Washington Street Bridge update | Norovirus precautions | Fermilab leadership change

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Washington Street Bridge construction to be completed by mid-year

A Naperville bridge project that has faced delays is set to be completed by May or June of this year.

Bill Novack, Naperville’s Director of Transportation, Engineering, and Development (TED), provided an update on the Washington Street Bridge replacement project as the new year begins.

Learn what the work crew is currently focusing on and what steps will follow.

Local health officials encourage norovirus precautions as cases rise

The Will County Health Department is alerting residents to take precautions against norovirus, in light of increased numbers noted throughout the state and the country by health agencies, and local outbreaks within the county.

Learn about norovirus symptoms and what precautions to take against the virus.

Fermilab announces leadership change

Fermilab is undergoing a leadership transition as Dr. Lia Merminga stepped down as laboratory director on Monday, according to a press release.

Dr. Young-Kee Kim has been appointed interim laboratory director while the search for a permanent director begins immediately. 

Dr. Kim currently serves as the Albert A. Michelson Distinguished Service Professor of Physics at the University of Chicago and has led a career in experimental particle and accelerator physics. She previously served as Fermilab’s deputy director from 2006 to 2013.

Merminga had served as Fermilab’s director since 2022 and was the first woman to hold the position.

New English curriculum coming to District 204 middle schools

Middle school students taking standard-level classes in Indian Prairie School District 204 will begin learning a new English Language Arts curriculum next year.

The school board on Monday night approved the purchase of the books and a five-year license to use the CommonLit 360 curriculum at a total cost of $220,000. Educators say the program increases the rigor of instruction to help students become more confident in their writing and reading comprehension.

Books the district is purchasing to accompany the curriculum range in publication years from 1955’s “Twelve Angry Men” by Reginald Rose to 2014’s “Brown Girl Dreaming” by Jacqueline Woodson, with 1993’s “The Giver” by Lois Lowry in between. Sixth-grade students will read “The Giver,” seventh-graders will read “Brown Girl Dreaming” and eighth-graders will study “Twelve Angry Men.”

Naperville School District 203 Connections students leave their mark

Students enrolled in Naperville School District 203’s Connections recently put their name on a pivotal piece of the transition program’s future during a ceremonial event held shortly before winter break.

At the Beam Signing Day event, Connections students signed their names on a beam that will be installed as part of the building’s renovation and expansion. The event served as a symbol of growth, unity, and connection.