Farmers’ Market begins 37th season

May 15, 2012 – The Oak Park Farmers’ Market will open for its 37th season Sat., May 19. The Farmers’ Market is held from 7 a.m. – 1 p.m. every Saturday from opening day through October in the Pilgrim Congregational Church parking lot, 460 Lake St., one block west of Ridgeland Ave. A majority of the vendors now accept credit/debit cards as well as Link cards. For more information e-mail farmersmarket@oak-park.us or visit www.oak-park.us/farmersmarket.

Monitor Avenue Garage solar array online

May 15, 2012 – The performance of the Avenue Garage solar power system can be tracked in real time online. A link to a web site created by the system contractor is posted at www.oak-park.us/solar  – just click on the sun. The system has been generating power since April.

Vehicle sticker sales underway

May 15, 2012 – Village vehicle stickers are now on sale as renewal notices went out Monday to the 27,000 residents who purchased stickers the previous year. Every Oak Park resident who owns or leases a vehicle is required to purchase and display a vehicle sticker annually by midnight, July 15 – July 16 this year, since the deadline falls on a Sunday. Anyone who misses the deadline must purchase a sticker and pay a $20 late fee. Failure to display a valid Village sticker also may result in a $50 ticket. Residents who renew online at www.oak-park.us/onlineservices can save 10 percent by renewing online, rather than via mail or in person at Village Hall, 123 Madison St. Click here to learn more…

Federal grant application cycle begins

May 3, 2012 – The application cycle for the Village’s 2013 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) funding awards begins Fri., May 4. Funding is available to organizations that provide services to low- and moderate income persons. Applications are available at Village Hall, 123 Madison St. For more information on project eligibility or technical assistance, call 708.358.5419. Click here for more details.

Village earns 28th consecutive Tree City USA award

April, 5, 2012 – The Village of Oak Park has been named a Tree City USA community by the Arbor Day Foundation for the 28th year in a row. Officials say the Tree City USA award acknowledges the skill and commitment of the Forestry Division to providing the highest quality of care for the more than 18,000 trees on public parkways throughout the Village. The Tree City USA program is sponsored by the Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the National Association of State Foresters and the USDA Forest Service. For more in formation on the Village's forestry programs, call 708.358.5700 or e-mail publicworks@oak-park.us. More information on Tree City USA is posted at www.arborday.org/treecityusa.

Sewer Backup Protection Grant Program accepting applications

April 2, 2012 – A program to provide financial assistance to property owners who install systems to protect their homes from sewer backup during a heavy rain event will begin accepting applications on Mon., April 2. Applications will be accepted through May 31 only from property owners whose household income is below $113,700. Beginning June 1, applications will be accepted from anyone who meets the program guidelines, regardless of income. Work eligible for funding through the Sewer Backup Protection Grant Program includes installing an overhead sewer system or a backflow prevention system. Eligible homeowners may qualify for a grant of 50 percent of the total cost of sewer backup prevention improvements, up to a maximum of $3,500. Details on the program, including the application materials, will be posted at www.oak-park.us/sewergrant. For more information on the program, call 708.358.5410 or e-mail housing@oak-park.us.

Regular yardwaste collection underway

April 2, 2012 – Collection of yardwaste began April 2. Bundled brush no larger than two feet in diameter and four feet in length and yardwaste such as grass clippings, leaves, shrubs and vines will be picked up on regular collection days. A green yardwaste sticker must be attached to each brush bundle, 32-gallon paper bag and rigid container. Stickers are available for $2.35 each from Oak Park grocery and hardware stores and the Cashier’s Office at Village Hall, 123 Madison St. Residents are urged to look for alternatives to bagging yardwaste such as mulching mowers, leaf shredders or backyard compost piles. For more information, call 708.358.5700 or e-mail publicworks@oak-park.us.

