Saved by Campton Hills boy, orphaned mink returned to the wild
After a Campton Hills boy found an orphaned mink kit on his driveway, his family got the animal to Anderson Human, where it was successfully rehabbed and ultimately released into a local wetland last week.
The Tri-Cities remember 9/11 with ceremonies and tributes
Fire and police departments across the Tri-Cities held ceremonies on Friday morning to mark the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, including remarks from leaders and special tributes.
At new "Dancing with the Local Stars" event, local kids are the true winners
A group of Fox Valley community leaders will trade their day jobs for the dance floor on Oct. 7 at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, competing in a special fundraiser for CASA Kane County.
Batavia school district about halfway through facility improvement projects
Batavia schools recently finished nearly $27 million in safety and building upgrades, but the district says another $30 million-plus in repairs and improvements are still needed in the years ahead.
Vacant downtown St. Charles lot gets recommendation for new 12-unit apartment building
St. Charles officials recommended approval of a redevelopment agreement for a 12-unit apartment building to go up on a prominent downtown lot that's been sitting empty for 20 years.
Batavia Chamber to honor longtime volunteer Ellen Huxtable this month
The Batavia Chamber will present this year's top volunteer honor to ambassador Ellen Huxtable at the annual "Chamber Cheers" fall celebration on Sept. 28.
Two downtown Batavia buildings cleared for demolition
Batavia officials approved the demolition of two downtown buildings this week — the old Hubbard's furniture store on N. Batavia Ave. and a structure on Webster St. that the city originally bought for a food pantry that fell through.
Voter registration efforts are ramping up in Kane County this month
The League of Women Voters of Central Kane County has organized two voter registration events and a free Election Expo this month to coincide with National Voter Registration Day and Constitution Day.
Campton Hills officials address unauthorized ticketed house parties
Campton Hills police said a series of disruptive house parties near Route 47 this summer has grown into an illegal event operation with admission fees and unlicensed food and alcohol sales.
There are more towns called Batavia, Geneva, and St. Charles than you think
It turns out that Batavia, Geneva, and St. Charles aren't just our towns — U.S. Census data shows more than 25 other namesakes nationwide, plus there's a surprising connection to Jakarta, Indonesia.
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.
Potential amenities floated for vacant St. Charles PD site
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.
The Arcada Theatre to celebrate 100 years with a parade and special events
The Arcada Theatre is celebrating its 100th anniversary on Sunday (9/6) with a centennial parade through downtown St. Charles, plus a special “behind the scenes” experience and a history of rock n’ roll music showcase.
Batavia shares new data center details: noise, water use, and revenue
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.
Batavia veterans group hands out $6K in scholarships, preps gift bags for local vets
As part of its ongoing community initiatives, Batavia's American Legion Post 504 handed out $6K in scholarships to high school grads entering medical fields and is prepping 100+ gift bags for local veterans this fall.
Golf simulator lounge proposed for vacant St. Charles retail space
A new indoor golf simulator lounge, which would also feature a remote workspace, has been proposed for a vacant Route 64 retail space on St. Charles' east side.
New bakery brings a taste of France to St. Charles
Newly opened on W. Main St. in St. Charles, Marius French Bakery bakes its breads, pastries, and croissants from scratch overnight using ingredients imported from France — and they say business is off to a great start.
New leadership takes over the Salvation Army Tri-City Corps
The Salvation Army's Tri-City Corps in St. Charles announced that Mark and Sarah Nottle are stepping in to lead the organization just ahead of the center's 75th anniversary this October.
Long Table Dinner opens up world of possibilities for local kids
Four local children rode brand-new adaptive bikes for the first time Sunday at Project Mobility's Long Table Dinner on the St. Charles riverfront, a special community fundraiser that brought together more than 120 supporters.
Batavia schools limiting tech use for youngest students, considering options for older students
BPS101 announced that it is disabling AI and limiting YouTube for its youngest students and considering changes to its tech policies for older students following public pressure from parents.
Health officials say rabies exposure cases have been rising in Kane County
Health officials say human rabies exposure cases in Kane County hit a six-year high with 126 in 2025, evenly split among bats and pets as the primary sources of exposure.
A new Batavia weekend initiative ties downtown shopping to school fundraising
Batavia MainStreet's new "Shop Local. Support Our Schools!" weekend event will connect more than 30 downtown businesses with six elementary school PTOs on Sept. 12-13, combining local shopping with school fundraising.
Salt shortage forces a scramble in North Aurora and St. Charles
A statewide road salt shortage forced North Aurora and St. Charles to seek out emergency deals, and it could cost St. Charles 53% more than its 2025 salt purchase.
Battle over Geneva 1840s blacksmith shop continues
Geneva has now fined developer Shodeen more than $500K over the plastic-wrapped historic blacksmith shop downtown, and a hearing officer just pushed the next compliance hearing to October.
Batavia officials to consider demolition of former Hubbard's building
Batavia officials will review a request to tear down the former Hubbard's building in downtown Batavia, which has been vacant since 2019 after more than a century as a fixture of the downtown corridor.
