Hate Crime At Oak Park Jewel + Housing Development Opens

Good morning, OPRF! Here's what's happening in Oak Park and River Forest today.

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First, today's weather: Rain in the morning and afternoon. High: 69 Low: 57.

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

1. A professor is accused of using racial slurs and spitting on a Black woman outside an Oak Park grocery store last month. Alberto Friedmann was charged with aggravated assault and a hate crime for a Sept. 7 incident in the parking lot at the Jewel at 438 W. Madison Street. The National University of Health Sciences professor will return to court tomorrow. (Paid source: Chicago Tribune)

2. Oak Park River Forest High School is taking extra steps to protect students from COVID-19 at this weekend’s homecoming dance. The event is set for Saturday and will be held entirely outdoors, with a limited capacity. The dance will be held in two 90-minute shifts to allow more students to attend. (OPRFHS)

3. Renew My Church team members from all four Oak Park parishes will meet with the Archdiocese of Chicago today to discuss “initial scenarios” for the future of the local churches. Findings are expected to be presented to each parish Sept. 24. (St. Giles)

4. A new affordable housing development has opened in Oak Park at 801 Van Buren Street. “The 801” has 37 units and was built “to provide high-quality, affordable housing to Oak Park’s workforce who might have been displaced by Oak Park’s increasing housing costs.”(Wednesday Journal)

5. A trial to determine the safety of a COVID-19 vaccine for children younger than 12 showed “promising results.” Early results of the Pfizer and BioTech trial indicate “the shots are safe for children and establish a strong antibody response against the virus.” (WBEZ)

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Dominican University showcases student and faculty work in its Caritas Veritas Symposium. (9 a.m.)
• Oak Park Township Senior Services hosts "Memory Cafe" for individuals living with memory loss and their care partners. (2 p.m.)
• OPRF High School's Best Buddies program holds a car wash. (6 p.m.)
• Oak Park's Housing Programs Advisory Committee meets. (6 p.m.)
• The River Forest Public Library Board of Trustees meets. (6 p.m.)

Oak Park-River Forest Patch Notebook

• Oak Park Public Library is once again offering in-person meeting spaces; reservations are required. (OPPL)
• River Forest hosted part of Chicago’s Wounded Warrior Project Soldier Ride last week. (VRF)
• The Oak Park River Forest High School girls’ tennis team will spend the season on the road due to construction on their home courts. (Wednesday Journal)
• The CDC is offering COVID-19 tool kits to help people with intellectual and developmental disabilities better understand the pandemic. (CCDPH)
• The Cook County Sheriff’s Office has expanded its hate crime hotline to include an online platform. (Sheriff’s Office)

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That's all for today, Oak Park and River Forest friends. See you tomorrow for another rundown of the news.

Until then,

Georgi

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