🌱 Where To Get New Boosters + Austin Shootings Down + Holiday Parking

Happy Sunday, Oak Park and River Forest! I hope you're enjoying this holiday weekend. Here's a brief guide to the latest local headlines.

First, today's weather: Cooler with a passing shower. High: 74 Low: 68.

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Here are the top 4 stories in Oak Park-River Forest today:

1. This week the CDC recommended updated COVID-19 booster shots for vaccinated individuals. The new boosters target subvariants of omicron, in addition to the original coronavirus strain. They will likely be available at pharmacies and doctor’s offices. The Oak Park Department of Public Health announced it has placed an order for the new vaccine and more information will be made available “soon” about when and where to receive it. (VOP)

2. Shootings in Austin were down more than 70 percent this summer compared to 2021, according to the Chicago Police Department. Nineteen people were shot in the 15th district in June and July, down from 67 last year. (Austin Weekly News)

3. Oak Park’s Studio of Art is auctioning off several works to raise funds for Beyond Hunger. Bids are now open for the month-long auction in honor of Hunger Action Month. (Beyond Hunger)

4. Overnight parking restrictions are not being enforced in Oak Park this weekend due to the holiday. Restrictions will resume Wednesday at 2:30 a.m. (VOP)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Ascension Catholic Church is collecting diapers and baby wipes to support area charities. (7:30 a.m.)
• Stop by Rehm Pool before it closes for the season. (9 a.m.)
• Learn to embroider a constellation at Dole Center. (1 p.m.)
• See an extended cut of “Spider-Man: No Way Home” at Lake Theatre. (6:45 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Loving the U.S. Open? Save the date for the River Forest Collegiate Invitational men’s tennis tournament, set for Sept. 16-17 at the River Forest Tennis Club and Oak Park Tennis Center. (Patch)
• Concordia University named Dr. Maja Miskovic its new dean of the College of Education. (CU)
• Tickets are on sale now for the OPALGA+ Scholarship Gala being held Oct. 22. (OPALGA+)
• Oaktoberfest made WTTW’s list of best fall food events. (WTTW)
• Oak Park’s Juneteenth parade was included in the Tribune’s end-of-summer highlight guide. (Paid source: Tribune)

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That's all for today, OPRF! See you soon 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.