There will be no mail delivery Wednesday, Dec. 5 as the Postal Service observes a National Day of Mourning following the death of former President George H.W. Bush.

It's that time again for Oak Parkers to put on their thinking caps and submit their big ideas to the Oak Park-River Forest Community Foundation's Big Idea contest.

Wright's Home for the Holidays

Saturday, Dec. 1, arrive between 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio:

This architectural gem is decorated for the holidays in keeping with the Wright family tradition.

Jeremy Donaldson, a 2010 graduate of Oak Park and River Forest High School, can still recall leaving high school only to be told by college officials that he'd have to pay to take a remedial course in math that would not count toward college credit. Donaldson spent a year at Triton College, where he didn't take a math course, before enrolling at Bethune Cookman College in Florida, where he was told he'd have to play catchup. 

In spite of innovations like Naviance and the Common Application, meant to make the college application process more stream-lined and accessible, the entire process of applying to college has a challenging learning curve for parents raised in different times.

In October, Oak Park and River Forest High School released its summer school evaluation, which reflected declining summer school enrollment as well as marked differences in how students take advantage of summer offerings among races and class year.

Over the last three years at Oak Park and River Forest High School, the number of African American students in advanced placement, or AP, courses has spiked. In 2016 and 2017 there were fewer than 70 black students in AP courses. In 2018 the total was 100 — a 33 percent increase.

Oak Parkers are getting geared up for the holiday shopping season, and two new temporary stores – Out of the Box Art Market and Yearbook Studios – are popping up in the area.

Through Dec. 9, the Oak Park nonprofit Suburban Unity Alliance will host a CommUnity Holiday Toy & Coat Drive, collecting coats and toys that will be donated to community members in Austin. 

It's that time of year again. CLAIM Your Voice will be held Wednesday, Dec. 5 at 7:30 p.m. in the Percy Julian Middle School Common, 416 S. Ridgeland Ave. in Oak Park.