🌱 COVID Lows + Sephora To Open + Plant Exchange + Barriefest

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First, today's weather: Partly sunny and warm. High: 83 Low: 66.

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Here are the top 3 stories in Oak Park-River Forest today:

1. The Oak Park Department of Public Health saw 68 new cases of COVID-19 in the village this week. It is the lowest reported case count in six months. (VOP)

2. Sephora is planning to open a location in Oak Park by the end of the year. The beauty retailer is looking to move into 1143 Lake St., next to Sweetgreen. “I think it’s a real testament to the growth that downtown Oak Park and the village has seen in retail,” Downtown Oak Park Executive Director Shanon Williams said. (Wednesday Journal)

3. It’s a very busy Saturday in the area. The Nineteenth Century Club is hosting its Community Yard Sale from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Ribfest will be held in the Forest Park Picnic Grove; Barriefest begins at noon in Barrie Park, featuring food, music and activities to benefit local nonprofits. (NCC/VOFP/Takeout 25)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Free document shredding is offered at Forest Park Bank. (8 a.m.)
• A Fall Plant and Tool Exchange is held at Oak Park Conservatory. (9:30 a.m.)
• Stroll through the Gunderson Historic District with the OPRF Museum. (10 a.m.)
• Mike Massé performs at Madison Street Theater. (7 p.m.)
• River Forest natives the Dooley Band perform on the library lawn. (7:30 p.m.)
• Stand-up comedians perform at Salerno’s Pizza. (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Brookfield Zoo announced its autumn hours. (Instagram)
• Austin Gardens is hosting a monarch-themed Sustainable Saturday event this morning. (PDOP)
• Dominican University alum Lynika Strozier is featured in the Field Museum’s new “Changing Face of Science” exhibit. (DU)
• One week from today, the 2022 Convivencia will be held in Taylor Park. (OPRHC)

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Events:

• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (September 13)
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• Personalized Italian Language Lessons (Details)
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That's all for today! Have a great Saturday.

— 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.