Latest news with #LastFling
Chicago Tribune
a day ago
- General
- Chicago Tribune
St. Charles looking for resident input on sidewalks
The city of St. Charles has developed a survey to gather input from residents to help with sidewalk planning in the city's neighborhoods, officials said. Resident feedback will help the city decide where sidewalks are needed, where they may not be wanted and where improvements are necessary, according to a press release from St. Charles. The survey closes July 11. The comments received will be incorporated with other criteria to help guide the city in future project selection, the release said. The survey is available at The city of Geneva is aiming to enhance electric service reliability by replacing underground utility cable in four areas throughout the community starting in July, city officials said. The 2025-26 underground electric replacement program areas include: South Harrison Street near Spring Street, July 7 to Aug. 18; James Street west of Ninth Street, Aug. 18 to Sept. 8; 2000 block of South Batavia Avenue, Sept. 9 to 26; and James Street from Third to Fifth streets, Sept. 27 to Oct. 29, according to a press release from the city. Construction dates are estimates and may be subject to change due to weather or other unforeseen factors, the release stated. The city's contractor, Utility Dynamics, will be installing conduit through utility easements and public right-of-way during the work. Electrical transformers, pedestals and street lights also will be replaced, according to the release. During the latter part of each project, the contractor will energize and connect homes to the new equipment, officials said. Scheduled power outages will be required as part of this process. The city will be sending notifications in advance of any service disruption, the release stated. The Forest Preserve District of Will County is the recipient of a $1.9 million grant for trail and road improvements through the Illinois Transportation Enhancement Program of the Illinois Department of Transportation. Meant to help expand local travel options and enhance a community's quality of life, the funds will support a trail that will be built in partnership with the city of Aurora and Wheatland Township Road District, according to a news release from state Sen. Linda Holmes, D-Aurora. It will stretch along the north side of Wolfs Crossing Road west from Carls Drive and on the south side east from Carls Drive, the release said. Trail users will be able to head west to Hoffman Boulevard to connect to a system of Aurora trails or east towards the forest preserve district's Normantown Trail or the Naperville Park District's Tallgrass Greenway Trail. The project is in the first phase of engineering, which includes a preliminary design alignment. Musical performers for the Last Fling celebration, scheduled for Aug. 29-Sept. 1 along Jackson Avenue in downtown Naperville, have been announced by the Naperville Jaycees. Sammy & the Knights will kick off the party when they perform at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, followed by 7th Heaven at 8 p.m. On Saturday, Aug. 30, Buckshot Bully takes the stage at noon, Fearless at 2:30 p.m., 90s Pop Nation at 5:15 p.m. and Too Hype Crew at 8 p.m. Performers on Sunday, Aug. 31, are Within 4 Days at noon, Mixtape Junkies at 2:30 p.m., the Ron Burgundys at 5:15 p.m. and headliner Sixteen Candles at 8 p.m. On the final fest day, Monday, Sept. 1, Rick Lindy and the Wild Ones play at noon and Mike & Joe at 3:45 p.m. In the beer garden, Brent Brown will perform Friday through Sunday and Michael C. Hayes on Monday. Last Fling features live music, food, beverages, a carnival and the Labor Day parade.
Chicago Tribune
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Naperville News Digest: Music lineup for Last Fling announced by the Jaycees; Naperville Central HS team wins financial literacy competition
Musical performers for the Last Fling celebration, scheduled for Aug. 29-Sept. 1 along Jackson Avenue in downtown Naperville, have been announced by the Naperville Jaycees. Sammy & the Knights will kick off the party when they perform at 5 p.m. Friday, Aug. 29, followed by 7th Heaven at 8 p.m. On Saturday, Aug. 30, Buckshot Bully takes the stage at noon, Fearless at 2:30 p.m., 90s Pop Nation at 5:15 p.m. and Too Hype Crew at 8 p.m. Performers on Sunday, Aug. 31, are Within 4 Days at noon, Mixtape Junkies at 2:30 p.m., the Ron Burgundys at 5:15 p.m. and headliner Sixteen Candles at 8 p.m. On the final fest day, Monday, Sept. 1, Rick Lindy and the Wild Ones play at noon and Mike & Joe at 3:45 p.m. In the beer garden, Brent Brown will perform Friday through Sunday and Michael C. Hayes on Monday. Last Fling features live music, food, beverages, a carnival and the Labor Day parade. A team of students from Naperville Central High School won the Illinois Personal Finance Challenge sponsored by the University of Illinois Chicago's Center for Economic Education and Illinois Treasurer Michael Frerichs. Made up of students Rohan Jha, Rohan Jain, Audrey Cheng and Michael Antipov, the team demonstrated their knowledge in areas like earning income, spending, saving, managing credit, investing and managing risk, a news release from Frerichs' office said. Teams competed through an online exam last fall and this past spring. The top-scorers then took part in a virtual case study for the Illinois state finals, the release said. More than 630 students participated in teams across the state. College Preparatory School of America in Lombard won second place and Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy in Aurora took third. Rotary Club of Naperville presented $200,000 in grants to 35 area nonprofit organizations during its annual Community Service Grants Luncheon, organizers said. Grant recipients are dedicated to meeting basic humanitarian needs in the community and support a wide range of services such as mental health, housing support, youth development, education and senior services, a club news release said. Among the winners were Naperville Education Foundation and Indian Prairie Educational Foundation, the charitable arms of school districts 203 and 204 respectively. Other local entities receiving money included 360 Youth Services, DuPage Children's Museum, Edward Foundation, KidsMatter Foundation, Loaves & Fishes Community Services, Naperville Elderly Homes Inc. and Riverwalk Adult Day Services. 'We are honored to support these organizations doing extraordinary work to improve lives,' Rotary Club President Jacque Clermont said in a news release. 'The impact they make every day embodies the spirit of Rotary.'
