The Oak Park Farmers’ Market’s annual Corn Roast returns this Saturday, Aug. 8. Enjoy fresh-picked corn from Market growers sold by the ear hot off the roaster from about 9 a.m. until supplies are gone while celebrating National Farmers Market Week. 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. The Farmers’ Market takes place from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Saturday through Nov. 14 in the Pilgrim Church parking lot at 460 Lake St.

A beautiful summer night served as the perfect backdrop for the Village’s annual National Night Out event this past Tuesday on the south lawn at Village Hall. The free event featured bounce houses, music, various community groups, free hot dogs 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 and the Fire Department participated, with the Fire Department bringing one of its fire engines for kids and grownups to explore.

The Village helped coordinate a multi-day, full-scale emergency management exercise to help community agencies prepare to work together in the event of a major safety incident. The exercise took place this past Monday and Tuesday and included the Village’s Police, Fire and Public Health departments, school districts from Oak Park and River Forest, local hospitals, members of the Medical Reserve Corps, local volunteers and regional law enforcement agencies. It took place over the course of two days at Oak Park and River Forest High School and Percy Julian Middle School, where several active shooter, lockdown, evacuation and reunification scenarios were practiced. This training exercise was designed to evaluate and strengthen emergency response plans, coordination among partner agencies and communication systems in a realistic, full-scale environment.

The Village's Public Health Department welcomed more than 50 community members to its open house July 30 at the Oak Park Public Library. Members of the public enjoyed snacks, beverages and the opportunity to meet staff members to discuss public health services and programs. The event featured the Public Health Department's seven divisions and their variety of programs, including the Oak Park Farmers' Market, as well as the Board of Health and its work. Attendees learned many ways the department seeks to protect and promote the health of the Oak Park community. In addition, participants had the chance to get their blood pressure and A1C levels checked, receive giveaways like free tick removal kits, Narcan, emergency flashlights and dog leashes and enter to win a free emergency preparedness kit. During the event, a slideshow featuring the 124-year history of the department showcased previous staff members, news articles and notable events since the department's founding in 1902.

The Oak Park Climate Action Network partnered with the Villages of Oak Park and Broadview last month to lead a discussion at Elements Architectural Group on how communities and municipalities can come together to take action against climate change. Village Manager Kevin Jackson joined Broadview Mayor Katrina Thompson and former Village Trustee Susan Buchanan as participants in the panel discussion facilitated by Crain’s Chicago assistant Editor Cassandra West. Click here to read a recap of the discussion.

The Village’s free workshop series designed to help Oak Park residents manage utility costs and increase comfort at home continues with a virtual workshop at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 11. The focus of the workshop will be increasing comfort with insulation and air sealings. Visit www.oak-park.us/SaveEnergyAtHome for more info and to RSVP. The workshop series, which is offered by the Village of Oak Park and Elevate, kicked off this past Thursday at the main Oak Park Public Library with a discussion intended to help residents understand energy use and savings.

Community members are invited to provide feedback on design alternatives for expanded bridge decks over the I-290 expressway at a public information meeting from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Aug. 20 in the Veterans Room at the Oak Park Public Library, 834 Lake St. The meeting builds on an initial public meeting held in April and will offer a chance to see various layouts for new public spaces including plazas, park areas and potential commercial development above the expressway. Find more information about the initiative at www.engageoakpark.com/ike.

Nominations are being accepted for the Village's Neighborhood Partnership Awards, which celebrate the people and places that make Oak Park a stronger, more welcoming and more vibrant community. Through neighborhood leadership, volunteer service and property stewardship, the awards recognize contributions that enhance quality of life and inspire community pride. Find more information about each of the categories and submit your nomination at www.oak-park.us/NPawards. For information about the Village's other annual stewardship awards, visit www.oak-park.us/communityawards.

Oak Park Public Health officials encourage residents to renew their pet licenses online at www.oak-park.us/villageview. Residents can remove pets they no longer own, add new pets and complete payment by credit card. A receipt is sent by email, and the new tag will be delivered by mail. Pet owners whose animals are already licensed and who have an email address on file with the Village should have received a renewal notice. First‑time pet owners are also encouraged to use the online registration system. Residents who prefer not to renew online may mail in their paper renewal notice and payment or visit Village Hall at 123 Madison St. For more information about pet ownership in Oak Park, visit www.oak-park.us/pets. For questions about the license renewal process, contact the Public Health Department at 708.358.5480 or email animalcontrol@oak-park.us.

