Author: Fox Valley Magazine

An Elgin man has been sentenced to 36 years in prison for strangling his wife to death during a domestic dispute in July 2021. Victor H. Ayllon, 38, pled guilty on April 25 to the offense of first-degree murder, a Class M felony. The court accepted the plea. According to prosecutors, on July 12, 2021, the 4-year-old son of the victim, Wendy Ayllon, was found during the evening hours walking alone at the intersection of Lawrence Avenue and North Aldine Avenue in Elgin. Officers discovered his address to be in the 300 block of Heine Avenue and went to that location,…

The Doo-Wop Project, fresh from Broadway, will be doing its thing this Sunday at 5pm at the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles. Five engaging, charismatic and dashing Broadway stars – veterans of monster hits like Motown: The Musical, Jersey Boys, A Bronx Tale and more – along with their all-star band, have created an exciting new show that features fresh renditions of classic doo wop hits (remember “16 Candles” and “In the Still of the Night”) as well as “doowopified” versions of contemporary hits like Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” and Garth Brooks’ “Friends in Low Places.”   Of course, they’ll…

Kanecountyconnects.com Kane County’s courthouse community is heartbroken as Forrest, the facility dog, has unexpectedly retired. Forrest, an English Labrador Retriever, has been a comforting presence at the Kane County Judicial Center in St. Charles since 2017, working primarily with Kane County Judge Marmarie Kostelny. Forrest’s retirement comes following a diagnosis of a mass in his chest, which is causing him to be lethargic and weak, with no appetite. “Forrest has provided so much care and comfort to those in our problem solving courts, at the Juvenile Justice Center and those working at or visiting our courthouse. He will be sorely…

The first “signature” event of Cantigny’s summer calendar, the Cantigny Jazz and Wine Fest, is set for Sunday, June 23. The festival spreads throughout the Cantigny gardens and grounds, with five performers on two stages from noon until 6pm. Four wine tasting stations will accompany the top-tier entertainment, headlined by sensational jazz vocalist and three-time Grammy winner, Dee Dee Bridgewater, appearing as WE EXIST! THE DEE DEE BRIDGEWATER QUARTET. The exciting musical line-up, curated by festival partner WDCB Public Radio out of College of DuPage, includes Derek Duleba Organ Trio, Carmen Stokes, Frank Russell Quintet, and High-Hat Second Line Brass Band. The latter will lead a brassy New…

We think it’s now accepted as fact: Jeremiah was, indeed, a functioning alcoholic bullfrog. If this seems indisputable to you, you’ll probably want to head on out to RiverEdge Park in Aurora Friday evening to see the seminal 70’s band Three Dog Night perform. The band’s many hits are part of the American psyche. “Mama Told Me (Not To Come),” “Joy to the World,” “Shambala,” “An Old Fashioned Love Song” and “Black and White,” will light up your June evening. Also appearing is the 80’s so-called Super Group Asia, a rock group from across the pond who exploded on the world…

An Elgin man who was hospitalized after having suffered gunshot wounds during an altercation Sunday evening has succumbed to his wounds, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office. At 11:36pm, Elgin police officer arrived at the 600 block of Villa Street and found an adult male subject with injuries who was subsequently transported to an area hospital. An investigation of the incident revealed that an altercation ensued between the man and a 16 year-old male subject. During the altercation the adult subject displayed a knife and at some point the juvenile subject shot him. On Tuesday, the juvenile subject…

A Kane County Sheriff’s deputy was seriously injured Tuesday morning when his squad SUV, a Chevrolet Tahoe, collided with another car near downtown Aurora. According to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office, shortly after 8am Tuesday a deputy, who was racing to the aid of two other officers who were serving a warrant, collided the Tahoe squad with another vehicle near the intersection of North Union Avenue and East New York Street in Aurora. The impact of the collision resulted in the squad hitting an adjacent grocery store. The officer was transported to Rush-Copley Hospital with serious injuries to his face…

A new report produced by financial media firm GOBankingRates names the Fox Valley’s very own, Elgin, as the Safest and Most Affordable City in the United States. According to the report, GOBankingRates conducted a study based on the costs of living and crime rate averages. They were then ranked from lowest to highest based on these average crime rates and costs and the ratings were factored by crimes per 1,000 people, then compared to the national average. Elgin’s key statistics – a median household income of $85,998, average mortgage cost of $1,840, monthly cost of living of $4,008, 851 property…

A 45-year-old Elgin man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for the sexual assault of a woman at knifepoint in 2020. Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie L. Mosser announced today that Judge Barsanti has sentenced Zanzibah T. Stewart to 50 years of imprisonment in the Illinois Department of Corrections. On January 24, 2024, a jury found Zanzibah Stewart guilty of the offenses of Aggravated criminal sexual assault, a Class X felony (3 counts); Criminal sexual assault, a Class 1 felony (3 counts); and Aggravated unlawful restraint, a Class 3 felony. According to prosecutors, on November 8, 2020, Stewart…

A 20-year-old Lisle woman was hospitalized and her dog killed after the vehicle she was driving ran into a tree on South Naper Boulevard early Saturday morning. At approximately 3:46am Saturday, Naperville Police Department and Naperville Fire Department personnel were dispatched to the intersection of South Naper Boulevard and Culpepper Drive where officers found that a 2021 blue Kia Forte had left the roadway and struck a tree. Trapped inside the Kia was the driver, a 20-year-old female from Lisle. The driver was eventually freed from the vehicle and transported to a local hospital with significant injuries. A small dog…