🌱 New Street Cameras In River Forest + Deadline For Santa's Mailbox

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

• OSHA investigating the death of an Elmwood Park sewer worker
• After a pandemic pause, Oak Park officials will resume booting cars with unpaid tickets
• Forest Park Public Library announces its next director

But first, today's weather: Breezy; p.m. snow showers. High: 37 Low: 29.

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

1. OSHA is investigating the site in Buffalo Grove where an Elmwood Park plumber died on the job Tuesday. The investigation could take up to six months, but initial reports say there was no cave-in protection at the job site outside of a home where three workers were conducting sewer repair. Seventeen fire departments responded to the scene to retrieve Nikodem Zaremba, who was buried under at least eight feet of dirt and later died. A GoFundMe page has raised more than $17,000 for his loved ones. (CBS)

2. River Forest trustees voted to approve eight additional street cameras at six intersections, as recommended by Police Chief Jim O’Shea. A Wednesday Journal report said the $105,000 project will affect the areas "between Lake Street and Augusta Boulevard and between Thatcher and Harlem avenues." (Wednesday Journal)

3. Oak Park officials will resume installing boots on cars with five or more unpaid parking tickets, the village announced via social media. The practice has been paused since the beginning of the pandemic. (VOP)

4. South Oak Park neighbors spoke to trustees last month about repeated disturbances at a nearby Berwyn bar. A shooting occurred last summer at Mike’s Place, and another fight among bargoers broke out recently on an Oak Park street. “We don’t want to live like this anymore,” South Cuyler Avenue resident Stacey Hendricks told Wednesday Journal. (Wednesday Journal)

5. Forest Park Public Library has named its next director after a two-month search. Vicki Rakowski of Barrington Area Public Library will begin the role Jan. 23. (Patch)

Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Ovation Academy begins performances of “Elf The Musical, Jr.” at Madison Street Theater. (7 p.m.)
• Hear Music of the Baroque at Grace Lutheran Church. (7:30 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• Tomorrow is the final day to drop a letter in Santa’s Mailbox at The Depot. (VRF)
• The Kiwanis Club of River Forest and Oak Park is selling luminary kits for its upcoming “Light Up the Night” event. (Kiwanis Club)
• Students in District 97 recently raised more than $2,000 for Animal Care League with an art exhibit at the library. (Instagram)
• The OPRF Chamber of Commerce honored “titans” of the community at its recent Spotlight Soiree. (Chamber)
• Dominican University's “Be a Holiday Angel” Gift Drive runs through tomorrow. (DU)

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Events:

• Singers from the Lyric Celebrate the Season (December 19)
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That's all for today! See you tomorrow for the Friday edition.

— 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.