Last summer, the site of St. Angela Parish — the Catholic church in Austin that closed in 2005, leaving behind generations of alumni, many of whom live in Oak Park.

The organizers of a summer camp held at the Oak Park Public Library's main branch a few weeks ago are hoping it becomes an effective tool in Oak Park's collective fight to close the equity and opportunity gap.

The talk of our villages as the school year starts up is America to Me, the compelling and complex 10-part documentary on Oak Park and River Forest High School produced and directed by Steve James.

It's the show of all shows, a culmination of 25-plus years together as an American roots and Celtic soul duo.

And it's a homecoming. Martin McCormack and Brian FitzGerald have played at FitzGerald's more times than they can count, but this is their sole Chicago-area appearance in 2018.

Last week, there were 169 active listings for single family homes in Oak Park, with prices ranging from $245,000 on the low end up to $2.5 million on the high end. In between the starter homes and the mansions, there's a category of homes in the middle. There are 73 active listings of homes in the $500,000 to $800,000 price range. 

They covertly stroll the streets of Oak Park and Forest Park. These two even pose as teachers during the day. But as night falls, they strike, spinning webs of deception and murder, false accusations and puzzlement.

Appreciative toddlers twirl to the tunes of the JoeSounds Steel Drum Trio while diners schmooze and savor a summer evening at Thursday Night Out on Marion Street last week.

A 23-unit luxury apartment building could be headed to a vacant lot on the corner of Madison Street and Lyman Avenue, where a year ago the board rejected plans for a Taco Bell fast-food restaurant.

In the spring of 2017, a local Girl Scout troop began an almost year-long project aimed at helping the homeless in their community.