The Rotary Club of Oak Park-River Forest and the River Forest Park District host their 3rd annual Food Truck Rally from 3-9 p.m. Aug. 27.

Skokie

Live music, classic films to highlight annual Backlot Bash

Skokie’s Backlot Bash, an annual event paying homage to downtown Skokie’s heritage as a silent movie backlot set in the early 20th century, will be held Aug. 26-28 on Oakton Street, between Laramie and Lincoln avenues. The three-day event includes a carnival, a beer tent, food vendors, Farmers Market, Bingo Bash!, magician Gary Kantor, a Teen Dance, a giant inflatable (for ages 8 and up), a classic auto show, arts and crafts, a dunk tank, yoga, the Community Bicycle Safety Fair, the Community Resource Fair and more. Live music on the main stage includes legendary hard rock band Blue Oyster Cult at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 26, funk/metal pioneers Living Colour at 8:30 p.m. Aug. 27 and Tributosaurus (portraying The Police) at 6:30 p.m. Aug. 28. The Backlot Dash Kids’ Half-Mile & 5K Run will be held Aug. 27, with registration beginning at 6 a.m.. In addition, the Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave., will host Music & Movies, beginning at 1 p.m. Aug. 27, and the Skokie Public Library, 5215 Oakton Street, will host screenings of two classic films — “The Thin Man” (1934) and “King Kong” (1933) — beginning at noon Aug. 28. Admission to Backlot Bash is free. For more information, call (847) 674-1500 or visit www.backlotbash.com.

Oak Park

School Dist. 200 tabs Pruitt as interim superintendent

Oak Park and River Forest High School reported that School District 200’s Board of Education recently voted to approve the hiring of Joylynn Pruitt as interim superintendent for the 2016-17 school year. Pruitt fills the position vacated by Dr. Steven Isoye, who now serves as superintendent of Niles Township High School District 219. Pruitt previously served as superintendent of the School District of University City (Mo.), which comprises 3,200 students from pre-K through 12th grade. She also is an adjunct professor in the Doctorate Leadership Learning Community program at the University of Missouri-St. Louis, and her career includes stints as an elementary school principal and special education instructor. Pruitt earned a doctorate in Educational Policy and Leadership from the University of Missouri-St. Louis in 2015. The District 200 Board of Education expects to hire a permanent superintendent prior to the 2017-18 school year. For more information, call (708) 383-0700 or visit www.oprfhs.org.

Justice

Village to host 20th Annual Auto Show at Commissioners Park

The Village of Justice 20th Annual Auto Show will be held from 4-9 p.m. Aug. 26 at Commissioners Park, 7747 S. Oak Grove Ave. The event includes a display of stock, modified and custom cars and motorcycles, music, and food and beverages. First-, second- and third-place trophies will be awarded in each vehicle classification, and a Mayor’s Choice: Best of the Village (for residents’ entries) award will be presented as well. Staging and registration for entries begins at 2 p.m.; the on-site registration fee is $20. General admission is free. For more information, call (708) 458-2520 or visit www.villageofjustice.org. 

Cicero

High percentage of Dist. 201 grads to continue education

The town reported that 84 percent of students who graduated from Morton High School District 201 following the 2015-16 school year are pursuing further studies at colleges and trade school this fall. In addition, more than $20 million in scholarships were awarded among the same group of students for the 2016-17 academic year. The report also stated that the number of Dist. 201 students who have taken AP (Advanced Placement) courses has increased 98 percent since 2011, with the number of students receiving college credit from those classes increasing 68 percent during the same time period. In total, 99 higher institutions in the United States, Canada, Mexico and the United Kingdom will receive Dist. 201 graduates this fall, including Northwestern University, the University of Illinois, the University of Wisconsin, and Ivy League schools Cornell, Dartmouth, Penn and Yale.

Palatine

Village to hold Palatine Street Fest, Kids Zone event

The village announced that the 2016 Palatine Street Fest will be held from 5 p.m. to midnight Aug. 26, 11 a.m. to midnight Aug. 27 and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 28 at the intersection of Brockway and Slade streets in downtown Palatine. The event includes food and beverages from several area restaurants, and live music featuring headliners Sixteen Candles (10 p.m. Aug. 26), Uncle Kracker (10:30 p.m. Aug. 27) and 7th Heaven (4 p.m. Aug. 28). In conjunction with the fest, Kids Zone will be held from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 27 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Aug. 28 at Towne Square Park, 150 W. Palatine Road. Activities include the Sweet Pea Pet Parade, a Palatine Police Department K-9 demonstration, kids’ games and inflatables, a roving magician, a balloon artist, face painting, the Trinity Irish Dancers and more. Admission to the fest and Kids Zone is free. For more information, call (847) 358-7500 or visit www.palatinestreetfest.com.

Evanston

City earns national ‘Tech Savvy’ award for third straight year

The city reported that Evanston is one of six local government entities throughout the entire nation to receive the Public Technology Institute’s (PTI) 2016 “Tech Savvy” award designation. It marks the third consecutive year that Evanston has received the award, which recognizes PTI member local governments that use technology to address issues, current challenges and future opportunities. PTI’s award highlighted Evanston’s new Digital Services team, formed earlier this year to coordinate open data, analytics and “smart” city initiatives. The team also is responsible for the city’s website and digital efforts at the 311 center. For more information, call/text (847) 448-4311 or visit www.cityofevanston.org.

Wilmette

Village offers Cooperative Tree Planting Program

The village announced that applications are available for residents interested in participating in the Fall 2016 Cooperative Tree Planting Program. The program allows residents to select a tree from a list of five different species for the purpose of replacing trees removed from parkways adjacent to residences or adding supplemental planting in the parkway. Available species are Autumn Blaze Maple, Northern Catalpa, Triumph Hybrid Elm, Ginkgo Bilboa and Golden Raindrops Crabapple. The cost is $155 or $221 per tree, depending on size. Participation in the shared-cost program allows the village to maximize the number of trees planted annually. Applications (accessible at www.wilmette.com) must be completed and sent by mail to Tree Planting Program, Wilmette Public Works, 711 Laramie Ave., Wilmette, Ill. 60091 or faxed to (847) 853-7705. A Village Forester must approve the species and planting site before any payment by residents is rendered. For more information, call (847) 853-7587 or send an email to forestry@wilmette.com.

–Cook County News Briefs–