Rush Requires Vaccines + Some Unvaccinated Express Regret

You’re halfway through the week, OPRF! Thanks for staying informed with the Daily.

First, today's weather: Humid and partly cloudy throughout the day, with a high of 88 and low of 74.

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

1. Staff and volunteers at Rush Oak Park are now required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 1. Rush University System for Health announced the mandate July 26 to “help safeguard members of our community who are at the highest risk of developing serious disease from the coronavirus,” according to a hospital statement. (Wednesday Journal)

2. A former Chicago Public Schools official will serve as superintendent for the Archdiocese of Chicago beginning Aug. 16. Greg A. Richmond worked for CPS for more than 10 years and will now oversee operations of more than 160 Catholic schools and 45,000 students across Chicagoland.(Daily Herald)

3. Pioneer Press reports “several parties” are interested in the seven-acre Priory Campus property owned by Dominican University, including Oak Park and River Forest High School. The University is asking for letters of intent by July 31 from those interested in purchasing the land, valued at $8 million. (Oak Leaves)

4. Fenwick High School graduate Ryan Fitzgerald is “putting himself on the map” as a shortstop in the Boston Red Sox minor league system, batting .283 in 67 games, with the second-most RBI among shortstops in the Northwest League. (Oak Leaves)

5. A new book chronicles the history of 16-inch softball in Forest Park and Chicago. “The Greatest Game on Dirt” is written by historian and documentarian Al Maag, and its release aligns with the return of the annual No Gloves Tournament. (Forest Park Review)

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Today in Oak Park and River Forest

• “Trolls: World Tour” is playing at Lake Theatre for the $2 Wednesday Morning Movie Series. (9:30 a.m.)
• A ribbon-cutting ceremony is planned at Brewpoint Craft Oak Park. (11:30 a.m.)
• Take a virtual visit to Trailside Museum’s Evans Field. (12 p.m.)
• Join a card-making and scrap-booking workshop at Dole Center. (3:30 p.m.)
• River Forest hosts its quarterly community safety meeting. (6 p.m.)
• “Ask the Doctor” about back-to-school mask and vaccine guidelines at the Cook County Department of Public Health’s virtual Q&A. (7 p.m.)

Oak Park-River Forest Patch Notebook

• Gov. Pritzker said he is considering mandatory vaccinations for state employees as COVID-19 cases continue to increase across Illinois and the U.S. (Daily Herald)
• It’s the final day for businesses to submit requests for the OPRF Chamber of Commerce’s Wellness Wednesday August newsletter. (OPRF Chamber)
• The Village of River Forest is seeking applicants for an Administrative Hearing Officer. (VORF)
• A group of Hinsdale residents is hoping to save a historic home in their village designed by Oak Park architect Frank Lloyd Wright. (FOX32)
• Unvaccinated people hospitalized with COVID-19 are expressing regret about their vaccine stances, according to reports from the Cook County Department of Public Health. (CCDPH)

From our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Events:

• Mainstreet Virtual Senior Expo & Education (August 3)
• Free Open House at Anderson Music Studio (August 4)
• Free Family Mini Photo Session (August 7)

Now you're in the loop and ready to start your Wednesday. See you all tomorrow morning for another update!

— Georgi Presecky

About me: Georgi is a Chicago-based reporter with seven years of experience writing for entertainment-based publications. She represented FF2 Media for five years at film festivals across the U.S., from Sundance to Austin. She began working for Patch in 2019.