🌱 Sears Construction Slows + Oak Parker Wows On TV Dance Show

Hello, Oak Park and River Forest readers! Let's start this Thursday with a five-minute rundown of what's new in your neighborhood.

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First, today's weather: Periods of rain. High: 55, low: 54.

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

1. Plan ahead for Halloween: village officials have made changes to Sunday’s celebration to account for COVID-19 safety measures. Oak Park hours are from 1 to 5:30 p.m., while River Forest residents can trick-or-treat from 3 to 7 p.m. Masks, social distancing and hand-washing are recommended to protect children from the spread of COVID-19. (Paid source: Oak Leaves)

2. Work is progressing on two North Avenue construction projects. Development at the former locations of Sears and U.S. Bank has slowed due to the increasing cost of construction materials. (Wednesday Journal)

3. Jermaine Douglas was convicted this week in the 2016 killing of a security guard in Brookfield. Douglas will serve 65 years in prison for shooting Michael Smith outside his home on Forest Avenue the day he planned to testify in a Chicago weapons case. (Landmark)

4. River Forest native and opera singer Rose Guccione will portray the Sister in this year’s showings of “Late Nite Catechism,” the improv show celebrating its 28th year in Chicago. The Lyric Opera and Second City alum teaches music and arts entrepreneurship at Dominican University. (Paid source: Tribune)

5. Fenwick football is headed to the playoffs. The IHSA postseason opens for the Friars tomorrow at Triton College, where they take on Kaneland High School at 7 p.m. (Wednesday Journal)

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Today in Oak Park-River Forest:

• “Oaktoberfest Afternoon Activities” at Trailside Museum. (3 p.m.)
• Forest Preserves of Cook County hosts “Stars, Stories, & S’mores” in Thatcher Woods. (4 p.m.)
• Oak Park Public Library hosts a virtual Medicare Educational Seminar. (5 p.m.)
• Wes Anderson’s “The French Dispatch” opens at Lake Theatre. (6 p.m.)
• Friends of the Oak Park Conservatory host a virtual lecture on growing orchids. (7 p.m.)

Oak Park-River Forest Patch Notebook

• OPRF High School's varsity field hockey team will compete in the IHSA State Semi-final today at New Trier High School. (Instagram)
• The WNBA champion Chicago Sky visited the state capitol this week and were welcomed by the Illinois Senate Democratic Caucus, including Senate President Don Harmon of Oak Park. (ILGA)
• Oak Park native Iman Shumpert earned a perfect score for his Halloween-themed routine on this week’s “Dancing with the Stars.” (Yahoo)
• “Oak Parkers can do their part to help combat climate change” through the village’s Better Homes, Better Planet campaign. (VOP)
• October is Polish Heritage Month, and Cook County’s 900,000 residents of Polish descent “have much to celebrate.” (Paid source: Sun-Times)

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That's all for today, OPRF! Thanks for reading the Daily.

— Georgi Presecky

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