Naperville house fire results in $150,000 in damages
A Naperville house fire on Tuesday night caused $150,000 in damages.
Officials say a resident returned to their home on the 1100 block of Needham Road around 8:20 p.m. to find the house was filled with smoke. Upon arrival, fire crews found fire at the exterior and rear of the residence. They were able to get it under control after about 15 minutes, remaining on the scene another hour.
No one was injured in the incident, which left the home uninhabitable. The cause of the house fire is under investigation.
Tornado relief funding requested for clean-up efforts
Naperville Tornado Relief is asking the city for up to $500,000 to help with the remaining funding needed for tornado clean-up efforts.
Though most of the larger debris has been cleared since the EF-3 tornado hit our area in June 2021, small particles of metal and glass remain in the soil within yards. Those rise to the surface when it rains, causing a hazard. Insurance does not cover the cost of clean-up of such debris.
The group recently received a $1 million grant from the state to help in the efforts. But more is needed to fully cover the work needed at about 70 homes which were affected.
The request was made during public comment at Tuesday night’s city council meeting, for the city to take into consideration. Councilman Benny White, serving as mayor pro tem at last night’s council meeting, said the staff would look into using part of the $13.3 million in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds for the cause.
Naperville approves land purchase for affordable housing development
Also last night, Naperville City Council voted unanimously to approve the purchase and sale agreement of 4.68 acres of City-owned property to Gorman & Company LLC to be used for new affordable housing. It’s targeted for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and seniors.
The development will be located southeast of Route 59 and 103rd Street on Tower Court. Construction is anticipated to begin in the summer of 2024.
District 203 high school course fee changes
Naperville District 203 administrators are examining high school course fees for the upcoming 2023-24 school year, and more than three dozen items could change.
Most of the fees under review pertain to materials costs for specialized courses in business technology, technology and engineering education, and world and classical languages.
Most of the proposed fee changes reflect increases of $5 or $10. Students in floriculture and landscape design, for instance, might have a fee of $60, rather than $50, for the use of flowers and greenhouse design materials. In some cases, District 203 is considering fee decreases, or eliminating them all together. The current $29, per semester, charge for Mandarin 1 and Mandarin 2, could go to $0.
According to administrators, all of the fee changes reflect increases or decreases in procuring materials for the specific courses. The school board discussed the changes on Monday and will take action at the next meeting on Feb. 21.
Two Maids Naperville receives Shining Business Award
Two Maids Naperville received the 2022 Shining Business Award from the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce (NACC).
The NACC presented the award to Two Maids Naperville owner Dan Brosseau at its annual gala on January 17.
Businesses are nominated for the award by NACC members. The winner is chosen based on positive service to the community and demonstrating a shining spirit that others want to follow. Two Maids was noted for both lifting peoples spirits with their service, by making their spaces shine, and also for its practice of providing free services for cancer patients.
