While thousands marched in Chicago and other locations nationwide, about three dozen students and supporters gathered at Oswego High School on Saturday for their own March for Our Lives demonstration. The protest also drew pro-gun supporters (right) and anti-abortion demonstrators. (Photos by Jack McCarthy / Chronicle Media)

ELGIN

Police release video of fatal highway shooting

Video footage released last week by the Elgin Police Department in the aftermath of the fatal shooting on Interstate 90 show a woman moving towards police officers with a knife in her hand prior to her fatal shooting by an Elgin officer.

The 30 hours of video footage came out of a  March 12 stop that occurred on Interstate 90 between Beverly Rd. and Route 25 in Elgin. Video was complied from body and dashboard cameras.

Illinois State Police are investigating the shooting, which resulted in the death of DeCynthia Clements, 34. An officer, identified as Lt. Christian Jensen, fired on Clements as she moved toward police after exiting a vehicle that had caught fire.

Police said the fire was caused by Clements, who was described as “suicidal.”

“We understand very well that this incident has impacted our community,” said Chief of Police Jeff Swoboda in a statement. “We also understand that releasing this video footage, which can be very troubling to view, is one step we can take towards transparency and accountability. It is our goal to provide Ms. Clements’ family and the community with a factual narrative so we may all work towards healing.”

Swoboda and members of his command staff held several briefings with  Clements’ family members, community and faith leaders and elected officials.

Department command staff provided a summary of the incident, pertinent video footage and answers to questions about the Department’s response.

HUNTLEY

Shuttered outlet center to be demolished

The Huntley Outlet Center, a onetime popular retail destination,  will be demolished this spring.

The village of Huntley has issued a demolition permit for the former center, calling for work to e commence by April 16 and be completed by June 15.

Demolition is the culmination of court action initiated by the village on Feb. 14  to address fire and life safety code violations at this property.

On Feb. 28, a court issued a preliminary injunction order for the property to come in to compliance with fire and life safety codes. The court found that continued non-compliance at this property is creating a danger to the public.

Considering this finding by the court, the village and the property owners entered into a settlement agreement, approved by the Village Board earlier this month to demolish the buildings.

“We look forward to continued collaboration to bring new economic development opportunities to the I-90 corridor,” Huntley officials said.

SUGAR GROVE

Former Aurora chief joined Waubonsee board

The Waubonsee Community College Board of Trustees seated a former Aurora police chief Greg Thomas as new member last week.

Thomas, currently police chief in west suburban Darien, retired from the Aurora force in 2015  after serving on the force since 1978. He was appointed Aurora chief in 2008.

He will fill the seat vacated when Roger Harris resigned from the board in January.

Thomas earned an Associate Degree in Criminal Justice at Waubonsee, a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice from Lewis University and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration from Aurora University. He was named Waubonsee’s Distinguished Alumnus for 2010.

While serving on the Aurora police force, Thomas received the Kendall County Medal of Valor and was named the Exchange Club of Aurora’s Police Officer of the Year in 2005. He is a member of several professional organizations which include the International Association of Chiefs of Police, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police, the Police Executive Research Forum, the Kane County Chiefs of Police Association, and the DuPage County Chiefs of Police Association.

In addition to these professional organizations, Thomas does or has served on various boards and commissions including Hesed House, the Kane County Child Advocacy Board, the Suburban Law Enforcement Police Academy Board, the Institute for Collaboration, the Human Rights Commission, and the Aurora Cares Board.

AURORA

Warner Brothers cracks down on ‘Harry Potter’ fest

A new downtown Aurora Magic festival will take place on June 9, replacing the previously planned Harry Potter Festival.

According to festival organizers, Warner Bros. Entertainment’s attorney contacted them and directed them not to use Harry Potter’s name or any references in the downtown Aurora festival.

“We are disappointed that we cannot host another Harry Potter Festival after last year’s successful event, but we didn’t want to just cancel. At Warner Bros. suggestion, we will be hosting a general celebration of wizards, witches, and all things magical this June,” organizers wrote on a Facebook post.

