District 203 Prayer Policy
Naperville School District 203 announced this week it would be reviewing its policy regarding coaches participating or leading team prayers before or after athletic events. The discussion comes following a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that said a football coach in Washington had the right to pray on the field after games. The current District 203 policy, which was instituted in 2015, states that team prayers are permitted, but must be led by the students, not coaches or teachers. That policy was put into place after the district received a complaint about some football players and coaches praying before a game.
Fourth of July Traffic Enforcement
The Illinois Department of Transportation along with the Illinois State Police and law enforcement throughout the state are reminding people to celebrate safely this Fourth of July. They will be running their Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign through July 5, with no tolerance for those driving impaired. The DuPage County Sheriff’s Department has been running a safety campaign in that same vein since June 16, which lasts through the early morning of July 5. Officials remind those planning to drink to make sure to have a designated driver, use mass transit or a ride service, and keep others from driving drunk or impaired.
Summer in the Parks
BrightSide Theatre, in partnership with the Naperville Park District, hosted “Summer in the Parks: The Golden Age of Broadway” on Wednesday in the Wagner Pavilion at the 95th Street Community Plaza. Five singers and four musicians performed songs from memorable musicals such as My Fair Lady, West Side Story, Peter Pan, The Music Man, and South Pacific. Two more Wednesday shows are scheduled for July 13 and July 27 from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Wagner Pavilion. There will also be Thursday shows on July 28 and August 11 at the Millennium Carillon Amphitheatre. All performances are free.
Centennial Parks Skate Facility Renovations
The Naperville Park District held a public meeting on Wednesday night at the Centennial Park Skate Facility to discuss renovations to the skate park. The park, located just west of Centennial Beach, was built in 2004. Park district officials say heavy use and wear and tear have prompted the upgrade. Spohn Ranch, which will be doing the renovations, showed three possible designs for the new facility. All have a similar footprint, but each has a few different features such as an enclosed bowl, sunken basin, or a street-centric feel. The skate park designers hope to finish work on the facility in 2023. Community members can view and comment on the three plans on the park district’s website.
