The bulldogs have been unleashed in Batavia. Maps can be found in: Batavia City Hall, Batavia Public Library, East and West Side Park District Buildings, Batavia Public Schools Central Office, Batavia Post Office.

ELGIN

Dozen face drugs firearms charges

The Elgin Police Department has charged 12 people in the wake of a months-long investigation into mid-level drug and firearms trafficking that had been occurring within the city of Elgin.

A three-part investigation led by the Elgin Police Department’s Special Investigations Division began in late 2017 and continued through early 2018. Over the course of that time, “numerous transactions for cocaine, heroin, methamphetamine, and firearms were investigated,” police said.

In recent weeks, members of Elgin Police Department’s Special Investigations Division, assisted by the FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation and Aurora Police Department, arrested numerous subjects for multiple felony offenses. The photographs above are all subjects arrested.

“Opiate addiction is a serious threat to our community,” said Elgin’s Interim Chief Bill Wolf. “We want people to know we have resources available to help those addicted, but we will also seek strong legal consequences for those who choose to illegally deal drugs and weapons in Elgin.”

The Elgin Police Department reminds citizens that they can provide anonymous tips or information via the Drug Unit Tip Line at 847-695-4195, the city of Elgin’s website, or by texting 847411, and including ELGINPD in the beginning of the text along with the message and/or tip information.

AURORA

City hosts electronics recycling event

The City of Aurora, in partnership with Will County, is hosting a free Electronics Recycling Event on Saturday, June 30 from 9 a.m-1 p.m. in the City’s public parking Lot W, 309 N. River Street.

All items are free to recycle, including televisions, but registration is required.

Due to the high demand for service the event is open to Aurora residents only. ID is required.

All residents MUST register for a time slot online at https://tinyurl.com/AuroraRecycles or by calling 630-256-4636. Space is limited per hour.

Each car is limited to five items in total, including two (2) total screens – either television OR computer screen.

Only approved household items and electronics will be accepted.

Cars should enter from Cedar Street via Lake Street. Signage will be posted in the area.

The following electronics will be accepted: cables, cable boxes, cameras, cash registers, cell phones, copiers, cords, DVD players, fax machines, keyboards, laptops, printers (and cartridges), projectors, radios, satellite dishes, stereos, typewriters, VCRs, video games.

ST. CHARLES

Main St. bridge work begins after holiday

The Illinois Department of Transportation is performing maintenance to the Illinois Route 64/Main Street Bridge over the Fox River.

Work is anticipated to begin after July 4 and last four to six weeks. It will reduce Main St. to one lane in each direction between Illinois Route 31 and 2nd Ave. for the duration of the project. Pedestrian access on Main Street over the Fox River will remain open during this work, but will be limited to one side of the bridge. Signage will be in place to direct pedestrians.

Work will include bridge deck spot repairs, micro-milling of the surface, followed by a new thin surface overlay and a new protective coating for the sidewalk.

Drivers should consider using one of the three other Fox River Bridge crossings in the community–Illinois Ave. Bridge, Prairie St. Bridge or Red Gate Road Bridge–during this work.

Visit the City’s website at https://www.stcharlesil.gov/projects/main-street-bridge-construction for construction updates as information is provided by IDOT.

SUGAR GROVE

Hansbergers donate  $1 million to Kids Golf Foundation

The Hansberger Family recently donated $1 million to the Kids Golf Foundation to help grow the game of golf throughout the state of Illinois.

To date, this is the largest single donation received by the Sugar Grove-based foundation, a nonprofit junior golf organization that has impacted the lives of over 250,000 youth through golf and its valuable life lessons.

“I want to help the kids,” said Allan Hansberger of his donation. “I want the kids to be brought up with the game, like I was.”

The money will be used to cover the cost of running program sites, from southern Illinois to the Wisconsin border. This includes equipment like SNAG (Starting New At Golf) sets for Level 1: SNAG Programs and a starter sets of golf clubs, polo shirts and hats, rules books, bag tags, golf balls and tees for participants of Level 2: Traditional Clinics.

The money will also go towards Site Coordinator training, providing them with resources and program consultations, as well as site visits from the Foundation staff.

Event costs, such as mentoring events, will be covered, and the Foundation staff will be given the chance to create new opportunities for Program Sites as well.

Hansberger and his brothers are innovators in the golf equipment world, founding Sportsman’s Golf in 1946. After various acquisitions, the family-run company changed its name to RAM Golf Corp. in 1963 in order to streamline their marketing.

The Hansbergers ended up selling RAM to the Colgate-Palmolive Company in 1974, but reclaimed it six years later.

When the Hansberger brothers split RAM into the Ram Golf Club Company and Ram Tour Balls in 1993, Allan Hansberger’s son, Gary, decided to strike out on his own. He launched Vulcan Golf in 1995, a custom-made club builder that sold to individual customers and pro shops.

BATAVIA

‘Bulldogs Unleashed’ throughout the city

The bulldogs have been unleashed in Batavia — and they’re a lot of fun to see.

