🌱 Heather Mack Seeks Release + Des Plaines Trail Construction Begins

Good morning, Oak Park and River Forest! In today's Daily:

• Heather Mack seeks release ahead of trial
• Find out the best time to leave the Chicago area for Thanksgiving travel
• Local businesses offer rewards to encourage "shopping small"

But first, today's weather: Sunshine. High: 47 Low: 31.

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

1. Attorneys for Heather Mack asked a federal judge to release her from jail as she awaits trial next July. The Oak Park woman served seven years in an Indonesian prison for the murder of her mother in Bali. (CBS)

2. The Oak Park Department of Public Health will not host a vaccine clinic today at Cheney Mansion. Tuesday clinics will return next week, but Dec. 6 is the final weekly clinic of the year. COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are also available at Rush Oak Park, Walgreens, CVS, Jewel, or through the CDC vaccine finder. (VOP)

3. Construction is set to begin on portions of the Des Plaines Trail near Oak Park and Elmwood Park, the Forest Preserve District announced. Project improvements will include new pedestrian bridges, concrete pavement, flood mitigation and accessibility for handicapped patrons. Plans are still in the works for Forest Park and Maywood, in addition to a possible bike trail extension into River Forest. (Paid source: Herald-Journal)

4. Oak Park police are joining patrols statewide in efforts to increase seat belt enforcement during holiday celebrations. “We’re looking for the 7 percent of Illinois motorists who skip this lifesaving step,” Police Chief Shatonya Johnson said in a statement. The campaign uses federal traffic enforcement funds and runs through Nov. 28. (OPPD)

5. In the spirit of giving? Two community blood drives will be held in the area this month. A Red Cross drive is set for Nov. 28 at First Presbyterian Church of River Forest. The Rotary Club of Oak Park and River Forest will host another drive Nov. 30 at Trinity High School. (First Pres/Trinity)

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Shop at stores downtown Oak Park to earn “Shopper’s Reward” gift certificates. (9 a.m.)
• See Udita Upadhyaya’s solo exhibition at Dominican University's O’Connor Art Gallery. (10 a.m.)
• It’s $5 Tuesday at Lake Theatre, with screenings of new releases “Strange World” and “Devotion.” (2 p.m.)
• OPRF Youth Services hosts “Middle School Makers” at the River Forest Public Library. (3:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Early Wednesday morning is projected to be the best time to leave the Chicago area for Thanksgiving travel, according to AAA estimates. (Patch)
• Yard waste collection ends Dec. 4 in Oak Park. (VOP)
• Local librarians created a gift guide to offer book suggestions for every age and genre during the holiday shopping season. (OPPL)
• District 97 Superintendent Ushma Shah is reflecting on her first five months of leadership at Oak Park schools. (Wednesday Journal)
• Blues duo Donna Herula and Tony Nardiello will perform Nov. 30 as part of Triton College’s Global Music Series. (Paid source: Tribune)

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Featured businesses:

• Laurie Christofano, Realtor | RE/MAX In the Village — (Visit website)
• Laura Ruiz, REALTOR® at REALTY OF CHICAGO — (Visit Website)
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Events:

• Independents Day Author Showcase (November 26)
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That's all for today! See you tomorrow for another Daily.

— 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.