Ceremonies and community events honoring the nation’s veterans will be held throughout the Tri-Cities and wider Kane County area on Tuesday, November 11.

Here’s a comprehensive list of those events.

Honoring our vets on Tuesday is important, but we shouldn’t lose sight of the amazing work local veteran organizations are doing throughout the year. For example:

Batavia Overseas VFW & Auxiliary 1197: The VFW works to ensure that veterans receive access to the benefits and medical care that they deserve, and also provide assistance with employment, education, and housing. Located at 645 S. River Street.

Batavia American Legion Post 504: Welcoming veterans from all branches, this post was organized in 1920 and continues to support scholarships, aid for local veterans in need, and community projects. They hold meetings on the 2nd Floor of the VFW.

Geneva American Legion Post 75: Serving veterans from all branches since 1919, this post focuses on community participation, advocacy for veterans’ issues, and local events year-round.​ Located at 22 S. 2nd Street.

Kane County Veterans Assistance Commission: Housed in the Kane County Government Center in Geneva, the commission helps veterans file claims, access benefits, and navigate health, disability, home loan, and GI Bill resources. Located at 719 Batavia Avenue.

St. Charles Veterans Center: The Veterans Center is where VFW Post 5036, American Legion Post 342, AMVETS Post 503, and Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 693 all hold meetings and conduct business, essentially serving as the command post for joint community outreach. Located at 311 N. Second Street.

This network ensures local veterans have the advocacy, assistance, and community connections they deserve — and I’m sure they’d all welcome new volunteers and donations.

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Sunday brunch is a time-honored tradition — and you won’t find a better value in the Tri-Cities than at The Little Traveler’s Atrium Café. In fact, it was named Best Brunch in West Suburban Living’s 2024 Best of the West.

For just $12.95, enjoy a full spread of fresh, house-made favorites, from fluffy omelets with crispy bacon to Swedish pancakes and Crab Cakes Benedict. Trust me, there’s a reason so many local folks have been coming back for decades.

💥 Holiday Almanack is out! Check out The Little Traveler’s 2025 Holiday Almanack & Look Book for upcoming events and festive new products.

☑️ Chiropractor facing charges: Batavia chiropractor David Hanson is facing multiple felony charges after being accused of secretly recording nude videos of nearly 200 patients, some of them children.

☑️ Future funding options: Geneva officials are considering a 2026 referendum to fund a new police station and may later explore a separate ballot question on granting the city home rule powers.

☑️ Budget breakdown: Batavia’s proposed 2026 budget includes property tax, sales tax, and utility rate increases to maintain city services, fund infrastructure, and begin saving for a new police station.

☑️ Event & hospitality hub: St. Charles’ Q Center continues to make a significant economic and community impact, hosting thousands of visitors for corporate events and fundraisers each year while partnering with local businesses and charities.

☑️ Batavia burglary: Batavia police are investigating a residential burglary on Lusted Lane after two suspects were caught on home surveillance video Friday evening, prompting a neighborhood search using drones and a police K9.

☑️ Apartment blaze: A dryer fire in a West Main Street apartment in St. Charles caused about $60K in damage late last week, leaving two units uninhabitable while officials investigate the cause.

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☑️ Community champions: The Geneva Chamber of Commerce honored local leaders, businesses, and organizations at its 2025 Annual Dinner, highlighting Martha Sanchez of State Street Jewelers as this year’s Wood Award recipient.

☑️ City soundtrack: The Batavia Community Band is celebrating more than a decade of music and civic pride, growing from a small group of locals in 2013 to over 55 members who perform at community events and keep Batavia’s musical spirit thriving.

☑️ Brightening holidays: As the holidays approach, CHIP IN Batavia is rallying local residents once again to support families in need through two seasonal initiatives — the Blessing Baskets & Furry Friends drive and the Adopt a Bag program.

☑️ Stories of service: Bell-Graham Elementary fifth graders hosted their annual Veteran Interviews at the St. Charles Veterans Center, connecting with local veterans and recording their stories. See a recap with photos.

🔒 Frozen in time: The Daily Herald’s Dave Heun wrote about St. Charles’ Colonial Café and its nostalgic mini-museum created by former president Tom Anderson, which showcases 125 years of the Anderson family’s local ice cream legacy.

☑️ Generosity in Geneva: The Geneva Commons is hosting Toys for Tots and food drives through mid-December to support local families in need and spread holiday cheer across the community. Learn about the initiatives.

We caught some tunes from Tim and Claire at the grand opening party of Rec Haus in St. Charles last Thursday — that place was hoppin’. I’m actually looking forward to stopping by again sometime when it’s not so packed.

For weekdays in November, the week ahead is surprisingly busy with performances across the area. Check out the full lineup.

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Healing takes more than medicine. It takes people who care.

That’s why Strongoo in Geneva is hosting a Holiday Fundraiser on November 29 to support the mental and physical wellness of local veterans. The evening will feature dinner, live music, raffles, and a silent auction (one of the prizes is a condo on the beach in Naples!).

It’s all aimed at helping local heroes find connection, healing, and strength. Plus, it’s a great opportunity to check out a new and growing community space.

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☑️ Three decades strong: The popular Cocoon Geneva shop is celebrating 30 years in business with a festive holiday shopping event on Tuesday (11/11) featuring new holiday collections, refreshments, and prizes.

☑️ Pizza party: Campton Hills officials approved a new liquor license for The Pizza Cucina, a local pizza parlor under new ownership on Route 64 next to Luau Coffee.

✳️ Local looks good: Let’s show off our Tri-Cities pride with style, shall we? Urban Artisan in Geneva carries clever local apparel, quirky community gifts, and locally inspired home décor you won’t find anywhere else. Check out their Tri-Cities selection.

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☑️ Local home sales: See recent property sales for Kane County — including this $1.25M luxury townhome in downtown St. Charles on the riverfront.

✳️ Need a trustworthy local realtor? Get in touch with Tri-Cities expert Chris Wallace at [email protected] or chriswallacere.com.

☑️ Local obits: Recent obituaries posted by Tri-Cities funeral homes.

☑️ City meetings:

☑️ Police reports: View police reports and arrest logs for Batavia, Geneva, St. Charles and Campton Hills.

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☑️ Geneva Garden Club Meeting | Tues 11/11, 11AM | Persinger Center, Geneva | Social time, lunch, and a “Tabletops & Tablescapes” presentation.

☑️ American Mahjong | Tues 11/11, 2-4PM | STC Library | Drop in for some friendly games and feel free to bring your own mahjong set.

☑️ Meet the Author | Thurs 11/13, 4-6PM | The Herrington, Geneva | Meet local author Susanna Palmer in a celebration of her new children’s Christmas book.

🎟️ Beauty Bash After Dark | Thurs 11/13, 5:30-8PM | Fitness on the Fox, STC | A lively Bootcamp class followed by a night of beauty, glow, and promos.

🎟️ Decode Your Dreams | Thurs 11/13, 7PM | Soul Studio, Batavia | See a live demo and learn recall, interpretation, and creative tools to understand your dreams.

🎟️ Moonlight Over Broadway | Fri 11/14 - Sun 11/16 | Moonlight Theatre, STC | A musical revue featuring well-known numbers from Broadway showstoppers.

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