We recently shared in this newsletter that the Geneva City Council approved the Fabyan Parkway Industrial Development project that had been snaking along since November 2022.

I then read that the 13-acre property will house a 156K-square-foot warehouse with 200+ parking stalls and more than 30 truck docks.

All of which got me thinking about the recent proliferation of mega-warehouse developments — and where the Tri-Cities might fit into that trend. 

It didn’t take long to dig up some useful information. In 2022, the Sierra Club used real estate information and a mapping tool to overlay demographic information about residents living within a half mile of the warehouses and distribution centers. 

Their easy-to-navigate interactive map also contains info regarding the year each warehouse was built, air pollution levels and the race and income level of nearby residents. 

Based on their findings, there were 25 mega-warehouses in Batavia, six in Geneva and 14 in St. Charles as of 2022 — making that a total of 45 for the Tri-Cities. 

That number is likely greater now. 

Last year, the Chicago area saw mega-warehouses pop up at a record-breaking pace. Completed projects by the numbers: 

This isn’t particularly surprising; the state of Illinois hasn’t been shy about investing to encourage megasite development. And as with most issues, people have mixed feelings on the topic. 

On one hand, the boom could cut costs for consumers after supply-chain snafus caused prices to surge during the pandemic. 

On the other, new warehouse developments mean increased truck traffic — which has led to heightened air pollution risks for nearly two million Illinoisans. The village of Deerfield is even trying to ban new warehouses outright for primarily safety reasons.

And those are just a couple of the many factors at play. 

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☑️ Election outcome: Check out the local results for Tuesday’s primary — here’s the Kane County Chronicle’s page (paywall) and here’s the official government website. Voter turnout was LOW.

☑️ Community alert: Geneva police issued a warning about sex traffickers targeting juveniles after a local teen was lured out of state by an adult on a social media app. The teen was returned home safely.

☑️ Solving problems: Kane County is using funds from a landmark opioid settlement to bolster services for Veteran’s Court, Drug Rehab Court, Treatment Alternative Court and DUI Court.

🔒 Sustainability win: Batavia’s water treatment plant modification projects have paid off with an APWA Fox Valley Branch Project of the Year Award in the Environment category.

🔒 A clean start: Geneva officials have recommended the approval of a new two-year cleaning contract for Elmhurst-based Eco Clean.

☑️ Remembering Randi: Not many wild turkeys get their own street sign. But such was the unifying power of Randi, a beloved North Aurora bird who was recently killed.

☑️ Consumer Protection Week: Illinois’ Attorney General shared the top 10 most frequent scams Illinoisans fell victim to in 2023, starting with home improvement repairs and identity theft.

☑️ Athletic leadership: After 12 years as AD for Oswego High School, Darren Howard will take the same position at St. Charles East.

☑️ Female leadership: Mayor Vitek on Monday recognized the St. Charles Women's Club with a proclamation on its 100th anniversary for its ongoing community service and philanthropy.

🏀 Local hooper: Former Geneva basketball star Nate Santos will be trying to push his 7-seeded Dayton Flyers squad past Nevada in the first round of the NCAA Tournament this afternoon. It’s been quite the journey for the 6’7 junior.

We’ve got a familiar-looking lineup of 40+ performances across the Tri-Cities through Sunday.

You’ll notice two shows listed for Riverlands Brewing on Saturday. Nope, not a typo — the St. Charles brewery is celebrating its five-year anniversary with an all-day party.

Five years! It feels like it was only last month that we popped in for the first time when the taproom was but a wittle baby…four-and-a-half years ago.

☑️ Glitz + glam: The Pynk Byrd — a vibrant boutique based in Arkansas — opened its second location on State Street in Geneva last weekend.

☑️ Local faves: In case the burger bracket wasn’t enough for you, voting is now open for the annual Kane County Best of the Fox Readers' Choice Awards.

✳️ Easter festivities: There wasn’t enough space to list 10 family-friendly Easter events below, but you can see them all here.

☑️ Fox River Ecosystem & Dams | Friday, 7PM | UUSG Geneva | Learn what the Friends of the Fox River group has been doing to improve the waterway’s health at this free presentation.

☑️ Earth Hour | Friday, 8:30PM | Batavia Depot Museum | Experience a unique “night at the museum” by plunging into darkness along with others who power off their lights and electronics for Earth Hour.

☑️ Spring Product Launch | Friday-Sunday | Signed By Crystal & Simply Kirious Soaps, Batavia | Enjoy special discounts, customized gifts, sweet treats and refreshments at this local shopping celebration.

☑️ Fill a Bag of Books for $25 | Saturday-Sunday | The Book Shop, Batavia | The independent shop is celebrating six years with a special sale from 10AM-5PM on Saturday and 12-4PM on Sunday.

☑️ Understanding & Using Native Plants in the Home Landscape | Saturday, 2-3PM | Geneva Library | Learn about native plants and the care they need to survive and thrive at your home.

How many readers remember the Windmill News, Batavia’s local newspaper from 1982 to 1990?

I wish I could recall, but alas, I was too busy with incoherent toddler babble to have started developing my daily newspaper habit by the time it ceased operations.

But in looking at the front page of the issue that ran 40 years ago today, I was surprised to discover another now-defunct Batavia tradition:

🌤️ Today: High 43F | Low 32F | Brisk w/ clouds

🌨️ Friday: High 41F | Low 25F | Wintry mix

🌤️ Saturday: High 38F | Low 28F | Lingering cold

☁️ Sunday: High 46F | Low 40F | Potential precip

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