🌱 SAFE-T Act Presentation + Boutique Event Expo + Art Scholarships

Hello, Oak Park and River Forest! Let's get to today's Daily.

But first, today's weather: Breezy in the afternoon. High: 40 Low: 37.

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Here are the top 4 stories in Oak Park-River Forest today:

1. State Senate President Don Harmon is now the “longest-serving legislative leader in the General Assembly.” The Oak Park Democrat’s three-year tenure points to high turnover in the Illinois legislature. (Paid source: Tribune)

2. River Forest police gave a presentation this week about the Illinois SAFE-T Act and how it will affect criminal justice in the state. Their presentation is now available for online viewing. (VRF)

3. Oak Park’s four Catholic parishes are working to unify their religious education program into one “center for lifelong learning and faith formation.” A feedback forum will be held Jan. 26 at St. Edmund Church. Parishes families are also being surveyed via email. (St. Giles)

4. The Oak Park Area Arts Council is accepting applications for three scholarships. Graduating seniors from Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park can apply through Jan. 27. (OPAAC)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Join a “Family Chat & Play” at the Stevenson Community Center. (9:15 a.m.)
• The Park District of Oak Park hosts a “Cabin Fever Hike” through Bemis Woods. (10 a.m.)
• Learn about altering clothes design at Dole Center. (1 p.m.)
• The Free Readers Ensemble Presents “TRYING” at the Nineteenth Century Club. (3 p.m.)
• First United Methodist Church of Oak Park hosts a “Notes of Rest” event in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. (4 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Former Liquor Commissioner Andrea Button is sharing tips to help others abstain from alcohol during “Dry January.” (Wednesday Journal)
• A Boutique Event Expo will be held Jan. 22 at Pleasant Home. The free event will feature several wedding planners and vendors, including caterers and musicians. (Pleasant Home)
• Professor and consultant Jonathan Livingston is running for a spot on the OPRF High School District Board after three years of living in Oak Park. (Wednesday Journal)
• It’s the final day to recycle holiday lights at River Forest Village Hall. (VRF)
• Work by avian artist Casey Jones is on display at the Main Branch of the Oak Park Public Library through the end of January. (OPPL)

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You're all caught up! See you tomorrow for more local stories.

— Georgi Presecky

About me: Georgi is a Chicago-based newsletter writer and partner content curator. She spent five years on the entertainment beat for FF2 Media covering film festivals across the U.S. Her feature articles have been recognized with awards from the Illinois Women's Press Association and National Federation of Press Women. As editor-in-chief of the Lewis University newspaper, she and her staff earned honors from the Associated Collegiate Press and American Scholastic Press Associations. She began working for Patch in 2019.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Oak Park-River Forest Daily? Contact me at georgi.presecky@patch.com.