Author: Fox Valley Magazine

By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois Utility customers throughout Illinois will likely see higher natural gas bills beginning in January after staff at the state’s utility regulatory agency recommended rate increases for four gas companies.  Those recommendations – made by administrative judges at the Illinois Commerce Commission – next go to the appointed five-member commission itself. Over the next two months, the ICC will weigh whether to approve rate hikes for the 4.1 million customers of Ameren Illinois, Nicor Gas, Peoples Gas and North Shore Gas. Estimates on the consumer cost of the rate increases, which go into effect in January,…

An Elgin man is in critical condition at Good Samaritan Hospital in Aurora after losing control of his motorcycle and crashing into a guardrail on Route 47 in Elburn. According to a police report, Alexander Esparza, 22, was riding a Harley Davidson motorcycle northbound on Route 47 late Tuesday evening when he lost control while passing a vehicle at high speed, ultimately colliding with the guardrail. Esparza was treated at the scene and then transported to Northwestern Delnor Hospital in Geneva, after which he was flown to Good Samaritan Hospital in Aurora, where he remains in critical condition. Investigators have…

Classic rock legend Tommy James and his Shondells come to the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles this Saturday for one night only. Tommy James hit the rock scene in 1966 with the smash hit “Hanky Panky, which sold a million copies. James promptly followed up with two more million selling singles – “Say I Am (What I Am)” and “It’s Only Love” – and the Hanky Panky album went gold just four weeks after its release. With three hits under his belt, James brought in producers Bo Gentry and Ritchie Cordell, and the three produced seven back-to-back smash singles: “I Think We’re Alone…

In its fourth year, Sugar Skull City will turn downtown Aurora into a celebration of Day of the Dead now through November 5. The downtown will be rich with decorations and activities that surround the Mexican holiday. The annual event features a three week celebration honoring the beloved Mexican cultural tradition of Day of the Dead or Día de los Muertos, and culminates with events during the first week of November including First Fridays on November 3. Athziry Dia de los Muertos will host several activities throughout downtown at First Fridays on November 3. The nonprofit run by Jose Torres will…

21-year-old Jaylin Buckner of Oswego has been sentened to 3 years and 6 months in prison in the accidental death of Antonio Villarreal. In May, Buckner had pleaded guilty to one count of Reckless Homicide and one count of Aggravated Unlawful Use of an Electronic Communication Device. Reckless Homicide is a class 3 felony where the Court can impose a maximum sentence of 5 years in the Illinois Department of Corrections. Charges were filed after a tragic crash on July 1, 2021. Buckner was speeding eastbound on Mill Road towards Lynx Lane in Oswego and struck Villarreal, a 32-year-old combat…

In the early morning hours of June 25, 2023, 22-year-old Rayquan Smith of Elgin was shot and killed on Elgin’s west side. On Friday, a 16-year-old juvenile was taken into custody without incident, having been charged in the murder by the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office with the following: According to Illinois law, the juvenile’s case was transferred to adult court and they appeared in front of a judge in Kane County Court on Saturday, October 14. The judge set a detention hearing for Thursday, October 19, 2023, at 9 a.m. in Courtroom 311 at the Kane County Judicial Center.…

Old Republic Bar in Elgin will host the ultimate after party following the “Nightmare on Chicago Street” event this Saturday. The party starts at 10:30pm and promises an unforgettable night of music, entertainment, and non-stop dancing. A lineup of DJs – Don Parra, Brotinez, DJ AO and Umbertron – will provide a diverse range of musical styles, while live entertainment, courtesy of Black Circle Creative, will include spellbinding performances with Fire Breathers, Lollipop Girls, Grinders and Go-Go Dancers. It promises to be a sensory overload of sights and sounds. Guests can embrace the Halloween spirit and come dressed in their most…

Halloween Happening is scheduled for Sunday, October 29 from 1:00-4:00 p.m. at the Riverwalk Grand Pavilion, 912 Honorary Sindt Memorial Court (just west of Centennial Beach). This free event is designed for children ages 10 and under, featuring Halloween-themed games and activity stations where they can collect treats and win prizes. Additionally, families can enjoy a performance by Élan Dance Company at 1:15 p.m., a hayride, inflatables, food trucks and Tot Town—a special toddler area. Everyone is welcome to wear family-friendly costumes to the event. Thanks to the support of approximately 100 student volunteers and the event sponsors, the Park…

The 6-year-old Palestinian child who was brutally stabbed to death in Plainfield Saturday morning had just celebrated his birthday, according to a national Islamic relations organization. According to a news release from the Chicago office of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), Wadea Al-Fayoume and his mother, Hanaan Shahin, were the victims of Saturday’s hate crime “The mother, Hanaan Shahin, and her son Wadea Al-Fayoume had lived on the ground floor of the house for two years with no previous notable issues with the landlord,” reported as a 71-year-old man who is accused of the killing.    “According to written…

Update: Authorities have provided an update on Saturday’s stabbing incident in Plainfield. It was initially reported to police that the boy who was killed was 8 years of age. He was 6. During an autopsy conducted Sunday, the forensic pathologist removed the knife from the abdomen of the boy and determined it was a twelve-inch serrated military style knife that has a seven-inch blade. Despite the suspect not providing a statement to detectives, investigators gathered sufficient information through interviews and evidence to formally charge him with First Degree Murder, Attempted First Degree Murder, Hate Crime (2 counts), and Aggravated Battery…