The Village welcomed two new employees this week as Civil Engineer Octavio Meza joined the Public Works Department and Customer Service Representative Codi Maddox joined the Development Service Department’s Permits & Development Division. Octavio recently graduated from Loyola University Chicago where he studied engineering and specialized in environmental engineering. Codi comes to the Village with a background in administration, customer service and healthcare. She is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in urban planning.

The Zoning Board of Appeals approved a variance to allow two detached garages on a consolidated zoning lot at 315 N. Euclid Ave. and 714 Erie St. during its meeting on Wednesday. A variance to allow a segment of front yard privacy fencing was also approved for 652 Erie St.

Renew the Avenue project – The roadway crew installed temporary pedestrian ramps this week between Pleasant Street and South Boulevard to maintain access to all buildings on the block. Pedestrians will utilize the new concrete roadway and temporary ramps for access while this work is performed. Crews are excavating the old subgrade between the buildings and the new roadway. Once the old material is removed and new utilities are installed, they will place new structural soil and aggregate base for the new sidewalk concrete base. This process will take approximately two weeks to complete before pedestrian traffic will move back to the new concrete sidewalk base adjacent to the buildings on this block. Other Renew the Avenue project updates include the following:

• The electrical contractor will soon install new lighting, electrical and traffic signal conduits between the new foundations that were installed last week from Pleasant Street to South Boulevard. This work will continue for the next two weeks. 
• AT&T continues work installing new communications manholes by Hunter Court and North Boulevard. Pedestrian crossings may be detoured around the excavation during this work. Excavation for the new roadway will begin once AT&T has completed its work.
• Union Pacific poured the last concrete abutment repair this week and will be wrapping up its improvements on the bridge overpass between South and North Boulevards next week.

Alley improvement project – Construction in the alley between the 200 blocks of S. Kenilworth Avenue and S. Grove Ave. was completed this week and the alley reopened to traffic. All concrete has been poured in the alley between the 800 blocks of N. Harvey Ave. and Mapleton Ave. The remaining work in this alley includes replacing asphalt aprons and landscaping. The miscellaneous concrete patches related to the project are near completion. Remaining work for the project includes completing punch list items in most alleys and sod placement.

Water and sewer project – The contractor completed the installation of the new water main this week along Scoville Avenue. Water service replacements are expected to begin within the next week or two. In the meantime, the contractor will continue installing sewer services in the 1000 block of S. Scoville Ave. Water main installation also began on Euclid Avenue this week at Greenfield Street. Crews will continue making their way north from Greenfield to North Avenue. Concurrently, the contractor is also continuing to install sewer services. This work will continue into next week when the majority of the water main installation should be completed.

Resurfacing project – The contractor is continuing to lay out, sawcut, root prune, install tree protection fencing and lower manholes at each resurfacing location across the Village. Concrete removals were completed on Erie Street between Elmwood Avenue and Taylor Avenue this week. The removals contractor also started work on Van Buren Street between East Avenue and Ridgeland Avenue, and once completed will move to Forest Avenue between Le Moyne Parkway and North Avenue, followed by Euclid Avenue between Division Street and Greenfield Street. The new curb and sidewalk are expected to be poured by the end of this week at the Erie location. The new curb and sidewalk at the Van Buren location is planned to be poured next week. Sewer repairs are expected to begin Monday at the N. Euclid location.

Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacon (RRFB) installations –The contractor expects to receive the remainder of the signs for the RRFBs by next week. Installation will resume once the remainder of the signs are received, after which the RRFBs will be activated.

Sidewalk project – The annual sidewalk project is expected to begin next week and includes sidewalk replacements and sidewalk angle cutting. This year, the improvements are focused in the southeast quadrant of the Village on north/south streets, with a few improvements located outside of this area. The contractor will start with removals and replacements next week. This work is expected to take 2-3 weeks to complete, weather dependent. Sidewalk angle cutting will start after the replacements have been completed.

Mail ballot applications for the 2026 Gubernatorial Election are now being accepted. Any registered suburban Cook County voter may request a mail ballot on the Cook County Clerk’s website at www.cookcountyclerkil.gov/elections. The deadline to apply for a mail ballot is Oct. 29. Oak Park residents with questions about upcoming elections can contact the Village Clerk’s Office at clerk@oak-park.us or 708.358.5670.

The Oak Park Area Arts Council’s Off the Wall summer teen arts employment program was highlighted in an interview that recently aired on Fox 32. During the interview master artist Carolyn Elaine, who just wrapped up her 21st and final year guiding the program, discusses the new mosaic mural that was unveiled last week on the exterior of the new Beyond Hunger facility at 6209 North Ave. Click here to watch the interview.