The National Weather Service predicting up to eight inches of snow today and tonight.  Our local municipal officials in Oak Park, River Forest & Forest Park are urging residents, merchants and visitors to plan accordingly.  When – let’s be proactive here and assume the worst – the Snow Emergency Parking Rules go into effect, cars may be towed.

Also, please be considerate of your neighbors by shoveling their sidewalks, if you’re able to do so.  You might receive some home-made goodies, or at least a smile from them.  What a wonderful way to show that you’re not such a bad neighbor.

Finally, we’ve said it before and we’ll say in again… if you experience an emergency, please dial 9-1-1;  and be sure that you’re not overexerting yourself moving the snow.  Many a heart attack comes from “just one shovel more!”

• Please pay close attention to the cold temperature and how tired you become. Don’t work to the point of exhaustion. Take breaks indoors to warm up.
• Stay hydrated – and that doesn’t mean beer or hard liquor!  You sweat more than you think while shoveling snow. Be sure to drink plenty of fluids before and after shoveling to replenish fluids lost in the process.
• Bend legs slightly at the knee, letting thigh muscles do most of the pushing and lifting work. Better yet, push the snow, do not pick it up!
• Your clothing should be well-fitting and worn in layers, and you should shed clothing as the body becomes warm. Remember, overheating puts strain on the heart. Wearing a scarf over the nose and mouth helps reduce breathing cold air, which also makes the heart work harder.

And remember… Snow shoveling is not the exercise to use to start getting in shape!  Use common sense and reach out to your neighbors both to assist and for assistance!

From our friend Paul Zimmerman, President of the Roosevelt Road Business Association and the Berwyn Development Corporation and from our dear friend and community activist (in the best sense of the word) Sandra Sokol:

The Office of
ANITA ALVAREZ
Cook County State’s Attorney
in partnership with the
Oak Park Police Department
present:

Burglary & Auto Theft
Prevention Workshop

Learn tips on how to make your home and car less of a target for burglars.

Special Guests: Sgt. Tim Gainer, Director of the Illinois State Police North East Auto Theft Task Force and Officer Maudessie Jointer, Chicago Police Department presenting the “Keepin’ it Real” program.

Please join us
Thursday, June 2, 2011
6:30 p.m. — 8 p.m.

Village of Oak Park
123 Madison Street
Council Chambers

For more information, contact the
Cook County State’s Attorney’s
West Side Community Justice Center at (708) 386-7301

With the threat of West Nile Virus now widespread throughout the Oak Park / Forest Park / River Forest / Berwyn communities, public health officials urge residents to take precautions to avoid being bitten by mosquitoes. Precautions include wearing long sleeves and pants, limiting time spent outdoors at dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active and wearing insect repellent containing DEET, Picaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus. For your own safety, the safety of your family, friends and neighbors, we urge you to eliminate potential mosquito breeding sites by cleaning roof gutters, storing containers upside down and emptying birdbaths every few days. Click here for more prevention information.

According to the United States Weather Service, July was one of the wettest months in recorded history in our part of the country.  Certainly those who suffered through the catastrophic flooding have been hard pressed to keep their possessions in tact.  And the “Economy” is limping along…

What can you do?  One choice is to donate non-perishable food items to one of these food pantries serving our area.

• Oak Park River Forest Food Pantry
  First United Church of Oak Park (Basement)
  848 Lake Street, Oak Park, IL
  www.oprffoodpantry.org
• Feeding Illinois
  Formerly known as the Illinois Food Bank Association
  www.feedingillinois.org
• St. Celestine Catholic Parish Alvernia Food Pantry
  3020 N. 76th Court, Elmwood Park
  www.stcelestineparish.org/Outreach/FoodPantry.htm

Anytime an individual comes to your home or business claiming to be a representative of a public utility or Municipality, be sure to ask for identification. All governmental employees including building inspectors, as well as employees of all public utilities, carry official identification and display it. If you have doubt about the identity of an individual knocking on your door, call 9 – 1 – 1.