🌱 More Concordia Games Canceled + Illinois Assault Weapons Ban

You're halfway through the week, Oak Park and River Forest. There's plenty of local news to get to today, including:

• An arrest is made in connection with an Oak Park hit-and-run
• Oak Park police are seeing an uptick in graffiti around the village
• County Assessor Fritz Kaegi will give a hometown seminar on property tax assessments

But first, today's weather: An a.m. shower; mostly cloudy. High: 45 Low: 38.

Here's to our premier local sponsor. Check out what they can do for you:

Want to give your home a new look? Elite Decorating & Remodeling is a local full-service home improvement company, providing expert services to update and upgrade your home without breaking the bank. Got a painting project, need a new deck, or want a total home remodel? Mark and the team at Elite Decorating & Remodeling have you covered. Check out some of their work here, or email Mark at elitebymark@gmail.com

Click here to get your business featured in this spot.

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

1. The Illinois State Senate approved an amended bill Monday to ban certain assault weapons in the state. Senate President Don Harmon of Oak Park said: “The weapons on this list were designed to do one thing and one thing only: kill people in a horrible and vicious way.” Harmon issued a joint statement with House Speaker Emmanuel “Chris” Welch and Gov. J.B. Pritzker, calling the agreement “one of the strongest assault weapons bans in the country.” (Patch)

2. A Chicago man was arrested this week in connection with a fatal hit-and-run in Oak Park on Dec. 26. Pedestrian Tanya C. Vega was struck by an unidentified driver at the intersection of Division Street at Austin Boulevard. Jose D. Flores is charged with driving around emergency vehicles administering aid, and striking Vega a second time. Police are investigating the identity of the first driver, according to the Wednesday Journal. (Wednesday Journal)

3. The Concordia University basketball team will not play its scheduled game Saturday as the school conducts an internal investigation into a “high-intensity” practice that left five players hospitalized last week. The story made national news over the weekend and Steve Kollar has been temporarily removed as head coach. According to the Wednesday Journal, all five players are now released and recovering. Four games have been canceled so far. (Wednesday Journal)

4. The Oak Park Police Department reported three incidents of graffiti in the area on Jan. 8. Vandals targeted garage doors and garbage cans with yellow spray paint and red marker. Graffiti was also located by Oak Park police in several locations Jan. 5-6. Red spray paint was found on an Illinois Department of Transportation box, utility box and railroad embankment last week. (OPPD)

5. Cook County Assessor and Oak Park native Fritz Kaegi will speak at an upcoming event to “share tips to assure an accurate tax assessment.” The OPRF Chamber of Commerce is hosting an in-person seminar for taxpayers Jan. 17 at the Carleton of Oak Park Hotel. An online session will be offered Jan. 24. (Chamber)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• The “Comfort Bunnies” visit the OPRF Infant Welfare Society Children’s Clinic. (1 p.m.)
• Oak Park Public Library hosts a sound bath meditation. (3 p.m.)
• Illinois Libraries present “A Virtual Conversation with Ross Gay” on the subject of joy. (7 p.m.)
• Members of Oak Park’s Muslim community meet to discuss establishing a mosque in the area. (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin's on-field cardiac arrest Jan. 2 brought national attention to the importance of potentially life-saving CPR. The River Forest Fire Department is offering CPR classes from certified instructors. (VRF)
• The Oak Park and River Forest High School Scholarship Foundation will distribute more than $180,000 to graduating seniors through 80 merit-based scholarships. Applications are open through Jan. 27. (OPRFHS)
• The Oak Park Public Library is hosting a series of events to help cardholders maintain their New Year’s resolutions. The January calendar includes workshops on meditation, decluttering, finance and culture. (OPPL)

More from our sponsors — thanks for supporting local news!

Featured businesses:

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

Events:

• Taxes in Retirement Webinar (January 17)
• Add your event

That's all for today! 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 Daily? Contact me at georgi.presecky@patch.com.