Man injured in vehicle explosion in Pioneer Park parking lot
A 25-year-old man was injured when a vehicle exploded in the Pioneer Park parking lot on Tuesday night, according to a spokesperson for the Naperville Police Department.
The explosion happened in the lot at 1212 S. Washington St. around 9 p.m.
The man was taken to a local hospital for treatment of what police say appeared to be non-life-threatening injuries. Police are still investigating what caused the explosion. Pioneer Park is currently closed, but will be reopened once the inquiry is complete, according to the Naperville Park District.
Naperville Mariano’s on list of nearly 600 stores to be sold off to facilitate merger
A Naperville Mariano’s is on the list of the nearly 600 stores nationwide that Kroger and Albertsons plan to sell to facilitate their proposed $25 million merger.
The store at 1300 S. Naper Blvd. is among 35 of the listed grocery stores in Illinois, which include both Mariano’s and Jewel-Osco locations, which the companies are planning to offload to C&S Wholesale Grocers to help earn federal approval of the merger.
Plans for the merger were announced in October 2022, but the Federal Trade Commission sued to stop it in February, saying it would hurt supermarket competition and lead to higher grocery prices. Kroger and Albertsons say the divestiture deal with C&S, which includes other facilities such as distribution centers, would help maintain competition.
DuPage County audit report inconclusive on cannabis revenue mishap
A long-anticipated report delving into what went wrong in the failure to file paperwork to collect cannabis sales tax revenue for DuPage County did not give any conclusive findings on what went wrong.
But multiple officials at a DuPage County Board meeting on Tuesday, July 9, vowed such an oversight never will happen again, pledging to implement a series of internal measures aimed at strengthening the lines of communication between the two units of government.
Clow Creek Greenway shoreline restoration
Restorative work on the shoreline along the Clow Creek Greenway is slated to take place late this summer, based on a preliminary report provided at the most recent Naperville Park Board meeting.
The forthcoming work will impact 1,100 linear feet of shoreline, from Pradel Drive, west to the pond area. Invasive and undesirable trees and shrubs will be removed, according to park officials, and enhancements will be installed to minimize erosion along the shoreline.
The district has earmarked $140,000 in this year’s capital budget for the restorative work. The current timeline calls for substantial completion in the fall. The park board will vote on a contract next month.
DuPage County Sheriff’s Office takes part in increased speeding enforcement campaign
The DuPage County Sheriff’s Office is joining in a statewide campaign throughout July to help reduce speeding, reminding the public to “Drive Smart, Reduce Your Speed for Safer Travel.”
Additional patrols will be out throughout the month keeping a watchful eye out for those speeding, as well as other traffic violations. Enforcement of posted speed limits will be intensified, authorities say, particularly on residential streets where many speed-related crashes take place.
More than 200 law enforcement agencies in Illinois are taking part in the campaign, made possible by federal traffic safety funds administered by IDOT.
