News
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BatFest Returns to Downtown Batavia for Day of Halloween Fun
Free family-friendly event features downtown trick-or-treating, a community parade, costume contests, live entertainment and more on Saturday, October 24 BATAVIA, IL — Grab your costumes and get ready for a “batty” day in downtown Batavia! Batavia MainStreet invites the community to celebrate BatFest, Batavia’s free Halloween family event, on Saturday, October 24, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Expected to draw more than 5,000 ghouls, goblins and their families, BatFest offers a full morning of Halloween fun
Forest Preserve District Protects the Core of Sugar Grove's Namesake Woods
GENEVA, IL — Kane County’s second-oldest forest preserve just grew in size, with a 33.09-acre addition to Bliss Woods Forest Preserve in Sugar Grove.The Forest Preserve District of Kane County closed on the property Oct. 7. Along Bliss Road, adjacent to the eastern section of the preserve, the addition features intact forest-floor wildflowers and massive oaks. It includes the core of the woods that gave Sugar Grove its name.The village was named after a 500-acre woodland in 1834. Protected from wildfires by
Comcast Business 2026 Cybersecurity Threat Report
A new Comcast Business Cybersecurity Threat Report found that artificial intelligence is accelerating the speed and scale of attacks across organizations and businesses of all sizes. Based on an analysis of 79.3 billion cybersecurity events, the report identified phishing and drive-by compromise attacks as the most common threats while highlighting the growing risks from stolen credentials, AI-driven attacks, and unmanaged devices connected to business networks. The findings underscore the importance of
The Gospel of Thomas and Other Early Jesus Sayings
Dr. Michael Graves will present “The Gospel of Thomas and Other Early Jesus Sayings” as the third topic in our adult Christian Education series at the Congregational Church of Batavia. Dr. Graves, is the author of How Scripture Interprets Scripture, Biblical Interpretation in the Early Church, and The Inspiration and Interpretation of Scripture. The Gospels are not the only place we can find sayings and stories attributed to Jesus of Nazareth. We can find such “quotes” in the book of Acts, some of the
Vanguard Gifted Academy Announces Participation in National ''Everyday Heroes'' Art Competition
Vanguard Gifted Academy is proud to announce its continued participation in the Junior Artists National Kids Art Competition, bringing student learning and creativity to a nationwide audience. Following a successful submission cycle last spring that resulted in a Vanguard student becoming a published artist, current students are now translating their classroom explorations of community roles into artistic submissions for this fall's "Everyday Heroes" contest. The academy’s journey with Junior Artists
Monsters for a Cause
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 2026 Jung Family Painting Invites Batavia Families to Sixth Annual “Monsters for a Cause” Halloween Fundraiser Benefiting the Little Friends Organization NAPERVILLE, IL - Jung Family Painting invites families from Batavia and surrounding communities to celebrate Halloween while supporting a local cause with its sixth annual Monsters for a Cause fundraiser. Theevent takes place on Saturday, October 31, 2026, from 3-8 p.m. at 1109 E. Bailey Road, Naperville. The Jung
Explore the Changing Seasons with Trek with a Naturalist
GENEVA, IL — Enjoy crisp air, scenic trails and seasonal discoveries during the Forest Preserve District of Kane County’s Trek with a Naturalist program series. This monthly program invites participants 18 years and older to explore a different preserve on each guided hike. Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or simply enjoy spending time outdoors, these treks offer an opportunity to stay active and discover the natural beauty of Kane County. A District naturalist will stop occasionally along the way to
Vanguard Gifted Academy Awarded 2026 AARP Community Challenge Grant, Celebrates completion of Intergenerational Community Space
Vanguard Gifted Academy is thrilled to announce that it has been selected to receive a 2026 AARP Community Challenge grant. This year, only 750 grantees were chosen from 5,100 applications from across all 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. With this quick-action grant, Vanguard Gifted Academy has officially installed a new Little Free Library and an ADA-approved bench designed to bring the Batavia neighborhood together. To celebrate the project's completion, Geneva
Vanguard Gifted Academy Celebrates Math Storytelling Day with Creative Number Adventures
Vanguard Gifted Academy is bringing mathematics to life through literature and imagination in celebration of Math Storytelling Day. Observed annually on September 25, the day encourages students, educators, and families to explore the intersection of logic, patterns, and narrative by sharing stories where mathematics takes center stage. At Vanguard Gifted Academy, students are actively participating by designing their own word problems tailored to their individual math levels. To further bridge the gap
League of Women Voters Partners with Other Local Organizations to Host ELECTION EXPO 2026
BATAVIA, IL – The League of Women Voters of Central Kane County (lwvckcil.com) announced today that it has teamed up with the League of Women Voters Aurora Area and the League of Women Voters of Elgin Area to host the Fox Valley’s first-ever “ELECTION EXPO” at Waubonsee Community College in Sugar Grove. The event will be held on Tuesday, September 29th from 5:30pm - 7:30pm in the Event Room of Waubonsee Community College’s Academic & Professional Center, Route 47 at Waubonsee Drive in Sugar Grove. Local
A Primer on Christian Nationalism: What is it and Why We Should Be Concerned
The Congregational Church of Batavia is proud to present an adult Christian Education series this fall, beginning with “A Primer on Christian Nationalism: What is it and Why We Should Be Concerned.” Over four weeks, Rev. Dr. John C. Dorhauer will explain what this movement is, and how it may be a serious threat to Democracy. He is the author of Steeplejacking: How the Christian Right is Hijacking Mainstream Religion, and has done extensive research on the subject, partnering with investigative journalists
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Rotary Club of Batavia Launches 38th Annual Charity Raffle
$50,000 Grand Prize and Early Bird Drawings Support Local Charities, Community Needs and Career EducationBATAVIA, Ill. — September 1, 2026 — The Rotary Club of Batavia has officially launched its 38th Annual Charity Raffle, continuing a longtime community tradition that gives participants the opportunity to win significant cash prizes while supporting organizations and programs serving the Tri-cities area and beyond.Raffle tickets are $100 each, with only 1,200 tickets available. Proceeds from the raffle
Adult Christian Education Classes Offered
Adult Christian Education Classes Offered Beginning in September, the Congregational Church of Batavia is offering an exciting variety of adult Christian Education Classes. These classes are free and open to the community. The presenters are experts and have authored books on these topics. Registration is not required.A Primer on Christian Nationalism: What It Is & Why We Should Be Concerned, with Rev. Dr. John Dorhauer; Wednesdays, September 30, October 7, 21, and 28, at 6:00 p.m.Death, Grief, &
Tri-Cities Chambers Launch “Tri-Cities Canstruction”
A Large-Scale Design Competition Using Canned Food to Fight Hunger Open to the public, this event takes place at Waubonsee Community College’s Academic and Professional Center in Sugar Grove February 2027 BATAVIA, IL, GENEVA, IL, and ST. CHARLES, IL — The Batavia, Geneva, and St. Charles Chambers of Commerce are proud to announce the launch of the inaugural Tri-Cities Canstruction, a large-scale community design competition that combines creativity, engineering, architecture, and philanthropy to fight
Vanguard Gifted Academy Students Join Millions Globally for World Maths Day 2026
This week, students at Vanguard Gifted Academy joined an international community of learners to participate in World Maths Day, one of the world’s largest education events. Hosted by 3P Learning, the event challenges students to test their mathematical fluency through live, 60-second "Mathletics" rounds against peers from across the globe. While the event features a global leaderboard, the focus for Vanguard students was centered on personal growth and the mastery of "fact fluency." Rather than
