🌱 Holocaust Torah Scroll + Demolition Of Village Hall Opposition

Hi there, Oak Park-River Forest! I'm here in your inbox per usual to tell you everything you need to know about what's going on around town.

But first, today's weather:

A severe morning thunderstorm. High: 89 Low: 69.

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

1. The Holocaust Torah Scroll has been transferred from London to the Oak Park Temple, where Cantor Julie Yugend-Green examined its sacrality. The scroll, which contains the first five books of the Bible, was used in synagogues during worship, though it was taken and kept by the Nazis during World War II. Oak Park Temple now has nine individual scrolls, and the Holocaust Torah Scroll is being held in honor of Cantor Green. (Forest Park Review)
2. About 200 staff from Loretto Hospital are ready to go on a 10-day strike if management does not provide a "fair and decent contract," which includes minimum wages, in order to eliminate the issue of short staffing. Workers are getting injured and burnt out due to having longer and more extensive shifts. The union is in conversation with management, but they are sending a message that the hospital needs change and the workers are prepared to do whatever they can to make that happen. (Wednesday Journal)
3. Oak Park's village president, Vicki Scaman, explains differing views on the demolition of village hall due to its historic nature. She highlighted Bill Dring's opinion to fix the issues within the hall instead of demolishing it and moving the police station from the hall to a new building, potentially at the south end of the hall's campus. There are certainly drawbacks to the hall, as it was constructed before ADA, heat/air conditioning does not work properly, and there is no privacy in workspaces; all of which Dring proposes can be fixed without tearing the building down. (Wednesday Journal)

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

Wednesday, July 26

• Shake, Rattle & Read At Scoville Park (10:00 AM)
• Sound Bath Meditation At Oak Park Public Library (3:00 PM)
• Community Art Project At River Forest Public Library (3:30 PM)
• Musical Theatre Showcase At Oak Park Public Library (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• Did you know that the Black-handed spider monkey was listed as one of the most endangered primates? The Brookfield Zoo invites you to help care for these monkeys by "adopting" one online. (Brookfield Zoo via Instagram)
• Come celebrate one year of Oak Park's environmental sustainability and climate plan on Aug. 7 from 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Oak Park Public Library! Register here and receive a free "I'm Climate Ready Oak Park" action kit! (Village of Oak Park, Illinois via Facebook)
• During warmer weather, more graffiti is seen in Oak Park. Please report any graffiti instances to the Village's Public Works Department so they can address the situation. Report online or call (708) 358-5429. (Village of Oak Park, Illinois via Facebook)

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• The intermix of Anxiety & Depressive Disorders (Details)
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Thanks for following along and staying informed! See you all tomorrow morning for another update.

— Nicole Fallon-Peek

About me: Nicole Fallon-Peek is a journalist and copywriter with a degree in Media, Culture and Communication from New York University. She has served as a freelance reporter, managing editor, copy editor, and editorial director for a variety of B2B news outlets. She currently co-owns and operates content creation agency Lightning Media Partners.