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.
Interested in advertising? Let’s talk.
Who’s hungry for a fun night out?
Based on a reader poll from a couple of months ago, lots of folks sounded excited about the prospect of a “Tri-Cities Dinner Club.”
So we’re rolling it out: the first Dinner Club event will be on Thursday, April 23, in downtown St. Charles.
I know several other local newsletter operators around the country who have been running these events, and people in their cities LOVE them. For example, here’s a recent video recap of a Dinner Club in Lancaster, PA.
How our Dinner Club will work:
Step 1: Take a quick quiz about your interests, food preferences, social style, and what types of folks you’d enjoy meeting.
Step 2: Get matched with five other Tri-Cities Central community members based on the quiz results.
Step 3: Receive your invite the morning of the dinner and discover where in St. Charles you’ll be eating (groups will be seated at several different restaurants downtown).
Step 4: Dinner will be on Thursday, April 23 at 6:15PM. After dinner, all tables will be invited to a different surprise spot nearby to keep the good times rolling (I’ll be there, too). The post-dinner mixer is optional, so no big deal if you’d prefer to call it a night early.
Comments from Dinner Club attendees in other cities:
"It’s a fun opportunity to meet new people. We were all close in age at our table, and three of us already had mutual connections. I had a great time and plan to participate in more dinners. So worth it!"
“Seeing a Dinner Club come to life in person was incredible; I was surprised at how easy it was to create new friendships with the other people around our table.”
“Dinner Club was the perfect way to make new connections without the pressure — just good food and conversation.”
I’m pumped to roll this out. I won’t attend dinner (that would distract from the point!), but I plan to be at the post-dinner mixer hanging out with everyone who shows up.
And if you know any other locals who might enjoy this, by all means spread the word.
SPONSORED CONTENT
🧼 How the best-smelling shop in St. Charles is doubling down on community
Magnolia Soap & Bath owner Mandy Buerster makes almost all of her products in-store, from plant-based soap bars to body butters and laundry soap. Not only that, but she donates proceeds to a local cause every single month.
If you’re making an impact in the community, you can bet that local real estate expert Chris Wallace will find a way to chat with you about it. For his most recent video podcast episode, Chris sat down with Mandy to hear how a former nurse with no retail experience took a leap of faith — and what she's built since.
☑️ Housing bill: Batavia’s Committee of the Whole took a deep look at the state's BUILD Act housing bill, with officials finding positive opportunities in parts of the proposal even as they raised concerns about local control, parking, and infrastructure.
☑️ Riverfront revival: St. Charles is weighing a $30K grant to help redevelop a long-vacant historic building on Riverside Avenue (once home to a dairy plant and the Chamber of Commerce) into retail and office space downtown.
☑️ Back in custody: A St. Charles man previously accused of secretly filming hundreds of upskirt videos at local stores has been arrested again and now faces 51 new felony charges — including child pornography counts.
☑️ SSA proposed: Elburn has proposed a new Special Service Area for the Williams Ridge subdivision that would add roughly $194 a year to homeowners' tax bills to cover stormwater and open space maintenance, with a public hearing set for April 6.
☑️ Modernized regulations: St. Charles is replacing aging water meters with wireless versions that allow remote readings and real-time leak detection so that home visits will no longer be required.
☑️ Traffic notes: Starting April 6, drivers on Randall, Burlington, and Silver Glen roads west of St. Charles should expect delays for about seven weeks as Kane County crews install fiber-optic cable along the corridor. Kirk Road between State Street in Geneva and Route 63 in St. Charles will see lane closures for repairs starting on the same day.
The ✳️ symbol indicates sponsored content.
☑️ Native plant picks: The Kane Forest Preserve Foundation's annual native plant sale runs online now through April 12, culminating with an in-person shopping event at LeRoy Oakes in St. Charles on April 25.
☑️ Local artists honored: The Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame inducted seven new artists — spanning classical music, folk, theater, journalism, and progressive rock — at its 25th anniversary banquet last week at Eagle Brook Country Club in Geneva.
☑️ Celebrating history: The Batavia Depot Museum’s new exhibit running through August tells the story of local residents who fought for the ideals of the Declaration of Independence, featuring everything from WWI artifacts to the business card of the first woman who ever ran for Batavia City Council.
☑️ On the world stage: Our own Kane County Cougars are international champions after winning the Baseball Champions League in Mexico City on Sunday, beating the defending champion Diablos Rojos 7-3 to claim the title.
