W E D N E S D A Y
July 23, 2025 Vol. 46, No. 4
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JOURNAL @oakpark
of Oak Park and River Forest
Kids from the River Forest Community Center’s Early Childhood Education Program & Daycare Center on July 3.
Turmoil as RF Community Center and township battle River Forest Township has set an Aug. 31 deadline for the River Forest Community Center to resolve alleged breaches in the contract between them. The township government doubles as the governing body for the River Forest Civic Center Authority, the longtime
owner of the building at Madison Street and Thatcher in the village. The township also leases space in the center for its offices. A contentious public meeting July 15 included extended public comments from parents with children in the community center’s daycare program and other supporters of the center who were critical of the elected township officials positions.
Car thefts drop, police staffing churn continues Oak Park police share details on staffing, crime stats, camera use By BRENDAN HEFFERNAN Staff Reporter
John Becvar, River Forest Township supervisor and head of the civic center authority board, said it had extended its deadline from July 31 to Aug. 31 hoping to resolve differences. The township is threatening to terminate the community center’s lease of the building for allegedly “entering into See COMMUNITY CENTER on page 13
See POLICE REPORT on page 4
COURTESY OF THE RIVER FOREST COMMUNITY CENTER
Contributing Reporter
Viewpoints, page 21
Oak Park police have submitted their annual report to the village board. The report gives insights on Oak Park’s 2024 crime stats, the police department’s recent staffing challenges, future priorities and new initiatives it introduced over the last year. The report also touches on how the department has used its Flock camera license plate reading technology over the course of investigations. The report is available to the public and will be discussed in depth at the village board’s meeting Tuesday, July 22. The report also contained several tributes to Detective Allan Reddins, the long-serving Oak Park officer who was shot and killed
Township sets Aug. 31 deadline to resolve disputes
By LEAH SCHROEDER
Festival Theatre’s enchanted evening
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