who tested at home. (VOP)

2. Oak Park Township’s Community Mental Health Board is seeking feedback on its “strategic plan and funding priorities.” Input sessions will be held Jan. 19 and Jan. 25. (VOP)

3. Dominican University will celebrate the National Day of Racial Healing next week. An event is set for Jan. 17, with in-person and virtual options to attend. (DU)

4. A Frank Lloyd Wright house on Home Avenue is for sale for the first time in six decades. The George Smith Home dates back to 1898 and is listed at $595,000. (Wednesday Journal)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Trailside Museum hosts a “Bird and Bagel” walk. (8:30 a.m.)
• It’s Sustainable Saturday at Austin Gardens. (10 a.m.)
• Make a geometric sculpture at Dole Center. (10 a.m.)
• Take a vision boarding workshop at GRND Coffee House. (Noon)
• River Forest Public Library hosts a meditation sound bath. (2 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Traffic upgrades are coming to stretches of Harlem Avenue thanks to federal funding. (Landmark)
• Cook County is on pace to see an all-time high number of opioid-related deaths across the area. (Paid source: Tribune)
• The First United Methodist Church of Oak Park will host a “Notes of Rest” event Sunday in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Patch)
• Justin Porter is the new head coach for the lacrosse team at Oak Park and River Forest High School lacrosse team. (Wednesday Journal)
• Admission to the Shedd Aquarium is free for Illinois residents all weekend, including the Monday holiday. (Shedd)

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Events:

• Healthy Singing — A New Year’s Resolution for Vocal Health with Peter Storms and Christine Steyer (January 15)
• FREE WEBINAR | "Renaissance Courts in Italy" by Dr. Rocky Ruggiero (January 17)
• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (January 17)
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Announcements:

• Are you 60 years or older? Have trouble with memory or thinking? Possible study opportunity! (Details)
• Gino Blefari Tops List of Most Powerful and Influential Leaders in Real Estate Industry (Details)
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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll see you around.

— 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 OakPark@Patch.com