🌱 Oak Park To Declare 'Betty White Day' + Schools Go Remote

Hello, Oak Park and River Forest readers! Let's get to the news for Wednesday, Jan. 5.

First, today's weather: Rather cloudy; windy, colder. High: 23 Low: 9.

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

1. Two District 97 schools are expected to return to in-person learning today after remote learning Tuesday due to COVID-related staff shortages. Longfellow Elementary and Percy Julian Middle schools conducted e-learning yesterday. District 90 was able to stay in-person because of substitute teaching. (Wednesday Journal)

2. Three shootings occurred in Oak Park on New Year’s Eve, with additional gunfire reported on New Year’s Day. The Oak Park Police Department’s weekly crime report said shots were fired through residential windows on North Lombard Avenue and Austin Boulevard. No injuries were reported. (OPPD)

3. Other incidents in the latest crime report include an armed robbery at an Oak Park ATM and an attack on the CTA Blue Line in late December. Vandalism was also reported at the Harlem Avenue Wendy’s and the Field Park field house. (Paid source: Oak Leaves)

4. Illinois lawmakers return to Springfield today for the beginning of a “condensed” legislative session that will end in April. Senate President Don Harmon of Oak Park said a priority is balancing the state budget after the unemployment fund was “strained beyond imagination by the pandemic.” (Paid source: Tribune)

5. “Betty White Day” is official in Oak Park, according to a TMZ report. The village will honor the television icon’s Oak Park roots with a Jan. 17 celebration on what would have been White’s 100th birthday. (Patch)

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• Preschool Playtime at the Gymnastics and Recreation Center. (10:15 a.m.)
• Kadampa Meditation Center hosts a virtual talk on “making relationships work.” (7 p.m.)

From my notebook:

• On this date in 1952, the Forest Leaves published a full-page ad encouraging readers to donate to the March of Dimes to help fight the polio epidemic. The disease was ultimately eradicated by vaccines. (OPRF Museum)
• Sign-ups are open for River Forest Public Library’s 2022 reading challenges. (RFPL)
• The Oak Park River Forest Infant Welfare Society expects to move to its new Marion Street location in late February. (Facebook)
• Oak Park and River Forest High School canceled the ribbon-cutting ceremony for its new student center because of the surge in COVID-19 cases. (OPRFHS)
• OPRF senior Tim Mellman made Politico’s list of notable New Year’s resolutions for his pledge to “get more involved with the politics and administration of my school.” (Politico)

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That's all for Wednesday! See you tomorrow for more local stories.

— Georgi Presecky