🪴 Spring planting season

I love watching the yard come to life and launching my vegetable garden each spring, but nothing tops uncovering the banana tree and watching it bulk up faster than Sammy Sosa in the late ‘90s.

Above, you can see our banana tree Darryl’s 2024 growth progress from May 5 (upper left) through November 1 (bottom right). Last season, he just barely started to fruit — we’re hoping this is the year we get baby bananas.*

The internet yields surprisingly little guidance for growing banana trees in Northern Illinois, but this article features some useful tips if you’re interested in acquiring a weird new hobby.

Native plant resources

Some tips for finding other plants that should do well locally:

• Native Plants Guide: See which native plants partner well together and get plant grouping ideas.

• Morton Arboretum: Here’s a pre-filtered search for trees and plants native to our zone.

• Audubon Society: An easy zip code search turns up 100+ bird-friendly native plants for the Tri-Cities area.

• Wasco Nursery: Planting instructions to follow once you’ve purchased your plants.

_{*Banana tree growing is a friendly competition in our extended family — other local Krafts achieved baby bananas a few years ago.}

_{LOCAL SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT}

📜 Step inside Geneva’s story

For his latest video, Tri-Cities guide and real estate expert Chris Wallace toured the Geneva History Museum with Director Terry Emma for a behind-the-scenes look at how local history comes to life.

From the new Geneva restaurant exhibit to heartfelt community stories, this vibrant Third Street gem has something for everyone. See why visitors always walk out smiling — and how you can help support the museum’s important work.

📰 News to use

The 🔒 symbol indicates a potential paywall.

☑️ East side overhaul: Construction on the long-awaited project to widen and upgrade East State Street in Geneva is expected to begin this spring or summer, with work lasting through at least 2027.

☑️ Leadership outlook: Now that the election dust is settling, the Aurora Beacon-News broke down what’s ahead for Tri-Cities mayors, from public safety and housing in Batavia to redevelopment projects in St. Charles.

🔒 Legal lifeline: Casey’s Safe Haven in Maple Park has won a temporary court order to stop the sale of the farm it rents, giving the nonprofit horse rescue more time in its fight to stay put on the property where it cares for animals.

☑️ Tragic loss: A 14-year-old St. Charles boy was killed and his 12-year-old sister seriously injured in an April 4 crash on I-65 in Indiana while returning from a spring break trip.

☑️ New gaming spot: A split Kane County Board vote has cleared the way for a video gambling café near Geneva, despite concerns from some neighbors and local officials.

☑️ Much-needed resource: Kane County will soon be launching Recycle Coach, a free app that helps residents figure out how to properly recycle or dispose of household items, with a live demo set for April 23.

☑️ Marker makeover: Starting the week of April 14, Kane County will start installing reflective pavement markers on over 130 miles of roads (several within the Tri-Cities), causing temporary lane closures. View a project map.

🏘️ In the community

The 🔒 symbol indicates a potential paywall.

☑️ Better together: Rotary clubs from Batavia, St. Charles and Elgin are teaming up with grant funds to support Habitat for Humanity homebuilding projects in nearby communities that aim to uplift local families.

☑️ Toy drive: Local nonprofit Soul Sisters Give is collecting dolls and action figures from April 12 through May 3 for local kids in need across the Tri-Cities in recognition of National Children's Day. See where you can donate.

🔒 Viking voyage: The Friends of the Viking Ship group has purchased land in downtown Geneva to create a museum to house the 1893 replica Viking longship that’s been at Good Templar Park since 1996.

☑️ Senior golf days: Did you know that Pottawatomie Golf Course offers a $17 nine-hold round of golf on Mondays for seniors? Check out the deal.

☑️ Prairie revival: The St. Charles Park District is using grant money to restore prairie habitat at Hickory Knolls, aiming to replace invasive trees and shrubs with native plants over the next few years.

☑️ STC Township: Do you live in St. Charles Township? Check out the spring 2025 township newsletter for info on property taxes, upcoming construction projects, brush pickup and other community updates.

🎸 Live music

_{PRESENTED BY PRESERVATION}

Local music tidbit: Learn about the Batavia Community Band, a diverse group of musicians ranging in age from 18 to near 80, which will begin performing around town in May.

And of course — check out this weekend’s vibrant music lineup.

🤝 Local biz

☑️ Shopping small: The Batavia Boardwalk Shops return on May 9 with a diverse new cohort of locally run businesses offering food, gifts, games and more in the heart of downtown. Meet the 2025 class.

☑️ Movie mania: The What’s Up St. Charles podcast crew checks in with Andrew Carlin, Executive Director of the Afterimage Film Festival, about the upcoming fest’s must-see movies, director Q&A’s and more.

🎯 Are you still advertising like it’s 2010? Print is pricey. Social is saturated. Big tech doesn’t care about you. Hyperlocal email newsletter — that’s where local businesses stand out. Check out Tri-Cities Central’s super-easy advertising program.

🗓️ Events & things to do

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

🎟️ 2025 AfterImage Film Fest | Thurs 4/10 - Sun 4/13 | Charlestowne Theatre, STC | See a variety of award-winning films.

🎟️ Touch-A-Tractor | Fri 4/11, 12PM - Sun 4/13, 3PM | Kane Co Farm Bureau, STC | Family fun with tractors, farm animals, crafts and a pedal tractor raffle.

🎟️ 99th and Nowhere | Fri 4/11 - Sun 4/27 | Steel Beam Theatre, STC | A performance where four misfits seek meaning amid chaos and confusion.

☑️ Second Fridays | Fri 4/11, 6-9PM | Batavia Arts District | Food, drink, music, shopping and a new gallery opening reception at Water Street Studios.

☑️ STC Shop Crawl | Sat 4/12 - Sun 4/13 | Downtown STC | Get great deals while shopping local all over St. Charles.

☑️ Fine Arts Fest | Sat 4/12, 9AM | Batavia Fine Arts Centre | Local students showcase their creativity and talent.

☑️ Clark Island Recreation Area Celebration | Sat 4/12, 10AM-12PM | Clark Island, Batavia | Brand new amenities plus food, face painters, a bounce house, games and more.

☑️ Purchase with a Purpose | Sat 4/12, 10AM-3PM | Baker Memorial Church, STC | A special one-day fair trade market.

☑️ Student Art Show Receptions | Sat 4/12, 2-7PM | St. Charles Arts Council | Kicking off a gallery that will be open through May 4.

🎟️ Taylor Mason Live | Sat 4/12, 7PM | Moonlight Theatre, STC | A versatile and hysterical comedy show with something for everyone.

☑️ Geneva French Market | Sun 4/13, 9AM-2PM | Downtown Geneva | The beloved weekly tradition returns! Vendors, fresh produce and more.

☑️ Dazed & Brewed Spring Makers Market | Sun 4/13, 12:30-5PM | Pollyanna Brewing, STC | Browse 20+ local vendors while sipping and savoring.

✳️ Toddler Time | Sat 4/19, 12-2PM | Zen Loft Collective, Batavia | A cozy afternoon of play and exploration for toddlers — and a place to connect and hang out for the grownups.

🌖 Weather snapshot

🌧️ Thursday: High 51F | Low 36F | BLAH

🌤️ Friday: High 52F | Low 30F | Gusty

🌤️ Saturday: High 59F | Low 39F | Mmm

🌤️ Sunday: High 65F | Low 50F | Yesss

📖 Thanks for reading

If you enjoy Tri-Cities Central, please spread the word! Use this link to get rewarded for your referral.

_{Subscribe to Tri-Cities Central | Advertise with us | View previous newsletters}