National Day of Racial Healing, Salvation Army Coat Collection, Last Week for Holiday Light Recycling and More!

Thursday, January 12, 2023

Dear River Forest residents,

At the Village Board meeting this past Monday, I announced the resignation of our Village Administrator, Brian Murphy effective Friday, January 27. Brian is leaving due to personal and health reasons and we wish Brian the best of luck in his future endeavors. The Board will vote on Brian’s replacement at our next Village Board meeting on Monday, January 23 and at that time I will announce Matt Walsh as Interim Village Administrator. I am confident Matt will do a remarkable job and more details on Matt’s appointment will follow after the Trustees vote on January 23.

I was honored to be a guest of Illinois House Speaker Emanuel “Chris” Welch for the swearing in of the 103rd General Assembly in Springfield. Building and maintaining relationships with our legislators, especially those that represent our State House and Senate, is essential. We will continue to advocate for capital project funding and state legislation that improves the quality of life for River Forest residents.

Recent legislation that has received a lot of attention lately is the Safety, Accountability, Fairness and Equity Today Act, or SAFE-T Act. At Monday's Village Board Meeting, the River Forest Police Department gave a presentation on the SAFE-T Act and the impact it will have upon the criminal justice system. If residents are interested in additional information and updates pertaining to the SAFE-T Act, please consider attending or watching our quarterly safety meetings. The next Community Safety Meeting will be on Wednesday, January 25 at 6 p.m. at Village Hall.

Finally, I would like to remind residents that Village offices will be closed on Monday, January 16 as our nation observes Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. We will reopen at 8 a.m. on Tuesday, January 17 and refuse collection for the week will not be impacted.

Sincerely,

Cathy Adduci, Village President

Village of River Forest

National Day of Racial Healing

Dominican University invites all River Forest community members to participate in the seventh annual National Day of Racial Healing Celebration on Tuesday, January 17, beginning at 4:30 p.m. This year's keynote address will be from Megan Redshirt Shaw (Oglala Lakota), the director of Native Student Services at the University of South Dakota. To learn more about this celebration, click here and you can RSVP here.

Salvation Army

Coat Collection

The Salvation Army is collecting new and gently used coats now through Wednesday, February 15. Coats can be dropped off at any Jewel location, including the Jewel in River Forest. The Salvation Army is also asking residents in need of a winter coat to please call them at 708-848-1181.

Mobile Museum

of Tolerance

The Mobile Museum of Tolerance, an educational initiative aimed at spreading the message of human rights through lessons from historical figures, will be visiting Dominican University's campus on Tuesday, January 31 and Wednesday, February 1. Additional information can be found here.

Oak Park River Forest Chamber Meet-Up

If you are part of the health and wellness industry, join the Oak Park River Forest Chamber of Commerce for their first get together of 2023. The event will take place on Wednesday, January 18 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Kettlestrings Grove in Oak Park. While providing industry feedback, participants will enjoy signature mocktails and be able to connect with other health and wellness community members. Learn more or RSVP here.

Park District Winter Fun Guide

Registration for the River Forest Youth Baseball and Softball spring program is open now through Wednesday, February 1. Click here to register, or for more information. If you would like a list of family-friendly winter activities or indoor sporting events, check out the River Forest Winter Fun Guide.

Protect Illinois Communities Act

On Tuesday, January 10, the Illinois General Assembly adopted the Protect Illinois Communities Act into legislation. This Act prevents the sale of assault rifles in Illinois, among other gun violence prevention measures. Read more about this Act in Governor JB Prizker's issued statement, found here.

Triton College's Apollo 17 Exhibit

Have you visited the Cernan Earth and Space Center featured at Triton College yet? The center features a full lineup of shows in the planetarium, plus an Apollo 17 exhibit. Click here to view the upcoming schedule of shows, or for more information.

Last Chance for Holiday Light Recycling

Time is running out to recycle your holiday lights! The Village is collecting holiday lights for recycling now through this Sunday, January 15. Please leave working and non-working lights and cords in the labeled container that is under the elevated tracks and behind Village Hall.

ACCEPTED ITEMS: Wire string holiday lights and extension cords, mini-lights (also known as Italian lights), C7 lights, C9 lights, rope lights, LED lights, etc. All colors and lengths will be accepted.

NOT ACCEPTED: Live trees, artificial trees, live greens, wreaths, garland, ornaments, figurines, inflatables, lawn ornaments or other holiday decorations.

For a full list of accepted items, click here.

River Forest Business Spotlight!

Understanding and achieving your real estate goal is Zak Knebel Realty's highest priority. Neighborhood knowledge and market insight, along with outstanding personal service are the cornerstones of his business. Whether you are looking to downsize or find more space for your growing family, they will provide guidance each step of the way. To learn more, click here.

Please support local businesses whenever possible! You can find a listing of River Forest businesses on the Village’s Shop River Forest website. If you’d like your business to be featured in the weekly Business Spotlight, please send us an email.