🌱 Thieves Target Garages + Township Plans Drug Take-Back Day

Good morning, Oak Park and River Forest! Let's catch up on the news.

First, today's weather: Breezy in the afternoon. High: 66 Low: 61.

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

1. Break-ins were reported last week at two residences in the 900 block of Wesley Avenue. Thieves forced open garage service doors on April 6 and stole cash, credit cards and other items, leaving more than $3,000 in losses and damage. (Paid source: Oak Leaves)

2. The First United Church of Oak Park is making headlines for claiming it is “fasting from whiteness” this Lent. “If people have a problem with that specific phrase, they need to understand that the programming around it is so much more,” pastor Rev. John Edgerton said of the church’s anti-racism programming. (Paid source: Oak Leaves)

3. Illinois Senate President Don Harmon dropped out of the race for state central committeeman in the 7th Congressional District because Congressman Danny Davis is also running. "I wasn’t sure what the Congressman’s intentions were when I filed my petitions," Harmon told Wednesday Journal. “I’m pleased that Congressman Davis is running for reelection and happy to support him.” (Wednesday Journal)

4. Oak Park Township will host a prescription drug take-back day on April 30. River Forest Village Hall also offers a prescription drug collection box for residents to discard unwanted or expired medication. (Patch)

5. Resilience Healthcare held a town hall meeting on the West Side last week to answer questions about its prospective ownership of West Suburban Medical Center. “Never have I seen such dedication in a group of individuals — not just people and the staff, but the community that is engaged,” company owner Manoj Prasad said. (Austin Weekly News)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Illinois residents get free admission to the Chicago Botanic Gardens today. (8 a.m.)
• Oak Park Public Library hosts its first Scrabble Club meet-up. (10 a.m.)
• The OPRF Chamber of Commerce hosts a speed networking event. (5 p.m.)
• Choir showcase at OPRF High School. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• The Oak Park Fire Department has begun spring fire hydrant testing. (VOP)
• Chef Gaetano’s Artisan Foods announced it will close in the near future. (Wednesday Journal)
• River Forest Park District is seeking nominations for its upcoming “Seniors Over 60” honor. (Park District)
• Ensemble Español Spanish Dance Theatre will pay tribute to late founder Dame Libby Komaiko at a performance at Dominican University on April 23. (Paid source: Forest Leaves)
• Tickets are on sale now for Unity Temple’s Spring Music Festival on April 30. (UT)

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That's all for today! See you tomorrow for 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.