🌱 Pete's Fresh Market Update + FEMA Spreads Word About Assistance

Hello all. It's me, Nicole Fallon-Peek, your host of the Oak Park-River Forest Patch newsletter — back in your inbox with all the most important things happening in the community.

But first, today's weather:

Partly sunny and humid. High: 93 Low: 76.

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

1. Crews are progressing on Oak Park's second Pete's Fresh Market location, albeit with minimal visible activity, focusing on relocating underground utilities for the store's construction since December 2021. Despite delays, the grocery chain plans to finalize utility relocations through discussions with AT&T and ComEd, aiming to submit a foundation permit application in late August or early September. The prolonged development of the store, which is part of a broader revitalization initiative, has attracted attention and speculation from both American House residents and Oak Park officials. (Wednesday Journal)
2. In the nearby Little Village neighborhood, an 11-year-old girl was unintentionally shot on Sunday night. While attempting to park around 9:00 p.m. on West 24th Place, a woman reached for her gun to reposition it, resulting in an accidental discharge that grazed the girl who was inside the car. The injured girl was transported to Stroger Hospital and is in good condition, with no additional injuries reported. (FOX 32 Chicago)
3. To aid residents affected by the record-setting rainfall in June and July, the Federal Emergency Management Agency sent Disaster Survivor Assistance Teams door-to-door in the Chicago area, helping them register for emergency federal assistance. Around 14,000 individuals have signed up for the relief program since Cook County was declared a disaster area, with eligible residents having until Oct. 16 to apply for assistance. Assistance includes grants, low-cost loans, and recovery programs. (Chicago Sun-Times)

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Today in and around Oak Park-River Forest:

Tuesday, August 22

• Vinyl Cutter Workshop: Sticky Vinyl Decals At Oak Park Public Library (5:30 PM)
• Earl Sweatshirt At House of Blues Chicago (6:30 PM)

From my notebook:

• The Oak Park Public Library is hosting a Community Open House on Oct. 1 at 1:00 p.m., which will celebrate the library's 120-year history. Learn more at the link! (Oak Park Education Foundation via Facebook)
• New homes have been listed for sale in the Oak Park-River Forest area! Get all the property details at the link. (Oak Park-River Forest Patch)
• The Oak Park Area Arts Council's teen summer arts employment program, "Off the Wall," has produced a remarkable mosaic mural on the west side of the Oak Park and River Forest (OPRF) High School building. Watch a video of the progress at the link! (Village of Oak Park, Illinois via Facebook)

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)
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Featured events:

• Irish Fest - Day 3 (August 27)
• Malnati Brain Tumor Institute Summer Rooftop Celebration (August 30)
• How To Protect Your Business: Avoiding 6 Common Mistakes (August 31)
• High Holiday Services 2023 (September 15)
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Thanks for following along and staying informed! I'll be back in your inbox tomorrow morning with another 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.