Severe weather threat grows

March 6, 2012 – As spring nears the threat of severe weather increases. In fact, March 4 – 10 is Severe Weather Preparedness Week in Illinois. Being storm ready can save lives and property, which is why individuals and families are urged to develop a safety plan for home, workplace, school, vehicle and outdoor activities. The West Suburban Consolidated Dispatch Center (WSCDC), the emergency 9-1-1 hub for Oak Park, River Forest and Elmwood Park, sounds a warning siren when a tornado is sighted within a 10-mile radius. The sirens also are activated at 10 a.m. on the first Tuesday of every month as part of a regular statewide test. Information on emergency preparedness is posted at ready.illinois.gov.

Lighted crosswalks debut on Roosevelt Road

Feb. 3, 2012 – Crossing Roosevelt Road at Lombard Avenue, Gunderson Avenue and Home Avenue should be a little safer now that lighted crosswalks have been installed. In-roadway warning lights, as they are officially known, were installed as part of the Roosevelt Road streetscape improvement project. Even though state law requires motorists to stop for pedestrians in marked crosswalks, officials say pedestrians can have difficulty getting the right of way without traffic signs or signals, a situation the warning lights may help to remedy. Pressing a button activates a signpost beacon and flashing, in-pavement lights, giving the pedestrian about 30 seconds to cross before the system automatically turns off. The energy-efficient LED lights are solar powered. Officials caution pedestrians to be sure vehicles are stopped before proceeding into the crosswalk. The crosswalks selected for the lighted crossings had the most pedestrians and pedestrian incidents, officials say. For more information regarding these and other enhancements as part of the Roosevelt Road streetscape project, visit www.rooseveltroad.com.

Third-party electricity providers generating confusion

Jan. 31. 2012 – With third-party electricity providers continuing to solicit in Oak Park, officials are cautioning residents not to be misled by salespeople saying they represent the Village's electricity aggregation program. Only those residents and small business owners who chose to opt out of the Village program were not automatically enrolled. Solicitors now calling and going door-to-door in the Village are selling an unrelated program – one that will cost residents a fee to withdraw from the local municipal service. The Village's provider, which was selected through a competitive bid process, is Integrys Energy Services. Neither Integrys nor the Village is soliciting customers for the local program. For more information on the Village's electricity aggregation program, call 708.358.5778 or e-mail sustainability@oak-park.us. Information also is posted at  www.oak-park.us/aggregation.

Electronic recycling events planned in response to law change

Jan. 3, 2012 – The Village will offer a monthly electronics recycling program from May through October in response to a new state law that bans most electronic items from Illinois landfills beginning Jan. 1. The Oak Park recycling program will be held from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., Saturdays, May 26, June 30, July 28, Aug. 25, Sept. 29 and Oct. 27. Items must be brought to the Public Works Center, 201 S. Lombard Ave. Banned items include computers, peripherals, laptops, monitors, TVs, cell phones, rechargeable batteries, printers, fax machines, MP3 players, cable boxes, satellite receivers, digital converter boxes, stereo equipment, speakers, portable digital assistants, video game consoles, video cassette recorders/players, digital video disk players, zip drives and scanners. For more information, call 708.358.5700 or e-mail publicworks@oak-park.us.

Results of latest citizen survey posted online

Nov. 14, 2011 – Oak Parkers continue to see the community as a great place to live and raise a family, according to the results of the latest survey of Oak Park residents. Some 1,200 Oak Park households were surveyed by mail in late August and early September. More than 450 surveys were completed and returned for 39-percent response rate. With a confidence level of 95 percent, the survey provides an accurate, scientifically valid snapshot of the entire community. Click here to read an executive summary and the complete survey report.

Public safety notification system launched

Oct. 11, 2011 – A system to communicate directly with residents when public safety issues arise is now available to Oak Parkers who register at www.oak-park.us/notifyme. The new system allows residents to choose if and how they would like to be notified should an issue arise – by telephone, e-mail or text message. A simple, two-step process is all it takes to register. Just go to www.oak-park.us/notifyme and complete a brief registration form. Once submitted,  you will receive an e-mail with a link that must be followed to complete the process. The second step is to ensure that individuals cannot be signed up by someone without their consent. Residents who do not have an e-mail address can call 708.358.5698 to register to receive messages by telephone.

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