Following a state income tax amnesty, sponsored by then State Senate President Phil Rock of Oak Park, local schools received nearly $370,000 in additional revenue.
Oak Park and River Forest High School received $173,227, while District 97 pulled in $192,000. River Forest elementary schools received comparatively less?#34;roughly $8,000-9,000?#34;because of high property values in the district, according to news reports.
? Ron Fox purchased the vacant Lamar Theater building at 120 S. Marion St., where the Family Services building now stands.
The building had been vacant since November of 1983. Prior to closing, the theater, owned by Frank and Rachevty Dass, showed Indian language movies and second-run features.
Fox said at the time that he purchased it because of its proximity to the Carleton Hotel.
? The Oak Park Freedom Committee successfully placed an advisory referendum regarding the village’s handgun ban on the ballot for the following April election. The group filed a petition with 5,100 signatures on Dec. 21, 1,700 over what was required by law.
? River Forest was considering filing for its sixth referendum in as many years. Prior referendums were for police service taxes, library taxes, a water tower, to allow liquor sales and new sewers. The only three to prove successful were for sewers, the water tower and increased library taxes.
? The lights in front of Oak Park fire stations were expected to change from red to white if a fire occurred due to “Christmas decorations,” according to a news report.
? Seven out of eight students interviewed as part of a photo opinion poll in OPRF’s student newspaper, Trapeze, said that students should be allowed to sleep in class.
