Couple Sues U.S. Bank + Village Manager Moves To Northbrook

Hello and happy Friday Oak Park and River Forest readers!

In today’s Daily, find out why an elderly couple is suing an Oak Park bank, how some parents are fighting for a Beye Elementary School teacher and one Village official’s reflections on the pandemic now that Illinois is considered fully open.

First, today’s weather: Rain in the morning. Temps will reach 90, with a low of 68.

Here are the top five stories today in Oak Park:

1. A couple is suing U.S. Bank over their wrongful arrest at its Oak Park location last year. Dimitri Dugar, 67, and Otis Dugar, 86, were arrested at the bank and detained for 45 minutes last March. Neither matched the description of the actual alleged burglar. The couple and their attorney cite systemic racism and are suing the bank for negligence. (ABC7)

2. An online petition has more than 800 signatures to keep a Golden Apple Award-winning teacher at William Beye Elementary School. Parents are expressing frustration with District 97 for hiring a replacement to teach fifth grade after Patrick McAndrew was terminated for allegedly violating his union contract. (Wednesday Journal)

3. Village Manager Cara Pavlicek is leaving Oak Park to serve as village manager in Northbrook, Patch reports. Though no formal announcement has been made by Oak Park officials, the Village of Northbrook sent a press release saying it intends to appoint Pavlicek June 22. (Patch)

4. The Oak Park and River Forest Museum is hosting a bicycle tour from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday in honor of Juneteenth. Participants can pick up a map at the museum before taking part in a self-guided tour of prominent African American historical sites in the village. (Oak Leaves)

5. Five new cases of COVID-19 were reported this week in the Village, the Oak Park Department of Public Health announced Wednesday. About 3,200 residents have contracted the virus since the pandemic began in 2020. More than 27,700 residents are considered fully vaccinated — about 53 percent of all residents. (VOP)

Today in Oak Park:

• The Park District hosts a “Park to Park-Walk and Talk” from Taylor to Austin Gardens. (9 a.m.)
• The Trailside Museum of Natural History in River Forest offers a Juneteenth-themed hike and craft. (Any time between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.)
• Create a secret storage compartment at a Dole Center craft event. (6 p.m.)
• Learn about different father figures in the animal kingdom at Austin Gardens Environmental Education Center. (6:30 p.m.)
• The Symphony of Oak Park and River Forest performs an “Austrian Serenade” at the Nineteenth Century Club. (7:30 p.m.)

Oak Park Patch Notebook

• The popular Chicago taqueria Taco Mucho is coming to Harrison Street this summer, owned and operated by an Oak Park family. (Wednesday Journal)
• Franklin Park is joining Oak Park and River Forest in helping foster the dying bee population. (Franklin Park Herald-Journal)
• A Chicago man is making national headlines for jumping into Lake Michigan for 365 straight days. (New York Times)

A quick thanks to our sponsors for supporting local journalism! Sponsored events:

• June 19: Berwyn Historical Society's Inaugural Garden Walk
• June 19: Jazz Supper Club with the Terry Sullivan Trio
• June 19: Oak Park-River Forest, IL: Virtual Esophageal Cancer Walk/Run

That’s all for today’s Daily - thanks for reading all week long. See you back here tomorrow for your weekend edition.

-Georgi

About me: I am a lifelong Illinois resident and Lewis University graduate with a passion for classic literature, local news and White Sox baseball. I went back to the ballpark for the first time in 18 months this week, and it felt like Heaven - or maybe it was Iowa.