🌱 Hometown Astronaut Honored + Holiday Lights Show Planned

It's the last day of November, Oak Park and River Forest! There's plenty of news to get to on this Wednesday, including:

• Oak Park lawmakers are offering assistance with property tax appeals
• Triton College is honoring Apollo 17 — and a hometown astronaut
• Forest Park officials get a major pay raise in the name of gender equality

But first, today's weather: Windy and much colder. High: 33 Low: 22.

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

1. A North Chicago woman was arrested Nov. 22 for trespassing at a Madison Street restaurant, according to Oak Park police. She first refused to leave KFC before “acting erratically” and urging employees to fight. (Wednesday Journal)

2. St. Ignatius families and coaches are suing the truck driver who crashed into their hockey team’s bus earlier this month. Sixteen people were injured in the crash on an Indiana highway. One student is still in the hospital and others have not yet returned to school. (WGN)

3. Oak Park taxpayers can learn more about filing an appeal of their assessed property valuations at an upcoming meeting. Oak Park Assessor Ali ElSaffar, Sen. Don Harmon and Rep. Camille Lily will host the event along with Commissioner Larry Rogers Jr. of the County Board of Review. Registration is required for the Dec. 6 meeting at Beye Elementary School. ElSaffar said taxpayers can also call the Assessor’s office to make a phone appointment for assistance in filing an appeal through Dec. 20. (Eventbrite)

4. Triton College is honoring the 50th anniversary of Apollo 17 with a special exhibit running through April. The school’s Cernan Earth and Space Center is named for the mission commander Eugene Cernan, who grew up in Maywood and attended Proviso schools. He was the last astronaut to visit the moon in 1972. (Review)

5. A holiday lights show is planned this Saturday near Scoville Park, using the funding from this summer’s canceled July 4 fireworks display. Areas of Lake Street and Oak Park Avenue near the park will be blocked off to traffic beginning at 4 p.m. to accommodate the show. (VOP)

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Donate blood at Trinity High School. (Noon)
• Learn the basics of archery at Brookfield Woods. (1 p.m.)
• Oak Park Public Library presents “'Tis the Season: Holiday Traditions from Radio's Golden Age.” (2 p.m.)
• Tween service group Junior Justice League meets at River Forest Public Library. (3:30 p.m.)
• The OPRF Chamber cuts the ribbon at Estillos Barber Studio. (4:30 p.m.)
• The Huskie Booster Club hosts a trivia night at One Lake Brewing. (6 p.m.)
• The OPRF High School show choir performs at the Oak Park Public Library. (6:30 p.m.)
• Old Town School of Folk Music artists perform at Triton College. (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Forest Park is closing its gender pay gap by increasing the salaries of several female department heads, according to data compiled by the Review. (Review)
• Oak Park and River Forest High School alum Lauren Carroll is leading the charge at Plumpie Skin, a new acne-fighting sticker line for teens. (Wednesday Journal)
• Trinity High School’s Diversity In Action Club is honoring Native American Heritage Month. (THS)
• Christ Episcopal Church is hosting its holiday bazaar on Sundays throughout the month. (VRF)
• Chicago a capella will return to Pilgrim Congregational Church Sunday for its “Holidays a capella” concert. (Paid source: Oak Leaves)

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Events:

• 8th Grade Entrance Exam (December 3)
• Favorite Hymns of Fanny Crosby (Free Concert) (December 3)
• Crafts & Drafts Holiday Market (December 4)
• MIDWINTER'S TALES: Simple Gifts (December 4)
• Add your event

You're all caught up! See you tomorrow for a new month of OPRF Daily newsletters.

— 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.