Welcome to Tri-Cities Central, a twice-weekly newsletter highlighting local happenings in Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and surrounding communities.
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Good morning!
Wishing you an excellent Labor Day, which you’ll no doubt spend celebrating the historic achievements and societal contributions of American workers. Perhaps with a backyard barbecue tossed in.
A quick note on upcoming Tri-Cities Central events:
Dinner Club: For those who missed Thursday’s issue, registration is now open for the September 24 Tri-Cities Dinner Club event. We’ll be dining at Fox Haven Square in St. Charles — come one, come all, bring your significant others and friends and neighbors.
A Tri-Cities Murder Mystery: Come on out to our inaugural Wild West-themed murder mystery mingle event on Wednesday, October 28 at 25N Coworking’s fantastic event space on the Geneva riverfront. Includes drinks from Pollyanna Brewing, our awesome event sponsor.
📮 Need to contact me with questions, tips or suggestions? Get in touch here.
How many other towns are called Batavia, Geneva, and St. Charles?
After digging around in U.S. Census Bureau data, it turns out that our trio of Fox River towns is far from unique (in terms of labels, at least).
In total, the town names show up across the U.S. in 28 other places, from a village in Ohio to a city in Missouri that dwarfs all three of our communities in population. Iowa has a Batavia, a Geneva, and a St. Charles. There’s even a fascinating Batavia connection to Jakarta, Indonesia.
The history behind some of those cities — and how they were named — might surprise you. This is a fun one; read on for details.
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Which Tri-Cities market is heating — and which is cooling?
Today, St. Charles sellers are in the driver's seat. With less inventory than a year ago, homes are listing almost 10% higher than in 2025.
Geneva tells a different story. Inventory has crept up slightly, showings are spreading across more listings, and market time is inching up too. These may be early signs of softening in what's been one of the toughest suburban markets for buyers.
And Batavia, with the tightest inventory of the three, has seen average sale prices jump more than 11% over last year.
Local real estate expert Chris Wallace tracks these numbers in detail, city by city. Explore your town's latest numbers below.
Below are the most clicked stories from our last newsletter issue.
☑️ Data center details: Batavia updated its data center project information page, adding new details about estimated water usage, noise levels, and revenue the 120K-square-foot facility is expected to generate for the city.
☑️ A taste of Paris: Newly opened in St. Charles, Marius French Bakery bakes its breads, pastries, and croissants from scratch overnight using ingredients imported from France — and they say they’re already looking to open a cafe in Geneva.
☑️ Concepts taking shape: St. Charles officials discussed possible uses for the old police station site on the downtown riverfront, including an ice skating ribbon, small retail shops, an open-air plaza, and a bandshell for community gatherings and performances.
☑️ Guilty plea in chiropractor case: Batavia chiropractor David Hanson pleaded guilty last week to two felony counts tied to secret recordings of children and could now face up to 60 years in prison.
☑️ Access to healthcare: Batavia may expand its employee telehealth program (which allows you to text a doctor about common health issues, no insurance needed) to all city residents at $9 a month, added to their utility bill.
☑️ West Nile confirmed: Kane County reported its first two cases of West Nile virus in humans of 2026, both Aurora residents who were hospitalized by the illness.
☑️ Courthouse gathering: An interfaith group held a prayer gathering outside the Kane County Judicial Center in St. Charles last week to show support for immigrants amid ongoing federal immigration enforcement activity.
☑️ Upcoming detours:
Road closures and parking bans related to Festival of the Vine will begin Wednesday (9/9) in downtown Geneva and continue through the weekend. Get all the details.
A second, two-month Fox River Trail detour in Geneva will begin Sept. 14 as crews rebuild the sewer crossing on the west side near the Government Center.
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☑️ Panels of history: A new downtown Batavia mural debuts at City Hall on Sept. 12, showcasing wagons, windmills, limestone, and other ways the city has contributed to America's 250-year history.
☑️ Legacy of leadership: A new scholarship will honor retired Batavia High School teacher and current football coach Dennis Piron, whose INCubator program guided nearly 700 students on how to build real businesses over the past decade.
