Rifle Sales Lawsuit
A Naperville gun shop owner along with the National Association for Gun Rights have filed a lawsuit against the City of Naperville for its new ordinance banning sales of certain high powered rifles. Robert Bevis is the owner of Law Weapons & Supply, which is also named as a plaintiff. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court yesterday, states that the ordinance is unconstitutional, violating rights provided by the Second Amendment. It requests that the ordinance be struck down and asks for the awarding of attorney costs as well as compensatory damages. The ordinance is scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2023.
Pink Exterior Approved
Naperville’s Planning and Zoning Commission has given its approval for a downtown Naperville business to keep its pink-colored exterior. Last night the group discussed the paint job on Benefit, a cosmetics company at 214 S. Main Street, which is pink to match its corporate branding. Downtown design standards adopted in 2011 call for neutral color tones, though older buildings were grandfathered into the policy. The owners of the multi-tenant building which houses Benefit, gave the okay for the business to paint the exterior pink, without first getting city approval, but since filed an appeal to allow the design. Commissioners said they were sensitive to the current economic climate and voted to give approval for the pink color scheme. This is not the first time a color variance for a downtown business has been scrutinized. Previously the exterior of JoJo’s Shake Bar was reviewed due to its dripping blue accents. In that instance city officials deemed that it did not violate any existing standards. In the case of the Benefit appeal, the planning and zoning commission has final say in the matter, meaning it will not have to go before city council.
9/11 Pentagon Survivor
A survivor of the Pentagon attack on 9/11 will be the keynote speaker at Sunday’s September 11 Remembrance Ceremony in Naperville. Retired Army Lt. Colonel Ryan Yantis has collaborated on the book “9/11 Survivors’ Stories: Midwest Memories,” and serves as vice president of education and outreach for American Pride, Inc., a non-profit which supports 9/11 survivors taking part in speaking engagements of their experiences. Sunday’s ceremony will also include speeches by Naperville Police Chief Jason Arres and Naperville Fire Chief Mark Puknaitis. The event starts at 10:45 a.m. at the Cmdr. Dan Shanower Memorial on the north side of the Naperville Municipal Center. Shanower was a Naperville native who died in the Pentagon attack on 9/11.
Public Safety Open House
On Saturday, September 17, the Naperville Police and Fire Departments will hold their annual Public Safety Open House. The event will feature demonstrations by first responders, including a water rescue, a helicopter landing, an auto extrication, a flashover fire, and some work by the police department K9 unit. Police and fire personnel will be on hand to meet the public, give out information, and show off their vehicles. There will be food trucks on site as well. The free event runs from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Naperville’s Public Safety Campus at 1380 Aurora Road.