Wall maps can be found in: Batavia City Hall, Batavia Public Library, East and West Side Park District Buildings, Batavia Public Schools Central Office, Batavia Post Office

The link to the desktop map for printing is at  http://bit.ly/COB-BU18-D

The city of Batavia invites you to take a photo of yourself with your favorite Bulldog and share it on Facebook, or email to ccudworth@cityofbatavia.net with the subject line: Share Our Bulldogs Photo.

Batavia has long celebrated its history as the city of windmills, but in recent years a new symbol for pride in community has been making a play for the attention of residents and visitors during the summer months: a highly artistic flourish to the Batavia High School bulldog mascot.

The first Bulldogs Unleashed public art project took place the summer of 2011, raising $75,000 for local charity partners Batavia Foundation for Educational Excellence, Batavia Parks Foundation and the Batavia Public Library Foundation. The three partner foundations have teamed up once again for an encore exhibit.

More than 30 local artists submitted designs to the Bulldogs Unleashed committee in 2017. Each offered themes of local landmarks or inspiring creations such as superheroes or patriotic symbols, to name a few.

GENEVA

‘Go Figure’ children’s exhibit  at History Museum

The Geneva History Museum has announced the opening of a special children’s gallery exhibition, “Go Figure!” where children can explore math and literacy activities.

Five popular children’s books are brought to life in gigantic reproductions of the artist’s original illustrations.  Books include: Arthur’s Pet Business by Marc Brown, The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins, The Quilt by Ann Jonas, Frog and Toad are Friends: A Lost Button by Arnold Lobel and Goldilocks and the Three Bears by James Marshall.

The discovery-filled exhibit including sorting, sequencing, and pattern activities, two iPad stations, a table-top creation area and copies of all five books to read and share. Enter a drawing to take home the bundle of all five books.

Three drop-in story times are planned to coordinate with the exhibit in cooperation with the Geneva Public Library.

Join historians each month starting at 10 a.m., Tuesday, June 26, with The Doorbell Rang, Thursday, July 26, with Arthur’s Pet Business and Wednesday, Aug. 8, with Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Story times are recommended for children ages 3 to 8. The readings are followed by an activity and free admission to “Go Figure!”

The exhibition is open to the public 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesdays through Saturdays from now through Saturday, Aug. 11, at 113 S. Third Street, Geneva.

Admission is $3 per person, $2 per child age 3 to 10 and free for museum members. Admission includes the Main Gallery, “Geneva’s Story” and the Feature Gallery, “In Other Words: The History of Communication in Geneva,” sharing the evolution of communication from the written word to the recorded word.

For more information visit GenevaHistoryMuseum.org or call 630-232-4951.

GENEVA

Huntington Bank new Cougars’ sponsor

The Kane County Cougars have announced a new sponsorship agreement with Huntington Bank. Effective immediately Huntington Bank will serve as the official presenting sponsor for Kane County Cougars baseball. 

“The partnership with Huntington Bank will provide the Cougars additional opportunities to build quality relationships to meet the needs of fans by improving upon their customer service and continuing to invest in the community by providing the very best, affordable family entertainment in the Chicago area,” said Curtis Haug, Cougars’ Vice President and General Manager.

Fans attending a Cougars game this season will see Huntington’s presence throughout the ballpark in various ways including unique giveaways, post-game fireworks shows and an in-game promotion known as Homerun for Life to celebrate community members. 

“Our partnership with the Kane County Cougars builds upon our mutual commitment to Chicago,” said Pete Gillespie, regional president of Huntington Bank in Chicago. “Banking is about people, and it is our passion and purpose to make people’s lives better. This partnership is an extension of Huntington’s long-standing approach of investing our success back into our local communities.  

AURORA

New business degree offered at WCC downtown

Waubonsee Community College is offering an academic program that allows students to earn an associate degree with an emphasis in business at its Aurora Downtown Campus.

The Guaranteed Pathway to Success (GPS) Program provides students with the opportunity to earn their transfer degree by taking classes in a hybrid format with the face-to-face portion of classes meeting exclusively at the Aurora Downtown Campus and additional coursework completed online.

The classes are eight-weeks long. The face-to-face classes meet two evenings a week and the coursework includes all of the general education requirements for an Associate in Arts degree, as well as the business courses required to enter many four-year institutions’ business programs.

Students who participate in this program are guaranteed seats in the classes in order to graduate in two years. In addition to this guarantee, additional academic support is provided and the program manager will assist students with enrollment and the transfer process, as well as any other issues that may occur during the length of the program.

Waubonsee will host a free information session about the program on Monday, July 16 at 6:30 p.m. at the Aurora Downtown Campus. In addition to getting information about the GPS Program, attendees will be entered into a drawing to win a $50 gift card to the Waubonsee bookstore.

Visit www.waubonsee.edu/gps to learn more about the Guaranteed Pathway to Success Program and to register for the information session, or call Sean Warren-Crouch at (630) 466-5757.

–Kane County News Briefs–