🌱 Oak Park To Appoint Village Manager + Mask Requirements Remain

Happy Tuesday! Here's what's making news today in Oak Park and River Forest.

First, today's weather: Periods of rain. High: 46 Low: 17.

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Here are the top 3 stories in Oak Park-River Forest today:

1. Kevin Jackson is expected to be appointed Oak Park’s next village manager today. The board vote would make him the first Black manager in village history. (VOP)

2. Beginning today, outdoor mask-wearing is optional for staff and students at District 97 schools. Face coverings will still be required indoors. (D97)

3. A new program called Art Heals will install a sculpture outside Hephzibah Home this spring. The group aims to fund art therapy in honor of Leslie Ann Jones and Tom Johnson, who were killed in Oak Park two years ago. (Wednesday Journal)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Oak Park Public Library presents “Keys to a Successful Black-Owned Business Startup.” (1 p.m.)
  
• Attend a “Totally 90s” Party at River Forest Public Library. (2 p.m.)
• Hear the Fenwick Winter Concert in-person or watch online. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• The Village is upgrading about 8,300 water meters to prevent waste. (VOP)
• Oak Park dancer Claire Spark finished in the top 24 at the Youth American Grand Prix, held last weekend at Dominican University. (Paid source: Forest Leaves)
• The OPRF Chamber's Annual Health & Wellness Fair will return this May. (Chamber)
• The OPRF Infant Welfare Society is in need of book donations. (OPRFIWS)
• Oak Park Area Arts Council is encouraging residents to call state officials in support of Arts Alliance Illinois. (Facebook)

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• Handel Week Ii Second concert: The Intimate Handel (February 26)
• Learn How To Reduce Your Risk For Heart Disease During American Heart Month (February 28)
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• Residential Property Manager with Oak Park Residence Corp. (Details)
• Office Manager (Details)
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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.