Category: Community

Batavia’s fun Summer event, Windmill Festival, July 7-9

Participants likely will be ready for some sizzling Summer fun with steps right up to the Windmill City Festival. Batavia’s largest Summer event will return, July 7-9. The carnival fun on Houston Street, along with tasty food and beverages, live musical entertainment, several competitions, games, and activities for all ages.

Alderwoman Scheketa Hart-Burns

Aurora to be host to horse-drawn procession for alderwoman who died unexpectedly

A trailblazing history-maker, in 1991, she was the first Black person elected to the Aurora City Council, and last week, she became the first sitting City Council member to die while in office. In between were 32 years of making more history, making significant moves, and making the lives of

Reverend Scott to start at Wesley United Methodist Church

Wesley United Methodist Church (UMC), 14 N. May Street in Aurora, will welcome the Reverend Tammy Scott as incoming pastor Sunday, July 2. Services are held online at 9:30 a.m. and in-person at 10:30 a.m.. The public is invited. Admission is free, although a free-will offering will be accepted. Rev.

Aurora Noon Lions Club donates to Diabetes Club of Fox Valley and East Aurora’s NJROTC program

Aurora Noon Lions Club recently awarded grants totaling $1,500 to two worthy community groups. At the Club’s June 15 meeting, Noon Lions president Susan Koepke presented ceremonial checks to Diabetes Club of Fox Valley and East Aurora High School’s Naval Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps unit. Koepke said, “The Aurora

Aurora mayor remembers alderwoman Scheketa Hart-Burns at Juneteenth Flag-Raising Ceremony

Mayor of Aurora, Richard Irvin, shared his thoughts after hearing the news of the death of Aurora alderwoman Scheketa Hart-Burns, at Aurora’s Juneteenth Flag-Raising Ceremony, Monday, June 19.“Scheketa was a mother, a sister. We called her the dean of the alderman.“Most importantly, she was a friend of so many.“She will

America’s youngest Black mayor, Jaylen Smith (l), 19, of Earle, Arkansas, met last month with mayor of Aurora, Richard Irvin, during the African American Mayor’s Association National Conference in Washington D.C. Smith will be Aurora’s guest speaker for the annual Juneteenth Flag Raising Ceremony on Monday, January 19 – the 158th anniversary of Juneteenth.

Youngest Black mayor in America to visit Aurora on Juneteenth

More than a century and a half ago, the last enslaved Black people received the news that they were indeed free.  Now, 158 years later, the youngest Black mayor in American history will join the first Black mayor of Aurora, Illinois, to honor the Juneteenth holiday. Mayor Jaylen Smith, 19,

Black fraternities and sororities place food boxes into trunks of vehicles at a previous Juneteenth Food Distribution.

Free groceries for 1,000 families Friday, June 16, at Juneteenth Food Giveaway in Aurora

1,000 families will be provided food tomorrow at the 3rd Annual Juneteenth Food Distribution Drive-Thru at Phillips Park in Aurora. In honor of Juneteenth and Father’s Day Weekend, more than 150 members of Black fraternities and sororities are gathering tomorrow morning in Aurora to distribute food to those in need.

Aurora Unveils New Juneteenth Squad Car

Aurora unveils new Juneteenth Squad Car in advance of the holiday

Aurora launched its Juneteenth series of celebrations by unveiling a unique, culturally custom-designed Juneteenth squad car. A large crowd, including Black police officers from Aurora and neighboring agencies, gathered today at the Aurora Police Department for the unprecedented occasion. “This is more than symbolic.  It is a statement of fact