The Village submitted a grant application Wednesday to the Metropolitan Mayors Caucus requesting more than $1.9 million through the Supporting Municipalities for Asylum Seeker Services (SMASS) partnership with the Illinois Department of Human Services. The funding is being sought to provide support for the transition of asylum-seeking migrants out of the Village’s current temporary shelter program, which is scheduled to end on Feb. 29. In the meantime, Village staff continues to hold weekly town-hall meetings with asylum seekers staying in Oak Park as part of its ongoing support. The meetings continue to focus on planning for the upcoming transition. Find the latest information about the Village’s emergency response at www.oak-park.us/emergencyresponse23.

Vanessa Matheny, Grants Manager in the Neighborhood Services Department, has been selected to join the Illinois 100-Day Challenge on Encampment and Unsheltered Homelessness. The challenge will include cohort members from Springfield, Joliet, Rockford and Suburban Cook County who will work simultaneously across the state to focus on providing safe and stable housing to the unsheltered. The effort is being led by Re!nstitute, an international nonprofit established to help communities swiftly and effectively addresses critical social problems. Re!nstitute is teaming up with the Illinois Office to Prevent and End Homelessness and Supportive Housing Providers Association on the effort, which kicks off Feb. 6 with a launch workshop and planning sessions.

More than 40 individuals, organizations and businesses were recognized at the Village’s annual community awards ceremony Wednesday at Village Hall. The Community Design Commission recognized 11 Cavalcade of Pride Award winners, the Historic Preservation Commission selected seven Preservation Award winners and the Environment & Energy Commission handed out nine Green Awards. Among the Green Award recipients was Environmental Services Manager Erica Helms, who was recognized by the EEC for her work to expand waste-diversion opportunities for Village residents. The awards offer an opportunity for several of the Village's volunteer commissions to recognize citizens for their commitment to protecting Oak Park's heritage and making the Village a vibrant place for residents and visitors alike. Find the list of this year’s winners on the Village website at www.oak-park.us/communityawards23.

The Plan Commission will hear a request to amend the Village’s Zoning Ordinance regarding who may request a Zoning Ordinance map or text amendment at its Feb. 1 meeting. Last year, a group of residents submitted a text amendment application to modify the dimensional zoning standards, i.e., setbacks and height, applicable to hospitals in the Village under the current language of the Zoning Ordinance as to who may apply for a map or text amendment. Staff believes the current language is not consistent with the Zoning Ordinance’s intent. The proposed amendment better aligns with the Ordinance’s intent and replicates other similar provisions of the Zoning Ordinance.

The Public Health Department this week sent the first edition of Health Beat, its new monthly email newsletter. Click here to view the e-newsletter. Health Department staff plans to use the newsletter to continue spotlighting local health issues and initiatives, Public Health Department programming updates, volunteer opportunities and more. Anyone interested in subscribing can sign up at www.oak-park.us/enews or by contacting 708.358.5480 or health@oak-park.us.

Community members are invited to join the Village’s Public Health Nurse for a walk around the indoor track at the Park District of Oak Park's Community Recreation Center at 229 Madison St. from 10 a.m. to noon on Wed., Jan. 31. Public Health Department staff will be on hand to walk and talk with you, as well as offer free blood pressure checks, diabetic risk assessments and answer public health-related questions. Visit www.oak-park.us/walkandtalk for more information, including additional dates when this free, indoor activity is being offered during the winter.

January is National Blood Donor Month, and the Oak Park Public Health Department is encouraging as many Oak Parkers as possible to give blood! The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage as the nation faces the lowest number of people giving blood in 20 years. Your blood donation is needed now to help alleviate the shortage and ensure lifesaving medical procedures are not delayed. The Health Department’s goal is to collect blood donation pledges from 100 people. Click here to pledge to give blood.

Tatyana Cartagena returned to the organization this week to fill the position of Finance Coordinator in the Finance Department. Tatyana started as a Village employee in 2018 and previously served as a Cashier in the Finance Department.

Village officials participated in a ribbon-cutting event Friday at the new Comedy Plex comedy club located in the lower level at 1128 Lake St. The ribbon-cutting was sponsored by the Oak Park Chamber of Commerce as a way of celebrating this new addition to Oak Park’s business community. Find more information about Comedy Plex at www.comedyplex.com.

Visit Oak Park is busy planning for its upcoming Bite the Burbs event in February. The Bite the Burbs initiative is a new restaurant week event showcasing restaurants in Oak Park and the surrounding area. Event participants can stop by any participating restaurant between Feb. 26 and March 1 to take advantage of great food and great deals while supporting local businesses. More information, including a list of participating restaurants, is on the Visit Oak Park website.

The Village’s sewer televising contractor completed all remaining locations earlier this week. Overall the contractor inspected and cleaned more than 20 locations (approximately 55 blocks) throughout the Village as part of the annual televising project.