Oak Park firefighter/paramedics were called to the Harlem stop on the CTA Green Line on Saturday night for assistance in securing a pet ball python snake. The snake, named Lucius after the literary character Lucius Malfoy in the Harry Potter book series, had gotten free from its owner and entered a control box panel on the train. The firefighters were able to open the box, secure the snake and return Lucius to a very appreciative owner, who happened to be dressed as a pirate. Not a typical rescue for the Fire Department, but a memorable one for sure! Photos posted on the Fire Department’s Facebook page and the Village’s Instagram account generated robust engagement and reached more than 45,000 social media users. The unusual rescue was also mentioned on multiple local TV news programs, including ABC-7, CBS-2 and WGN-9.

On a more somber note, the Fire Department was saddened by the recent passing of Oak Park resident Eddie Stitzman at age 21. Eddie volunteered with the Fire Department the past two years as part of his involvement in Oak Park and River Forest High School’s CITE transition program, which allows students to partner with local agencies and businesses to work on life skills, work skills and socialization. Members of the Fire Department plan to conduct an official walk-through during visitation services taking place at Ascension Catholic Church on Friday evening. Click here to read Eddie’s obituary.

Emergency Preparedness Manager Lee Christenson led a tabletop exercise Thursday as part of the Community School Safety Academy hosted by Oak Park and River Forest High School. Representatives from the Police Department, Fire Department and Office of Communications and Engagement joined counterparts from local school districts, other public safety agencies and Rush Oak Park hospital for the exercise. Participants worked through the logistics for an emergency scenario requiring the implementation of processes and procedures related to a multi-jurisdictional family reunification plan.

The Village opened its emergency cooling center from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in response to extreme heat that arrived in Oak Park and the surrounding area this week. The cooling center is typically activated when outdoor temperatures reach 95 degrees with a heat index of 103 or higher for longer than four hours. The Village’s ECHO team engaged with unhoused individuals in Oak Park to ensure they were aware of the resource. More information about cooling centers and ways to stay safe in the heat is available at www.oak-park.us/heat25.

The Oak Park Public Health Department offers free in-person trainings on opioid overdose prevention and the use of Narcan nasal spray. The next training opportunity is scheduled for 2 to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9 in the small meeting room at the Oak Park Public Library, 834 Lake St. Click here to sign up to participate in the training. The 90-minute training is ideal for people who want to be ready to respond if they encounter a person experiencing a potential opioid overdose. The training covers harm reduction principles, signs and symptoms of opioid overdose, how Narcan works in the body, hands-on practice with Narcan nasal spray and time for questions and answers. Participants will also receive a free opioid overdose prevention kit to take home.

Save the date for the next stop in the First Fridays Street Festival Series hosted by the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce with support from the Village. The upcoming celebration will take place from 5 to 9 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 1 on Madison Street. Enjoy live music, explore local vendors and take part in family-friendly activities during this free event in the Fenwick High School parking lot at Madison and East Avenue. More information is at www.firstfridaysoakpark.org.

Explore Oak Park and Beyond was recently the focus of a segment on the “Spotlight Chicago” mid-day show on WGN-9. Executive Director Annie Coakley joined hosts Sarah Jindra and Ji Suk Yi to talk about the many tourism options in Oak Park and the surrounding near western suburbs. She also highlighted several restaurants in the area, including One Lake Brewery in Oak Park. Click here to view the segment.

Street resurfacing – The street resurfacing project has been rescheduled and is set to begin Tuesday. Work near the schools – OPRF High School, Fenwick High School and Whittier Elementary School – will be prioritized. Expected work for the upcoming week includes saw cutting and curb and pavement removals.

Water and sewer improvements – The contractor worked north on Forest Avenue toward Berkshire Street replacing sewer services, storm sewer and manholes. The contractor also worked on repairing two water valves at the Berkshire/Marion Street and Berkshire/Woodbine Avenue intersections. Sewer work on the 700 block of Columbian  Ave. also continued this week.

ComEd conduit installation – The ComEd contractor completed the street resurfacing on East Avenue between Jackson Boulevard and Harrison Street on Tuesday.  With that, major construction has been completed for the project. The remaining work includes restoration and site cleanup. The contractor will also be installing wire into the new conduits. This is done via existing access points in the parkway, so disturbance should be minimal moving forward.

Pavement preservation complete – The pavement preservation project is now complete with the completion of the thermoplastic pavement markings this week.

Alley improvements - All alley construction for the year is complete except for punch list items and landscaping.

Bike boulevards – Final pavements markings still need to be completed for the bike boulevard project. The schedule to wrap up the project is currently pending.