🌱 RSV Hospitalizing Illinois Children + River Forest Traffic Study

Hello! In the Sunday edition of the Oak Park-River Forest Daily:

• A respiratory virus has hospitalized hundreds of children in Illinois
• River Forest officials approve a traffic study
• A nearby grocery store customer wins big

But first, today's weather: Cloudy, afternoon showers. High: 64 Low: 51.

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

1. Only six percent of pediatric ICU beds are open in Illinois as a respiratory virus infects children statewide. More than 200 children are hospitalized with RSV, which causes labored breathing and can lead to dehydration and other symptoms. (ABC)

2. River Forest trustees voted unanimously to conduct a traffic study across the village. The board hopes its plan will “eliminate the need for the piecemeal solutions to issues raised by residents in the past year.” (Wednesday Journal)

3. Metra officials are against a proposed railroad merger between the Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern railroads. Rail transit authorities say the merger could cause delays on Chicago-area rail lines, which are still facing ridership issues because of the pandemic. (Paid source: Tribune)

4. A River Grove grocery store recently sold a $4.5 million winning lottery ticket to a “regular” customer, according to Elm Leaves. The ticket for the Oct. 15 drawing was sold at Rich’s Fresh Market. (Paid source: Elm Leaves)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Hephzibah hosts a Halloween Fun Run/Walk through River Forest. (8:30 a.m.)
• Take a fall bird walk at Trailside Museum. (9 a.m.)
• A Sensory-Sensitive Boo Bash is held at Cheney Mansion. (10 a.m.)
• Brookfield Zoo hosts a Día de Muertos celebration. (10 a.m.)
• River Forest Public Library presents “Lights Out: Mystery and Horror in the Golden Age of Radio.” (2 p.m.)
• Take an Olmstead Society walking tour of Riverside. (2 p.m.)
• Ovation Academy presents Captain Louie, Jr.” (3 p.m.)
• Oak Park Public Library presents a Día de Muertos dance battle. (3:30 p.m.)
• The Concordia University Kapelle performs a free concert in the campus chapel. (4 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• River Forest officials are offering safety tips ahead of Halloween trick-or-treating. (VRF)
• Tomorrow is the final day to donate to the Housing Forward hygiene product drive. (OPPL)
• Starship Restaurant will celebrate 45 years in Forest Park next weekend. (Wednesday Journal)

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That's all for today! Thanks for staying informed and see you tomorrow for a Halloween edition of the Daily.

— 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.