Thursday, December 16, 2021
Dear River Forest residents,

At our Village Board meeting on Monday, Sustainability Commissioner Shannon Roberts presented the Village’s 2020 Carbon Inventory. I am pleased to report the Village has steadily reduced greenhouse gas emissions over the years - 34% since 2007! Click here for the presentation. Thank you to our Sustainability Commissioners for their dedication and tireless work. Visit vrf.us/Sustainability to learn more about the Commission’s goals and programs you can participate in to help create a more sustainable environment. 

Reminder - Please join the Kiwanis Club of River Forest & Oak Park who is once again sponsoring “Light Up the Night-River Forest” on December 18, 2021. The cost is $10 per kit, with net proceeds going towards Kiwanis efforts for children in our area. Kits can be picked up on the front porch at 1043 Keystone Avenue. Last year the River Forest community, block by block, came together to celebrate the holiday by illuminating the sidewalks with these kits. Click here for more information.

Trudy Brown, a Durham, New Hampshire resident, bakes unique gingerbread homes each holiday season. This year, her daughter-in-law selected a gingerbread home. She chose River Forest’s own James Kibben Ingalls House on Keystone Avenue. Click here to tour her replica gingerbread Ingalls House!  


Sincerely, 
Cathy Adduci, Village President
Village of River Forest
COVID-19 Update
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized the use of a single COVID-19 booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine for individuals 16 and 17 years of age to be administered at least six months after completion of their primary vaccination. Eligible individuals seeking booster shots can walk into The River Forest Jewel-Osco Pharmacy between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Individuals can also schedule an appointment at The River Forest CVS or Walgreens. 
 
For more information on COVID-19 booster shots and who should get them, click here. 
Property Tax Appeal
Residents seeking to appeal their property taxes with the Cook County Board of Review can do so until January 4, 2022, at 5 p.m. Individuals can file an online appeal here. Furthermore, River Forest Township offers individuals assistance with the appeal process by providing comparable properties and directions. To make an appointment, contact River Forest Township Assessor Pamela Kende at 708-366-2787 or assessor@riverforesttownship.org. Click here for more information from the Township Assessor.
Village Implementing Smart City Remote Water Reading Technology
As part of the Village’s ongoing “smart city” advancements, the automated metering infrastructure (AMI) project is now underway. This AMI technology automates water readings, allowing residents to monitor their home’s water consumption in real time. With AMI, residents can receive notifications about high usage by setting threshold alerts on their accounts. Unusually high water consumption is often due to leaks or running toilets, and unfortunately, residents often only become aware of these issues after receiving a high water bill. Soon, residents will be able to discover irregularities as they occur and locate otherwise unnoticed leaks and get them repaired before they lead to high bills. 

Click the video below to learn more!
Visit  www.vrf.us/AMI for more information about all the benefits of this project, as well as Frequently Asked Questions. Residents should have recently received mailings regarding this project.
Sustainability - Think Green During the Holidays
Celebrate the holidays while still being a steward of the environment. The River Forest Sustainability Commission has come up with a host of ways to gather the family together in a festive manner while also reducing, recycling and reusing. Click here for Sustainable Holiday ideas.
Overnight Parking Ban Lifted 12/20/2021 to 1/3/2022
The Overnight Parking Ban will be lifted for Monday, 12/20/21 (09:00 a.m.) through Monday, 1/3/22 (9:00 a.m.)
 
No overnight waivers will be required during this period.  Reminder - parking is not permitted on any Village street after two (2) inches of snow or more has accumulated on the street, and for up to eight hours after the snowfall ends, to allow snow plows to safely clear the street.
Business Spotlight
Majestic Gardens is a small family-owned business specializing in lawn maintenance. They specialize in landscape design, lawn aeration, mulch, sod, and more! Call Majestic Gardens today at 708-882-1951 for a free estimate and see how they can make your lawn shine! 

If you’d like your business to be featured, email info@vrf.us. Visit the Shop River Forest web page on the Village’s website here: vrf.us/ShopRF. 
Shop River Forest! Please support our local businesses whenever possible! You can find a listing of River Forest businesses on the Village’s website. If you’d like your business to be featured in the weekly Business Spotlight, please send us an email.
What's Happening in River Forest?

Visit the River Forest Community Calendar at rfhappenings.com
to find out, today!