Author: Fox Valley Magazine

February and beer fests aren’t usually thought of together here in Illinois. But Naperville is made of sterner stuff, it would seem. The 2024 Naperville Ale Fest – Winter Edition will take place this Saturday, February 24th. Situated on the frozen tundra of Naperville’s Frontier Park, Winter Edition is Illinois’ largest outdoor winter beer fest. The 2024 gathering will feature over 150 unique craft beers and 10 food trucks. For a list of participants, visit here. Gates open at 11:30, and the festival runs from 12pm – 4pm. Tickets are $70 and are available here. For more information, visit napervillealefest.com.

Funeral arrangements for Kane County Sheriff’s Deputy Chris Ruchaj, who unexpecctedly passed away last week, have been finalized. Visitation will take place on Friday, February 23rd, 2024 from 5:30pm to 9:00pm at Harter Middle School Gymnasium, 1601 Esker Drive in Sugar Grove. There will be a Special Law Enforcement walk through line-up at 6:45pm. A full honor police funeral will be held on Saturday, February 24th, also at Harter Middle School Gymnasium. Doors open at 10:00am and the service begins at 11:00am. A police procession will provide an escort after the funeral service. Squads will be staged with assistance from…

(Photo credit Andrew Adams) By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois The state and Cook County announced Thursday a roughly $250 million plan to provide shelter, health care and other services for recently arrived migrants. But according to their own plan, there’s still a roughly $70 million funding gap for the rest of 2024.  That missing money could come from Chicago, although a proposal for additional funding has not been brought to Chicago’s city council. At a Thursday news conference, Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson did not indicate any plans for the city to fill the remaining budget gap, noting that a…

The Geneva Wedding Walk will take place on February 25 from 11am-4pm in Geneva. The Walk features an amazing selection of wedding professionals ready to help you find the perfect gown, reception venue, photographer, music, honeymoon destination, and much more. After check-in at The Herrington Inn & Spa at 15 S River Lane, the Geneva Wedding Walk will begin throught downtown Geneva and attendees will visit all participating store fronts from 10am-1pm. From 1pm-4pm attendees will head over to Riverside Reception to visit all other participating vendors, enjoy cocktails, appetizers and view some of the latest upcoming wedding trends and…

“With their hands and feet bound and their eyes and mouths covered with duct tape, I cannot even begin to imagine the terror these innocent employees must have felt.” DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced last week that a former Calumet City man has been sentenced to twenty-three years in prison for robbing at gunpoint approximately $40,000 worth of merchandise from a Wheaton Sprint store in late 2019. Denzel Furance, 25, appeared at his sentencing hearing Tuesday afternoon in front of Judge Michael Reidy, who handed down the sentence. Furance entered a plea of guilty to one count of…

A jury has found an Elgin man guilt of sexually assaulting a woman he knew after threatening her with a knife. Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser announced yesterday that a jury has found 45-year-old Zanzibah T. Stewart guilty of Aggravated criminal sexual assault, class X felony (3 counts); Criminal sexual assault, class 1 felony (3 counts); and Aggravated unlawful restraint, class 3 felony. The jury found that on November 8, 2020, Stewart threatened the victim, a woman Stewart knew at the time, with a knife and then sexually assaulted her. “The defendant is finally being held accountable for…

A Naperville man is in custody after being arrested for allegedly selling meth in Naperville. After a four-month investigation, on Tuesday evening Naperville Police arrested the suspect in a parking lot in the 1600 block of Country Lakes Drive. Following the arrest, Naperville Police executed a search warrant at the suspect’s residence, also in the 1600 block of Country Lakes Drive. Several items were recovered from the residence, which the suspect shares with his minor child, including drugs, cash, a firearm and ammunition. The 32-year-old suspect is charged with four counts of Manufacture/Delivery of a Controlled Substance (one Class Super…

Get ready for a glamourous evening of great food and drinks, mystery, intrique and murder at the Midnight Masquerade Ball. The Kane County Cougars are teaming up with The Murder Mystery Company to create a killer night of great food, drinks, and of course, MURDER, at Northwestern Medicine Field in Geneve (Suite Level). Dress the part, if desired, in suits, gowns and masks to help solve the crime before the masked menace gets away. The evening includes a dinner buffet with Mardi Gras-inspired appetizers, entres, sides and dessert. A cash bar will be available. Dinner is from 6:30pm-8:30pm, and the…

By PETER HANCOCKCapitol News Illinois In a long-expected move, national gun rights organizations are asking the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn Illinois’ ban on assault weapons and large capacity magazines. In separate petitions filed Monday, the Colorado-based National Association for Gun Rights and the Nevada-based Firearms Policy Coalition asked the nation’s high court to reverse a decision of the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals. That court ruled 2-1 in November not to issue a temporary injunction against the law, finding that rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution are not absolute. The gun rights groups were among the lead plaintiffs in two…

Kane County Sheriff’s Deputy Christopher Ruchaj passed away unexpectedly of cardiac arrest today at his home, according to a press release issued by the Kane County Sheriff’s Office (KCSO). Ruchaj was 50 years of age. He had been with the KCSO since 1997. “There are no words to express our gratitude and appreciation for his many years of service and dedication to both the KCSO and the community he served,” said Kane County Sheriff Ron Hain. “Deputy Ruchaj was an extraordinary friend, co- worker and brother.” During his tenure, Deputy Ruchaj served on the patrol and warrant divisions and was…