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Dear River Forest residents,
I’d like to congratulate Mary Anne Gleason, Amy Gleason and Katie (Gleason) Van Meurs, who are members of the St. Luke School community and long-time River Forest residents. All three women have been recognized with the "Award of Special Recognition" from the Illinois State Board of Education’s Those Who Excel Program. Recipients receive this award when they demonstrate extraordinary contributions to education through teaching, philanthropy and volunteerism.
Registration for vendors and sponsors is now open for the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Community Health & Wellness Fair on Sunday, April 21 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. Sponsors can choose their preferred table location on a first-come, first-served basis here.
I would also like to remind River Forest business owners and organizations to take advantage of the complimentary six-month memberships provided by the Village in an effort to help support local small businesses. Call the Chamber at 708-613-0550 or click here for more information.
Spring break takes place for our local school districts the week of March 25, with students returning to classes on Monday, April 1. Please be on the lookout for children while driving through the Village.
Lastly, but very importantly, please view the instructional video provided in an article below on how to register for the Village’s WaterSmart program. After you register through the portal, you will be made aware of higher-than-normal water consumption due to leaks or other issues you may not be aware of, that lead to higher water bills. If you haven’t registered already, I encourage you to do so!
Sincerely,
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Cathy Adduci, Village President
Village of River Forest
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Following the March 18 hearing, the Cook County judge issued an order revoking the court-appointed receiver's (Ascend Real Estate Group) authority to market or sell the Lake & Lathrop property. As a result, the receiver has ceased efforts to negotiate the sale of the property at this time. Wintrust’s foreclosure case is still pending before the court, and is currently in the discovery phase. The Wintrust foreclosure case will take precedence and once the foreclosure case is resolved, Wintrust may be able to sell the property to another developer.
Ascend Real Estate Group continues to be responsible for the maintenance and security of the site, and Wintrust is responsible for all associated costs, including legal fees and property taxes. The Village will encourage Wintrust to resolve this issue as soon as possible.
As mentioned in earlier newsletters, the Village ensured that the property was remediated and cleaned from a dry cleaning contamination that was running along our sewer lines and toward the corner of Lake and Lathrop and St. Luke’s Church. Here is the No Further Remediation letter from the Illinois EPA for the remediation that was completed in 2021.
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Watch your Water Consumption with WaterSmart! | |
More than 500 of your neighbors have already signed up to use WaterSmart - the online portal that helps you track your water use. Watch the informational video above to learn more! | |
At last Monday's Board of Trustees meeting, Village President Cathy Adduci presented the annual State of the Village address. This is a recap of what the Village accomplished in 2023 and plans moving forward to continually strengthen our community. For those who were unable to attend, a video of the presentation is now available. You can view it here. | |  |
The Village is working to identify all lead water service lines in River Forest and we need help from our community members! As part of a commitment to meet the requirements of the Illinois Lead Service Line Replacement and Notification Act, please take a short survey found here. Residents are asked to complete this survey so the Village can ultimately eradicate lead piping from our water supply network. | | |
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As construction season begins, the Police Department would like to warn residents about a frequent paving scam. Typically, the scam starts with a face-to-face encounter, often with a ‘team’ of people arriving at your doorstep. These 'contractors' claim they have excess asphalt from a nearby project and need a spot to dispose of it. They then propose to pave your driveway at an unbelievably low cost, which should raise suspicion. Remember not to pay for something like this unless you have a written contract and proof of insurance from the contractor, who should also be registered with the Village. You can verify contractor registration here and then click on “Contractor Status.” Also, if you do move forward with this type of project, do not pay in-full until the work is completed. For additional information about this scam, click here.
