🌱 Mental Health Task Force Meeting + Heart Of Our Villages Awards

Good morning, Oak Park and River Forest! If you're a new subscriber, I'm Georgi Presecky and this is Patch's curated guide to the latest local headlines. This daily digest will be sent to your inbox every morning. Thanks for being here! In today's edition:

• A new residential building could be developed on Ridgeland
• Property tax bills are due soon
• Local high school students excel at regional academic competitions

But first, today's weather: Breezy and cooler. High: 43 Low: 31.

Shoutout to our premier local sponsor:

Have you or a loved one been a victim of sexual abuse? Attorney Tod M. Urban is a survivor of abuse himself who can help you understand your options. After 35 years as a prominent criminal defense attorney, Tod has focused his practice on helping others who have shared his experience. He’s compassionate and has deep expertise in navigating the legal complexities required to get justice and peace of mind. Visit here to learn more or call for conversation today.

Click here to get your business featured in this spot.

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

1. A virtual community meeting will be held today for residents to provide feedback on the local mental health crisis response. The Oak Park Alternative Response Task Force will also host an in-person engagement session March 16 at the District 97 Administration Building. (Engage Oak Park)

2. The first installment of Cook County property taxes are due April 3. Bills were mailed March 1. The deadline was pushed by county officials due to delays in last year’s property tax billing timeline. (Paid source: Oak Leaves)

3. Developer Ambrosia Homes is looking to build a five-story residential structure at the corner of Chicago and Ridgeland avenues. The company previously constructed two similar buildings in Oak Park: the fully rented Boutique Flats and the in-progress Ridgeland Flats. Plans for the third development will go before the Historic Preservation Commission March 15. (Wednesday Journal)

4. The Oak Park and River Forest Museum will honor two local women with “Heart of Our Villages” awards this weekend. Honorees are Oak Park Area Arts Council Executive Director Camille Wilson White and former teacher and historian Jan Novak Dressel. The OPRF Museum Gala is set for March 9 at the Nineteenth Century Club. (Museum)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Oak Park Public Library hosts a virtual midday meditation. (Noon)
• The Oak Park Department of Public Health offers free COVID-19 testing at Cheney Mansion. (1 p.m.)
• The One Earth Film Festival continues this week with virtual film screenings and in-person movies at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church. (6:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• A driver died Sunday night in a car crash near Riverside Brookfield High School. (WGN)
• The Village of River Forest's survey on local traffic patterns remains open to resident responses. The Traffic and Safety Committee will next meet March 15. (VRF)
• Oak Park police distributed 80 steering wheel locks to local car owners during a giveaway event last week. (VOP)
• Fenwick High School mathletes just won first place at the Niles West State Math Regionals. Two Oak Park and River Forest High School students placed in the top three at the Junior Science Humanities Symposium. (Fenwick/OPRF)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Laura Ruiz, REALTOR® at REALTY OF CHICAGO — (Visit website)
• Laurie Christofano, Realtor | RE/MAX In the Village — (Visit Website)
• Add your business here

Featured events:

• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (March 14)
• Add your event

That's all for today! See you tomorrow for more local stories.

— 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.