Shoppers lined up for the grand opening of a new Aldi store at 2275 W. Galena Blvd. in Aurora last month. The new building is part of the Batavia-based chain’s $1.6 million store remodeling effort. (Al Benson photo)

COUNTY

Kane offers walk-in flu shots in Aurora

Flu activity has been serious this year, nationwide.

The Kane County Health Department says the best way to protect yourself and your family  this season is to get a flu shot. Call (630) 208-3801 or visit the Kane County Health Department website for more information.

Walk-in flu clinic shots are available at the Department’s Aurora Office: 1240 N. Highland Ave., 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. The cost: $23.87, payable by check or cash.

ST. CHARLES

Armed robber strikes local Domino’s Pizza

An armed robber struck a local Domino’s Pizza two days after Christmas.

According to a report from the St. Charles Police Department, officers responded at around 12:17 a.m. Wednesday, Dec. 27, to a report of an armed robbery at Domino’s Pizza, 1450 W. Main St.

The employees reported the offender entered the front door, displayed a black handgun and demanded cash. The victim/employee handed over the cash as well as a cell phone as demanded by the offender.

The offender fled west toward North 15th Street on foot. Officers checked the area, and a K9 from the

Aurora Police Department responded to assist. The offender was not located.

The offender was described as a 25-year-old male Hispanic, about 6 feet tall and 200 pounds. He was wearing a black hoodie, black ski mask and khaki pants at the time of the incident.

The St. Charles Police Department is asking anyone with information to contact the Investigations Section at (630) 377-4435.

AURORA

Mentors needed to help people get out of poverty

Hope Takes Action-Aurora is starting its fourth program in January, and needs volunteers and supplies to help individuals get out of poverty.

The participants are accompanied by mentors who are trained and available to be their coaches. The mentors are people from the community who will be supportive listeners and friends as these individuals move closer to their dream of escaping poverty. The program plans to have graduates from the 18-week program in the spring.

For more information and to volunteer, contact (630) 354-8894 or go to hopetakesaction.aurora@gmail.com.

Police investigate multiple shootings

Aurora police are investigating hootings that occurred over the Christmas holiday weekend.

In one of the incidents, a 37-year-old Aurora man was seriously wounded after being shot inside of his home around 11:15 p.m. Dec. 23 in the 1100 block of Superior.

Detectives are pursuing several leads in the shooting which apparently occurred after the victim and another man engaged in a verbal altercation.

The other man then produced a handgun, fired several shots and then fled the scene. The gunshot wounds all appear to be non-life threatening. However, the victim was airlifted to a suburban hospital after receiving initial treatment at an Aurora hospital.

Around 9:55 p.m. Dec. 23, a 38-year-old Chicago man said he was shot at while he rode his bicycle in the 1300 block of Monomoy.

The victim said he saw two men, both described as black males, appear from around the corner of an apartment building and one of the men fired several shots at him. The victim ran for cover around the back of a vehicle and said he believes the men ran northbound when the shooting stopped. Nothing appeared to be hit by gunfire. The suspect who did the shooting was wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and dark pants; the second was dressed all in dark clothing.

Anyone who has any relevant information should call Investigations at (630) 256-5500 or Aurora Area Crime Stoppers at (630) 892-1000. Calls to Crime Stoppers are anonymous and qualify for a cash reward that leads to any arrests.

COUNTY

Aurora man gets 12 years for violent stabbing at bar

An Aurora man is headed to prison for stabbing a man he knew and targeted in the neck.

Kane County Associate Judge Linda S. Abrahamson today sentenced 37-year-old Michael W. Moser-Booth to 12 years’ imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections.

A Kane County jury on Sept. 13, 2017, convicted Moser-Booth of armed violence, Class X felony.

Kane County Assistant State’s Attorneys Lori Anderson and Kelley Flinn presented evidence that at about 11 p.m. April 12, 2016, Moser-Booth entered a tavern in the 700 block of Hill Avenue, Aurora, stabbed the victim in the left side of the neck and fled.

Moser-Booth knew the victim and targeted him, according to police. The victim continues to suffer from what doctors consider to be permanent injuries.

According to Illinois law, Moser-Booth must serve at least 85 percent of the sentence. He receives credit for 123 days served in the Kane County jail.

MONTGOMERY

Village officials issue winter warnings

As the winter weather forecast starts to show signs of snow accumulations, residents are reminded  that garbage cans should be kept behind the curb, off the street.

Cans placed in the roadway slow down the village’s snow removal efforts, and are more prone to being knocked over by the snow coming off the plows.

When the forecast calls for overnight snow, consider putting your trash carts out the morning of collection to avoid the inconvenience of spilling, if knocked over.

Open house set for sidewalk improvement plan

The village of Montgomery will hold an open house public meeting concerning the proposed five-year sidewalk gap installation plan, including the construction of sidewalk and shared use paths throughout the Village.

The Open House Public Hearing will be held in the Community Room at Village Hall, 200 N. River St., on Jan. 8, from 5-6:30 p.m. All persons interested in this project are invited to attend this meeting. The meeting room is accessible to persons with a disability.

The meeting will be conducted on an informal basis. There will be two full size exhibits showing the Village’s current sidewalk and bike path system and another exhibit that shows the proposed 5-year sidewalk gap plan.

There will also be handouts showing the locations, project limits and years of construction for all the projects included in the 5-year gap plan. Representatives will answer individual questions and record comments offered by those in attendance.

For more information, contact Chris Ott, P.E., Engineering Enterprises, Inc., 52 Wheeler Road, Sugar Grove or cott@eeiweb.com, (630) 466-6757.

CHICAGO

FBI warns business of email money scam

FBI Chicago has important information for area business owners who find themselves the victim of a Business E-mail Compromise scam.

This sophisticated financial fraud targets businesses of all types, especially those who regularly perform wire transfers. In addition to using spoofed e-mail accounts, the actors often compromise valid business e-mail accounts through social engineering or computer intrusion techniques to initiate wire transfers on the criminal’s behalf.

Over the last two years, the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) has seen a 2,370 percent increase in actual and attempted BEC losses, affecting businesses in all 50 states and 131 countries. Since October 2013, those losses total well over $5 billion.

Business owners who believe they have been caught up in a BEC scam should always contact their bank immediately. The next step is to contact law enforcement. Investigators say that deciding which law enforcement agency to contact in this situation can be confusing.

The FBI Chicago Field office is home to the Business E-mail Compromise Task Force for the Chicago area.

Since its formation, the Chicago Area BEC Task Force has stopped millions of dollars in wire transfers from being completed by cyber criminals.

–Kane County News Briefs–