Happy Thursday!

Pretty fun that Halloween falls on a Saturday this year, eh?

In fact, the last time that happened was in 2020 during the heart of the pandemic, which means the last time we had a “normal” Saturday Halloween was 11 years ago in 2015.

I believe that was the year I donned a Miley Cyrus costume…and no, I will not be sharing photos.

Also: Don’t forget to soak up that Saturday afternoon sunlight, because it’s the last time we’ll experience a post-5PM sunset until late January with Daylight Saving Time ending this weekend.

📮 Need to contact me with questions, tips or suggestions? Get in touch here.

_{LEAD STORY}

For local teens over the years, visiting Munger Road was a Halloween rite of passage.

They’d put baby powder on the bumper, stick the car in neutral, and wait for a group of ghostly children to push the vehicle off the tracks. Maybe you’ve even done it yourself.

Fifteen years ago, a St. Charles North grad turned the local legend into a horror movie — “Munger Road” — that sold out every screen at the Charlestowne 18 on opening night.

Read on for the story behind the film, an investigation into the source of the mystery, and why fans are still waiting on a sequel.

_{SPONSORED CONTENT}

The holiday season is rapidly approaching. Have you started thinking about gifts yet?

Fortunately, Uncharted in Geneva's Randall Square can handle all of them in one stop. It's stocked with top brands like NeeDoh, Touchland, Kendra Scott, Bogg Bag, Vineyard Vines — not to mention Strawflower, Uncharted's own accessories line you won't find anywhere else.

Stop in for gifts, jewelry, fashion, home décor, and beauty under one roof. The lineup changes constantly, so every visit turns up something new.

Fair warning: you'll probably leave with something for yourself, too.

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

☑️ A downtown in transition: A string of recent business closures in downtown Batavia has residents, city officials, and local media figures discussing what’s driving the vacancies and what comes next.

☑️ Campton crash: A 35-year-old man died after a two-vehicle crash on Route 64 in Campton Hills, police said. The incident is under investigation.

☑️ Paying for school upgrades: To fund safety repairs at district facilities, the Batavia school board advanced plans for a $12.6M bond sale that wouldn't require a referendum but would raise property taxes.

☑️ Senate matchup: Danielle Penman (R) of St. Charles and Michele Clark (D) of Algonquin are running for the IL Senate seat in Dist. 33 (which covers parts of the Tri-Cities) — here’s an overview of the race ahead of the Nov. 3 election.

☑️ House matchup: Ricky Rivard (D) of St. Charles is challenging incumbent Dan Ugaste (R) of Geneva for the IL House seat in Dist. 65 (which covers parts of the Tri-Cities), and both candidates cited property taxes and affordability as top issues. Get more details on the race.

☑️ STC’s big question: St. Charles School District 303 is asking voters to approve a $282.5M bond referendum for repairs, accessibility upgrades, and classroom additions at every school, which would add to residents’ property tax bills. Read an overview of the plan.

☑️ Roundabout ready: After 35 years of planning, Kane County’s $11.5M Bunker Road extension project is nearly completed, with a new roundabout at Keslinger Road expected to open by the end of November. Learn more and see a drone video.

☑️ Street assessment: If you spot a car with Google-style sensors on its roof cruising your Geneva neighborhood Oct. 28–30, it’s a city contractor scanning streets to grade pavement conditions and plan future repairs.

The ✳️ symbol indicates sponsored content.

☑️ From dream to reality: Self-published Batavia author Suzie Young turned a vivid dream into “Hannah McNoodle,” a watercolor picture book she created with local illustrator Karen Heyse and her two granddaughters. Get the full story.

☑️ Buckeyes rebuffed: Geneva High School football star Bennett Konkey received a late offer from No. 2 Ohio State but says he’s sticking with his commitment to Illinois, where he’s already developed relationships and plans to enroll early.

☑️ Did you know? Volunteer attorneys offer free legal consultations each week in St. Charles and Geneva, answering questions about divorce, evictions, small claims, getting your license reinstated, and other topics.

☑️ Gingerbread showdown: Local nonprofit Random Acts Matter is bringing a free gingerbread house contest to St. Charles this December — anyone can enter a creation or stop by to vote, enjoy live music, and visit Santa.

☑️ Smashing pumpkins: Geneva and St. Charles are both hosting free pumpkin composting events on Nov. 7, giving residents a convenient way to smash or drop off old jack-o’-lanterns so they don't end up in a landfill.

