🌱 Lathrop Lane Closures + Bivalent Booster Clinic + New Church Bells

Good morning, Oak Park and River Forest! A new week of daily newsletters is here. In the Monday edition:

• More grooming allegations emerge against a Riverside-Brookfield coach
• Sewer work prompts detours in River Forest
• First Presbyterian honors a late church member

But first, today's weather: Colder; a shower in the p.m.. High: 41 Low: 32.

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

1. A second woman has accused Riverside Brookfield High School teacher Dallas Till of “sexually grooming” her when she was a student at a Cicero high school in 2002. The allegations come a week after a former Elmwood Park High School student said Till impregnated her and convinced her to get an abortion. He is currently on paid leave from RBHS. (Landmark)

2. Health officials are encouraging vaccinated people to get the updated bivalent booster ahead of a potential winter surge of COVID-19 cases. Only 10 percent of Chicagoans have received the new booster, according to the city health department. Oak Park health officials will administer all doses of COVID-19 shots tomorrow at Cheney Mansion. (VOP)

3. The northbound lane of Lathrop Avenue will be closed today and Wednesday between Central and Lake as crews complete sewer work in the area. Commuters are asked to use Ashland or Monroe as a detour. (VRF)

4. The Village of River Forest has hired a consulting firm to assess its equity and inclusion efforts. Trustees unanimously voted for Nova Collective LLC to conduct a 25-week assessment of River Forest’s “practices, policies and structures.” (Wednesday Journal)

5. The First Presbyterian Church in River Forest will ring new carillon bells in honor of late member Mike McAdam. “Mike’s Bells” will be installed this fall and “will mark the first time bells will sound from the church in over 40 years.” (Patch)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• The Park District of Oak Park offers an informational session on NFTs. (Noon)
• Learn about The Women’s L Project at the Nineteenth Century Club. (1:15 p.m.)
• Kids can take a magic class at Dole Center. (6:45 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Registration opens today for the River Forest Park District’s Deck the Depot event on Dec. 3. (Park District)
• Fall leaf collection begins Oct. 31 in Oak Park. (VOP)
• City Voices community chorus will perform two concerts at area churches this weekend. (Paid source: Oak Leaves)
• Film festival season is underway across Chicagoland. Lake Theatre is already selling early tickets to titles featuring Dwayne Johnson, Julia Roberts, George Clooney and Harry Styles. (Classic Cinemas)
• Oak Park Public Library is offering tips for seniors during Health Literacy Month. (OPPL)

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Events:

• Jazz Prayer (October 21)
• Saturday Spooktacular! (K-8th grades) (October 22)
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You're all caught up for Monday, Oct. 17. Please remember that my inbox is always open at georgi.presecky@patch.com. I love hearing from members of the community about news, events and stories that are important to you. It makes this newsletter better, and I sincerely appreciate it. Thanks!

— 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.