Author: Fox Valley Magazine

After 10 months flying in space, NASA’s Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) – the world’s first planetary defense technology demonstration – successfully impacted its asteroid target on Monday, the agency’s first attempt to move an asteroid in space. Mission control at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) in Laurel, Maryland, announced the successful impact at 7:14 p.m. EDT. As a part of NASA’s overall planetary defense strategy, DART’s impact with the asteroid Dimorphos demonstrates a viable mitigation technique for protecting the planet from an Earth-bound asteroid or comet, if one were discovered. “At its core, DART represents an unprecedented success for…

Wanna catch peak color in Illinois this fall? This will help. Enjoy Illinois along with the Illinois Department of Natural Resources has published the official Illinois Fall Colors Trip Planner. Discover the best places to see fall colors unfolding in every region of the state. Use the fall color tracker to help select the best time to see the changing colors all over Illinois this season. The planner is update weekly throughout the season.

This weekend, Naper Settlement welcomes back a venerable tradition: Oktoberfest! For two evenings, under a large heated tent, guests will enjoy German cuisine, local and traditional Oktoberfest beer varieties, and a blend of polka and rock music throughout the weekend. On Saturday, test your strength by participating in the stein holding contest. There will also be a variety of lawn games for the whole family. Grab your lederhosen and join this fun German festival. Friday Activities Professional pumpkin carver: 5-10 PMLawn games (corn hole, giant Connect Four, giant Jenga, lawn pong, and lawn golf): 5-10 PMNew Generation Polka Band (5:30-7:30…

(Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki) By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker called on two Democratic state senators Thursday to resign their seats amid allegations of misconduct. Sen. Emil Jones III, D-Chicago, was charged in federal court earlier this week with soliciting a $5,000 bribe from a red light camera company. And Sen. Michael Hastings, D-Frankfort, faces accusations of domestic violence against his estranged wife, according a report by public radio station WBEZ in Chicago. Both have given up their roles in the Senate Democrats’ leadership team but remain in the Senate. “Senator Jones is accused of accepting bribes.…

The Bears (2-1) got a win at Soldier Field Sunday afternoon, beating the Houston Texans (0-2-1) 23-20 on a last-second chip-shot by placekicker Cairo Santos. But the win left more questions than answers. Most observers agree that the Bears’ record this year is largely irrelevant, with the Bears at least a year away from contending for anything. The play of franchise quarterback hopeful Justin Fields is what it’s all about. (Click on photo for game highlights.) From that perspective, the day didn’t go so well. Fields was a dismal 8/17 for 106 yards passing, with 2 interceptions and zero touchdowns.…

Update: After a nightlong investigation, the Elgin Police Department has determined that this incident was a domestic related matter in which a firearm was discharged. All parties involved have been safely safely located. A male adult subject has been taken into custody. Elgin police are investigating a curious incident in the early hours of this morning involving a crying woman, shots fired and a woman being “placed” into car by the alleged shooters. At 1:52 a.m. this morning, officers responded to the 300 block of Kenneth Circle for several reports of shots fired and also what appeared to be a…

One man was killed and another critically injured in a shooting incident Saturday afternoon in residential Aurora. According to police, just after 2:00pm on Saturday, Aurora Police were called to the 300 block of Center Avenue where they found two gunshot victims in critical condition. Aurora Fire Department paramedics arrived and pronounced one victim dead on scene. The other victim was transported to an area hospital and subsequently airlifted to a Chicago trauma center. Detectives and Evidence Technicians from the Aurora Police Department’s Bureau of Investigations responded to the scene and officers and detectives conducted a canvass of the area…

Update: Elgin Police announced that the child has been found safe. On September 24th at 10:53 a.m., the Elgin Police Department responded to the 1300 block of Bluff City Blvd for a report of a missing child. Reported missing is Aasim Halim, 4 years old, who was last seen wearing a black hoodie with writing on the front and gray/black army style pants. The child is not familiar with the area, is very shy and does not make eye contact. Detectives are actively investigating the whereabouts of Aasim. If you have information that may assist regarding the whereabouts of Aasim…

Just what suffering Cubs fans needed. Another Cardinal milestone. And this by a guy who’s something like 90 years old and only came back to St. Louis (after 10 years wandering in the desert that is the California Angels) to set up his retirement plan. Albert Pujols, the once and future Redbird and bane of the Chicago Cubs (what Cardinal isn’t?), hit his 700th career home run last night, becoming one of only 4 major leaguers to do so. He joins Barry Bonds, Hank Aaron and Babe Ruth in the 700-homer club. (Click on photo for video…if you must.) Yay.…

On the evening of November 8, 2018, twenty-six-year-old West Chicago resident Alexander Nicolas was approached near his vehicle by three men, physically beaten and then murdered execution-style with a bullet to the back of the head. Police found his body the next morning. Yesterday, two of those men – Juan Calderon, 24, of Aurora, and Emilio Guillen, 31, of Rockford – were found guilty of First Degree Murder by separate juries in a DuPage County courtroom. In 2012, the third man, Fredi Bautista, 30, of West Chicago, entered a plea of guilty to one count of Aggravated Battery with a…