☑️ Live from Batavia! The latest episode of “Area Code: Batavia” was recorded live from Sturdy Shelter's brand new deck and features conversations with the builders of said deck, a local plant expert, a conservationist, and a Batavia alderperson.
☑️ Tootsie campaign: Starting Thursday (9/10), Knights of Columbus volunteers will hit the streets and storefronts of Geneva and Batavia for the four-day Tootsie Roll Drive, raising money for local charitable organizations. Get details and donate.
☑️ 9/11 ceremonies: St. Charles will hold a 9/11 Remembrance Ceremony at 7:30AM on Friday at the Fire Department Memorial Monument (2 E. Main St.), and Batavia will hold a similar ceremony at the same time at Fire Station 1 (800 E. Wilson St.).
✳️ Wine, fun, & a great cause: Visit the Little Traveler during Festival of the Vine Sept. 11-13, when it will transform into an outdoor tasting room with 50 wines to sample — all proceeds support 28 local charities through the Geneva Community Chest.
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St. Charles Jazz Weekend kicks off on Thursday with 10 performances across the city. The event has proven quite popular in years past, so make sure to plan ahead for parking and whatnot.
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Big questions, connection, and open conversation
What’s life really about? Where do we find meaning and purpose? Where does faith fit into it all?
The Alpha program at St. Mark’s Church in Geneva is a place to explore those questions (and plenty of others) in a relaxed setting where there’s a seat at the table for everyone.
Each Alpha evening begins around the table with food and conversation, followed by questions and dialogue about life and the Christian faith from a variety of perspectives. There’s no pressure, no judgment, and no expectation that you have faith — or have it all figured out. You can be exploring Christianity or simply looking to have honest conversations about big questions.
The free 10-week series beings with a session Wednesday, September 16, 6:30-8:30PM. Keep reading for more details and upcoming dates.
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☑️ In the spotlight: Nino's Italian Deli, which opened earlier this year in Geneva, was featured on NBC Chicago's "Chicago Today" show, showcasing their homemade bread and authentic sandwiches like the Italian Hero and pistachio-pesto Bambino. Watch the segment.
☑️ Fox Run’s future: A Chicago investment group just bought St. Charles' 220-unit Fox Run Apartments for $32M, announcing plans to renovate 80+ units and make other improvements to the complex.
✳️ Wine & shopping: Planning to stroll through Festival of the Vine in downtown Geneva this weekend? Make sure to swing by Urban Artisan, where you’ll find quirky gifts, one-of-a-kind decor, local-themed art, and even a wall of hot sauce.
☑️ Local home sales: See recent property sales for the Tri-Cities area — including this $1.2M townhome along the riverfront in downtown St. Charles.
☑️ Local obits: Recent obituaries posted by Tri-Cities funeral homes.
☑️ City meetings: Geneva residents can learn about the city's 2030 Strategic Plan and provide input on the roadmap during a community update at the library on Sept. 17.
☑️ Police reports: View police reports and arrest logs for Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and Campton Hills.
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☑️ Premiere: Our Hometown History | Wed 9/9, 6PM-7:30PM | Batavia Public Library | Meet and greet, screening, and Q&A on local history.
☑️ Leverage AI for Career Success | Wed 9/9, 6:30PM-8PM | St. Charles Public Library | Career coach helps adults stay competitive in the workplace.
☑️ Building Blocks Opening Reception | Thu 9/10, 5PM-7PM | Arts Resource Center, STC | Meet artists, view awards, and hear cellist Ryan Carney perform.
☑️ Oktoberfest | Thu 9/10 - Sun 9/13, All Day | Sturdy Shelter Brewing, Batavia | Food trucks, speaker series, live music, steinholding competitions, and great beer.
🎟️ St. Charles Jazz Weekend | Thu 9/10-Sun 9/13, All Day | Multiple Venues, STC | Over 50 jazz acts perform across downtown venues and plazas.
🎟️ Graham’s 36th Annual Wine & Chocolate Tasting | Fri 9/11 & Sat 9/12, Various Times | Graham’s, Geneva | Indulge during Festival of the Vine weekend.
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