Batavia set to roll out new grant program for properties near downtown
Batavia officials recommended a new grant program that would cover up to $25,000 of exterior upgrade costs for commercial and light-industrial properties near downtown but outside the TIF districts.
July 16 Newsletter: July Dinner Club, a school facilities referendum, and Wienermobile fun
Plus a downtown St. Charles senior housing tower was acquired by a private equity firm and Brother Chimp Brewing prepares to close its North Aurora taproom.
St. Charles school board backs seven referendum projects in straw poll
The St. Charles D303 board backed seven of eight potential referendum projects in a straw poll on Monday night (including a new $62 million field house), though one project stalled and several remain to be discussed.
Downtown St. Charles senior housing tower sells to private equity firm
Carroll Tower, the affordable senior housing tower on the downtown St. Charles riverfront near Hotel baker, has been sold to a private equity firm that plans to "extend the affordability an additional 20 years."
ACLU raises First Amendment concerns over Kane County protest activity order
The ACLU of Illinois asked Kane County officials to confirm that a new order setting guidelines for protest activity near the courthouse doesn't infringe on people's rights to monitor and document ICE activity in St. Charles.
Watercolor means freedom and “happy accidents” for local painter Mary Ellen Segraves
Mary Ellen Segraves traded a corporate HR career for watercolor painting, and now the self-described "Accidental Painter" is finding beauty in unpredictability across the Fox Valley art scene.
An ideal Midwest getaway: Hickory Hills Campground
Hickory Hills Campground in Edgerton, Wisconsin is one of the top weekend camping trips within a couple of hours of the Tri-Cities, and Batavia-based Valor Carts has tips for making the most of your excursion with its brand-new T4 model.
Kane County is advancing a plan to fix crash-prone Fabyan Parkway intersections
Kane County is advancing a plan to fix Fabyan Parkway's crash-prone crossings that would realign the Route 31 intersection, add turn lanes at Route 25, and widens the Fox River bridge to six lanes.
Meet the honorees for Batavia's 2026 Hall of Honor Class
The Batavia Foundation for Educational Excellence announced eight new Hall of Honor inductees, from a Grammy-nominated band director to the district's first Black teacher.
Before it was Windmill City Fest, it was Batavia’s “crazy boo boo sale”
Windmill City Fest began in 1956 as a two-day sale for merchants to dump bad inventory. Decades later, Batavia is reviving the "Boo Boo Days" theme again, so we dug into its full, weird history.
A day of downtown shopping to feed neighbors in need
The 5th annual Passport to Batavia event returns on July 25, sending shoppers on a self-guided tour of east-side stores and Boardwalk shops to raise money for local food assistance programs.
St. Charles takes first step toward TIF for Pulte's 105-home project
St. Charles officials recommended hiring a consultant to explore setting up a new TIF district to help fund a Pulte Homes project that would add 105 homes to a vacant 28-acre industrial site on the west side.
July 13 Newsletter: The Kane County Fair arrives in the Tri-Cities this week
Plus an overhaul of a major local intersection, a GoFundMe for the Batavia family who lost their 10-year-old daughter in a tragic boating accident, and the Barry House in St. Charles up for landmark designation.
July 2 Newsletter: Historic sites in the Tri-Cities
Plus Wahlburgers abruptly closes its St. Charles location, new laws just went into effect in July, and Batavia's Boo Boo Days festival is quickly approaching.
June 29 Newsletter: A detailed look at who lives in the Tri-Cities
Plus Moonlight Theatre is leaving its St. Charles location, a huge new casino complex opened in Aurora, and a conversation with a long-time Batavia rabble rouser.
