Food fans fill festival : Aurora Summer Food Truck Festival
Crowds fill Benton Street, from River Street to Broadway, at Aurora’s inaugural Summer Food Truck Festival July 18.
Gov. Pritzker seeks more regulatory authority over homeowners insurance
By Peter HancockCapitol News Illinoisphancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Governor JB Pritzker is asking state lawmakers for more authority to regulate the homeowners insurance market in Illinois. His comments came after the Bloomington-based State Farm Fire and Casualty Company notified the Illinois Department of Insurance that it was raising premiums for residential property casualty
Pritzker signs ‘squatter bill’, statute to bypass eviction process
By Ben SzalinskiCapitol News Illinoisbszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com A new law signed by governor JB Pritzker Monday will make it easier for police to remove squatters who are illegally staying at a residence. Squatters are people who enter and occupy a place for a long period of time with the intention of staying
Aurora Lions elect new officers
The Aurora Lions Club recently chose new officers and directors for the 2025-2026 club year. The leadership team was inducted at the club’s July 18 meeting at Paulie’s Pub in Aurora. Arvid Meyer, past president, conducted the ceremony. The officers are: Randall “Randy” Brown, president; Jay Short, first vice president
Aurora City Council agrees to postpone vote for 1% tax on grocery items
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council unanimously approved a motion to hold the vote for a 1% tax on grocery items until the August 26 City Council meeting. Hundreds of municipalities throughout the State have approved ordinances to impose a local tax to replace the State tax. The Illinois
Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry Garden Harvest Dinner
Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry, a cornerstone of hunger relief in Aurora since 1957, is pleased to announce its annual Garden Harvest Dinner Saturday, Aug. 9, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. at the organization, 834 N. Highland Avenue, Aurora. This elegant, farm-to-table evening will begin with a cocktail hour and garden
Reader’s Voice: Donald’s dubious approval ratings
July 21, 2025Dear editor; Whaaaat? Donald Trump’s approval rating at 90%? That’s according to House speaker, Mike Johnson, who made that claim in an interview Friday, July 18 with CNBC. This is of course right up there with other of the many false claims of the chief purveyor of bull$#!%
Diabetes Club participating in First Fridays annual “Stolp Block Party”, Aug. 1; Diabetes Club of Fox Valley members provide awareness
By Russ George The Diabetes Club of Fox Valley members will participate in Aurora’s First Fridays annual “Stolp Block Party”, Friday, Aug. 1. Stolp Avenue will be closed for the block party between Downer Place and Galena Boulevard, in downtown Aurora. Stop by our tent, pick up information on prediabetes,
71 Reasons and More Foundation fundraiser
The 71 Reasons and More Foundation, a nonprofit supporting youth mental health awareness, will hold a third annual bowling fundraiser Friday, July 25, at 6 p.m. at Parkside Lanes, 34W185 Montgomery Road in Aurora. The public is invited. Admission is a $40 donation. Included is bowling, shoe rental, basket raffles,
History of Aurora bridges, Memorial Bridge, final part
By Ricky Rieckert Dear readers, This week, we’ll finish the history of Aurora’s bridges. The bridges over the Fox River in Aurora, have significantly impacted the City’s development and character. Bridges were initially built to overcome the Fox River, connecting the east and west sides of Aurora, to enable easier
Aurora City Council approves Stacey Peterson as CFO
The Aurora City Council unanimously approved the appointment of Stacey Peterson to serve as the City’s new chief financial officer (CFO) and City treasurer. Peterson, who was appointed to fill the vacancy created by the departure of former CFO Chris Minick, is a 26-year veteran of City Hall, initially beginning
Jason Bauer New Director of Public Works and City Engineer
The Aurora City Council unanimously approved the appointment of Jason Bauer to serve as the City’s new director of Public Works and City engineer. Bauer, who had been serving as the interim director of Public Works and interim City engineer since March, was appointed to permanently fill the role following
Foster to hold town hall at Aurora University July 29
Congressman Bill Foster will have a town hall Tuesday, July 29, at 6:30 p.m. at Aurora University’s Crimi Auditorium, 1347 Prairie Street, Aurora. Doors will open at 5:45 p.m.. This event is open to any constituents in Illinois’ 11th Congressional District. Registration isn’t required, but registered guests get priority. Register
Recipe of the Week: Summer Chicken Burgers
Ingredients1 ripe avocado, sliced1 tablespoon lemon juice1 tablespoon butter1 large Vidalia onions, sliced into rings4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halvessalt and pepper to taste4 hamburger buns4 tablespoons mayonnaise4 slices provolone cheese Directions1. In a small bowl, combine sliced avocado, lemon juice, and mayonnaise and blend until smooth. Preheat an outdoor
Poem: That Cup We Talk About
No wonder we are all screwed up—Insisting life’s a half-filled cup.Half-filled, half-empty, it’s the same,But that’s not how we play the game.We say half-filled is better, yetIt’s still half-empty on a bet.The connotation is, of course,One side is smooth, the other coarse,One side is bright, the other dim,One side is
Library renovations: Goodbye Eola, hello Eola Express!
If you haven’t been to Aurora Public Library District’s Eola Road Branch in a while, there’s a lot going on! So much has happened since we first shared our renovation plans with the community summer of 2024. Thanks to all the work that’s been done, we are happy to announce
Creative life: Schoolroom scribbler to Eighth Army artist
Ever since I was a little kid in a highchair and randomly painted my face with creamed rutabaga, I wanted to be an artist. My teachers thought I had the talent for it and my parents thought I was wonderful at it (when a kid is in the single-digit age
Junior Tour de Naperville cycling set for August 9
Kids ages three to 12 can celebrate the Tour de France in Naperville with the Park District’s annual Junior Tour de Naperville Saturday, Aug. 9. Children will have the opportunity to ride bikes, tricycles, or big wheels along the 1.2-mile loop trail at Wolf’s Crossing Community Park, 3252 Wolf’s Crossing
Aurora mayor Laesch Community Listening Town Hall
City of Aurora mayor, John Laesch, is set to kick off a City-wide listening tour, inviting residents to offer valuable feedback on the future of the City. The Community Listening & Action Town Hall Tour will take place on four consecutive Saturdays, to begin July 26. Each week, the workshops
Oswego water update: PFAS testing and legal action
The Village of Oswego has completed four consecutive quarters of testing its public water supply for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), as required by the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (IEPA). While no detections were reported during the first two quarters, recent sampling revealed trace amounts of PFAS in four wells—each