Aurora Drive-Thru COVID-19 Test Site
Cars lined up today at the new drive-thru coronavirus test site at the Chicago Premium Outlets in Aurora. The location off of Interstate 88 near Bilter Road offers, free, no-appointment testing for anyone with COVID-19 symptoms who wants to be checked. It’s run by the Illinois National Guard and will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., or until the daily capacity of 600 people has been reached. The Aurora outlet location is one of two new state-run drive-thru testing sites announced by Governor J.B. Pritzker in his press briefing yesterday; the second in Rockford opens tomorrow.
County Fair Canceled
The DuPage County Fair has been canceled. Organizers decided to call off the annual event, set to be held July 22 through 26 in Wheaton. The decision was made due to health concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic and revenue losses from other fairground events that had been canceled. Fair planners are considering the possibility of holding an altered version of the fair later in the year.
High School Rankings
Neuqua Valley High School has been ranked among the top 20 high schools in Illinois. The latest U.S. News & World Report rankings have Neuqua listed at number 16. All of our local high schools fell within the top 60, with Metea Valley at 27, Naperville Central at 30, Naperville North at 36, and Waubonsie Valley at 51. Factors taken into consideration for the listing include college readiness, graduation rate and math and reading performance.
Special Carillon Concerts, Lighting
The Naperville Millennium Carillon will hold extra concerts and feature special lighting schemes to pay tribute to health workers this spring. At noon on every Wednesday in May, local carillonneurs will perform 30-minute concerts with both patriotic and traditional carillon selections. And from April 29 through May 12, the carillon will light up in blue at night in honor of healthcare workers and first responders. The Naperville Park District reminds the public not to gather in groups for these events, and to be mindful of social distancing.
Water Polo Senior Parade
Car horns could be heard in Naperville subdivisions yesterday as the Naperville Central Girls Water Polo team threw their very own senior night parade. After the IHSA announced that all spring sport tournaments would be cancelled due to COVID-19, the junior team members wanted to honor their three seniors one more time before they graduated. Meeting in the Elmwood Elementary parking lot, the girls decorated their cars before parading down the streets with their horns blaring and signs waving. All three graduating Redhawks were shocked to see more than ten cars full of their peers celebrating them one last time.
