Hedge Fund Buys Local Paper + Sunday Events

Good morning, Oak Park and River Forest! Welcome to your Sunday edition of the Oak Park Patch Daily, your five-minute guide to what’s making news in the area.

In today’s Daily, read about how local organizations are honoring Mental Health Awareness Month, an affordable new tutoring service for Oak Park elementary school students and the hedge fund company that acquired Oak Leaves.

First, today’s weather: Mostly cloudy throughout the day, with a high of 84° and low of 62°.

Patch Pick: Illinois Senate President Don Harmon of Oak Park is encouraging good mental health practices, tweeting in support of Mental Health Awareness Month. “We all need to find time to do something to take care of our mental health,” Harmon said, sharing a link to resources at the National Alliance on Mental Illness. (Twitter)

Here are the top five stories today in Oak Park:

1. Oak Park Public Library will swear in a new board of trustees Tuesday. For unknown reasons, Saria Lofton will not serve in the position she was elected to in April. Library board president Matt Fruth told Stacey Sheridan the board will discuss how to proceed with appointing a replacement after the swearing-in. (Wednesday Journal)

2. Alden Global Capital purchased Tribune Publishing Friday for a $633 million bid. Reporters staunchly oppose the move and what it means for local journalism, as Alden is notorious “for slashing its newspapers' budgets to extract escalated profits,” NPR reports. The purchase includes the Chicago Tribune and Pioneer Press, which publishes Oak Park’s century-old local newspaper, Oak Leaves. (NPR)

3. An Oak Park parent has launched an affordable tutoring service for local elementary school students. SMART is a pay-what-you-can service that investment consultant Matt Friedman created to help incoming fourth graders like his daughter with their math skills, regardless of ability to pay a private tutor. (Wednesday Journal)

4. The owner of Brewpoint Coffee is seeking a liquor license for its new location on Oak Park Avenue. Melissa Villanueva, who owns three additional coffee shops in Elmhurst, told Steve Schering that Brewpoint will offer coffee, cocktails and food in the location formerly occupied by L!VE Cafe. (Oak Leaves)

5. An Illinois state senator is accused of abusing her position on the board of Loretto Hospital. Illinois Senate Majority Leader Kimberly Lightford of Maywood “has been the recipient of perks and payments from the publicly funded hospital for years,” according to a Better Government Association investigation. (Block Club Chicago)

Today in Oak Park:

• Carnivore Meats and Seafood plans an “Eat the Neighborhood Ramp Walk and Lunch” with forager Dave Odd. (10 a.m.)
• Sugar Beet Food Co-Op hosts a virtual DIY mozzarella class. (1 p.m.)
• Join Trailside Museum of Natural History to view animal homes on a guided hike. (1:30 p.m.)
• Shem Center hosts a concert gala via Zoom, featuring music from The Hildegard Singers. (3 p.m.)
• Take a virtual tour of “Bob Newhart’s Chicago,” including his Oak Park apartment. (4 p.m.)

Oak Park Patch Notebook

• Fenwick High School is also celebrating Mental Health Awareness Month by highlighting how its social work office helps students cope with stress. (Fenwick)
• Women in River Forest and surrounding areas are launching a poetry group centered on “Healing the Divide” this summer. (St. Giles Parish)
• Oak Park and River Forest High School is reminding students and their families to properly prepare for commencement ceremonies May 29. (OPRFHS)

You’re caught up on what’s new in Oak Park and River Forest. See you back here tomorrow for a new week of daily updates.

-Georgi

About me: I am a lifelong Illinois resident and Lewis University graduate with a passion for White Sox baseball, classic literature and local news.