Good morning!

On this day 81 years ago, a local committee selected Betty Porter as “Miss St. Charles” during the 1945 St. Charles Fall Festival.

According to the St. Charles Chronicle, she was judged on “personality, poise, and character,” and when her brother, a Corporal in the Army, heard that his sister was nominated, he reportedly responded, “We’ll sure have to do something about this.”

In 2026 news, lots happening in the St. Charles food scene with the latest Fox Haven Square restaurant opening this week and a newly opened French bakery (don’t skip the Local Business section).

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Since Dolly Parton's death last week, the nationwide outpouring of tributes and remembrances has been steady and ongoing.

But there’s a local connection to Dolly’s legacy, too. The Batavia United Way and Fox Valley United Way both participate in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, a program she launched in 1995 for kids in her home county in East Tennessee.

Three decades later, through partnerships with local community organizations like these, the program mails a free book every month to children all over the country. This gives kids free ongoing access to age-appropriate reading material — and the local impact is significant.

The Batavia United Way has gifted 22,695 books to nearly 1,200 Batavia kids, supported by more than $52,000 in local investment. Meanwhile, Fox Valley United Way operates an Imagination Library partnership across Kane and Kendall counties. The organization has mailed more than 58,000 free books to kids in Kane County alone since March of last year.

Read more about the Fox Valley program, which has evidently been overwhelmed with families trying to sign up during the past week.

Batavia United Way published a tribute post to acknowledge Dolly’s passing, saying it's honored to "carry a small piece of that legacy forward, sending free books to local children every month." Read more about the Batavia program.

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Local real estate expert Chris Wallace is throwing his support behind the first-ever Rising Lights Move-A-Thon — and he'd love for you to join in.

Rising Lights Project does amazing work in the Tri-Cities supporting individuals with disabilities and their families, and this event is a big deal: fun for every ability and every age, with games, dancing, a DJ, live fitness performers, bounce houses, food/drink, and 20 vendor tents to explore with the kids.

💥 Join Team Wallace and lend your support by attending, sponsoring, or simply providing a donation. Every bit helps Rising Lights keep changing lives.

Below are the most clicked stories from our last newsletter issue.

☑️ Fall farm fests: Featuring everything from pick-your-own produce opportunities (apples, pumpkins, sunflowers) to farm-fresh food/drink, live entertainment, and kids activities, here’s a list of farm-based festivals coming up this fall near the Tri-Cities.

☑️ Double wreck: One improper lane change led to two different crashes on Fabyan Parkway in Batavia last week, one flipping a car onto its roof — but police said there were no injuries.

☑️ Daddio’s to close: After nearly 20 years, Daddio's Diner in Batavia thanked the community for a great run as it announced that it's closing for good on Sept. 23 due to rising costs and an expiring lease.

☑️ Micromobility rules: Gov. Pritzker signed a new Illinois law that regulates electric bikes and scooters by setting age restrictions, speed limits, and license/insurance requirements starting Jan. 1 — addressing an issue that’s been widely discussed across the Tri-Cities.

☑️ Batavia burglary: Authorities are investigating after police were called to a Batavia auto shop twice in one morning, where more than $16K in cash and checks were reported missing.

☑️ Rabid bat discovered: Officials said a bat recently found in unincorporated St. Charles tested positive for rabies, which is the first such case in Kane County since 2024.

☑️ Crime-fighting technology: Local officials, including St. Charles mayor Clint Hull, came together to announce $1M in federal funding to upgrade Kane County’s digital forensics lab, which aims to facilitate better, faster investigations of serious crimes.

☑️ Traffic notes:

☑️ Old-school ‘Batavia Bros’: Two Batavia natives are now roommates and linebackers together on the football team at Southern Illinois University after one of them transferred from Iowa State to reunite with his childhood friend.

☑️ Literal hidden treasures: The return of Kane County’s annual Great Orb Hunt Sept. 10-30 means that you can start searching for 150 handcrafted glass and ceramic orbs that are hidden in area preserves — and finders get to keep whatever they discover.

