🌱 Oak Park Village Hall Demolition? + Major Local Mosquito Hatch

Morning, neighbors! I'm back in your inbox this morning with your fresh edition of the Oak Park-River Forest Patch newsletter. Let's get this Thursday started off right with a quick guide to the most important things going on in town these days.

But first, today's weather:

A thunderstorm in spots. High: 82 Low: 67.

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

1. Oak Park's iconic village hall, a 1970s masterpiece by esteemed Chicago architect Harry Weese, faces potential demolition following a 5-2 vote by the town's trustees. The decision, which also greenlights FGM Architects to sketch out a new $140 million village hall and police headquarters on the site, sidestepped three alternatives, including renovations and offsite constructions. Although the vote indicates a preference for demolition, the trustees have suggested they may revisit the other options depending on feedback from the community engagement process. (Chicago Sun-Times)
2. The Desplaines Valley Mosquito Abatement District, serving an extensive 77-square mile suburban area in Chicago, has alerted residents to anticipate a significant surge of Aedes vexan mosquitoes, a particularly aggressive yet non-disease carrying species, following conducive breeding conditions spurred by recent rains and warm weather. While the agency underscores that these mosquitoes are more bothersome than hazardous, it cautions residents about the presence of West Nile Virus (WNV) in adult mosquito samples in the area, stressing the need for preventative measures despite no reported human cases in Illinois in 2023. (Wednesday Journal)
3. Following severe weather and flooding that inflicted extensive damage across Illinois in late June and early July, Governor J.B. Pritzker has declared a disaster proclamation for several counties, including Cook County. The intense weather events, including hail, tornadoes, and a derecho, caused crop damage, structural harm and led to flash-flooding and roadway debris. Further exacerbating the situation, additional storms on Jul. 2 resulted in record-breaking rainfall, particularly in Chicago and Cook County, leading to substantial flooding and widespread power outages. (NBC Chicago)

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Mutt Strut Virtual 5K Run/Walk, Hosted By Animal Care League (All Day)
• Shake, Rattle & Read At Euclid Square Park (10:00 AM)
• Concert On The Porch With Andrew Moreno At Pleasant Home (7:00 PM)

From my notebook:

• More rain is in the forecast for Oak Park and the surrounding area, prompting the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago to issue an overflow action alert. Officials recommend limiting water use inside the home during heavy rainfall to help ease the sewer load. Learn more about preventing basement flooding and sewer backups at www.oak-park.us/backupprevention. (Village of Oak Park, Illinois via Facebook)
• There's still time to register for the River Forest Park District's next session of Tae Kwon Do. Classes start next Friday, Jul. 21, at the Depot. Get the details here. (River Forest Park District via Facebook)
• The Oak Park Sculpture Walk, organized by the Oak Park Area Arts Council, has returned! There are currently 12 sculptures on display in an outdoor exhibit in Downtown Oak Park. Check out a photo of Swing Time by artist Shencheng Xu, located on Lake Street, on the Village's Instagram account. (Village of Oak Park via Instagram)

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:

• Mutt Strut Virtual 5k Run/Walk (July 14)
• Donuts to your door this Saturday! Order Do-Rite by Friday. (July 15)
• Grace Strawberry Festival (July 15)
• Heading to Ravinia? Pickup noshes from Manny's Deli at Vin this weekend! Order by Friday. (July 15)
• Saturday at Tre Sorelle by Mancini. We have the Keys to Romance (July 15)
• Apps, Salads, and Incredible Mains from Beatrix Are Coming on Wednesday! Order by Monday. (July 19)
• Try something new with Laos to Your House! Eggrolls, bowls, and more. Order by Wednesday. (July 20)
• Add your event

That's it for today. I'll catch up with you bright and early tomorrow with a new 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.