Early morning house fire displaces four, causes $800K in damages
An early morning house fire in Naperville on Tuesday left four people displaced and caused an estimated $800,000 in damages, according to a news release from the Naperville Fire Department.
Firefighters responded to the scene at the 2700 block of Willow Ridge Drive shortly before 4 a.m. Upon arrival, they discovered heavy fire in the rear of the house stretching up through the attic. The four residents, a man, woman, and two children, were able to safely evacuate before firefighters arrived.
Using defensive fire operations and the fire department’s drone team to locate any active and hidden fires, the on-site crew was able to get the fire under control within 90 minutes. No one was injured in the incident. The cause of the blaze is under investigation, and the home was deemed uninhabitable.
Naperville Municipal Band holds patriotic concert on July 3
The Naperville Municipal Band will hold its annual Patriotic Concert on Wednesday, July 3, at Central Park, 104 E. Benton Ave., on the recently renamed Ronald J. Keller Performance Stage.
The band has prepared a lineup featuring many familiar tunes celebrating our country. The highlight of the night will be a performance of the “1812 Overture,” during which cannons will be fired off as part of a long-held tradition by the band.
The concert is free and starts at 7:30 p.m. NCTV17 will be streaming the concert live both online and on air.
Fireworks show set for Fourth of July at Frontier Sports Complex
The band will also perform the following night to help kick off the city’s annual firework display at Frontier Sports Complex, 3380 Cedar Glade Dr.
They’ll take the stage under the Wagner Pavilion at the 95th Street Community Plaza at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 4, and perform until 8:15 p.m. The fireworks show will follow, starting at 9:30 p.m. The display is co-hosted by the Naperville Park District and the city of Naperville.
The public can park for free at one of the 906 parking spaces at Frontier Sports Complex, or in one of the 1,000 spots open at Neuqua Valley High School, 2360 95th St. Other viewing and parking locations can be found on the city of Naperville website.
Swamp monster finds a new home just beyond the Naperville border
A green swamp monster has taken up residence just south of the Naperville border. Mr. Gillman has become a famous fixture alongside Naperville Road, with his many costumes and distinct presence.
The 10-foot-tall creature has quite the backstory, and his care has become a family affair. Learn more about how Mr. Gillman ended up outside a Plainfield home.
DuPage County reports West Nile positive mosquitoes
DuPage County health officials have reported the first mosquitoes in the county this year to test positive for West Nile virus (WNV).
The batches were found in Bartlett on June 18, and Wood Dale on June 27. The DuPage County Health Department is encouraging the public to protect themselves from WNV, a mosquito-borne disease, by practicing the “4 Ds of Defense:”
- Drain any standing water around your home, yard, or business
- Defend yourself with an insect repellent containing DEET
- Dress appropriately for mosquito protection, wearing long pants, a long-sleeved shirt, and closed-toe shoes
- Dusk to Dawn protection – be particularly mindful during this active period for mosquitoes
The public can monitor WNV activity in the county on the DCHD’s Personal Protection Index, which is updated each Wednesday.
Neuqua Valley grad invited to compete in Jayson Tatum Elite Camp
Neuqua Valley graduate John Poulakidas is one of only 12 college basketball players in the country invited to compete in the Jayson Tatum Elite Camp in Las Vegas this week.
Poulakidas gained national attention as a junior at Yale, scoring 28 points in the Bulldogs’ upset victory over Auburn in the first round of the NCAA Tournament this March. Tatum led the Boston Celtics to the 2024 NBA Championship last month.
