Local State of the Union guests
A retired Naperville nurse and the president of a DuPage County nonprofit will be among the guests at Tuesday night’s State of the Union address.
U.S. Representative Sean Casten (IL-06) has chosen DuPagePads President and CEO April Redzic to attend the State of the Union address as his guest, with U.S. Representative Lauren Underwood (IL-14) choosing retired Naperville nurse Cindy Mundell as hers. Read more about the story here.
Free therapy program coming to Neuqua Valley, Metea Valley
At last night’s Indian Prairie School District 204 board meeting, Dr. Tara Bell announced that the district secured an additional $500,000 in grant funding to bring licensed clinicians to both Neuqua Valley High School and Metea Valley High School, to offer free therapy sessions through the Indian Prairie Cares initiative.
Currently, Granger Middle School, Longwood Elementary School, Fischer Middle School, and Georgetown Elementary School, their feeder schools and Waubonsie Valley High School have access to the service, which launched in November.
Those interested in signing up for the free sessions can do so through the Indian Prairie Cares website.
Local nonprofit DanceOn to shut down
Local nonprofit DanceOn has announced it will be closing down operations as of February 28.
In a message on social media, management for the group said it was a tough and emotional decision, made after taking a look at “the many family milestones and other obligations facing us this year and the energy required to support our NFP in the way it not only needs but demands.”
DanceOn was launched by Greg Long in 2018 after his son and two other boys were heckled with homophobic slurs while performing with a dance team at a school assembly. Long created a t-shirt in solidarity of his son and other male dancers which eventually launched worldwide requests for DanceOn apparel. Out of that grew the nonprofit, aimed at countering bullying against male dancers and helping supply dance scholarships and programs for boys or other at-need young performers.
NPD hopes to return lost rings in time for Valentine’s Day
The Naperville Police Department (NPD) is hoping to reunite some wedding bands with their owners in time for Valentine’s Day.
The NPD posted on social media that it had a few lost rings among its found items, and could use a hand tracking down the owners. The department has a found property listing online that details when and where each item was found.
Anyone who thinks they’ve discovered an item of theirs on the list can contact the Evidence and Property Section at 630-305-5298.
Healthy Driven Naperville Half Marathon & 5K adds 10K component
The Healthy Driven Naperville Half Marathon & 5K has added a new component this year, offering up a 10K race as well.
Registration is currently underway for the event sponsored by Edward-Elmhurst Health, which will take place Sunday, October 22. The races all start off in downtown Naperville on Eagle Street, just north of Aurora Avenue.
Those who have already registered for the race who would like to change their distance to the 10K may do so through the event website.
