🌱 No Progress At Proviso + St. Patrick's Day Events In Oak Park

Happy St. Patrick's Day, Oak Park and River Forest! Here's your guide to today's news.

First, today's weather: Cloudy and warm with a shower. High: 66 Low: 40.

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Here are the top 5 stories today in Oak Park-River Forest:

1. No progress has been made in the Proviso Township High School teachers strike after a “heated” board meeting Tuesday night. Public comments lasted two hours and included booing and heckling of board members, according to an ABC report. (ABC)

2. West Suburban Medical Center cut the ribbon this week on its new behavioral health unit, which will serve about 24 patients at a time with the help of therapists, social workers and nurses. CEO Barbara Martin said mental health services are especially needed during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. (Paid source: Tribune)

3. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth secured more than $3 million to upgrade a railroad crossing in Elmwood Park, according to a press release from Durbin’s office. The state is expected to receive $211 million as part of a Senate appropriations bill. (Sen. Durbin’s Office)

4. The League of Women Voters of Oak Park and River Forest will host a virtual program about Eleanor Roosevelt in honor of Women’s History Month. Schaumburg actor Lynn Rymarz will portray the First Lady at the March 20 event. (Paid source: Oak Leaves)

5. Masks are now recommended but not required at District 97 schools. The district is one of the last in Oak Park to lift its mask mandate. (D97)

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Oak Park Township hosts a St. Patrick's Day Party for seniors. (11 a.m.)
• Go “Inside OPRF Museum” with its monthly virtual presentation. (11 a.m.)
• Lathrop House Cafe hosts a St. Patrick’s Day party. (3 p.m.)
• Make a Celtic craft with River Forest Public Library. (3:30 p.m.)
• Join the St. Patrick's Day celebration at the Eastgate Cafe. (4 p.m.)
• Learn about l'Institut français d’Oak Park at its spring open house. (5 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Chicago Food Magazine ranked the best St. Patrick’s Day events in the area. (CFM)
• Oak Park’s oldest boy scout troop is celebrating its 106th anniversary this week. (OPRF Museum)
• OPRF High School students founded a gift box service to support local businesses. (Wednesday Journal)
• Growing Community Media photographer Alex Rogals captured images of River Forest’s rally to support Ukraine last week. (Forest Park Review)
• Cook County Assessor and Oak Park resident Fritz Kaegi will be challenged in the June primary by Democrat Kari K. Steele. (Daily Herald)

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• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (March 17)
• Artistic Women of Faith (March 17)
• FREE WEBINAR | Saints, Symbols, and Spaghetti (March 18)
• American Diabetes Association Diabetes Alert Day: Understand Your Risk (March 22)
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That's all for this St. Patrick's Day! Have a happy one. Sláinte!

— 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.