🌱 Thief Targets Rush Oak Park ER + Metra Launches Tracking System

Good morning! Among the Friday headlines in Oak Park and River Forest:

• A local teen donates his kidney
• Housing Forward seeks volunteers for its new shelter
• Riverside Public Library opens a conversation on book banning

But first, today's weather: Cloudy, a snow shower; breezy. High: 30 Low: 22.

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

1. A thief stole a purse from a sleeping person at Rush Oak Park Hospital early Tuesday morning. According to an Oak Park Police Department report, the victim was sleeping in the emergency waiting room when the theft occurred. (OPPD)

2. Metra unveiled a new GPS tracking system this week. Commuters will now be able see the location of their chosen trains online, the Tribune reports. CEO Jim Derwinski said the rollout of metratracker.com will provide a “dramatic improvement in our communications.” The CTA also announced upgrades to its bus tracking system to help commuters navigate recent schedule changes due to a worker shortage. (Paid source: Tribune)

3. A 19 year old from Oak Park volunteered to donate his kidney in December. Pre-med student Joey Pascarella, 19, told the Wednesday Journal the choice “felt obvious.” He signed up through the National Kidney Registry and was told his donation saved the life of a person in California with chronic kidney disease. (Wednesday Journal)

4. Housing Forward is seeking volunteers to assist with operations at the new emergency overnight shelter. The 15-bed shelter is located inside the former rectory of St. Catherine-St. Lucy. Volunteers are needed to serve breakfast, provide prepared meals and help with set-up. (Housing Forward)

5. The Forest Park Fire Department is planning to internalize its paramedic program after decades using a third-party contractor. The village plans to hire three additional firefighter-paramedics by May 1. (Review)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Golden Globe winner “Everything Everywhere All At Once” screens at the Oak Park Public Library. (1 p.m.)
• Make ceramics at Dole Center. (6 p.m.)
• Compass Rose performs at Maya del Sol. (8:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Sen. Don Harmon honored the late state senator Scott Bennett in Springfield this week. Bennett died of a brain tumor in December. His wife Dr. Stacy Bennett will fill his role in the state senate. (WCIA)
• The Village of Oak Park is hiring for several open roles, including administrative assistant, engineering technician and sustainability coordinator. (VOP)
• Riverside Public Library will keep the book “Gender Queer” on its shelves after dozens of residents debated its content at a January board meeting. (Landmark)
• It is the final day to recycle holiday trees in Oak Park. (VOP)

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You're all caught up! See you tomorrow for another 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.

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