Early voting begins today in Will and DuPage counties
Early voting kicks off today in both Will and DuPage counties for the November 5 general election.
Voters in Will County may cast their ballots at the Will County Clerk’s Office, 302 N. Chicago St., Joliet, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on weekdays. Voters in DuPage County may select one of five locations to cast their ballots. Locally, that includes the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St., Naperville. Hours for the DuPage locations will be Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon.
Starting Oct. 21, more voting locations will open up across both Will and DuPage counties, with expanded hours as well. Voters can check out the Will County and DuPage County clerks’ websites for more information about voting locations and hours.
Drug trafficking operator who used Naperville warehouse in pipeline sentenced to 25 years
The owner of a Texas trucking company who used a warehouse in Naperville as part of a drug pipeline has been sentenced to 25 years in prison, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of Illinois.
Mexican resident Jose Farias, 44, was convicted in 2021 of drug conspiracy and possession charges, after authorities discovered he’d been coordinating the transport of narcotics from Mexico to Chicago in 2015 and 2016. The drugs were transported in the hollowed-out wheel axles of tractor-trailers. Trucks were unloaded, with drugs then distributed to sellers, and money from the sales then transported back to Texas and Mexico
Warehouses in Naperville and Sugar Grove were used for the operation, along with an auto repair shop in Channahon, and an abandoned auto lot in Chicago. It’s estimated that during its run, the operation distributed about 130 kilograms of heroin and roughly 45 kilograms of cocaine in the Chicago area.
Farias was sentenced on Monday. Seven other defendants were also convicted in the scheme.
National Merit Scholarship Program recognizes Naperville-area students as semifinalists
High schools in and around Naperville are full of talent — so much so that 85 students from six area schools have been named semifinalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program.
Multi-tenant development proposed on 75th Street
On Tuesday, the DuPage County Board approved a developer’s request to rezone a 4.73-acre parcel located in unincorporated land just outside Naperville’s city limits to accommodate a multi-tenant development. The site is located at 24W655 75th St., in Lisle Township.
The board voted to rezone the site to a general business district designation to accommodate a self-storage facility, daycare center and drive-thru coffee shop. Several speakers did address board members with concerns about some of the details with the development, though commissioners approved the petition without discussion.
District 203 discusses school improvement plans
Officials in Naperville School District 203 gave a glimpse into the school improvement plans across the 23 individual buildings at Monday’s board of education meeting. In the presentation, administrators touched on the key components that play into the plans, including data metrics and soft-skill approaches aimed at giving all students a sense of belonging.
School improvement plans have been written up annually in District 203. But this year’s approach has been refined with more specificity to each building, which several board members lauded during a lengthy discussion of the efforts underway.
The District 203 board is slated to vote on each of the individual school improvement plans at its next meeting on Oct. 7. An end-of-year achievement summary will be presented next spring.
Public Safety Open House to be held this Saturday
The Naperville police and fire departments will host their annual Public Safety Open House this Saturday, Sept. 28, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The event gives the public a chance to get an up-close look at emergency vehicles, learn safety information, chat with first responders, and take part in activities and giveaways. There will also be several demonstrations throughout the day, showing tactics like putting out a flashover fire, using drones and tasers, making a traffic stop and DUI arrest, and utilizing the K-9 unit.
The event is free. There will be food available for purchase from several food trucks on site. More information about the event including times of demonstrations is available on the city of Naperville’s website.
