Author: Fox Valley Magazine

The Norris Cultural Arts Center will present its fourth annual “Baker’s Dozen Holiday Festival” beginning tomorrow, December 12. Each day leading up to Christmas, Norris will post a different artist perfoming a Christmas-related piece leading up to “The Essential Christmas Carol,” a unique retelling of Dickens’ holiday classic by Norris’ Michael Sherry. Performances will be posted each day at 7pm on the Baker’s Dozen website here or on the Center’s YouTube page here. The Justa Coupla Guys podcast recently spoke with Sherry and the Center’s Director Mark Smith about this year’s presentation. (Stick around to the end to hear former…

Wine selections available at local wine stores and wineries in the Fox Valley area Wine Barrel Aged CiderWe aged House Cider made with fresh pressed apple in our award winning Marquette 2020 Illinois Reserve barrel for 12 months. This complex cider has subtle notes of vanilla and chocolate. Apple flavor dominates the pallet and finishes with red wine hint character. A perfect holiday treat. Broken Brix Homebrew Shop(Broken Brix Winery & Cidery)225 W Main St,St. Charles, IL 60174 Chandon By The Bay Reserve Blanc de BlancsCarneros Vineyard, CA. Chandon By The Bay is a sparkling wine that is composed of…

Must try appetizers, entrees, desserts or cocktails available at local Fox Valley restaurants. (Above: Pitstachio Crusted Whitefish from Entourage.) The Urban Counter Turkey BurgerOur Turkey Burger is made in-house with all-natural turkey and cooked to perfection. Topped with Swiss cheese, honey mustard sauce, mayo, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and pickles. Served on a fresh Brioche Bun. This favorable burger is filling and sure to please when you want something a little different. Pair your Turkey burger with sweet potato fries for the perfect combo. Stop by any of the seven Urban Counter locations throughout Chicagoland including our St. Charles location…

Featured selections of Craft Beers created by local Fox Valley area brewing companies. Northwind Imperial Stout(9.1% ABV). Full-bodied and flavorful, Northwind offers a warming sensation with robust notes of roasted coffee and chocolate, perfect for enjoying during winter nights by a roaring fire. If you’re a fan of Northwind, make sure to try its variants, exclusively available at Two Brothers Tap House and Roundhouse! Cherry Northwind (9.1% ABV) is crafted with Door County cherry juice, while our new Barrel Aged Northwind (11% ABV) ages for 12 months in our own Two Brothers Artisan Spirits bourbon barrels. Two Brothers Artisan Brewing30W315…

An Aurora man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for multiple violent felony offenses dating back to 2016. Last month, Noah Rodriguez, 26, pleaded guilty to the charge of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault and was sentenced to 8 years. That was the last of four felonies Rodriguez has been sentenced for since 2016. His other offenses include: “This defendant is the perfect example of someone who needs to be incarcerated for a long time,” said Kendall County State’s Attorney Eric Weiss. “Rodriguez has a history of violent offenses and even when he is in custody he resorts to…

A unidentified Aurora man is in critical condition after having been found shot in his car on Aurora’s east side Wednesday afternoon. Just after 3:00pm on Wednesday, Aurora police officers were called to a location near Fifth Avenue and Bangs Street where they discovered a 22-year-old Aurora man suffering from gunshot wounds inside a vehicle. Aurora Fire Department Paramedics transported the man to a local hospital where he was listed in critical condition. No other injuries were reported during the incident. Few details are available at this time, but police investigation into the incident remains active. Anyone with information is…

Illinois State’s Attorney General Kwame Raoul yesterday charged an Elgin police officer with possession of child pornography. The 33-year-old officer, who lives in Kirkland, was charged in DeKalb County Circuit Court with five counts of possession of child pornography, Class 2 felonies, each punishable by up to seven years in prison. The accused, a police office for five years with the Elgin Police Department, is currently detained at the DeKalb County Jail, and his next court date is December 20.  “All child predators, particularly those in a position of authority, must be held accountable for the horrific crime of child…

A couple whose deep love of Batavia and a commitment to its betterment were named the 2023 Batavia Citizens of the Year (COTY) today. The Batavia Chamber of Commerce will honor Dave and Marge Brown on Thursday, April 25, 2024, at the Chamber’s Inspire 2023: A Celebration of Those Who Inspire Us! annual awards event. Margaret Perreault, president and CEO of the Batavia Chamber of Commerce, commented that once again, the committee chose worthy award winners. “I am thrilled to acknowledge Dave and Marge Brown as the 2023 Batavia Citizens of the Year,” stated Margaret. “Their enduring dedication to Batavia,…

Tragedy struck Wednesday afternoon when an 85-year-old woman was repositioning her SUV on her driveway and accidentally hit and killed her son. At approximately 12:58pm, Kane County Sheriff’s Deputies were dispatched to a residence located in the 11N200 block of Romeo Drive in Elgin where they found a 65-year-old man, Steven Ackmann of Hampshire, with life-treatening injuries in the driveway. Medical attention was rendered on the scene, but Ackmann was pronounced deceased a short time later. The initial investigation into the incident indicates that the man’s mother, 85-year-old Justine Ackmann of Elgin, was repositioning a 2016 black Lincoln SUV in…

It’s that time of year again. For the 30th year in a row, the Riverfront Playhouse will present their own original version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. Adapted from the classic Charles Dickens story by Riverfront veteran Jack Schultz, this production of A CHRISTMAS CAROL features 9 songs also written by Schultz. A Christmas Carol runs December 8, 9, 15 & 16 at 8:00 pm and December 10 & 17 at 3:00 pm. Tickets can be purchased here: https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?ticketing=rfph Here’s what you need to know: *Seats are limited! This year more than any other year, make sure you reserve your seats so you…