✳️ Ready, set, Mahj: New to mahjong? The Little Traveler in Geneva has the tiles, mats, and fun hosting extras you need for game night, plus beginner lessons that’ll have you calling “Mahjong!” in no time. Get all the details.

Lots of Halloween-themed performances across the area this weekend, including a few parties with DJs if that’s your vibe.

_{SPONSORED CONTENT}

If your current glasses aren’t cutting it anymore, this is a good time to fix that.

Fox Valley Ophthalmology in St. Charles is offering 20% off frames through Halloween. It’s a great excuse to try out a new style without paying full price to do it.

Stop by their LaFox Road office in St. Charles and try a few on — and make sure to mention Tri-Cities Central to secure that discount.

The ✳️ symbol indicates sponsored content.

✳️ Remember Colonial Dairies? The old dairy building in downtown St. Charles is still going strong — dig into the site’s interesting history, including its connection to Colonial Cafe and housing the family-owned Olech Farmers Insurance today.

☑️ Crossing the river: The founders of Beardsgaard Barbers, which is closing at the end of this year, will begin operating out of a new location on Batavia’s east side as a shop called Underhill in February 2027.

☑️ Tapped out: Tanna Tap, the bar and grill located at the Tanna Farms Golf Club in Geneva, announced that it has closed so the operators can focus on running The Pub Maple Park. See the message to the community.

☑️ Downtown departure: Bread & Vine Geneva, the restaurant in the former Graham’s 318 Coffeehouse space on Third Street, abruptly closed last week. The Kate at 318, which still hosts gatherings in the building’s event space, didn’t reply to a request for comment.

The 🎟️ symbol indicates an admission fee. The ✳️ symbol indicates sponsored content.

✳️ Girls’ night, reimagined: Forget the small talk — spend an evening laughing, swapping stories, and recharging with other women at the Sacred Woman Collective’s Girls’ Night Out Circle, happening Oct. 30 at Zen Loft Collective in Batavia.

☑️ Día de los Muertos Celebration | Sat 10/31, 11AM-5PM | STC Public Library | Learn about Day of the Dead through films, crafts, and activities. 

☑️ Prisoner Wines Halloween Party | Sat 10/31, 4PM-9PM | The Wine Exchange, STC | Taste Prisoner wines, then dance with DJ Mario until 9PM. 

☑️ Preservation Halloween | Sat 10/31, 5PM-10PM | Preservation, Geneva | Costume contest with Blue, live music from EQUALS, bonfire, and drink specials. 

☑️ Halloween Karaoke Night | Sat 10/31, 6-10PM | Brother Chimp Brewing, STC | Sing spooky karaoke, show off your costume, and win prizes.

☑️ Halloween Party | Sat 10/31, 7-11PM | St. Charles Motorcycle Museum | Show off your ride and/or costume plus enjoy music, food, and vendors.

☑️ Disco of the Dead | Sat 10/31, 8PM | The Lewis, STC | DJ Discofonic spins disco all night with costumes and Halloween drink specials.

🎟️ Beautiful Rind Cheese Pairing | Sun 11/1, 2PM-3:30PM | Sturdy Shelter Brewing, Batavia | Five Sturdy Shelter beers get paired with cheese in a guided tasting.  

🎟️ Sourdough 101 | Sun 11/1, 2PM-4:30PM | Rosewood Farm & Market, Batavia | Hands-on class covering starter care, mixing, shaping, and baking sourdough at home. 

☑️ Sensory Garden Open House | Mon 11/2, 4PM-6PM | STC Public Library | Share ideas and feedback on the library’s new outdoor Sensory Garden. 

🎟️ Friendsgiving Farm Dinner | Thu 11/5, 6-9PM | Heritage Prairie Farm, Elburn | Seven-course family-style farm dinner with live harp music to close the season.

☑️ Cranksgiving | Sat 11/7, 8AM-5PM | The Bike Rack, STC | A food drive for Salvation Army, noon 12-mile bike ride, then post-ride food and cider.

🎟️ Diamond Jubilee Gala | Sat 11/7, 5:30PM-10:30PM | New Hollywood Casino, Aurora | Anderson Humane celebrates 60 years with dinner plus live and silent auctions.

🔥 Loved it, keep up the good work

😐 Mediocre, could take it or leave it

🛑 3 minutes I’ll never get back

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.