Volunteers dish free hot dogs to visitors at National Night Out in Aurora Tuesday, Aug. 1. The Fourth Ward event, one of 45 held in Aurora, was sponsored by Tomcat Neighbors on Evans Avenue between Lebanon Street to Sexton Street. Activities included a bounce house, face painter, free hot dogs, snacks and beverages plus science demonstrations by Teresa Nighelli, a middle-school science teacher at Kindi Academy in Lisle. National Night Out encourages residents turn on their porch lights and spend the evening getting to know their neighbors, police officers, firefighters and other city officials.  (Al Benson photo)

AURORA

Woman sexually assaulted robbed at gunpoint

A 38-year-old woman was robbed at gunpoint and sexually assaulted during an early Saturday, July 29 morning attack in Aurora, Aurora police said.

According to Aurora Police Department spokesman Dan Ferrelli, the incident occurred around 5 a.m. in an alley in the 400 block of Marion Ave.

The woman reported that she was walking alone in the alley when she was approached by a man with a handgun who demanded she give him her valuables.

The woman complied and handed over her cash, Ferrelli said. She was then allegedly sexually assaulted between two garages in the alley.

After the assault, the suspect ordered the woman to leave the area. She was later treated at an Aurora hospital.

The suspect involved in the incident was described as a black man in his late teens. He was 5-foot-8, 160 pounds, with a short hair and no facial hair. He was wearing dark clothing at the time of the attack, police said. 

Anyone with information should call  Aurora Police Investigations at (630) 256-5500, Aurora Area Crime Stoppers at (630) 892-1000 or submit tips using the “My PD” app.

ST. CHARLES

Firefighters discover body after dousing garage blaze

St. Charles firefighters discovered a body Saturday when they extinguished a garage fire at a home on McKinley Street.

According to a news release from St. Charles Fire Chief Joe Schelstreet, the Fire Department was dispatched at around 7:17 p.m. Saturday, July 29, to a reported garage fire, phoned in by multiple callers to 911, at 1211 South Fourth St. Units were on the scene by 7:20 p.m., and found a fully involved detached garage on fire with the corrected address being 409 McKinley St.

Firefighters were able to bring the fire under control in about 20 minutes but remained on the scene for several hours, completing the fire investigation.

While conducting fire-extinguishing operations, firefighters “located an obviously deceased male victim,” reports said. Positive identification is being made the Kane County Coroner’s Office.

The cause of the fire is under investigation, and the St. Charles Police Department is conducting a death investigation.

There were no injuries to firefighters. Fire loss is estimated at $100,000 to the structure and contents.

The St. Charles Fire Department was assisted at the scene by the Geneva, Batavia, Elburn and South Elgin fire departments.

AURORA

Veterans resource fair at Prisco Center Aug. 18

The Veterans Assistance Commission of Kane County in partnership with the Edward Hines Jr. VA Hospital and the Fox Valley Park District will be hosting a Resource Fair and Town Hall meeting from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 18, at the Prisco Community Center, 150 W. Illinois Ave. in Aurora.

The Resource Fair will include 40 resource vendors in attendance to bring services to local veterans. Eligible veterans will have the opportunity to enroll in VA health care and obtain the veteran designation on their Illinois driver’s license. Veterans will need their DD-214 (military discharge papers) for some services.

“We are excited to be hosting the Veteran Resource Fair in Illinois’ second largest city,” said Jacob Zimmerman, Superintendent of the Veterans Assistance Commission of Kane County. “With over 6,000 veterans in Aurora, this is a great opportunity for Veterans to connect with agencies that exist to help them.”

Following the Resource Fair, Hines VA will hold a Town Hall meeting from 2:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m. to inform local veterans about their benefits and the services available at its main campus near Maywood, as well as its clinic located at 161 S. Lincolnway in North Aurora.

COUNTY

Damage assessment fees waived for flood victims

Kane County is waiving its damage assessment permit fees for structures impacted by recent flooding.

