Dear River Forest Residents,
 
I am excited to share this new E-News format with you! The Village continues to work to improve its communication with residents.

I remain proud that we as a Village were able to partner with Jewel/Osco and School District 90 to get approximately 700 seniors vaccinated during two separate events over the last month. None of this would be possible without our dedicated volunteers from the River Forest Citizens Corps, River Forest Senior Response Team, and our trained and skilled, Fire, Police and Public Works departments. I am hopeful we will be seeing more availability in the coming weeks for our residents who meet the current criteria.

The Village will continue to provide updates as additional information is available regarding access to vaccines. Learn more below on how to register for, search for and schedule a vaccine once you are eligible.

Please also see information about getting involved with the Village’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Group - the deadline to apply is March 24. There are reminders about celebrating the St. Patrick’s Day holiday safely in the coming days, and details about energy efficiency/assistance programs for our residents who may need them. There is also a new E-news section called ‘Did You Know?’ that can direct you to helpful resources and information on our Village website. Finally, I was privileged to virtually visit with local 3rd and 4th graders this week to help these young people learn a little bit about local government and how it impacts communities. I want to thank the students, teachers and the administrators at Lincoln and Willard schools for this special opportunity.
 
Thank you for taking the time to review this week’s Village E-News!
 
Sincerely,
Catherine M. Adduci, Village President
Village of River Forest
COVID-19 Cases in River Forest
From Sunday, February 28 - Saturday, March 6, River Forest had 12 new COVID-19 positive cases, and 305 tests completed, resulting in a 3.9% positivity rate. During the previous week, there were nine new positive cases and 339 tests completed, and a 2.7% positivity rate. Updates throughout the state by zip code can be found here.
COVID-19 Vaccine
Accessibility Update
The Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) is currently in Phase 1a and 1b. Though the State of Illinois has opened for individuals in Phase 1b+, CCDPH sites have not yet done so due to high demand from 1a/1b populations and limited vaccine supplies. At this time, the United Center vaccination site continues to allow only City of Chicago residents to register for appointments, though if you scheduled an appointment prior to Sunday at 4 p.m., yours will be honored. River Forest residents can register for the vaccine at alternative locations here, or by calling (833) 308-1988 weekdays from 7 a.m. - 7 p.m. Vaccination locations can be searched by zip code at this link, and appointments can be scheduled on ZocDoc or by calling (312) 746-4835 weekdays from 8 a.m. - 8 p.m. The Village will continue to update residents as new information becomes available regarding vaccine availability and locations. To sign up for Village alerts, please click here.
Additional Vaccine Resources & New CDC Guidelines
COVID-19 Resources
Vaccination data is available to view on the IDPH and the CCDPH websites, both of which provide portals containing information to monitor progress of the vaccine administration. Additional online COVID-19 resources can also be found on the Village’s website, and questions can be directed to Village Hall at (708) 366-8500, Monday through Friday between 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m.

New CDC Guidelines
The CDC issued new guidelines this week for individuals who are, or will be fully vaccinated. This means that two full weeks must have passed since receiving the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines, or since the single dose of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Those who have been fully vaccinated are asked to continue to follow basic prevention steps. More information can be found here.

Apply for DEI Working Group
To align with the Village’s goal of transparency and openness, residents are invited to apply for the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Ad Hoc Advisory Group. The application deadline is March 24. Learn more about the mission of this group and complete an online application here.
Stay Safe While Celebrating
St. Patrick’s Day
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The River Forest Police Department (RFPD) is reminding motorists to plan ahead for a sober ride home from St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. In addition to patrolling for alcohol- and drug-impaired drivers, the RFPD will be stepping up seat belt enforcement and strictly enforcing distracted driving laws. This effort is part of the nationwide ‘Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over’ campaign. Residents are also asked to continue to be mindful of COVID-19 mitigation efforts while gathering in public, or with family and friends. To review the CDC’s holiday tip list, click here.
Energy Assistance Programs & ComEd Reliability
Energy Efficiency & Assistance Programs
The Village is pleased to share information about several programs that can help residents lower their utility bills, which range from rebate offers to hardship programs, and more. For more details, click here.

ComEd Service Reliability Reports
Residential and small business customers will receive personalized annual service reliability reports with their March 2021 ComEd bills. This report provides customers with service reliability from the previous year, including dates and causes of any outages, as well as how the installation of smart meters on the grid are increasing energy reliability. Learn more here. 
Village President Visits with 3rd and 4th Grade Students
Village President Cathy Adduci spent time (virtually) with 3rd and 4th grade classes at Lincoln Elementary this past Tuesday, and at Willard Elementary this morning. She presented an overview about Village government on Zoom, including what local government is, and what services are provided to the community, among other information. The Village President took questions from students who showed much interest in understanding what our local leaders do and how they serve the Village of River Forest.
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 our sustainability efforts, and if you are looking for other information, visit vrf.us and enter your topic into the search bar (top right of the page) or email info@vrf.us with any questions!

  • The Village has a robust composting and recycling program. In 2020, 815 tons of refuse were recycled and 400 tons of organics, including leaves from Village pickups, were composted representing 29% of waste diverted from landfills. 
  • River Forest is recognized as a SolSmart Bronze community and has created a streamlined process for adding solar to your home - click here to learn more. 
  • The Village is part of the PlanItGreen Sustainability Plan, which supports leaders and stakeholders to engage all levels of community to reduce their environmental footprint, and advance common sustainability objectives.
  • The Green Electric Aggregation Program, though still in its first year, is estimated to eliminate nearly 26,000 metric tons of CO2 per year through Renewable Energy Certificates (RECs), equivalent to annual emissions of approximately 5,500 cars. It would take 34,000 acres of forest (137 times the size of Thatcher Woods) to sequester the same amount of carbon.
River Forest Business Spotlight
New Rose Catering is a neighborhood full-service caterer that offers weekly dinner delivery, as well as special event services for families, companies, and community organizations. Personal chef services are also one of their specialties!

Shop River Forest! Please support our local businesses whenever possible! You can find a listing of River Forest businesses on the Village’s website here. Don't see a River Forest business listed on the Shop River Forest Page? Reach out and let us know! Want your business to be featured? Email info@vrf.us.