The Oak Park Farmers’ Market’s annual Corn Roast returns this Saturday, Aug. 9. Enjoy fresh-picked corn from Market growers sold by the ear hot off the roaster from about 9 a.m. until supplies are gone. Patrons are encouraged to bring cash to the event as credit cards are not accepted when purchasing corn, which will be sold for $3 per ear. This year, like every year, volunteers are essential to a successful event. Sign up here to volunteer this Saturday. Now in its 50th year, the Farmers’ Market takes place from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday through Oct. 25 in the Pilgrim Church parking lot at 460 Lake St. and features more than two dozen vendors offering fresh produce, meats, cheese, eggs, baked goods, breads, flowers, honey, hot artisanal cheese sandwiches and grains from working farms in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan.

There was a strong turnout for Oak Park’s National Night Out event on a beautiful summer evening this past Tuesday on the south lawn at Village Hall. The free event featured bounce houses, music, face painting, food and more. The Police Department hosted National Night Out with the goal of strengthening partnerships and positive interactions between law enforcement and residents. Staff from the Neighborhood Services Department’s E.C.H.O. team and Neighborhood Partnerships Division were also on hand engaging with community members during the event, and the Fire Department brought one of its fire engines that was stationed alongside several police vehicles for kids and grownups to explore.

Public Works Director Rob Sproule and Community Services Administrator Vanessa Matheny co-wrote an article that was published this week in the American Public Works Association's (APWA) monthly magazine. Staff worked with Joel Koenig, a member of the APWA Utility and Public Right-of Way (UPROW) Committee, to pen an article entitled THE SUBURBAN UNHOUSE DILEMMA - A Story of One Community's Collaboration with Public Works. Sproule and Matheny will present on the topic at the annual APWA PWX Conference on Aug.17 at McCormick Place in Chicago. They will be joined on a panel by Housing Forward CEO Lynda Schueler and Jennifer Hill, Executive Director of the Alliance to End Homelessness in Suburban Cook County.

The Village is partnering with West Cook Wild Ones to subsidize the purchase of native trees for Oak Park residents to plant on their property. Trees can be ordered online through the West Cook Fall Tree and Shrub Sale now through Sept. 12. Trees are available for residents at a 50% discount. The full price for trees ranges from $27 to $46 per tree. Most trees are available in a 1-gallon container. Enter the discount code OPTREES at the time of purchase. Click here to place an order. The discount for Oak Park residents applies toward the purchase of up to two trees per property. Tree pickup will take place Sept. 27. The initiative is tied to the Village’s Climate Ready Oak Park goals of encouraging the planting of native plants and increasing the Village’s tree canopy cover.

As part of its effort to help parents of babies and toddlers give the best experiences to their little one, the Collaboration for Early Childhood offers baby and toddler bundles packed with resources for parents and fun games and books for young children. New this summer: Come into Village Hall to get your bundle! Village Welcome Center staff make it easy to pick up a baby or toddler bundle any time Monday through Friday during regular business hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (note that Village Hall closes at noon on Fridays in August). Learn more about the bundles at www.collab4kids.org/baby-bundles/.

The Village has 19 volunteer boards, commissions and committees that help advise the Village Board on important matters of public policy. This includes the Disability Access Commission, which is seeking residents interested in advising the Village Board on public policies to facilitate full participation in community activities by persons with disabilities. Find information about all of the Village’s commissions and volunteer to serve at www.oak-park.us/volunteer.

Nominations are being accepted for the Village’s Green Awards, which are presented each year by the Environment & Energy Commission as a way of recognizing community members and organizations that go above and beyond for sustainability. This year the Green Awards include several new categories with nominations being accepted for the Native Gardens in the Neighborhood Award, the Green Home Award and the Climate Ready Award. The deadline for nominations is Oct. 31. Find more details and a link to online nomination forms at www.oak-park.us/greenawards.

As Oak Park students prepare to head back to school, local health officials remind caregivers that it’s time to make sure all children are up to date with routine vaccinations. Not only does staying on schedule with immunizations protect your children from preventable illnesses that spread easily in schools, but it also protects community members who are not able to be fully vaccinated, like babies and individuals with certain medical conditions. Check with your provider about the American Academy of Pediatrics recommended vaccine schedule, and feel free to contact the Oak Park Public Health Department at 708.358.5480 or health@oak-park.us if you are having any trouble locating vaccines for your child.

The Fire Department recorded a monthly record in July when Oak Park firefighter/paramedics responded to 921 calls. Emergency medical services were the largest category of the month with 59% of the calls for service.

The Office of Adjudication welcomed Joana Carreras as the new Adjudication Intern this week. Joana is currently completing her bachelor’s degree in political science at Benedictine University. As the Adjudication Intern, she will perform a wide variety of work supporting the Village’s ongoing adjudication program such as maintaining documents, entering data and monitoring community service in the Village.

The Oak Park Area Arts Council invites the community to the Off the Wall Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 12. The event will be held at Oak Park Township Senior Services, 130 S Oak Park Ave. This celebration marks the unveiling of a vibrant new community mural created by local youth artists as part of the Off the Wall summer arts employment program, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

Local artists are being sought to participate in the inaugural Plein Air Festival planned for Sept. 5-7. Whether an experienced plein air painter or just beginning to explore the medium, artists of all levels are invited to take part in this weekend of open-air painting coordinated by the Oak Park Area Arts Council and Explore Oak Park and Beyond. Artists will be free to paint across various locations in Oak Park during the three-day event, culminating in a closing reception on Sept. 7, where works will be displayed, sold, judged and eligible for prizes. Click here to register to participate.

Resurfacing project – Concrete pours have begun near Oak Park and River Forest High School. Saw cutting and removals continue throughout the project areas with concrete to follow. MWRD permitting is pending and may delay certain locations, including some delayed curb work at locations near schools. Village officials urge pedestrians to use caution in areas with construction signage and drive slowly around working crews.

Water and sewer improvements – Construction continued on Forest Avenue this week as the contractor started reconnecting water services to the new water main on the 1000 block of Forest. The contractor will continue working on services into next week. Construction on Division Street will begin the week of Aug. 18. Traffic control will be set up around the site when work on Division starts. Meanwhile, on Columbian Avenue the contractor backfilled trenches, placed frames and grates on sewer structures and mortared inside structures this week. Sidewalk, curb and driveway removal in select locations will occur next. The remaining removals, concrete framing and concrete pouring are planned for next week.