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
U.S. Congressman Bill Foster (D-11), center, presents a ceremonial $1.25 million check Tuesday, June 27, at a groundbreaking ceremony for Green Freedom, a 17-home, net-zero-energy subdivision on Aurora’s southwest side by Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity.
By Jerry Nowicki A new State fiscal year will begin July 1, ushering in the reinstatement of a one percent tax on groceries and a second increase to the State’s motor fuel tax in 2023. Amid record-high inflation last spring, the General Assembly temporarily waived Illinois’ grocery tax for the
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council approved, 10-1, the final plans by PENN Entertainment, at the Tuesday, June 27 City Council meeting, to clear the final step to begin the construction process. Recently-elected alderman-at-large John Laesch was the one dissenting vote. The Hollywood Casino Aurora will move from its
Chicago Bears general manager Kevin Warren said this week the Chicago Bears are now “in a position to start exploring other places and opportunities and no longer considers Arlington Heights as a singular focus.” This is ideal timing because the City of Aurora submitted to Warren a letter of interest
She made history when she was elected in 1991 to the Aurora City Council and continued to blaze a trail of unparalleled leadership, service, and advocacy, for the next three decades. A trailblazing public servant whose name is synonymous with Aurora, Ward 7 alderwoman, Scheketa Hart-Burns, was the first African
Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) announced Monday, June 26 Illinois has received a $12,299,377 grant from the Biden-Harris Administration’s infrastructure law to put new American-built buses on the road and improve transit service in their community. The grants, administered by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Transit Administration, were made possible
By John & Nisha Whitehead We’re not dealing with a government that exists to serve its people, protect their liberties and ensure their happiness. Rather, we are the unfortunate victims of the diabolical machinations of a make-works program carried out on an epic scale whose only purpose is to keep
By Andrew Adams Next time you attend a parade, there might be an eye in the sky. A new law signed by governor JB Pritzker Friday, June 16 expands local police departments’ authority to use drones to surveil certain events, respond to certain 911 calls, inspect buildings, and participate in
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council shared heart-felt thoughts on the late Aurora Ward 7 alderwoman Scheketa Hart-Burns, 68, at the Committee of the Whole (COW) meeting, Tuesday, June 20. First elected in 1991 to serve Aurora’s Ward 7 residents, alderwoman Hart-Burns, Aurora’s first black elected official on City
U.S. Congressman Sean Casten (IL-06) released the following statement regarding the shooting in Willowbrook, Ill. Sunday, June 18: “I’m heartbroken to see the news from Willowbrook this morning. We live in a tragic reality where you cannot go to school, go to the grocery store, go to your place of
Congressman Bill Foster (D-IL) led eight of his Democratic colleagues in introducing a resolution June 15 that calls on the Secretary of Defense to authorize Dreamers to serve in the armed services. “For many Dreamers, the United States is the only home they have ever known. Every American deserves the
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
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,
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.
Former federal judge was nearly unanimously approved for a full five-year term in spring session By Nika Schoonover Capitol News Illinois nschoonover@capitolnewsillinois.com After 15 months as Illinois’ legislative inspector general, Judge Michael McCuskey is moving to Springfield. Since he first assumed the role in February 2022 – several months after
By Peter Hancock Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation Monday, June 12 that seeks to protect public and school libraries from pressure to ban, remove, or restrict access to books based on partisan or doctrinal disapproval. Speaking at the Harold Washington Library Center in downtown Chicago, Pritzker said there were 67
State representative Stephanie Kifowit (D-Oswego) has been selected as the 2022-2023 Outstanding House Legislator of the Year by the collective Posts of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of Illinois. The prestigious award was presented to Representative Kifowit, who is an honorably discharged United States Marine Corps Veteran, during the Joint
By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council approved two mayoral appointees at the City Council meeting, Tuesday, June 13. Approved was the appointment of Michael Nelson as director of Aurora’s Community Events Department and the appointment of Denise Zartmann to the City’s Advisory Commission for Disabilities. Zartmann is a transition
June 10, 2023Dear editor; Awake Americans, a national affiliate of Awake Illinois, is using Naperville as a launch pad for its views and actions that contradict and undermine our City’s pledge to diversity, equity, and inclusion. A public statement from mayor Scott Werhli and the City Council, to tell them
