🌱 Gas Station Safety Concerns + Pritzker Tests Positive + Book Drive

You're halfway through the week, Oak Park and River Forest readers. Let's get you up to date on the news you might have missed.

First, today's weather: Breezy, very warm and humid. High: 89 Low: 74.

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

1. The BP gas station at 100 Chicago Ave. will now close at 11 p.m. after an 18-year-old girl was shot and killed in the parking lot earlier this summer. Village Manager Kevin Jackson said Oak Park officials are now “analyzing all the 24-hour gas stations” in the village to prevent further violence. (Wednesday Journal)

2. Gov. J.B. Pritzker tested positive for COVID-19, his office announced Tuesday. The governor is vaccinated and double boosted and plans to work from home, following CDC guidelines. (Patch)

3. Only about 20 percent of Illinoisans surveyed by Patch said they continue to wear masks in public places to prevent the spread of COVID-19. That percentage is down from last summer, when 73 percent of survey respondents said they always wore masks. (Patch)

4. The Village of Elmwood Park is accepting applications for its fall tree program. Five varieties of tree are available for parkway planting later this year. (Village)

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Bernie’s Book Bank and the OPRF Rotary Club host a children’s book drive at First United Church. (10 a.m.)
• Kids can learn about local newspapers on a tour of the Forest Park Review office. (3 p.m.)
• Live music at the Dominican University quad. (7 p.m.)
• Sunny Sweeney performs at FitzGerald’s. (8:30 p.m.)
• Windy City Water Polo at Fenwick. (8:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Austin “Shoe Shine King” James Cole died this week at age 78. (Block Club Chicago)
• Today is the final day to register for an upcoming youth job workshop at Oak Park Public Library. (VOP)
• Lyons Township High School is continuing to “backtrack” on its controversial grading policies ahead of the fall semester. (Patch)
• Candycopia made headlines Tuesday for its National Sour Candy Day challenge. (ABC)

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Featured businesses:

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

• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (July 21)
• One-of-A-Kind Meerkat Experience Coming to Oakbrook Center (August 2)
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Now you're in the loop and ready to start this Wednesday! I'll see you 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.