Food Truck Rally a First for Oak Park

Although Oak Park doesn't allow food trucks, except for a few already sanctioned, there will be a great variety of vendors at a special event this Saturday, May 11.

Although Oak Park doesn't allow food trucks—except for a few already sanctioned in town—a wide variety of vendors will descend on the village this weekend.  The Oak Park Great Food Truck Rally is from noon to 6 p.m. this Saturday, May 11, in the parking lot of the Pilgrim Congregational Church, 460 Lake St. in Oak Park.  For more event info, visit our community calendar: Oak Park's Great Food Truck Rally The featured vendors include gourmet grilled cheese, jerk chicken and meatloaf cupcakes. (There are also cake cupcakes.) Go here for a full list of vendors. Also featured is Oak Park's Mojo Express coffee vendor, which has previously blasted the village's rule that only allows mobile food vendors to park in one spot for 30 minutes.  But …

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Tonight: Discuss Oak Park's Comprehensive Plan

A small group session regarding Oak Park's future will take place at 7 p.m. tonight at Oak Park-River Forest High School.

Yard Waste Collection Begins in Oak Park

Collection began April 1 and will continue through November. Get the details here.

From the Village of Oak Park: Regular yard waste collection began Monday, April 1, and will continue through November.  Bundled brush no larger than 2 feet in diameter and 4 feet in length and yard waste such as grass clippings, leaves, shrubs and vines will be picked up on regular collection days. A green yard waste sticker must be attached to each brush bundle, 32-gallon paper bag and rigid container. Stickers are available for $2.35 each from Oak Park grocery and hardware stores and the Cashier's Office at Village Hall, 123 Madison St.  Residents are urged to look for alternatives to bagging yard waste such as mulching mowers, leaf shredders or backyard compost piles. For more information, call 708.358.5700 or e-mail publicworks@oak-…

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Who's Made Oak Parkers Healthier?

Nominate a person or organization who has made exceptional contributions to improving the health and safety of Oak Park.

From the Village of Oak Park: The deadline is fast approaching to make a nomination for an annual award that honors those who made exceptional contributions to improving the health of Oak Parkers during 2012. These individuals and organizations will be honored with the William Fitzsimmons Award during 2013 Public Health Week, April 1-7. The deadline for nominations is this Friday, March 22. Nomination forms are available at Village Hall and online – just click here. Completed forms should be dropped off or mailed to the Oak Park Department of Public Health, Village Hall, 123 Madison St., Oak Park, IL 60302. Nominations also may be made via e-mail to health@oak-park.us. Nominations submitted via e-mail should include responses to all fields…

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Universal Preschool Mention in State of the Union Encouraging to Advocates

Endorsement of effort by President Barack Obama comes as Oak Park, Forest Park prepare to expand, initiate programs.

Update as of 10:30 a.m. Thursday Feb. 14: A vote on the Collaboration's program will come at the Feb. 28 meeting, school board president Terry Finnegan said. He noted that no one is against the concept; it's a smart investment. The issue at hand is the eligibility of using funds from the high school district for this purpose. President Barack Obama’s ringing endorsement of universal preschool during his State of the Union Address couldn’t come at a more opportune time for advocates in Oak Park and Forest Park. “It’s great that he put that at the forefront of the national conversation. The data is so clear that this is an issue that can and should receive support across the spectrum. This should be something that everybody can get behind,” …

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Nominations Sought for Public Health Awards

Village looking for folks who helped keep Oak Park healthy in 2012.

Nominations now are being accepted for an annual award that honors those who made exceptional contributions to improving the health of Oak Parkers during 2012. The deadline is 5 p.m., Fri., March 22. The Oak Park Department of Public Health will honor those individuals and organizations with the William Fitzsimmons Award during 2013 Public Health Week, April 1-7. A nomination form may be downloaded at www.oak-park.us/health — look for the link along the right margin or picked up at village hall, 123 Madison St. Completed forms should be mailed to or dropped off at the Oak Park Department of Public Health, Village Hall, 123 Madison St., Oak Park, IL 60302, Attn: Public Health Awards. They also can be emailed to health@oak-park.us. …

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Farmers Market, Public Art Commissions Seek New Members in Oak Park

Farmers Market, Community Relations and others looking for members.

If you live in Oak Park and are interested in giving some time to serving the community, some village commissions need your time and energy. Most commissions that currently have vacancies do not require expertise. The lone exception is the Building Codes Advisory Commission. People who work in the trades need to review building codes to see if Oak Park's rules conform with new state, national and international standards. Here are some other prospects for residents to consider: For more information or get an application, click here.

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Is it Snowing in Oak Park? Nope, a Commercial Shoots on Euclid Avenue

The village of Oak Park posted a gallery of photos showing a snowy front yard on Euclid Avenue today that was used for a commercial shoot.

A walk down Euclid Avenue in Oak Park might have had you doing a double take. The village of Oak Park posted a gallery of pictures on their Facebook page on Thursday of the scene where a holiday commerical was being shot—complete with fake snow. "Maybe you saw the, ahem, isolated weather event in front of a home on Euclid Avenue recently. Not to worry: It was a holiday-themed commercial film shoot. All the snow was fake!", the village wrote in the gallery. See the photos here.

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Vote for a Public Sculpture; Stay Up to Date on Safety Info

Plus, free nicotine patches from IDPH: news briefs from the Village of Oak Park.

The following are from releases from the Village of Oak Park: Pick a public sculpture Residents of Oak Park are invited to vote on which of the 12 sculptures currently on display between Lake Street and Forest Avenue the Village Board should consider purchasing for permanent display in the Village. Such a purchase may be recommended by the Public Art Advisory Commission, who have organized the sculpture walk, on display through Oct. 14. Villagers can vote at this location and rank all 12 sculptures by preference. More information about the Oak Park sculpture walk can be found on the Village website. The deadline to vote is Sunday, Sep. 30. Get safety information from the Fire Department The Village is encouraging residents to peruse the …

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Seven Generations Ahead Lands Major Grant

In front of hundreds of municipal movers and shakers, Oak Park nonprofit takes a bow.

Seven Generations Ahead, Oak Park's ubiquitous environmental nonprofit, has earned some special recognition and a bundle of grant money. The announcement was unveiled at Thursday's Ideas Exchange, the Chicago Metropolitan Planning Agency's (CMAP) one-day conference where hundreds of officials from municipal planning groups gathered for panel discussions and breakout sessions addressing topics like parking, water conservation, sustainability planning and "right-sizing" retail development. Seven Generations Ahead has a hand in all those areas, many of which are addressed in the group's sweeping PlanItGreen initiative, the joint effort between Oak Park and River Forest civic institutions geared toward long-term sustainability that launched …

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