A Special E-News Message from the Village President, Catherine Adduci

September, 24, 2020

A Special E-News Message from the Village President, Catherine M. Adduci

September 24, 2020

Dear River Forest Residents,

COVID-19 Update

I am happy to report that our 14 day positivity rate has been trending downward an average decline of -13.3%.

Thank you to the entire River Forest community for continuing to support efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19. Please continue to wear face coverings, practice social distancing and wash your hands so River Forest can play, work, learn, live, and shop safely.

Click here and select “Case Data by Town” to see an update on the cases in River Forest.

River Forest COVID-19 Senior Response Team is still available! Please call 708-613-1642 for any assistance you need. Please remember to help care for our senior community members. If you have an elderly neighbor, give them a call to check in on them.

Please watch the below video featuring pictures from River Forest through the pandemic. We are sharing this video for the second time to thank resident Victoria Freund for producing this beautiful video.

Halloween During COVID-19

As Halloween approaches, the Village Board of Trustees and I are continuing our conversation to determine how to keep our community safe. This topic will be continued at our next Village Board meeting on Tuesday, September 29, 2020. We will provide further updates after this meeting.

Residents are encouraged to participate in other safe Halloween events like the Park District’s Trunk or Treat Drive-Through on October 16, 2020. Please click here for other safe Halloween activities.

Census - Less Than One Week Left to Respond

The deadline to respond to the Census is next Wednesday, September 30th! Head to my2020Census.gov and Be Counted River Forest!

Every single person, regardless of age, needs to be counted. For every person not counted, the Village of River Forest, Cook County, and the State of Illinois lose money. For example, the Village is allocated income tax, motor fuel tax, state use tax, and cannabis funds on a per capita basis - meaning how many people are counted during the decennial Census. The Village receives about $175 a year per person for these four sources. Income tax alone is approximately 1.1 million dollars annually to the Village, making up about 7% of the Village’s General Fund. The State of Illinois loses approximately $1,400 a year for every person not counted.

The Village’s self-response rate is 83.1%. While we won’t have a final count that includes in-person enumeration until a later date, we know that some River Forest residents are yet to be counted. We only get this one shot, every ten years. So please Be Counted. If you have already completed the Census, check in with your friends and family to be sure they have done the same. If you know someone in a traditionally undercounted population such as a senior or someone in a multi-family housing, please reach out to them and make sure they are counted. Spread the word!

The Census is safe and secure, quick and easy, and matters for our community. You can respond online, by phone or by mail.

Construction Alert - Lake Street at Keystone Avenue Closed Saturday, September 26

Lake Street between Thatcher Avenue and Forest Avenue, and Keystone Avenue between Central Avenue and Oak Avenue will be closed Saturday, September 26 for water main work, weather permitting. This closure is only anticipated for Saturday. All properties within the closure will remain accessible. Red arrows are the detour for motorists.

IDOT Sidewalk Improvements Along Lake Street Next Week

Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) will be performing sidewalk improvements at these locations along Lake Street starting Monday, September 28. This work is being done to improve ADA compliance at the intersections.

Sincerely,