🌱 Trinity Coach Honored + Filling Johnson's County Board Seat

Welcome to the weekend, Oak Park and River Forest! In today's news:

• Reported COVID-19 cases have dropped considerably since the beginning of the month.
• A new film screening at Lake Theatre was penned by an Oak Park screenwriter.
• Oak Park homeowners are featured in Architectural Digest this week.

But first, today's weather: Mainly cloudy with showers. High: 57 Low: 41.

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

1. Reported COVID-19 cases have decreased by more than 40 percent since the beginning of April, according to the Oak Park Department of Public Health. This week 19 people tested positive, the village’s lowest reported number since summer 2021. (VOP)

2. West Side civil rights leader Rev. Ira J. Acree is looking to fill the empty Cook County Board seat left vacant by Brandon Johnson, Chicago’s next mayor. “It is no secret that I have spent years, just like Brandon Johnson, committed to ending the tale of the two cities. I have a body of work that backs that up,” Acree told AWN. (AWN)

3. Homeowners shared their experiences living in Frank Lloyd Wright homes with Architectural Digest this week, including an Oak Park house dating back to 1909. Laura Gale House owner Andrea Kaye told the magazine the historic home’s unique windows make “you appreciate every kind of sky, every kind of light.” (AD)

4. Trinity High School basketball coach Kimberly Coleman was named a Coach of the Year by the Illinois Basketball Coaches Association. She has led the varsity team since 2018. (THS)

5. Oak Park screenwriter Michael Gilio penned the original script for “Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves,” which took in more than $38.5 million at the box office opening weekend. The film is now playing at Lake Theatre. (Wednesday Journal)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Cheney Mansion hosts the Annual West Suburban Consortium of Young Artists Art Expo. (10 a.m.)
• Beer Shop celebrates eight years in Oak Park with an all-day anniversary bash. (Noon)
• A full schedule of Arbor Day activities kicks off in Maple Park. (1 p.m.)
• Learn about the history of village trees with Climate Ready Community Outreach to Oak Park. (2 p.m.)
• The Oak Park Regional Housing Center and library present “Building a Village: 50 Years of Fair Housing in Oak Park.” (2 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Windows are being installed this week at the new Pleasant and Marion development. (VOP)
• Lurie Children’s Hospital is seeking feedback from Austin residents as it plans to open a “community hub” on the West Side “that will focus on mental and behavioral health services for West Side youth.” (AWN)
• Four graduating seniors received scholarships from the Oak Park Area Arts Council. (OPAAC)
• OPRF High School senior Kelly Regan was named a Chicago Bears Community High School All-Star. (Instagram)
• Save the date: Spring Fest at the Trailside Museum of Natural History is set for May 7. (FPDCC)

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• Music to Dine By with Doug Lalli at Tre Sorelle by Mancini (April 29)
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• Trinity High School's Summer Experiences (Details)
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You're all caught up for April 29! See you tomorrow for our last Daily of the month.

— 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.