When the City of Geneva’s Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Task Force was created in 2021, its first assignment was to prepare a report evaluating the current state of DEI in the community.

Now that its research summary and recommendations have been delivered, the initiative’s first phase is complete.

While the research illustrates that residents feel invested in their community and have a strong sense of belonging, it also identified potential areas for improvement:

The city gathered the data behind this assessment through one-on-one interviews, listening sessions and soliciting feedback directly from the community.

In the short term (over the next six months), the task force recommends that the city communicate with members of the community to create a shared understanding of what DEI actually means. Establishing a part-time city role to lead DEI initiatives is another short-term recommendation.

Mid-term and long-term recommendations highlighted in the report include:

You can check out the full report here.

I don’t know whether this initiative will end up significantly moving the needle or not. But the city is clearly invested in becoming a more welcoming, inclusive and interesting place to live, work and visit.

And that seems like a good first step.

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☑️ The naughty list: From “PPLSUCK” to “TOOWOKE,” more than 300 new license plate combinations were permanently banned in Illinois in 2023. The full list offers quite a few chuckles.

☑️ By the numbers: School enrollment in Kane County was down 0.4% in the 2021-2022 school year. Here’s an interesting overview of the state of enrollment in schools across Kane County.

☑️ Judicial appointment: Long-time Kane County assistant public defender Eun K.N. Yoon, who is currently affiliated with the county’s St. Charles office, has been selected as an associate judge of the Sixteenth Judicial Circuit.

☑️ Water main update: Route 25 in downtown Geneva may reopen to traffic as early as Tuesday (1/16), but the snow forecasted for next week could cause additional delays.

🔒 Dangerous driving: A Geneva woman has been charged with several counts of aggravated DUI after an incident on Saturday near Elburn.

☑️ Save the dates: In music news, the Norris Cultural Arts Center in St. Charles recently announced two exciting concerts coming up this winter — the University of Wisconsin Varsity Band in February and The Ides of March in March.

🔒 A happy start: A Batavia couple was among several parents in the area who welcomed New Year’s Day babies into the world on Monday.

☑️ New year, new you: Local adults 50+ interested in exploring new fields of study or meeting new people can sign up for courses through Waubonsee Community College’s Lifelong Learning Institute beginning on 1/15.

☑️ The art of rhythm: If learning to dance is on your New Year’s resolution checklist, the St. Charles Park District’s Salsa and Bachata Dance class (starting 1/9) may be right up your alley.

☑️ Drivers' privilege clinic: The first Wednesday of each month, volunteer attorneys are making free legal advice available to folks in Kane County looking for help getting their driving privileges reinstated.

☑️ Snowy street parking reminders: Geneva reminded residents that parking is prohibited on certain streets once two inches of snow has fallen. Make sure to review the details on Geneva’s rules, plus those for Batavia and St. Charles.

☑️ First Fridays firing up: Special Friday deals, activities and events return to downtown Geneva tomorrow — see above for details on the popular local business initiative.

☑️ Not-so-dry January: The Illinois Craft Brewers Guild is rewarding folks for supporting local breweries with its second annual ‘My Illinois Beer Fridge’ competition.

This weekend’s live music lineup covers 30+ performances happening today (1/4) through Sunday (1/7).

Weekend highlights:

🎟️ Various times | Prince of My Heart: Catch a unique and entertaining performance of this supernatural Cinderella story at the Batavia Fine Arts Centre this weekend.

🎟️ 7-8:30PM | Moonlight Comedy Showcase: Head to Moonlight Theatre in St. Charles to see an ensemble of 10 comics take turns performing 10 minutes of laugh-out-loud material.

☑️ 7PM | A Brief History of Fermilab: A fun, educational discussion led by Valerie Higgins, Fermilab’s Archivist and Historian, who will explore the role women have played in the famous lab’s history. Hosted by Sidecar Supper Club in Batavia.

🌤️ Today: High 35F | Low 22F | January mild

🌥️ Friday: High 36F | Low 28F | Getting cloudier

☁️ Saturday: High 34F | Low 22F | Precip possible

🌨️ Sunday: High 34F | Low 23F | A bit of snow likely

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