🌱 Pub Closing After 70 Years + Residential Burglaries Reported

Hello, Oak Park and River Forest! Georgi here — happy to be back bringing you a curated guide to the latest local news stories. I missed you! In today's Daily:

• Residential burglaries are reported.
• A local literary legend is honored.
• The health department is continuing its free COVID-19 testing events ahead of spring break.

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

1. Two Oak Park homes were broken into this week, according to the police department’s daily activity reports. A basement in the 11oo block of South Taylor was targeted Tuesday, with personal checks, credit cards and jewelry being reported stolen. An apartment in the 400 block of North Lombard was also ransacked. (OPPD)

2. The Oak Park Department of Public Health is hosting a free COVID-19 testing event Sunday in Lindberg Park. It is the last in a series of special testing events to limit the spread of the virus during spring break travel. (VOP)

3. Today marks the final day in business for Doc Ryan’s in Forest Park. The Irish pub is going out of business after more than 70 years on Madison Street. A cannabis company is expected to open a dispensary in the building. (Review)

4. Acclaimed Oak Park author Harriette Gillem Robinet has Alzheimer's disease, her daughter Linda Ann Robinet told the audience at a recent awards ceremony at Dominican University. The longtime Oak Parker was honored by the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame for her contributions to literature. “She has the brightest smile. She smiles with her entire face,” Linda Ann said. “It’s the way we know that she’s really happy when she can’t articulate it.” (Paid source: Oak Leaves)

5. Oak Park Conservatory and Trailside Museum will host an annual festival for kids next month, WBEZ reports. The free event is set for April 12. (WBEZ)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• A Dino Works exhibit opens at Wonder Works Children’s Museum. (9 a.m.)
• Celebrate Women’s History Month with an OPRF Museum event. (11 a.m.)
• The Concordia University Chicago Band performs its spring concert. (8 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Controversy is brewing amid staffing changes at Elmwood Park Public Library, according to a Book Riot report. (Book Riot)
• Oak Park and River Forest High School senior Jaden Mathews is organizing the school’s first-ever film festival. (Wednesday Journal)
• More than 70 vendors will be featured as part of the OPRF Chamber of Commerce’s Health and Wellness Fair in April. (Chamber)

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Featured events:

• Music to Dine by with Doug Lalli at Tre Sorelle by Mancini (April 1)
• "An Afternoon with Tanya Egler – A Heritage of Black Gospel Music," a concert by Tanya Egler (April 2)
• Symphony of Oak Park & River Forest Presents Berlioz Te Deum and World Premiere Symphony (April 3)
• Berlioz Te Deum and a World Premiere Symphony (April 3)
• Wedding Band Event at Bella Cosa Jewelers (April 15)
• Add your event

That's all for today! Thanks for being here.

— Georgi

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.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Oak Park-River Forest Patch newsletter? Contact me at georgi.presecky@patch.com.