“We are going to host a scaled-back event to see how things go in a festival without Harry Potter’s name on it. Our 2018 event will take place on Saturday, June 9,” they added. 

Until recently, a two-day festival was planned for June 9 and 10. Now festival organizers are planning Downtown Aurora Magic, a one-day festival on June 9.

“Last year’s event was popular and fun. We have been planning a follow-up event for months and don’t want to scrap the entire festival, so we are following Warner Bros. suggestion to have a generic wizard festival instead of a Harry Potter-specific event,” said Kate Purl, who originated Aurora’s Harry Potter Festival last year.

Tickets will go on sale on Saturday, March 24 at 9 a.m. through Eventbrite.com. Tickets will be $10 per person for witches and wizards ages 5+. Proceeds from the festival will be shared among several local non profit organizations.

For more information, visit Downtown Aurora Magic on Facebook.

AURORA

Rivers’s Edge cafe closing, coffee shop to replace it

Amy Petit is saying goodbye and Chad Dawes in saying hello. Petit, the current owner of River’s Edge Cafe is shuttering the cafe this month after selling the business to Chad Dawes, of Montgomery.

Petit was looking to sell the cafe for the last few months, and after receiving serious interest from a few candidates, she accepted Dawes’ offer in mid-February.

Dawes, of Montgomery, plans to reopen the cafe as Tredwell Coffee with business partner Dana Wyatt.

“Our plans are to be a craft coffee house,” Dawes said. “Serving multiple roasters and having a rotating option. Our main roaster is a wonderful company out of Addison called Tugboat Coffee.”

Dawes said he’d like to expand the coffee shop’s hours, but will first need to “see what kind of traffic I can get later in the day.”

ST. CHARLES

City offers two days of spring cleanup

The City of St. Charles will host a spring cleanup programs on two dates — April 28 for East Side residents  and May 5 for the West side.

The Spring Clean Up program is offered every two years and allows residents to place unwanted items at the curb for pick up. 

Advanced Disposal will pick up items which must be placed on the curb (not in the street) before 7 a.m. to ensure pickup. Once collection crews have passed through an area they will not come back. Also, residents are asked not to place  items out more than 48 hours before the collection.

Further, all loose material should put in containers as much as possible. All items must weigh no more than 50 pounds. Rugs and carpet should be rolled, taped/tied and cut into segments no longer than 5 feet in length.

Mark containers used to hold items with “Do not throw can away.” They cannot be retrieved once collected.  For more information about Spring Clean Up, contact the Public Works Department at 630-377-4405 or pw@stcharlesil.gov.

GENEVA

Cougars name charity partners for season

The Kane County Cougars have announced the four local organizations that will receive a portion of the in-game 50/50 raffle proceeds through the Kane County Cougars Foundation, Inc. including Mutual Ground (April-May), CASA Kane County (June), Northern Illinois Food Bank (July) and BraveHearts for Kids (August-September).

In addition, through a partnership with Acres Group, the Cougars have announced that Loaves and Fishes Community Services will be the recipient of the charitable proceeds from this year’s Pitch-In for Charity promotion in which fans purchase and toss numbered tennis balls at a target on the field to win a prize following select games.

The Cougars 2018 season begins at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 5, against the Clinton LumberKings. For more information, including the full schedule of theme nights, entertainment acts and giveaways scheduled, visit kccougars.com.

GENEVA

Landmark status sought for former Mill Race Inn

The city of Geneva’s Historic Preservation Commission voted 4-1 last week to recommend approval to request landmark status for the former Mill Race Inn.

According to an update on the city’s Development Projects map, the request for historic landmark status of the circa 1846 limestone paper manufacturing building located at 4 E. State St. will be considered by the Geneva City Council Committee of the Whole on April 9.

The applicant is Fred H. Zinke, and the property owner is the Shodeen Family Foundation.

A large portion of the vacant former Mill Race Inn restaurant in downtown Geneva as demolished in 2016, when crews removed the superstructure and portions of the existing foundation. The restaurant closed in 2011.

The limestone sections of the original 1846 structure are still standing.

–Kane County News Briefs–