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The District 161 Board of Education will meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, at Normandy Villa 41 E. Elmwood Drive, Chicago Heights.

• The full agenda can be viewed here.
• The meeting will be streamed live and can be viewed here.
• Highlights:  The board will consider a contract with bestselling author Julie Lythcott-Haims to speak to students on March 1, 2023 on “What it means to be Black in white spaces” and to  parents on “How to raise successful kids without overparenting.” Also on the agenda is approval of elementary school extracurricular programs to be run in partnership with Wiz Kids Foundation.

Homewood Board of Trustees will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 11, at village hall, 2020 Chestnut Road. 

• Read the agenda here.
• Watch the livestream of the meeting here. Use meeting ID 980 4907 6232, password 830183.
• Highlights: The board will consider authorizing emergency funds to repair the well pump at Izaak Walton Nature Preserve. The pump is used to maintain water levels in the Sandpit Lakes. Without repairs, preserve officials fear low water levels could result in loss of fish over the winter.

Flossmoor Public Library Board of Trustees will meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 11, in the Helen Brown Meeting Room, lower level of the library, 1000 Sterling Ave.

• Read the agenda here.

Haunted Homewood Halloween House Decorating Contest began Oct. 5. Residents will have until Oct. 21 to complete decorations. Judging will be conducted on Oct. 29. Winners will be announced Oct. 30.

Homewood Outdoor Farmers Market season has been extended through Oct. 15. The market will be open 8 a.m. to noon on Martin Square between Ridge and Chestnut roads.

Final mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 17951 Dixie Highway, will be at 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Oct. 16. The church invites past and present parishioners to celebrate and share memories. The parish will be merging with the parishes of St. Anne’s and St. Emeric. The new parish will meet at the St. Joseph campus but will adopt a new name.

Free Wheeling roller skate lessons at the Homewood Auditorium, 2010 Chestnut Road, on Oct. 16 and Oct. 23. Sessions for kids will be from 1 to 2 p.m., and sessions for adults will be from 2 to 3 p.m. Skates are available for anyone who doesn’t own a pair.

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The search for Blue. Blue, the macaw that has been a key member of the Homewood-Flossmoor High School’s Zoobots program for 20 years, went missing on Oct. 2. H-F put out an APB for the bird, attracting widespread media attention. The school reported that Blue was located and returned Friday night, Oct. 7. No details were provided on Blue’s adventures in the interim.

Casino work begins. Site preparation work began this week at the location of the future Wind Creek Casino at 174th and Halsted streets.

SDA and the economic rejuvenation of Southland. Columnist Jay Readey explores the role of the Southland Development Authority in coordinating the economic development of the region.

Alexis Wilson’s 21st birthday would have been Oct. 8. The Homewood woman was 19 when she was killed during an encounter with Dolton police on July 27, 2021. A spokesperson for the State’s Attorney’s Office said the investigation continues into the circumstances of her death:

“We can confirm that the matter is under review by prosecutors in our Law Enforcement Accountability Division (LEAD), who review investigations of all on-duty officer involved shootings to determine if criminal charges are appropriate. We are unable to further comment.”

Wilson’s family honored her memory with a butterfly release in Irwin Park on the anniversary of her death.