🌱 Summer Event Preview + Pools Open + Hemingway Movie Sells

Happy Friday, Oak Park and River Forest! Before the holiday weekend begins, let's catch you up on the latest local stories, including:

• A former Chicago police officer injured in an Austin carjacking.
• Cook County officials vote to ban flavored e-cigarettes.
• A local man will compete in the National Senior Games later this summer.

But first, today's weather: Plenty of sunshine. High: 71 Low: 51.

Here are the top 5 stories in Oak Park-River Forest today:

1. A retired Chicago police officer was “grazed in an exchange of gunfire” while trying to stop an Austin carjacking Wednesday, NBC Chicago reports. The 78-year-old was taken to the hospital in “good condition” after intervening in the theft outside his neighbor’s home in the 300 block of North Mayfield Avenue. (NBC)

2. Cook County officials voted this week to ban flavored e-cigarettes. Flavored vapes are “specifically designed to appeal to kids, which is despicable,” Board President Toni Preckwinkle said. (Paid source: Tribune)

3. This weekend marks the “unofficial” start to summer, with full calendars in both villages. The Village of River Forest will celebrate Memorial Day with its 98th annual parade Monday. A Juneteenth flag-raising is planned June 12. The OPRF Museum will throw a vintage car show June 10, and Thursday Night Out returns to Downtown Oak Park next weekend. The Village of Oak Park also announced plans to celebrate Juneteenth on June 18 and Pride Month on June 24. The annual sidewalk sale and library book sale are set for mid-July. (VOP/VRF)

4. A movie adaptation of Oak Park native Ernest Hemingway’s last novel sold this week to Bleecker Street, Variety reports. “Across the River and Into the Trees” will be released in the fall, starring Liev Schreiber and Josh Hutcherson. (Variety)

5. Oak Parker Bob Hakes, 88, will compete this summer in the National Senior Games. He has run more than 30 marathons and several other races, telling Wednesday Journal the “key to a successful life” is having something to look forward to every day. (Wednesday Journal)

Big love to our local sponsors. We couldn’t keep the community informed without you!

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Hear live music on the patio at FitzGeralds. (5 p.m.)
• The Caught Off Guards perform an outdoor concert at Oak Park Arms. (5 p.m.)
• See a nature documentary at Austin Gardens. (6:30 p.m.)
• The Just Cause Dancers perform at Julian Middle School. (7 p.m.)

📷 ☀️ Want to send in your summer photos to be featured in the Oak Park-River Forest Patch Photo of the Day series? Click here to send in your pictures all summer long.

From my notebook:

• Rehm Pool and the Elmwood Park Family Aquatic Center will open for the summer tomorrow. Ridgeland Pool is set to open Monday. (PDOP)
• Oak Park parishes will resume offering a cup at communion during this weekend’s masses. The Archdiocese of Chicago paused the offering of the cup during the COVID-19 pandemic. (SGSCSL)
• The River Forest Public Library will be closed Sunday and Monday for the Memorial Day holiday. Oak Park libraries will also be closed Monday, as well as both village halls. (Library)

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• Exchange with Healing Ink at The Art Center! (May 27)
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That's all for today, Oak Park and River Forest! Patch will be back in your inbox tomorrow with more local stories.

— 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 Patch newsletter? Contact me at georgi.presecky@patch.com.