🌱 River Forest PD Welcomes New Officers + Sustainable Saturday

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

First, today's weather: Not as warm; an a.m. thunderstorm. High: 77 Low: 64.

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Here are the top 4 stories in Oak Park-River Forest today:

1. A driver was carjacked at gunpoint at the BP gas station at 2758 Harlem Ave., the Elmwood Park Police Department reports. The aggravated vehicular carjacking was reported the morning of May 2. (Paid source: Elm Leaves)

2. Three new officers are joining the River Forest Police Department. Paul Mika, Eddie Coleman and Anthony Okal began their training earlier this month and were recognized by the Village in honor of National Police Week. (VRF)

3. The Village of Oak Park is looking ahead to summer events following two years of pandemic cancellations. A Day in Our Village, Juneteenth and July 4 celebrations have all been announced. (VOP)

4. Oak Park’s new Postmaster Kenya Thomas penned a letter to residents in this week’s Wednesday Journal. She will lead the Oak Park Post Office after serving more than two decades with the U.S. Postal Service. (Wednesday Journal)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Local partners present “Aging in Our Communities” as part of Celebrating Seniors Week. (9 a.m.)
• Make a Batik painting at Dole Center. (10 a.m.)
• It’s Sustainable Saturday at Austin Gardens. (10 a.m.)
• Take a walking tour of Thatcher Woods. (1 p.m.)
• Ascension Catholic Church collects food donations for St. Martin de Porres pantry. (5 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Oak Park speed skater Emery Lehman told Oak Leaves he plans on making 2026 his last Olympics. (Paid source: Oak Leaves)
• Forest Park fifth grader Juliet Harrington is raising funds to improve the dog park on Circle Avenue. (Forest Park Review)
• Registration is open for Trinity High School’s summer programs, with options for students from kindergarten through 12th grade. (Trinity)
• The Oak Park Farmers’ Market will return to the Pilgrim Church parking lot on May 21. (VOP)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

• Laurie Christofano, Realtor | RE/MAX In The Village — (Visit website)
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Events:

• Oak Brook Artisan Market — Sunday, May 15 (10 a.m.-5 p.m.) (May 15)
• Meet Me in Manhattan, An Old Fashioned Way to Beat Cancer www.scoreboardcharities.com (June 10)
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You're all caught up on the news! Have a great weekend.

— 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.

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