Back in the 1970s, Oak Park was frantically trying to figure out if it were possible to build a community that was racially integrated for the long haul. A lot of visionary projects were launched in that remarkable decade.

It is not possible to know fully what has gone on within the offices of PASO - West Suburban Action Project in past months. Certainly it was unhappy and intense.

It's been on our to-do list for some months: Create a weekly digital newsletter to share the thoughtful — sometimes provocative — content of the print version of our Viewpoints section. With page counts limited for now but, stunningly, no shortage of opinionated readers, our need is to share letters and essays that don't fit in print.

As we suffer through endless — and daily — muddle and blather from the current president related to COVID-19, locals have come to rely on substantially more immediate and accurate information from our hometown and state officials.