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Leave a bike and take a bike during the 4th Annual River Forest Bike Exchange Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Roosevelt Middle School playground. This event is organized by District 90 Green4Good, in partnership with the River Forest Sustainability Commission. This event encourages residents to bring bikes they have outgrown and to look for one that may suit their current needs! To learn more, click here. | | |
Triton College’s Greening the Campus Committee is holding a pollinator art contest in celebration of Earth Day! Submissions must depict pollinators and/or their role in the ecosystem. Formats can include photography, paintings or drawings. Email your original piece by Thursday, April 4 here. This art contest is open to artists of all ages and skill levels. To learn more, click here. | | |
Congratulations to Matthew Emerson | |
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Congratulations to local resident Matthew Emerson for recently serving as emcee for the Eagle Scout Court of Honor. This event is a ceremony that honors young men and women who have attained the highest rank in scouting. Being emcee for this event is a highly prestigious honor.
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Speakers Needed for Health Career Class | The Health Career Class at Oak Park River Forest High School (OPRFHS) is seeking guest speakers for in-person presentations during their 5th period class, from 11:30 a.m. - 12:30pm., at the semester's end. Students will conduct interviews and assist in preparing the presentation beforehand. The school still needs professionals from the following fields: Biomedical Engineers, nurses who have worked or trained outside of the U.S., surgeons and dermatologists. To learn more or volunteer, send an email to OPRFHS staff member Mrs. Gunn. | | |
OPRF Chamber Economic Symposium | Presentation proposals are now being accepted for the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce’s 2024 Economic Symposium on Tuesday, May 21 from 1 - 6:30 p.m. The theme of the event will be, "Economic Resilience: Insider Tactics on Surviving and Thriving in Today’s Economic Climate." The Chamber is looking for speakers to teach business owners real, tangible tactics for navigating today's economic climate. Speaker submissions will be accepted through Sunday, March 31. To learn more or submit a proposal, click here. | | |
Dominican University Presentation | |
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Dominican University is hosting a marketing presentation with Kim Lefko, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Ace Hardware, and a resident of River Forest. The presentation is entitled, “Navigating a Career in Global Marketing: Dare to Disrupt, Lead to Inspire,” which will take place on Tuesday, March 26 at 6:30 p.m. in Martin Recital Hall. This free program is part of the Brennan School Business Global Speaker Series. To attend, please register here.
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Join the River Forest Park District for their annual Easter Eggstravaganza on Saturday, March 30 at 9 a.m. with a VIP Bunny Experience at The Depot! The fun will include face painting, balloon twisting, donuts, goodie bags, and a private egg hunt. At 11 a.m., the annual Egg Hunt begins at Keystone Park West. Children ages 2-10 can search for filled eggs - and those lucky enough to find a golden egg will receive a special prize! For more information on either event, click here.
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Reduce Food Waste
in Landfills
| More than one-third of the food produced in the U.S. goes uneaten and much of it ends up in landfills. One report found that 58% of methane emissions, which negatively impact climate change, derive from food waste. With the goal of decreasing the amount of organic waste sent to our landfills, the Village and Lakeshore Recycling Systems (LRS) offer a yard waste and food scrap compost program available to all residents. To learn more about the Village’s Curbside Composting Program and how to sign up, click here. | | |
Green Electricity Aggregation Program | |
In the coming week, residents may receive a letter from MC Squared Energy (MC2), the Village’s approved electricity provider, about the Electric Aggregation Program. This program provides eligible residents and small businesses with electricity that supports renewable energy projects and offsets carbon dioxide emissions. There is no added cost for residents or small business owners to take part in this program. For more information, click here.
Please Beware of any solicitor who comes to your door or calls, asking you to switch to a different supplier who is not associated with the Village, MC2, or ComEd.
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River Forest Business Spotlight! | |
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Skincare Company Spa & Hair Salon has a friendly, professional staff that is trained, certified, and licensed to give you the best in clinical skin care - using the most advanced and up-to-date techniques. To learn more or schedule an appointment, call 708-366-8264 or click here.
Please support local businesses whenever possible! If you have a business located in River Forest with a valid business license, it can be featured in the Village’s business spotlight. If you’d like your business to be featured, please send us an email. You can find a listing of River Forest businesses on the Village’s Shop River Forest website.
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What's Happening in River Forest?
to find out, today!
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Click the name below to visit the organization's website:
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