☑️ Spring into nature: The Greater Kane County chapter of Wild Ones has a packed spring lineup, including guided wildflower walks at local forest preserves, a women's history talk, and a native plant sale in mid-May. See all the events.
✳️ Summer camp: St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Geneva will host a weeklong evening Creative Arts Camp June 8-12 — offering kids dinner; hands-on activities focused on arts, music, and movement inspired by a biblical tale; and FIVE built-in summer nights out for parents. Get details & sign up!
The first weekend of April is shaping up to be a good one — and there are even some Sunday performances if you like your Easter with a side of live music.
SPONSORED CONTENT
♨️ Before you replace your furnace or AC, ask yourself this key question
Are you familiar with two-stage heating/cooling systems?
Most houses in the Tri-Cities run on single-stage systems — equipment that kicks on at full blast and shuts off. It works, but it's often why some rooms never feel quite right in July or why your utility bills are higher than they should be.
Long story short, two-stage systems run longer at a lower output, which means more even temperatures room to room and lower energy costs over time. There are also rebates and tax credits available right now that can offset the upgrade cost significantly.
If you want to talk to a local expert before installing your next system, call Bob at State Automatic at 630-239-2710. He'll help you figure out what best suits your needs.
The ✳️ symbol indicates sponsored content.
☑️ Lucky #7: Riverlands Brewing in St. Charles just celebrated its seventh anniversary, and co-founder Steve Marck reflects on how a Fourth of July barbecue, a decade of homebrewing, and a commitment to transparency turned Riverlands into a Tri-Cities institution. Read the full story.
☑️ Friday festivities: Downtown Geneva's First Fridays returns April 3 with discounts at more than a dozen shops, raffles, giveaways, and a reptile meet-and-greet at the Geneva Public Library.
☑️ Patio season prep: Sturdy Shelter Brewing in Batavia reported that they’re starting construction on an outdoor deck this week — with plans to make it available mid-May.
✳️ Choose your own April adventure: Zen Loft Collective has seven exciting, family-friendly events on the books this April — from puppy yoga and a sound bath to a puzzle throwdown and a family music night. Get all the details and sign up.
The 🎟️ symbol indicates an admission fee. The ✳️ symbol indicates sponsored content.
You’d look great in this spot.
Want to sponsor this section? Thousands of local readers make a beeline to these events every Thursday to plan their weekends. Make sure they see your business, too.
☑️ Easter events: The final weekend for for local Easter activities and brunches.
☑️ Electronic Recycling Event | Sat 4/4, 9AM–12PM | North Aurora Police Department, North Aurora | Drop off electronics, clothing, shoes, and books for free recycling.
☑️ Cars & Coffee at Freedom Forged 4x4 | Sat 4/4, 10AM–1PM | Freedom Forged 4x4, North Aurora | Monthly cars and coffee, all makes and models welcome.
☑️ Cars, Coffee and Tech | Sat 4/4, 10AM | Euroquipe, STC | Casual car meetup with a hands-on tech session and raffle prizes.
🎟️ Scott Smith's All Animal Expo: Easter Edition | Sat 4/4, 10AM–3PM | Kane County Fairgrounds, STC | Animal expo with Easter egg hunt, birds of prey, and vendor displays.
🎟️ Finklepott's Fairy Hair at J.Jill | Sat 4/4, 10AM–5PM | J.Jill Geneva Commons, Geneva | Appointment-required fairy hair styling, cash payments only.
☑️ Heritage Woods Shopping Day | Sat 4/4, 10AM-1PM | Cinco de Mayo Market, Batavia | Donate household and personal care essentials for local fixed-income seniors.
☑️ Customer Container Program | Sat 4/4, 1PM | Countryside Nursery, Elburn | Bring empty pots and create custom planters with expert guidance.
🎟️ AfterImage Film Festival 2026: First Look | Sat 4/4, 2PM–4PM | Moonlight Theatre, STC | Sneak peek at 2026 festival lineup with short films and trailers.
🎟️ Fox Valley Business Network Happy Hour | Tue 4/7, 5:30PM–8PM | Riverlands Brewing, STC | Casual networking with pizza, craft beer, and local professionals.
Looking ahead:
☑️ State of the City | Wed 5/6, 6PM | Arcada Theatre, STC | Hear updates from STC city leaders on progress, challenges, and initiatives ahead — plus a Q&A session.
Thanks for reading
Enjoy Tri-Cities Central? Support local journalism and spread the word!*
*Scroll back to the top of this newsletter for a special referral link — you can get gift cards to local restaurants for referring friends.
