This week’s heat wave can officially be classified as record-breaking — Monday’s high of 97°F surpassed the Chicago area’s previous high mark of 96°F from 1957.

It’s not just us. Much of the nation is currently experiencing blistering heat and humidity, especially in the Midwest and Northeast.

Some experts have classified this week’s event as a “heat dome” (as a wannabe amateur meteorologist, it pains me to admit that I’d never heard of the term). But I’ll do everyone a favor and let a real meteorologist explain what a heat dome is.

It looks like the oppressive heat is supposed to stick around through Saturday. Here’s a list of local cooling centers for anyone who may need the info.

And while witnessing your lawn slowly smolder to smithereens may tempt you to water it more frequently, each of the Tri-Cities has water conservation regulations you should be aware of:

Here’s more info regarding restrictions and regulations for Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles.

_{LOCAL SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT}

Let's be honest — we all love food. A great meal is one of life's purest pleasures.

But between the meal planning, grocery shopping, prepping, and cooking…that joy can quickly become a time-consuming chore.

May we suggest a better way?

The joy without the hassle: With Entrée Kitchen, you can get freshly prepared, scratch-made meals delivered straight to your door. We're talking delicious, ready-to-cook dishes that can be table-ready in 30 minutes or less.

Convenient and affordable: At about $5 per serving, this is a no-brainer — summer’s too short to spend it toiling over a hot stove.

Use code FreeDeliveryTCC to get FREE delivery on four or more entrees through July 31.

The 🔒 icon indicates a potential paywall.

☑️ Leadership change: Batavia Police Chief Shawn Mazza will retire in January 2025 to focus on humanitarian work and spend time with his family. Here’s a look back at his tenure.

☑️ Healthy night sky: A Kane County initiative going into effect July 1 aims to reduce light pollution in the district's natural areas while conserving energy and minimizing wildlife habitat harm.

🔒 Serious allegations: According to officials, a former St. Charles music teacher is facing sexual assault charges stemming from an incident with a child under the age of 13.

🔒 Seeking settlement: The Geneva School Board aims to settle a lawsuit filed by a family who claimed their special-needs son was relentlessly bullied at Geneva Middle School South.

☑️ Citizen input: A Geneva committee recommended that City Council deny the proposed Venture Park industrial project. A public hearing will be held on the topic at 7PM on Monday 6/24.

☑️ Educator appreciation: Emagine Theater in Batavia will give teachers and school staff free movie tickets each Wednesday during the month of July.

☑️ Patriotic duty: As they work to cultivate engaged citizens, St. Charles veteran organizations recently honored local students and launched a new flag subscription initiative.

☑️ Sorely missed: A medical condition has forced Forrest — a beloved dog who routinely comforted folks at the Kane County Courthouse — into an early retirement.

☑️️ Paws in the park: An Anderson Humane program provides a structured environment to get your dog exercise, socialization and training via group walks at Old Mill Park in Geneva and Pottawatomie Park in St. Charles.

☑️️ A local boost: The Batavia and St. Charles Chambers of Commerce were each awarded a grant as part of the state’s B2B grant program. Here’s the full list of recipients and amounts.

With Rookies Pub in St. Charles joining their new Geneva location in offering live music all weekend, the list of options just keeps getting longer — and this weekend’s lineup is no exception.

Live music performances are essentially a constant at Swedish Days, so we haven’t included every individual performer in the roundup. They usually begin around 1PM at the Craft Beer Tent.

_{LOCAL SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT}

No Swedish Days experience is complete without a visit to The Little Traveler in the heart of downtown Geneva. Here’s what to expect this week:

The ✳️ symbol indicates sponsored content.

☑️️ Opening soon? It looks like Lucky Joe’s is preparing to open in the former Gammon Coach House space in Batavia — their BeerMenus page has already made the transition.

🔒 Culinary star: Geneva restaurant consultant Carolyn O’Reilly is vying for the top spot in the national Favorite Chef competition, which would mean $25K and a spot on the cover of Taste of Home magazine. You can vote for her here.

☑️️ Deal of the day: Pal Joey’s in Batavia offers some impressive daily happy hour specials to pair with its unique riverfront patio scene.

The 🎟️ symbol indicates an admission fee.

☑️ Swedish Days | Wed 6/19 thru Sunday 6/23 | Downtown Geneva | The celebration is in full swing, culminating with the parade on Sunday afternoon.

🎟️ Beatles vs. Stones: A Musical Showdown | Fri 6/21, 7:30PM | Batavia Fine Arts Centre | The two greatest rock ‘n’ roll bands of all time face off in a once-in-a-lifetime show.

🎟️ Historic Cottage Walks | Sat 6/22, 10AM-4PM | Good Templar Park, Geneva | Get a small group guided tour through select tiny cottages and learn about the park’s history.

☑️ Miller’s Mobile Petting Zoo | Sat 6/22, 11AM-12:30PM | STC Library | Bring the kids to make some new furry friends.

☑️ Baggers & Slings Hang Out | Sat 6/22, 11AM-6PM | Fox River Harley-Davidson, STC | Motorcycle enthusiasts will dig the sound competition, food truck and music — all while supporting charity.

☑️ Doggie Ice Cream Social | Sat 6/22, 12-2:30PM | Red Hive Market, Batavia | This nonprofit-supporting event is always a big hit with both canines and humans.

🎟️ Rock the Fox | Sat 6/22, 2-6PM | Moose Lodge, Batavia | A fest and fundraiser with live music, delicious food and good vibes.

🎟️ Leading Ladies | Sat 6/22 & Sun 6/23 | Albright Theatre, Batavia | A 1950s-era love story and family drama — where hilarity ensues.

🌩️ Today: High 92F | Low 67F | Flash storm

🌥️ Friday: High 93F | Low 72F | Muggy

🌤️ Saturday: High 95F | Low 71F | So damn hot

🌤️ Sunday: High 86F | Low 62F | Some relief

Not signed up yet? Subscribe here.

If you enjoy Tri-Cities Central, please SPREAD THE WORD and/or leave a review! We grow primarily through word of mouth.