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
No unaccompanied minors, only clear bags at Naperville's Last Fling this year
No unaccompanied minors will be allowed at Naperville's Last Fling this year, per new security measures announced by organizers on social media. Put on by the Naperville Jaycees, the annual Labor Day celebration is scheduled for Aug. 29-Sept. 1. With less than three months to go, the nonprofit social service club announced in a Facebook post that the event will have more safety requirements than in previous years, some of which are being dictated by the city. Among them is a provision that attendees under the age of 18 be accompanied by someone over the age of 25. One guardian will be able to supervise up to five minors. They have also instituted a clear bag policy, meaning only see-through and small clutch bags will be permitted. Bag storage will not be available and anyone with unapproved items will be turned away, organizers say. Further, all patrons will be subject to metal detector screenings. The announcement of the additional measures come days after organizers of the city's annual India Day Festival & Concert said they would be scaling back festivities this year amid rising costs from city-mandated security requirements. Bolstering safety measures at the Last Fling will impact the Jaycees 'significantly,' said Karen Coleman, the event's public relations and marketing chair. But the additional measures are also necessary for putting on the safest event possible, she said. 'We just need everyone to understand how important safety is to us,' she said. 'We would be devastated if something untoward happened at our event.' Asked about the financial impact of the added measures, Coleman said they were still figuring out the total cost but estimated it will be 'in the tens of thousands of dollars.' The new requirement for minor supervision was born out of crowd control issues related to minors in past years, Coleman said. As was the case previously, Last Fling will again be surrounded by fencing with gated entrances, Coleman said. The event's current location is along Jackson Avenue from Ewing Street to Main Street. However, the layout of the grounds may be altered next year, she said. 'The city of Naperville wants us to change the footprint of the event,' she said. Last Fling could move away from Jackson Avenue and take place at the Naperville Riverwalk's Rotary Hill instead. At this point, it's a possibility but 'not a done deal,' City Clerk Dawn Portner said. Like it does with every event in town, the city's special events team will evaluate the lessons learned from this year's Last Fling once it's over to determine if any changes need to be made for future events, Portner said. 'I think (one) of the issues that we're concerned with is compression,' she said. '(Last Fling) is a great event. It's a well-attended event, and we want to make sure that everyone who goes is safe. And if there is an incident that happens, that police can get in there (and) the fire department can get in there. … That's the way we look at it. 'Does it need a bigger location? Does it need a new location? Will (that) help if we do have compression issues? And if we have anything that we need to be concerned with, can we do it better? Is there a reason to do it better?' In an interview last week, Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres said additional security requirements at large-scale events in town are 'something we've been really pushing towards for the past few years and are finally getting traction (on).' 'Outdoor events are big, big targets for those looking to do bad things,' Arres said, 'and they're increasingly vulnerable to mass violence. … (These recommendations) keep these events safe and can actually deter threats before they occur.' Coleman said this year's Last Fling will still be the staple Labor Day celebration that attendees know and love — just safer. 'We're not trying to ruin anyone's great time or change the perspective of this awesome, end-of-summer event,' she said. 'We're super excited for the Fling this year.' Updates and more information about Last Fling, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, can be found at tkenny@
Chicago Tribune
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
No unaccompanied minors, only clear bags at Naperville's Last Fling this year
No unaccompanied minors will be allowed at Naperville's Last Fling this year, per new security measures announced by organizers on social media. Put on by the Naperville Jaycees, the annual Labor Day celebration is scheduled for Aug. 29-Sept. 1. With less than three months to go, the nonprofit social service club announced in a Facebook post that the event will have more safety requirements than in previous years, some of which are being dictated by the city. Among them is a provision that attendees under the age of 18 be accompanied by someone over the age of 25. One guardian will be able to supervise up to five minors. They have also instituted a clear bag policy, meaning only see-through and small clutch bags will be permitted. Bag storage will not be available and anyone with unapproved items will be turned away, organizers say. Further, all patrons will be subject to metal detector screenings. The announcement of the additional measures come days after organizers of the city's annual India Day Festival & Concert said they would be scaling back festivities this year amid rising costs from city-mandated security requirements. Bolstering safety measures at the Last Fling will impact the Jaycees 'significantly,' said Karen Coleman, the event's public relations and marketing chair. But the additional measures are also necessary for putting on the safest event possible, she said. 'We just need everyone to understand how important safety is to us,' she said. 