🌱 Concordia Coach Reinstated + MLK Day Events

Hello! Thanks for staying up-to-date on local news. Here's a quick guide to the headlines on this Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

But first, today's weather: Periods of rain and a t-storm. High: 46 Low: 40.

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

1. Head basketball coach Steve Kollar will return to his team at Concordia University this week after being temporarily benched pending a school investigation. Six players were hospitalized in early January after an “intense” practice left them with a muscle condition called rhabdomyolysis. All six athletes have been released and are recovering, and the team could resume play tomorrow. According to the Tribune, the River Forest school is “implementing new safety trainings and evaluations for coaches.” (Paid source: Tribune)

2. Matt Walsh will serve as interim village administrator in River Forest after Brian Murphy resigned for “personal and health reasons.” Walsh previously served as Murphy’s assistant and village manager of Homer Glen. (Wednesday Journal)

3. The CEO of a Forest Park nonprofit has been named a “CNN Hero.” Debra Vines of Maywood is receiving national recognition as founder of The Answer, Inc. The organization aims to “foster the inclusion of people with intellectual or developmental disabilities into the larger community.” (Paid source: Tribune)

4. Cook County Assessor and Oak Park resident Fritz Kaegi will speak at an event tomorrow to “share tips to assure an accurate tax assessment.” The OPRF Chamber of Commerce is hosting an in-person seminar for taxpayers Jan. 17 at the Carleton of Oak Park Hotel. An online session will be offered Jan. 24. (Chamber)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Drop in to the Forest Preserve Districts of Cook County’s clean-up event at Miller Meadow in honor of the MLK Day of Service. (10 a.m.)
• Join River Forest Public Library’s adult coloring club. (11 a.m.)
• “A Man Called Otto” and “The Whale” screen at Lake Theatre. (11 a.m.)
• Honor Martin Luther King, Jr. Day by making dream hands or peace quilt squares at Oak Park Public Library. (11 a.m. and 2 p.m.)
• The Nineteenth Century Club hosts a presentation on “Abandoned Chicagoland.” (1:15 p.m.)
• The 29th Annual Mont Clare/Elmwood Park Lions Club "Tuscano" Style Wild Game Dinner is held at Elmcrest Banquets. (6 p.m.)
• Cooper’s Hawk Winery hosts a 1920s-style speakeasy wine dinner. (7 p.m.)

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That's all for today! See you tomorrow for more local stories.

— Georgi

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.