The Kane County Development and Community Services Department announced last week that it is waiving fees for a Damage Assessment Permit, which is required for addressing flood-damaged buildings.

Normally, there’s a $50 damage assessment fee, but this fee is waived because of Kane County’s Declaration of Disaster.

“Many residents and business owners will be dealing with the aftermath of recent flooding in our area as they begin to assess the damage to their properties and buildings,” said Kane County Development Director Mark VanKerkhoff. “The Kane County Development and Community Services Department is committed to working with those impacted by the Fox River flooding, and wants to remind residents and businesses in unincorporated Kane County with building damage from flood waters that a Damage Assessment Permit is required for addressing flood-damaged buildings.”

Residents are strongly encouraged to apply for a Damage Assessment Permit as soon as possible so that the county’s inspectors can coordinate their inspections with each permit applicant’s insurance agent or adjuster.

The two-step permit process described below will help ensure that buildings are repaired or reconstructed in a safe and timely manner.

AURORA

Methodists seek cash, school supplies to give out

Aurora Methodists are collecting funds and school supplies for a free school-supply distribution Saturday, Aug. 12.

The 10 annual event will be held from 9 to 11 a.m. at Wesley United Methodist Church, 14, N. May St. in Aurora or until supplies are distributed.

Aurora-area students are invited. Students need not attend to get school supplies and backpacks. 

The event is co-sponsored by Wesley and Fourth Street United Methodist churches in Aurora.

About 50 volunteers from both churches will distribute supplies.

The public is invited to contribute funds or supplies. Supplies needed are three-ring binders, two-pocket folders, highlighters, 24-pack crayons, washable markers, spiral-bound notebooks, black-ink pens, blue-ink pens, 12-inch rulers with inches and centimeters, supply boxes, round-tip scissors,  No. 2 pencils, pink erasers and glue sticks.

Donations will be accepted at Wesley UMC, 14 N. May St. and Fourth St. UMC, 551 S. Fourth St., through Sunday, Aug. 6.

For more information, call (630) 896-1033. (630) 897-5257 or email Nicole.wumc@Gmail.com.

ELGIN

The city of Elgin invites residents, community groups and local businesses to help shape the city’s next strategic plan by participating upcoming Community Input Sessions.

The new strategic plan will launch in 2018, following the conclusion of the five-year strategic plan that began in 2013.

The City Council and city staff use the strategic plan to identify and prioritize initiatives and strategies to enhance the community. In addition to the results from the recent community survey, these meetings provide another venue to gather input on the issues should receive heightened attention by the city in the next three to five years.

Stakeholders who are unable to attend a meeting in person can provide input through an online community survey. The survey is available at cityofelgin.org/communitysurvey until Aug. 10.

Upcoming sessions will be held on Aug 14 at 6 p.m. at First Christian Church of Elgin, 1125 Summitt St., and on Aug. 19 at 10 a.m. at the City of Elgin Public Services Facility, 1900 Holmes Road. A Spanish language session is scheduled for Aug. 21 at 6 p.m. at The Center Ballroom, 100 Symphony Way.

STATE

IDOT focuses on safe traffic flow during eclipse 

The Illinois Department of Transportation says it will make sure traffic keeps moving and the traveling public remains safe leading up to the solar eclipse. Carbondale is in the path of the total eclipse, making it one of the prime viewing areas in the country for the Aug. 21 event. The rest of the state will experience a partial eclipse of approximately 90 percent. 

Unlike some states, Illinois is placing no special restrictions on truck activities because of the eclipse. To help with traffic flow, lane closures on major IDOT projects in the southern part of the state will be temporarily lifted during the weekend before the eclipse and the following day. Throughout the state, digital message boards will communicate traffic and safety messages. 

The department also is coordinating with Illinois State Police and local law enforcement to ensure that traffic control points are appropriately staffed.  

–Kane County News Briefs–