Thursday, April 15, 2021
Dear River Forest Residents,

Nearly every day, there is at least one thing that reminds me of how special our community is and how proud we all should be of it. I’m proud of our joint effort to support sustainability throughout our Village, and our valuable partnerships with community-based organizations that serve our residents. 

Our schools have produced high caliber, successful young people who are doing great things. One individual I learned about recently is Mieszko Salamon, who spent his early life in River Forest and attended Willard Elementary School and Roosevelt Middle School, graduating in 2006. Mieszko is now a NASA mechatronics engineer who worked on the Mars 2020 mission. He can be seen in a video that highlights his involvement with this mission, led by Congressman Raja Krishnamoorthi here. Congratulations to Mieszko on his impressive career!

There are also new and exciting changes on the horizon for our Village, including the recent approval of smart city technology through Automated Metering Infrastructure (AMI), which will reduce our carbon footprint by moving to remote water meter readings. Water billing accuracy will be improved, along with the ability to monitor your water bill, which will alert you to any leaks that could lead to a higher water bill. New software will also be utilized by our Building Department in the coming weeks so that residents and business owners can apply for, and obtain building permits online. Both of these initiatives are aimed at continually improving the customer experience and strengthening the quality of life for our residents and businesses. These updated and improved services will not cost the taxpayer any additional money due to our strong fiscal policies and running of an efficient government.

Our website is robust with information and should be your source for information about a project or development. It is there that you will be able to get up-to-date and accurate information. For instance, if you would like to know more about the development at Lake and Lathrop, click here.

Please remember to stay healthy and safe by following CDC guidelines in light of the recent rise in COVID-19 cases in our area. Below are updates about the pause in the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, sustainability news and much more.

I want to wish all a Happy Ramadan. 

Sincerely,
Cathy Adduci, Village President
Village of River Forest
Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Paused
The IDPH announced Tuesday that it will follow federal recommendations to pause the administration of the Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine. The decision was made in an abundance of caution, due to six reported U.S. cases (out of 6.85 million doses given) in which serious blood clots developed in individuals who had received the vaccine. IDPH has notified all Illinois COVID-19 providers throughout the state to discontinue use of the J&J vaccine at this time. In order to keep appointments, IDPH is strongly advising providers to use Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines. Learn more here.
COVID-19 Vaccine
Eligibility Update

As of April 12, suburban Cook County expanded to Phase 2 of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout. This new phase means that all Illinois residents outside of Chicago, aged 16+ are eligible to receive the vaccine, though supplies may be limited. Health officials have stated that additional supplies are expected by the end of April or early May.

Register here to receive text or email alerts when appointments become available, or text ‘AlertCook’ to 888-777 for text alerts about appointments at mass vaccination sites.

River Forest
COVID-19 Cases

From Sunday, April 4 – Saturday, April 10, River Forest had eight new COVID-19 positive cases with 618 tests completed, resulting in a 1.3% positivity rate. During the previous week, there were 13 new positive cases and 352 tests completed, representing a 3.7% positivity rate. 

Cases in IL have risen in recent weeks. Please continue following safety guidelines; avoid large gatherings, wear face covers in public and practice social distancing. Find daily COVID-19 case updates throughout the state, by zip code here.
COVID-19 Vaccine Resources
Rush Oak Park Hospital has COVID-19 vaccine appointments available for residents aged 18+ who live or work in suburban Cook County, or who receive care at the facility. For complete eligibility and scheduling information, please visit rush.edu/vaccine. Please note: Rush Oak Park Hospital is not vaccinating anyone under 18 years of age at this time.

Visit the COVID-19 Community Vaccination Program for information about scheduling vaccine appointments, the latest vaccination data in suburban Cook County and for additional resources, or call (833) 308-1988 weekdays between 7 a.m. – 10 p.m. and Saturdays from 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. Appointment locations can also be searched by zip code at vaccinefinder.org and can be scheduled on ZocDoc. The Village’s website will continue to provide updates as they become available.
Earth Day Flipgrid

Showcase your waste reduction efforts by uploading a short video to the River Forest Earth Day Flipgrid! Submissions are due by Thursday, April 22, 2021, after which the Flipgird will be published on the Village’s website and social media accounts to share this information with the community.
Earth Day Mini Film Fest

Mark your calendar for the One Earth Film Festival’s Earth Day Mini Film Fest from April 19 - 25, 2021. This free online event will showcase six feature-length films and 14 shorts, and will offer participants Q&A sessions with filmmakers and experts. Learn more and reserve your tickets here. 
OPRF Museum Walking Tour
Join the Oak Park River Forest Museum during a walking tour on May 8, 2021, titled West Side Stories: People and Architecture That Shaped River Forest! Event tickets are $10 each ($8 for members) and can be purchased online or by phone at (708) 848-6755.

Note: Limited tickets remain, as of the sending of this email.
Did You Know?
The Village’s website has a wide range of resources and information for our community members. Click below to learn more about the Community Calendar. Looking for other information? Simply visit vrf.us and enter your topic into the search bar (top right of the page) or email info@vrf.us with any questions!
Check out RFHappenings.com – all of the activities, all in one place! The River Forest Community Calendar makes it easy to keep track of a broad collection of events in our Village. Six public agencies in River Forest - the Village, District 90, District 200, Township, Library and Park District - are sharing calendars in one place to make planning and finding information easier.
Fresh Thyme Market is a grocery store and natural food marketplace that provides healthy food in an atmosphere reminiscent of your local farmer’s market. The market is committed to offering a variety of Clean Label products, free from artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. Fresh Thyme Market caters to those looking for healthier grocery alternatives. To learn more, arrange for deliveries or find new recipes, please click here.
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.