🌱 Onion Roll Owner Helps Native Ukraine + Fenwick Honors Coach

Good morning, Oak Park and River Forest! Here's a quick guide to today's local news.

First, today's weather: Strong winds subsiding. High: 46 Low: 36.

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

1. The Onion Roll Restaurant & Deli is selling blue and yellow bagels to raise aid money for Ukraine. Co-owner Igor Russo is from Kyiv and is collecting funds along with St. Joseph the Betrothed Ukrainian Church. (Paid source: Oak Leaves)

2. The Proviso Teachers Union will return to negotiations with District 209 tomorrow after officially striking March 4. Classes were canceled Friday and hundreds picketed outside the high schools in support of teachers seeking a raise. (NBC)

3. DJs will be allowed to perform at Lantern Haus this month after the Forest Park Village Council approved its amusement license. Village officials are looking to have more say in Forest Park events “in the wake of several high-profile incidents involving rowdy crowds.” (Forest Park Review)

4. Fenwick High School named its basketball court after Coach Dave Power upon his retirement this month. He coached for more than 45 years and won more than 1,000 games. (Chicago Catholic)

5. La Grange Theatre is on track to reopen this summer, according to Classic Cinemas - which also owns and operates Lake Theatre in Oak Park. CEO Chris Johnson said renovations on the 100-year-old structure are moving ahead on schedule. (Patch)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Drop off sack lunches at Oak Park Temple for Project Sandwich. (9:30 a.m.)
• Free KidsFest at the Oak Park Conservatory. (10 a.m.)
• River Forest Public Library hosts a virtual event about Betty Crocker in honor of Women’s History Month. (2 p.m.)
• See the Theatre of Western Springs production of “Women Playing Hamlet.” (2:30 p.m.)
• The Handel Week Festival wraps up with a concert at Pilgrim Congregational Church. (3 p.m.)
• One Earth Film Festival hosts a screening of “On the Fenceline: A Fight for Clean Air” at United Methodist Church. (5:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• River Forest Village President Cathy Adduci sent a Women’s History Month message to the village this week, writing that she is “proud of all women and the role they have played in leading efforts for equal opportunity.” Adduci is the first woman ever to serve in the role. (VRF)
• The Park District of Oak Park will host a job fair March 12 at the Ridgeland Common Recreation Complex. (PDOP)
• OPRF High School poets featured in the new book “Respect the Mic” will present their poetry at Oak Park Public Library on Thursday. A virtual option will be available for those who cannot attend in person. (OPPL)
• The River Forest Public Library named the winners of its winter photo contest. (Instagram)

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Events:

• Handel Week Festival III, O Be Joyful! The Chandos Anthems (March 6)
• FREE WEBINAR | Michelangelo, Masaccio and Giotto: The Chapels that defined the Renaissance (March 8)
• Key Financial and Tax Considerations in Divorce – Vesta Chicago, IL Hub (March 8)
• International Women’s Day Concert Extravaganza (March 8)
• FREE-Family Food Distribution (March 12)
• Free Drop In Violin Class (March 12)
• Chicago Artisan Market in Fulton Market - Sun, Mar 13th (10am-4pm) (March 13)
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• Stunning Craftsman Bungalow, open house Sunday 12-2pm (Details)
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That's all for today, Oak Park and River Forest. I hope you're having a great weekend. See you tomorrow for another week of news.

— 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.