Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Among all Chicago and suburban Metra stops, River Forest ranked as the 16th highest income, according to Crain's.
A look at income levels in suburban towns with Metra stops provides a glimpse at the disparity in wealth throughout the area, according to an interactive map posted on Crain's Chicago Business Journal. Among all Chicago and suburban Metra stops, River Forest ranked as the 16th highest income with an average income of $122,854 while Oak Park ranked as the 176th highest income at $51,574, according to Crain's. River Forest residents have the top 10 percent of the highest average incomes among Chicago towns with Metra stations, according to the map. The Metra station that ranked as number one was in Kennilworth where the average income came in at $242,188, according to Crain's. Read more and find out how other area suburbs compare on Crain…
Thursday, May 2, 2013
College acceptance letters are in—tell Patch where you're headed next!
Calling all Oak Park and River Forest seniors and senior parents: What's next for you after graduation? Whether you're headed to college or starting a new job, tell us your plans in the comments below. You can upload a picture here, too. Simply click on the "Upload Photos & Videos" tab to share a picture of your graduating senior.
Friday, April 26, 2013
Oak Park and River Forest should see temperatures in the 60s this weekend.
Who is ready for some spring weather this weekend? Oak Park and River Forest might just be in luck. Temperatures should be in the 60s Friday and Saturday and could reach a high of 68 degrees on Sunday with plenty of sunshine expected. There is no precipitation in the forecast this weekend for Oak Park or River Forest. This is likely a welcome change for many as this past April went down in the record books as the rainiest in 143 years. Here is a more detailed look at the forecast in the coming days: Are you ready for some warmer, drier, weather? Let us know how you plan to take advantage of this weekend's weather in the comments section. Source: National Weather Service
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
Roosevelt Middle School is located at 7560 Oak Avenue in River Forest.
- SCHOOLS
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Tuesday, April 16
River Forest School District 90 officials continue to seek the community's input on $1 million in improvements at Roosevelt Middle School, which could include renovated parking lots and the addition of lighting and bike racks, according to the Chicago Tribune. A meeting was held this week to inform the community regarding discussions on the project at the school, which the school board delayed in March since "they thought a more extensive dialogue with the community was needed," according to the Tribune.
Monday, April 15, 2013
Anne Smedinghoff, 25, of Oak Park, was killed on April 6 by a car bombing in Afghanistan.
- LOCAL CONNECTIONS
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Monday, April 15
Secretary of State John Kerry is expected to visit with the family of Anne Smedinghoff today in a private meeting, according to the Wednesday Journal. Kerry had called the family on April 6 to inform them that their 25-year-old daughter — a diplomat from River Forest — had been killed in a car bomb explosion in Afghanistan. She had been on her way to donate books to a school at the time of the bombing. Kerry is coming to the area after spending 10 days overseas where he spoke of Anne Smedinghoff at a news briefing in Istanbul as "everything that our country stands for," according to the Wednesday Journal. Funeral arrangements have been set for Smedinghoff with a visitation to be held on Tuesday and funeral services on Wednesday morning.
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Around 19 percent of Oak Park homeowners own their homes outright.
Communities with a large segment of senior citizens or high median incomes tend to have the highest percentage mortgage-free homes, according to Crain’s Chicago Business. In Oak Park, 19.3 percent of homeowners own their homes outright while 37 percent of homeowners in River Forest do not owe anything on their homes, according to Crain's. Here’s a look at how other area communities rank: Community % of Mortgage-Free Homes Forest Park 24.9% 26.6% Melrose Park 33.8% 37% Rosemont 40% Cicero 24.3% Maywood 28.2% Berwyn 27.4% North Riverside 43%
Monday, April 1, 2013
The online tool Rich Block, Poor Blocks uses Google Maps and U.S. Census data to break down the median household income by neighborhood.
There is a notable range in wealth from neighborhood to neighborhood in Oak Park. Some of the poorest blocks in Oak Park are concentrated to the east side of the village, according to Rich Blocks, Poor Blocks. There, the median household income is in the $20,000 to $40,000 range. Comparably speaking, one of the wealthiest neighborhoods in Oak Park is located south of West North Avenue/Highway 64 and immediately east and west of Oak Park Avenue, according to Rich Blocks, Poor Blocks. There, the median household income is around $170,000. As for River Forest, many of the neighborhoods on the northern portion of the village have a median household income around $152,000. This includes a section south of West North Avenue/Highway 64 and …
Monday, March 25, 2013
Several local seats are up for grabs during the spring election.
Early voting opened Monday in Cook County. Those hoping to cast their ballot early for several local races can do so through April 6. Election day is April 9. There are several local seats up for election in Cook County, but 64 percent of those races are uncontested, according to a Cook County Clerk press release. In Oak Forest and River Forest, voters will be asked to cast their ballot for local candidates and to also vote on a referendum question that asks voters whether the District 200 Board of Education should spend a portion of its cash and investments, which currently exceed $111 million, to fund a year-round, public, indoor, aquatics and fitness center for all Oak Park and River Forest residents. “While turnout is usually low …
The students are accused of attempting to rob fellow students, according to an Oak Leaves article.
- POLICE & FIRE
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Monday, March 25
Two Oak Park-River Forest High School students have been arrested on a charge of attempted armed robbery "of several fellow high school students" following an investigation by the Oak Park Police Department and high school officials, according to an Oak Leaves article. Michael Davis, of the 1200 block of North Austin Boulevard, and Joshua Smith, of the 300 block of Chicago Avenue, both 17 years old, were identified in a line up last week by a student who police said they displayed a gun to and demanded money from on Wednesday afternoon at Superior Street and East Avenue, according to the article.
Thursday, February 21, 2013
Snow and sleet could accumulate up to four inches in the Chicago area on Thursday evening and into Friday.
Don't put away those shovels yet; more winter weather is on the way. According to the National Weather Service, the Oak Park area can expect to be hit with a storm on Thursday night that will bring snow, sleet and wind into Friday. The National Weather Service is predicting the chance of snow at 100 percent. In other words, they seem pretty sure that we'll get between two to four inches tomorrow. Others, like CBS2, are predicting as much as five inches by Friday morning. The storm will likely start off as freezing rain in the late afternoon and turning to snow by evening, which will continue throughout the night and into Friday morning. Winds speeds are predicted at between five and 15 mph. You can look forward to a snowless weekend though…
