🌱 Former Local Priests Named In Sex Abuse Report + Memorial Day Plans

Hello, Oak Park and River Forest. In this Wednesday edition of the Daily, we cover:

• An arrest in connection with an Austin murder.
• The owner of a beloved Forest Park bookstore is retiring after three decades.
• How local students are making an impact with food and book donations.

But first, today's weather: Sunshine, breezy and cooler. High: 67 Low: 47.

Here are the top 5 stories in Oak Park-River Forest today:

1. More than 450 priests and brothers are named in a new report on sex abuse in the Catholic church, including several who worked at Oak Park and River Forest parishes. A five-year investigation by the attorney general’s office reveals the clergy “abused 1,997 children across all six Catholic dioceses in Illinois.” Attorney General Kwame Raoul said the intention of the report published Tuesday “is to provide a public accounting and a measure of healing to survivors who have long suffered in silence." (Patch)

2. A Chicago man was arrested and charged this week with the murder of a pregnant woman in Austin in 2020. Mother of four Stephanie Hayes was found dead when first responders were to a house fire in the 5000 block of West Gladys Avenue. (CBS)

3. Centuries & Sleuths owner Augie Aleksy will retire after 30 years running the Forest Park bookstore, the Tribune reports. “I want this store to go to someone who understands the importance of traditions and loves books and writers,” Aleksy said. (Paid source: Tribune)

4. River Forest will host its 98th Annual Memorial Day Parade on Monday. The event begins at 9:30 a.m. at Augusta and Ashland. The route concludes at Keystone Park, where a ceremony and picnic will be held. (Park District)

5. Local schools raised more than $20,000 for Beyond Hunger as part of the CAN DO Community Challenge, the organization announced. Students also collected more than 1,800 pounds of food. (Beyond Hunger)

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Local artist Janis Martin’s work is on display at the main branch of the Oak Park Public Library. (9 a.m.)
• The Oak Park Department of Public Health offers free COVID-19 testing at the Main Fire Station. (11 a.m.)
• Momenta Dance Company celebrates its 40th anniversary with a live dance performance. (12:30 p.m.)

In partnership with T-Mobile:

Do you know an Oak Park-River Forest dad whose texts make you smile? This Father’s Day, celebrate him with a shoutout on Patch. Just fill out this simple form and we’ll do the rest!

From my notebook:

• River Forest police are enforcing a “click it or ticket” campaign through May 30 to promote safe driving during the Memorial Day holiday. (VRF)
• Sen. Don Harmon of Oak Park said he supports a bill to allow non-citizens to become police officers in Illinois. (LM Scanner)
• Trinity High School’s book club collected more than 1,300 books to donate to local nonprofits and the school library. (THS)
• Krispy Kreme will give away a dozen free doughnuts to Class of 2023 graduates who wear “senior swag” to Illinois locations today. (NBC)

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That's all for the Wednesday edition. 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 Patch newsletter? Contact me at georgi.presecky@patch.com.