August 22, 2020Dear editor; This letter serves as a heads-up to all property taxpayers in Aurora (Township). I learned with some difficulty, this year is different because the assessments were not all published. Only the re-valued parcels were published in the August 10 Beacon News. To make it even more
The City of Aurora government has launched a $500,000 emergency rental assistance program to support Aurora residents who have overdue rent payments because of financial strain caused by COVID-19. If approved, residents can receive funds paid directly to landlords for up to two months of past-due rent based on the
Did you know that college costs increase at twice the rate of inflation each year? Students are taking longer to earn their degrees, and student-loan debt is at an all time high. Recent graduates are entering a cycle of debt immediately upon graduation which set them up for lifelong financial
Commander Laurie Emmer of the Veterans of Foreign Wars of the U.S. Department of Illinois, announced the kick-off of this year’s VFW’s Voice of Democracy Scholarship competition. High school students have the opportunity to compete for thousands of dollars in scholarships and a trip to Washington, D.C.. Students must write
By Rebecca Anzel A group of Commonwealth Edison ratepayers asked a federal judge Monday to force the utility company, House speaker Michael Madigan, and others to pay “at least” $450 Million to be split among all those affected by an alleged extortion scandal. The number of affected ratepayers could rise
By Peter Hancock Financial aid is about to start flowing for Illinois businesses that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity published emergency rules this week to implement the Business Interruption Grant program, or BIG. Those rules took effect July 21 when they
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, after the lockdown was announced, staff members at World Relief DuPage/Aurora had to quickly pivot from in-person to virtual classes and activities to continue providing many of the services they offer to local immigrants and refugees. WRDA serves more than 2,000 individuals in
At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, five funding groups in west suburban Chicago, the Aurora Women’s Empowerment Foundation (AWEF), Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley (CFFRV), Dunham Fund (DF), Fox Valley United Way (FVUW) and INC Board, joined forces to form the Fox Valley Grantmakers COVID-19 Response Fund.
By Jerry Nowicki Days after the governor donated $51.5 Million of his personal fortune to a committee supporting a graduated income tax constitutional amendment, a new coalition has begun an effort to defeat the measure. At stake is governor JB Pritzker’s signature policy proposal, a constitutional amendment scrapping the state’s
By Jerry Nowicki The U.S. Department of Labor released statistics Thursday showing 705,878 Illinoisans received unemployment insurance for the week ending June 20. While that was a decrease of 4,401 continued unemployment claims overall from the previous week, according to the data, the State still saw 46,005 new initial claims
The Village government of Oswego is offering residents who have been laid off because of COVID-19 a $20 credit on their water bills. To apply for the one-time credit, residents must fill out a short online form and submit proof of unemployment, such as a statement from an employer, or
The Kiwanis Club of Aurora board at its monthly meeting in May decided to donate to two Aurora food pantries in this time of distress, and contributed to the Aurora Area Interfaith Food Pantry and the Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry. Each pantry received $5,000. Club president Steve Andras said, “It
Greeter Matt Erion of Batavia collects monetary donations and canned food for Marie Wilkinson Food Pantry in Aurora after Flowing Forth United Methodist Church’s first drive-in service Sunday at Aurora Christian School parking lot.
In the Tuesday, May 19 Mega Millions draw, one lucky player in Aurora won a $1 Million prize. The winning ticket was purchased at Aurora Shell, 2112 Ogden Avenue, in Aurora and matched five numbers to win. The retailer will receive a bonus of $10,000, one percent of the prize
State representative Barbara Hernandez, D-Aurora, encourages nonprofits and community organizations to apply for the Illinois Restore, Reinvest, and Renew (R3) grant program, designed for programs in historically underserved Illinois communities, including large parts of Aurora. “The negative consequences of the war on drugs have been felt by poor and disadvantaged
Assistant State House minority leader Keith Wheeler, R-Oswego, issued the following statement Sunday, May 24 after the General Assembly voted to approve a State budget for FY 2021: “While there was an encouraging degree of bipartisan cooperation during the special session when it came to ensuring funding for our hospitals
Following passage of a State budget that prioritizes health care and essential services, State representatives Stephanie Kifowit, D-Oswego, issued the following statement Saturday: “First and foremost, I would like to acknowledge all of our frontline workers during this difficult time and thank all the nurses, doctors and first responders for
May 16, 2020Dear editor; I am distressed with the Oswego Village Board under mayor Troy Parlier. How can four out of six Board members decide to go ahead and vote for a $750,000 frivolous amphitheater? This is one of the most uncertain periods in modern history. Every part of people’s
May 8, 2020Dear editor; In 1492: Oh Columbus! The settlement of aliens to American shores, a country we seized from the natives, was unpredictable. Once here, the Europeans did slowly seize the lands from the natives we referred to as Indians. The new settlers were seeking freedom from tyranny and
The board of directors of the Aurora Women’s Empowerment Foundation (AWEF) announced its 2020 grant recipients. The sum of $20,000 was granted to the Dominican Literacy Program to purchase new tutoring materials. The Dominican Literacy Center, Aurora, is a community-based organization sponsored by the Dominican Sisters of Springfield. The Center