☑️ New faces, same mission: The Salvation Army's Tri-City Corps in St. Charles announced that Mark and Sarah Nottle are stepping in to lead the organization just ahead of the center's 75th anniversary this October.

☑️ Nature meets creativity: The Forest Preserve District of Kane County is rolling out a new self-guided nature walk program at area preserves, plus monthly yarn art workshops in St. Charles. Get details and event dates.

☑️ Social group: Local seniors looking to expand their social network can check out Fox Valley Newcomers and Neighbors, which regularly hosts luncheons, day trips, golf outings, game sessions, book clubs, and more. Swing by their Open House event on Sept. 24 from 10:30AM-12:30PM at Arcedium Coffeehouse in St. Charles.

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Feel Good Party Band will be performing at Mt. St. Mary Park in downtown St. Charles on Thursday as part of the End-of-Summer Labor Day Celebration (with fireworks rescheduled from July 4).

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That beautiful new addition to the downtown Batavia riverfront at Sturdy Shelter Brewing? That's 212° Construction’s work, and it's the kind of project that’s right in their wheelhouse: something that gets the community outside, together, right on the Fox River. See photos from the ribbon cutting.

212° Construction has been operating in the Tri-Cities for decades — not just doing great work, but spending time at the places they help create. From decks and outdoor kitchens to gazebos and pergolas, there’s no outdoor project they can’t handle.

Next time you're grabbing a brewski on Sturdy’s new deck, remember: you're sitting on some quality local craftsmanship.

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☑️ Rosebud’s arrival: The new Rosebud Steakhouse will officially open on Tuesday (9/1) at Fox Haven Square, bringing its classic steaks and Italian dishes to St. Charles’ new dining and entertainment hub. Get a sneak peek inside.

☑️ From Paris with love: Newly opened on W. Main St. in St. Charles, Marius French Bakery bakes its breads, pastries, and croissants from scratch overnight using ingredients imported from France — and they say business is off to a great start.

☑️ Year-round golf: A new indoor golf simulator lounge, which would also feature a remote workspace, has been proposed for a vacant Route 64 retail space on St. Charles' east side.

✳️ Bear down in style: With football season rapidly approaching, Urban Artisan's Chicago Bears collection has something for every fan in the house — unique apparel, toddler gear, fun decor, and even a framed 1924 World Champs team photo.

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☑️ Local home sales: See recent property sales for the Tri-Cities area — including this $1.8M Campton Hills mansion just a couple of blocks from Campton Center.

☑️ Local obits: Recent obituaries posted by Tri-Cities funeral homes.

☑️ City meetings: St. Charles is hosting an Open House Public Information Meeting on Tuesday (9/1) to share concepts and gather feedback for the proposed Campton Hills Road Bike and Pedestrian Improvements (from Peck Road to Oak Street).

✳️ Need a local Realtor? Get in touch with the Tri-Cities’ trustworthy expert Chris Wallace at [email protected] or sign up for his newsletter.

☑️ Police reports: View police reports and arrest logs for Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and Campton Hills.

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☑️ Creative cooking: Rosewood Farm's September class lineup features sushi, sourdough, dim sum, and gnocchi workshops at both their Batavia and Sugar Grove locations, offering options for all ages.

☑️ Ribbon Cutting: Polly and Walker Bowman Memorial Garden | Wed 9/2, 4:30PM | William Beith House, STC | Celebrate the newly restored memorial garden.

☑️ End-of-Summer and Labor Day Celebration | Thu 9/3, 4PM-Dark | Langum Park & Mt. St. Mary Park, STC | Food trucks, DJ, live band, and fireworks at two parks. 

🎟️ Club Arcada: Dinner and Murder Mystery | Thu 9/3, 7:30PM | Arcada Theatre, STC | Italian dinner, wedding games, and a 1920s murder mystery show.

🔥 Loved it, keep up the good work

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