Weekly Patch-up: Anniversaries, 'Idol' Hopes and Blogging from Blarney

Happy Monday morning, Patch fans. Dare we say that the weather of last week and weekend hinted at the beginnings of spring?

The sharp, clear air might have beckoned most of you outdoors, snaking you away from your home offices and computer screens. We don't blame you, so we'll help fill you in on anything you might have missed.

• Patch started our week by popping into a . Visiting with current and former staff offered great insight into the school and showcased a sense of family. Don't miss our multimedia coverage of the event!
• Cook County made some major cuts in two hospitals last week, as reported by the Associated Press; the changes included. 
• Forget "Bieber Fever" — most Oak Forest residents have a case of "Medina Mania," and stories like Monday's, which details how Medina turned his time at his fiancee's bedside into beautiful song, make it pretty clear why. 
• Miss this week's newest Whiz Kid? Don't forget to check out Warren Frye, spelling bee enthusiast and St. Damian seventh-grader.
• Wednesday night, Patch went back to Blarney Stone Pub for the American Idol viewing party. Patch Editor Lauren Traut, along with co-workers Paul Dailing and Ben Feldheim, blogged the night away, with live crowd shots, on-camera interviews and even a toe-to-toe debate over Idol's legitimacy as a talent search. 
• Things got a little heated after a hoops game between Oak Forest High School and Tinley Park High School. Check out Thursday's story about two Markham men who were arrested on weapons charges after a fight Tuesday night in the Tinley Park High School parking lot after a basketball game against rival Oak Forest, police said.
• Chris Medina's appearances on American Idol have spun into a community-wide show of support, for both Medina and his fiancee Juliana Ramos. King Heating and Air Conditioning donated a furnace to Ramos' family, after hearing theirs was struggling.
• Editor Lauren Traut was shocked to read a police report of someone swiping $1,400 from a local Boy Scout troop. Through four fraudulent debits, the person electronically cleaned out the troop's checking account — which was filled by the boys' popcorn sales. 
• The week ended with sad news of the passing of 7-year-old Danny Host, an Arbor Park District 145 student from Tinley Park, whose bright smile filled the Oak Forest Patch homepage early in its existence. Patch sends its condolences to the Host family. Thank you for allowing Patch to tell his story.