🌱 Funeral Shooting + Local Students Bound For Ivy League

Hello, Oak Park and River Forest! Thanks for reading Patch's daily guide to the latest local news. Today's headlines include:

• Four people were shot over the weekend in a funeral procession through Oak Park.
• Illinois takes action on book bans at libraries.
• River Forest celebrates Juneteenth.

But first, today's weather:Breezy with showers around. High: 69 Low: 58.

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

1. Four people were shot Saturday during a funeral procession through Oak Park, ABC Chicago reports. Police believe the shooting in the 900 block of Madison Street was targeted. (ABC)

2. Book bans will be against the law at Illinois libraries beginning in 2024, thanks to legislation signed Monday by Gov. J.B. Pritzer. WBEZ reports libraries who violate the rule will lose access to grant funding, making Illinois the first state in the U.S. to take such action on book banning. “Book bans are about censorship, marginalizing people, marginalizing ideas and facts,” Pritzker said. (WBEZ)

3. “Unabomber” Ted Kacynski died over the weekend in a North Carolina prison. The 82-year-old from Evergreen Park was serving a life sentence for setting at least 16 bombings which led to three deaths and more than 20 injuries. (Patch)

4. Seven OPRF High School graduates will attend Ivy League schools in the fall, the Wednesday Journal reports. Three will attend Harvard University. (Wednesday Journal)

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Make watercolor doodles with Slowfire Oak Park at the Main Library. (10 a.m.)
• The Oak Park Public Library shows “House Party” as part of its Hip Hop Film Screening Series. (3 p.m.)
• Join the River Forest Park District at Thatcher Glen Pond for a “Great Outdoors” Father’s Day event. (6 p.m.)

In partnership with T-Mobile:

Do you know an Oak Park-River Forest dad whose texts make you smile? This Father’s Day, celebrate him with a shoutout on Patch. Just fill out this simple form and we’ll do the rest!

From my notebook:

• Several buildings in Elmwood Park were tagged with graffiti in late May, police report. (Paid source: Elm Leaves)
• A Juneteenth flag-raising ceremony was held yesterday at the River Forest Public Library. (Library)
• A community blood drive will be hosted by the Oak Park Department of Public Health on June 27 at Village Hall. (VOP)

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Featured events:

• 60th Chicago Book and Paper Fair (June 17)
• Elmhurst Running Club 4 on the 4th (July 4)
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That's all for today! Patch will be back in your inbox tomorrow with another updates.

— 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.