Welcome to Tri-Cities Central, a twice-weekly newsletter highlighting local happenings in Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and surrounding communities.
Get yours: subscribe here. Refer a friend: share this link.
Want to showcase your business in TCC? Let’s talk.
🎇 Start game planning for Thursday’s fireworks
Those of us staying local for Independence Day have two fireworks celebrations to choose from: Batavia and St. Charles.
Here’s what you should know:
Batavia July 4th Fireworks and Sky Concert
Observation areas: Engstrom Park (Main and Millview) and the BHS athletic practice fields between Main and Wilson Streets. More info here.
Key info: Festivities begin with a German big band at 7PM followed by a performance from the Batavia Community Band at 8:30. Fireworks kick off at 9:30 and boom until about 10PM.
Vendors: Local food and treat vendors will fire up at 5PM. Here’s who will be there.
Road closures: Randall Road, Main Street, Wilson Street and Route 31 will all be impacted. Get the details here.
St. Charles July 4th Fireworks
Observation areas: Langum Park and Mt. St. Mary Park. Both are “bring your own tables/chairs” and open to foot traffic only.
Key info: Both parks will have music from 6:30-9:30PM. Fireworks begin at “dark” (sunset is at 8:31PM for what that’s worth). The city will launch a big red balloon above the launch site at noon — if you can see that, you’ll have a great view come showtime. More info here.
Vendors: Both parks will feature food trucks beginning at 4PM. Here’s who will be there.
Road closures: Riverside Ave, 7th Ave, 2nd St, the Prairie Street bridge and the Indiana Street pedestrian bridge will all be impacted — along with a bunch of parking restrictions. Get the details here.
Plenty of other Kane County communities will host their own celebrations, including Elburn, Elgin, North Aurora and Aurora.
FYI: As of last night, there was a 62% chance of rain and potential for strong thunderstorms on Thursday night.
Final note: Those of you with pets — plan accordingly. I’ve set aside an extra dose of canine XANEX for our dog and am currently perusing Amazon for doggy earplugs (yes, they’re a thing).
LOCAL SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT
🛡️ Easy on the eyes, tough on the elements
Your home's exterior is its first line of defense against the elements. But even the toughest roofs can't withstand Mother Nature over time.
When the time comes, you need trustworthy experts to safeguard your shelter — and make it look sharp. That’s where 212° Construction Group shines.
They’re known for impeccable workmanship and uncompromising integrity, whether that’s re-siding your house with durable Hardie® Fiber Cement or reinforcing your roof with premium materials.
These local pros live and work in our community. Tell them TCC sent you for special deals on roofing and siding!
📰 News to use
The 🔒 icon indicates a potential paywall.
☑️ Prioritizing improvement: The Batavia School District has adopted a five-year strategic plan with a focus on equity and student success.
☑️ Quality H2O: St. Charles released its annual report on drinking water quality, which showed that the city’s tap water met all EPA drinking water health standards. Here’s the full report.
🔒 Decision looms: St. Charles has until April 2025 to decide if it will extend its power contract with IMEA through 2055 amid resident concerns about the agency’s coal use and future energy sources.
☑️️ Drive sober: From now through July 8, Kane County officers are sharply focused on traffic enforcement to ensure people aren’t driving under the influence.
☑️ Cool heads prevail: Following recent incidents in Geneva and Batavia, the Geneva Police Department has a message for local drivers — do NOT engage in road rage.
🔒 Flagrant fraud: A former employee of Elise Flagg Academy of Dance in Geneva was charged with felony theft of over $100K.
🏘️ In the community
☑️ STC on TV: WGN’s “Around Town” show did a lengthy, energetic segment on the aqua aerobics program at Swanson Pool in St. Charles.
☑️ Local symbols: Richard Clark spoke with several residents about the meaning of the Batavia Community Flag and the Unity Pride Flag in the latest episode of Area Code: Batavia.
☑️ A hero’s journey: The STC AMVETS Post recently spearheaded a scenic Fox River cruise for local veterans, continuing a cherished tradition spanning over three decades.
🔒 Comp bump: The Batavia School Board hopes a pay increase for special education staff will help make such positions more competitive and attractive.
☑️ Long overdue: An 83-year-old Batavia resident recently received medals for her father, who was killed in WWII — nearly eight decades ago.
☑️ Legacy of service: The STC Park District installed a plaque to commemorate the new “John Baird Plaza” at Davis Park in honor of John Baird’s contributions to the community.
🎸 Live music
It’s an odd week with the holiday on Thursday, making for fewer performances than normal. Some venues will feature music mid-afternoon on the 4th.
The first week of the month can also be tricky as many establishments haven’t announced their monthly schedules yet. I’ll update this as new information becomes available throughout the week.
🏬 Local biz
Can’t wait to enjoy a cold one on this patio.
☑️️ Lucky Joe’s: A quick update on the new bar & grill that’s setting up in the former Gammon Coach House space — not open yet, but close.
☑️️ Oenophile oases: Mandrake and The James (both in Geneva) are two of 91 Illinois restaurants to be honored with prestigious 2024 Wine Spectator Awards.
🗓️ Events + things to do
The 🎟️ symbol indicates an admission fee.
☑️ Truckload Sale | Tues 7/2 - Sat 7/6 | Menards, Batavia | Huge deals on ribeyes ($39.99) plus chicken, seafood and more.
🎟️ Herring Breakfast | Thurs 7/4, 7-11AM | Batavia VFW | A celebration of Scandinavian heritage supporting a noble cause.
☑️ Marry Poppins | 7/5 - 7/14 | Steel Beam Theatre, STC | SBT Youth presents one of the Disney classics.
🎟️ Donut Dash | 7/20, 7:30AM | Peg Bond Center, Batavia | A 5K race for grown-ups, a 1-mile timed race for kids and a Munchkin Run for little kids. Coffee and donuts when you finish!
🗞️ Un-classifieds
☑️ Local home sales: Residential property sales for the week ending June 22 featured five in Batavia, 13 in Geneva and six in St. Charles — including this $755K home on Eagle Brook Drive in Geneva.
☑️ Local obits: During the past week, Tri-Cities funeral homes posted obituary information for several individuals in the area.
☑️ City Council meetings: All three City Councils will hold meetings this evening. Check out the agendas — Batavia | Geneva | St. Charles
🌖 Weather snapshot
🌤️ Today: High 76F | Low 62F | Gorgeous
🌤️ Tuesday: High 84F | Low 70F | Mild rain chance
🌤️ Wednesday: High 85F | Low 67F | Breezy + humid
⚡ Thursday: High 80F | Low 64F | 🇺🇸 T-storms 🇺🇸
📖 Thanks for reading
✅ Not signed up yet? Subscribe here.
🚀 Interested in advertising your business, events, promos or specials? Contact me here.
If you enjoy Tri-Cities Central, please SPREAD THE WORD and/or leave a review! We grow primarily through word of mouth.