When the call went out for help after a late-season tornado swept across downstate Washington in November, Oak Park was among the first to respond.
Foresters Dan Bartl and Ron Schwab and mechanics Charles “Rusty” Miller and Tom Glenn joined responders from across Illinois who rushed to the small...
Oak Parkers soon will be able to request three free passes each month to park overnight on the street and purchase as many as seven passes per month for $7 each – per vehicle.
In addition to increasing the number of available overnight parking passes, an online pass request process also will be...
Following a recommendation from the Oak Park Board of Health, the Village now requires bicyclists under age 17 to wear a helmet. Enforcement will focus on education rather than punishment. However, parents of repeat offenders could face a $25 fine or be required to do community service.
The helmet...
Local authority over firearms officially ended on Jan. 1 as state concealed-carry legislation went into effect.
Under the new Firearm Concealed Carry Act, the Illinois State Police will issue licenses to individuals who qualify under the legislation to carry concealed firearms. The State Police...
Unless you are using a hands-free device, talking on a cell phone while driving now is illegal in Illinois.
Effective Jan. 1, police can stop and ticket drivers using a hand-held cell phone anywhere in the state. Illinois was the 12th state in the country and first in the Midwest to adopt a ban on...
Legislation that lowered Illinois’ voting age to 17 for primary elections went into effect on Jan. 1. Illinoisans born on or before Nov. 4, 1996 can register and vote in the March 18 Primary Election because they will turn 18 by the Nov. 4 General election.
The deadline to register to vote in the...
Parkway tree trimming is scheduled for early January to mid-March, weather permitting. Trees will be trimmed between Chicago Avenue and Division Street from East Avenue to Harlem Avenue, and between Division Street and North Avenue from Austin Boulevard to Harlem Avenue. Village crews will prune...
**The Village no longer collects holiday lights for recycling. This archived newsletter article is from 2014.
Eligible residents can recycle holiday lights by scheduling a pickup through At Your Door Service. Visit www.oak-park.us/atyourdoor for more information on how to schedule a pickup. ...
Holiday trees will be picked up on regular trash and recycling collection days during the weeks of January 6 and 13. Please follow these guidelines:
Place trees in the regular collection area next to the refuse cart — only residents with no alley should put trees at the curb.
Remove all tinsel,...
Carroll Park community meeting – A community meeting to review the Carroll Park master plan is scheduled for 7 p.m., Tues. Jan. 7 at Carroll Center, 1125 S. Kenilworth Ave. Residents are invited to provide input regarding future park improvements. Visit www.pdop.org for more details.
Winter Fest –...
Dig For Dinner – The topic of January’s free Saturday exploration station will be roots, the most overlooked but essential part of plants. From radishes to potatoes, docents will guide participants through interactive displays and games as they examine the roles plant roots play in diets. The...
The Village has specific rules that govern parking when it snows — rules that are enforced seven days a week, including holidays. Residents are urged to monitor local forecasts and plan accordingly. When a snow emergency is declared by the Public Works Department, all parking is prohibited on the...
Effective Jan. 1, a disability parking placard will no longer automatically qualify for meter-exempt parking. Only individuals with a specific meter-exempt permanent placard will not have to pay parking meter fees. These placards are issued to persons with permanent disabilities whose physician-...
Prescription drug collection is available in the lobby of the Police Department at Village Hall, 123 Madison St. A secure drug collection container, which functions like a postal box, was purchased using a grant from the Illinois EPA. The box can hold up to 50 pounds of material. Needles or other...
The Oak Park Fire Department offers a variety of life-saving classes including CPR and training in how to use an automated external defibrillator, or AED. Classes are held from 6 – 10 p.m. at the Fire Department’s certified American Heart Association community training center in the main station,...
Property owners can pay their water bills electronically, either by using a credit card online, or setting up an automatic debit from a checking, savings or credit card account. Property owners also can go paperless by signing up to receive bills via email. In addition to water, the quarterly bill...
Annual report available – Oak Park Township accomplishments and finances for April 1, 2012 – March 31, 2013 are available for citizen review at www.oakparktownship.org. Highlights for the year include:
New Senior Services facility opened to provide nutrition, transportation and other support to...
Warming centers are open from 5:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. at West Suburban Medical Center, Erie Street at Austin Boulevard, and from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Rush Oak Park Hospital, 500 S. Maple Ave. Hours may be extended when weather conditions warrant. To find out if the warming center is open after hours...
June may seem like a long way from January, but planning already is well underway for the 41st annual A Day in Our Village, Oak Park’s annual festival celebrating diversity and community involvement.
This year’s event is scheduled for Sun., June 1.
A variety of volunteers are needed to help promote...
Property owners who shovel their sidewalks are doing more than making it safer for pedestrians of all ages — they also are complying with the law. Village ordinance requires snow and ice to be removed from the public sidewalk within 24 hours following any snow, sleet or freezing rain. Being a good...
A veteran public servant with two decades of experience in law, housing and development grants has been tapped to head up a newly re-organized department to deliver business development and customer services. Tammie Grossman will become director of the Community & Economic Development...
Property managers, owners and condo boards interested in creating smoke-free buildings can find help from the Oak Park Department of Public Health. Local public health officials have created a range of materials on how to transition to a smoke-free property, including sample letters for tenants and...
Residents age 18 and older are eligible for free nicotine replacement patches through the Illinois Department of Public Health. Call the Illinois Quitline 866.784.8937 to register. Information also is posted at www.quityes.org. Smoking is prohibited in most public places in the Village. To file a...