'We would be devastated if something untoward happened at our event.' Asked about the financial impact of the added measures, Coleman said they were still figuring out the total cost but estimated it will be 'in the tens of thousands of dollars.' The new requirement for minor supervision was born out of crowd control issues related to minors in past years, Coleman said. As was the case previously, Last Fling will again be surrounded by fencing with gated entrances, Coleman said. The event's current location is along Jackson Avenue from Ewing Street to Main Street. However, the layout of the grounds may be altered next year, she said. 'The city of Naperville wants us to change the footprint of the event,' she said. Last Fling could move away from Jackson Avenue and take place at the Naperville Riverwalk's Rotary Hill instead. At this point, it's a possibility but 'not a done deal,' City Clerk Dawn Portner said. Like it does with every event in town, the city's special events team will evaluate the lessons learned from this year's Last Fling once it's over to determine if any changes need to be made for future events, Portner said. 'I think (one) of the issues that we're concerned with is compression,' she said. '(Last Fling) is a great event. It's a well-attended event, and we want to make sure that everyone who goes is safe. And if there is an incident that happens, that police can get in there (and) the fire department can get in there. … That's the way we look at it. 'Does it need a bigger location? Does it need a new location? Will (that) help if we do have compression issues? And if we have anything that we need to be concerned with, can we do it better? Is there a reason to do it better?' In an interview last week, Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres said additional security requirements at large-scale events in town are 'something we've been really pushing towards for the past few years and are finally getting traction (on).' 'Outdoor events are big, big targets for those looking to do bad things,' Arres said, 'and they're increasingly vulnerable to mass violence. … (These recommendations) keep these events safe and can actually deter threats before they occur.' Coleman said this year's Last Fling will still be the staple Labor Day celebration that attendees know and love — just safer. 'We're not trying to ruin anyone's great time or change the perspective of this awesome, end-of-summer event,' she said. 'We're super excited for the Fling this year.' Updates and more information about Last Fling, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary this year, can be found at
Yahoo
07-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Naperville's India Day Festival reduced to parade only due to security requirements
The annual India Day Festival & Concert, which for years has brought large crowds to Naperville, will be scaled back this year, organizers have announced. Usually a day-long affair featuring live entertainment and a cultural festival at Naperville's Rotary Hill, the free event will be reduced to only a parade when held Aug. 10, organizers said in a Facebook post. The decision to curtail festivities was attributed to heightened costs and reduced funding, the post said. Presented by Indian Community Outreach, the festival commemorates Aug. 15, 1947, the day India won its freedom from British rule. Launched in 2015, the event has grown into one of the largest Indian American festivals of its kind across the country, according to Krishna Bansal, event founder and organizer. Cost increases were partly the result of new city-mandated security requirements, Bansal said. Namely, requirements mandating the use of fencing around the perimeter of the event and metal detectors at controlled entry and exit points and dictating that attendees could bring only clear bags onto the grounds, he said. Implementing those rules would have taken a 'mammoth amount of effort,' Bansal said. '(It would) take a huge amount of resources as well as cost to do that.' Sponsors primarily fund the festival, he said. Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres said the security requirements aren't really new. Rather, they're 'something we've really been pushing towards for the past few years and are finally getting traction,' he said. It's a matter of public safety, Arres said. 'Outdoor events are big, big targets for those looking to do bad things,' he said, 'and they're increasingly vulnerable to mass violence. … (These recommendations) keep these events safe and actually can deter threats before they can occur.' They're also in line with what other large-scale events in town — Last Fling and Halal Fest, for instance — have been doing for a number of years, Arres said. 'We're not asking them (to do) anything different than any other progressive agencies and cities are doing because these are the best practices for these big-scale events,' he said. Asked if Indian Community Outreach plans to bring back the event in full in the future, Bansal said, 'We are not looking to cancel the event.' It's just a matter of how and where it will move forward, he said. They want to continue holding the event in Naperville but if doing so isn't feasible, 'we'll have to look around and see where we can do this effectively,' he said. 'This event is immensely popular,' he said. 'People want to have this event. We will continue with what we have built.' Changes to the festival follow last month's announcement that there would be no Naperville Salute this summer. The annual Fourth of July celebration, also held at Rotary Hill, was canceled to preserve the long-term health of both the event and the charitage organization behind it, organizers said. It was scheduled to take place from June 27-29 but now only the Naperville Responds for Veterans Ruck March will be held. Both cancellations come in the wake of Naperville Ribfest, another of the city's longstanding summer celebrations, permanently ending last year. tkenny@
