Save these dates, and mark this site
To honor this year's National Arts and Humanities Month, formally and thoroughly, Oak Park already has plans under way for a 10-day culture fest in October. From Oct. 2 to Oct. 11, the village's range and depth of offerings will be on display in a celebration called ArtRageous Oak Park.
To gather and organize listings of performances, exhibits, workshops and tours, a new Web site - www.artoakpark.com - was launched this weekend. If you have an event to include for the celebration, go to the site and enter it on the listings form. If you have a question about participating, you can ask that online, too.
By the end of the summer, a detailed calendar will be available to afford you plenty of notice in planning to get to events such as Edgar Allen Poe-inspired paintings and readings at the Oak Park Public Library, a fantasy architecture camp at the Frank Lloyd Wright Home & Studio, and a "staycation" in the Oak Park Arts District.
ArtRageous Oak Park is a cooperative effort among the Village of Oak Park, the Oak Park Area Arts Council, the Park District of Oak Park, the Oak Park Convention and Visitors Bureau and several business districts. Wednesday Journal built the Web site.
'Sexting' could land you in jail
The Illinois General Assembly last month passed legislation that would make it a crime to distribute nude images of another person without their permission.
Sponsored by Oak Park legislators state Sen. Kimberly Lightford (4th) and state Rep. LaShawn Ford (8th), House Bill 2537 passed the Senate on May 21 by a 56-0 vote. It's currently pending in the House. The legislation makes it a Class A misdemeanor to sell or distribute a videotape or nude image of another person without their written consent. Uploading such images to the Internet would also be a crime under the act. Violators can get up to a year in jail and up to a $2,500 fine. The legislation is meant to curb the "sexting" craze, i.e. texting sexual messages and images among teens, according to a press release from Sen. Lightford's office.
"Our young people often overlook what can happen when they engage in the sexting craze. Sending out inappropriate images of someone can seriously harm someone's reputation and cause them a great deal of anxiety," said Lightford in the statement. "To make these kinds of images available without being permitted is abusive, and we need to put a stop to it."
Bagpipes and tailpipes
Sunday afternoon, Oak Park Avenue from Lake Street to North Boulevard will turn into a classic vehicle showroom. Get ready for the annual peek at British cars, all brought in by the Illinois Saint Andrew Society Scottish Motor Club.
The viewing will take place amid performances by bagpipers and highland dancers. The show starts at 1 p.m. and is scheduled to run until 4. For details, go to www.chicago-scots.org or follow the car club with Chicagoscots on Twitter.
If you know you can't miss this event, go ahead and RSVP at info@babuk.com or call 312-371-0583.
Neutered Irish male?
A sign with adoption information appeared recently in the window of the Animal Care League on Garfield Street. We weren't quite sure what to make of the heading: Irish Male/Neutered. Wishful thinking? A sweeping stereotype? The functional definition of a leprechaun? No, it turns out "Irish" is the name of a brown tabby (that's a cat), which was a relief after we read the next line: "A really big boy for those who like them big."
The Russians are coming
The Council of International Programs, which provides training and cultural exchange opportunities for Russian visitors, recently hosted 10 delegates at various homes in Oak Park. They visited 15 Chicago-area non-profits, including the Illinois Department of Child and Family Services, Hephzibah Children's Association and OPRF High School to study the effects of grandparents raising grandchildren, community activities for the reintegration of runaway children, and other issues involving vulnerable children.
Oak Park resident Dorothy Doherty hosted the group for a farewell dinner at her house Tuesday night.
