Rehm Park Tree Honors Teen + Butterflies Come To River Forest

Happy Saturday, Oak Park and River Forest! Let’s get to your holiday weekend headlines.

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First, today's weather:

Overcast throughout the day. High: 76, low: 59.

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

1. The Oak Park Department of Public Health announced 65 new cases of COVID-19 in the Village this week. The majority of cases are in residents under the age of 50, and at least one case was reported in a 4 year old child. (VOP)

2. Oak Park is not the only Illinois community considering hiring an equity director. More than 100 roles focused on diversity and inclusion are available in the Chicagoland area, according to Indeed. School Districts 97 and 200 already have an equity director, while the Oak Park Public Library opened an application process this summer. (Wednesday Journal)

3. The Forest Preserves of Cook County will host a Migrating Monarchs Celebration in River Forest on Sept. 12. The event is part of the fall monarch butterfly migration, which will reach Illinois next week. (Paid source: Chicago Tribune)

4. A 27-year-old woman has been charged with fatally stabbing a 51-year-old Forest Park man in his Rockford Avenue apartment this week. Diamond L. Williams confessed to Forest Park Police that she killed Steven Pasko after an argument in his home Aug. 29. (Forest Park Review)

5. The Cook County Department of Public Health is offering tips to help people stay healthy this holiday weekend as Illinois continues to report high transmission of COVID-19. Residents are required to wear masks indoors, and the health department encourages frequent hand-washing and social distancing in group settings. (CCDPH)

Oak Park-River Forest Patch Notebook

• A tree now grows in Rehm Park in honor of Elijah Sims, an OPRF High School student who was shot and killed in Austin five years ago. (Wednesday Journal)
• Chicago’s Pride Parade has been canceled a second time due to COVID-19 concerns. (NBC5)
• Registration is open for Brookfield Zoo's Annual Zoo Run. (Lawndale News)
• The Oak Park Public Library is calling on local youth to submit short films to the 2022 Young Filmmakers Contest. (OPPL)
• Entries are being accepted for the Forest Preserves of Cook County annual photo contest. (Chicago Daily Herald)

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You're officially in the loop for today! I'll see you tomorrow for the Sunday edition.

Have a safe and healthy weekend,

— Georgi

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