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Word Round TownSt. Charles · Geneva · Batavia

The Fox Valley editionLocal news & community stories

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Batavia committee backs 20 mph downtown and 2027 utility rate increases after budget hearing· November 13, 2026 · Local News Geneva D304 plans a 3.61% levy increase and takes a first step toward a solar lease· November 11, 2026 · Local News St. Charles D303 starts weighing a smaller referendum or safety bonds after Nov. 3 loss· November 11, 2026 · Local News Geneva restarts police station plan with a smaller design and a $1.5 million state grant· November 10, 2026 · Local News Candidate filing for April 2027 local races opens Nov. 16 in the Tri-Cities· November 9, 2026 · Local News

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Word Round Town Staff

Word Round Town Staff is the local team behind Word Round Town, a local publication for St. Charles, Geneva, Batavia and the Fox Valley.

Stories by Word Round Town Staff

Three-story limestone Batavia Government Center building with green window trim and a wooden windmill sculpture on the lawn

Batavia committee backs 20 mph downtown and 2027 utility rate increases after budget hearing

Rows of solar panels on a grassy field under a partly cloudy sky

Geneva D304 plans a 3.61% levy increase and takes a first step toward a solar lease

Front entrance of St. Charles East High School, a tan brick building with the school name above glass doors

St. Charles D303 starts weighing a smaller referendum or safety bonds after Nov. 3 loss

Two-story brick Geneva City Hall with a City of Geneva sign above the entrance

Geneva restarts police station plan with a smaller design and a $1.5 million state grant

Batavia City Hall, a three-story limestone building on Island Avenue.

Batavia's 2027 budget would raise water and sewer rates 8% and electric 3.5%

The white Art Deco St. Charles Municipal Building with its tower, beside the Main Street bridge

Candidate filing for April 2027 local races opens Nov. 16 in the Tri-Cities

An attendant in a bright green hat unloads electronics from a car at the Fabyan Parkway recycling center.

Kane County recycling center on Fabyan Parkway reopens early in Geneva

The brick Hotel Baker building on Main Street in downtown St. Charles.

Where to eat Thanksgiving dinner in St. Charles on Nov. 26

Kane County map showing the Kirk Road bridge over the Union Pacific Railroad in Geneva, just south of Route 38 and north of Cherry Lane, with Fabyan Parkway farther south

Kirk Road lane closures north of Route 38 run into December, ahead of 2027 bridge replacement

The tan brick Batavia Public Library building with its cupola and columned entrance.

Batavia library renovation starts in November, and the building stays open

The bar and taproom seating at Sturdy Shelter Brewing in Batavia.

Entertainment & Culture

Trivia, music bingo and comedy nights in the Tri-Cities

Aquascape's headquarters building in St. Charles, with a display pond, water lilies and landscaped plantings in front

Aquascape and Heinz Brothers win 2026 Made in St. Charles Awards

Batavia City Hall, a three-story limestone building on Island Avenue.

Batavia OKs $9 telehealth charge on utility bills unless you opt out

The main entrance of St. Charles East High School, a brick building with a sign reading St. Charles East High, flowering trees and a one-way sign by the parking lot

St. Charles voters reject D303's $282.5 million school bond request

The interior of a cannabis dispensary with glass display cases and hanging lights

Illinois moved THC drinks to dispensaries Nov. 12: what Tri-Cities shoppers should know

The Fox River spills over the dam in downtown St. Charles, with the Hotel Baker on the riverbank

The week ahead in the Tri-Cities: Nov. 10-15

Racks of sweaters, jeans and handbags on light wood shelves inside an Audyn boutique

Audyn Boutique opens its second shop, Audyn on Third, in Geneva

Brick-paved shared street with large planters, outdoor patio seating and a yellow Share the Road sign in downtown Batavia

Batavia committee takes up 20 mph limit for more downtown streets Nov. 10

The white St. Charles Municipal Center and its tower beside the Fox River dam

Money & Savings

St. Charles plans 2.7% city tax levy increase: about $23 a year

Exterior of a Texas Roadhouse restaurant with a green roof, wood siding and Texas and U.S. flags

Texas Roadhouse plans a Batavia restaurant on Randall Road

The two-story cream-colored Barry House on a downtown St. Charles corner.

13 new Third Avenue parking spots tied to saving the Barry House

High-voltage transmission towers and power lines against a blue sky in the Chicago area

Power out in the Tri-Cities? Who to call and how to get alerts

Front entrance of St. Charles East High School beneath a blue sky

No school days in November and December 2026 for Tri-Cities families

The red brick Kane County Government Center building in Geneva with a parking lot and landscaping in front

Veterans Day 2026 in the Tri-Cities: ceremony and help for vets

The red Batavia Depot Museum building with a sign out front, surrounded by trees and lawn

Deals & Freebies

Senior discounts and free days for older adults in the Tri-Cities

The lit Arcada Theatre marquee and neighboring storefronts on Main Street in St. Charles at night

Deals & Freebies

Free events in the Tri-Cities for the rest of November

The tan brick Hotel Baker with its central tower and awnings, seen from the street corner on a sunny day

Hotel Baker at 98: the story behind St. Charles' riverfront landmark

Traffic on State Street in downtown Geneva, with two-story brick and painted storefronts and a cupola-topped building

East State Street in Geneva: flagger delays and concrete paving on Route 38

A Salvation Army bell ringer in a red apron and Santa hat stands beside a red kettle outside a store entrance

Ways to give back in the Tri-Cities this holiday season

Brick storefronts with a white clock tower and cupola along State Street in downtown Geneva, with parked cars along the curb

Deals & Freebies

Happy hours and weekday specials worth knowing in the Tri-Cities

The Arcada Theatre's lit vertical sign and marquee glowing at night on Main Street in St. Charles, with a lit holiday tree nearby

Thanksgiving weekend 2026 in the Tri-Cities: Nov. 26-29 planner

Front entrance of Batavia High School framed by orange and red fall trees, with a flagpole and landscaped walkway

Batavia D101 plans $12.6M safety bond sale for school repairs

Freshly roasted coffee beans turning in the cooling tray of a coffee roaster

Coffee shops worth knowing in St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia

Pace buses pulling out of the Elgin Transportation Center.

Pace draft plan would add Sunday buses, drop Delnor stop in Tri-Cities

The bar at Sturdy Shelter Brewing with tall stools, a Sturdy Shelter Brewing sign, tap list boards and exposed brick walls

Breweries, wineries and taprooms in the Tri-Cities

Parents and children walk through the Kids Landing area of the Geneva Public Library.

Indoor play spots for kids in the Tri-Cities this winter

A paved trail leading onto a narrow footbridge over the Fox River, framed by trees in fall color

Winter break 2026 camps for kids in St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia

A blood donor's arm with a collection tube as a staff member handles the donation equipment at a mobile blood drive

Health & Wellness

Tri-Cities blood drives for November and December 2026

The John B. Norris Recreation Center building in St. Charles seen from a covered walkway on a rainy fall day, with red and yellow trees and parked cars

Health & Wellness

Stay active this winter: Tri-Cities park district gyms, track and pool

Long aisle of grocery shelves stocked with boxed and canned food under bright lights

Money & Savings

Tri-Cities food pantries: hours, locations and how to get help

Red brick Kane County Courthouse with a green copper dome under a blue sky

Money & Savings

Kane County property tax appeals: 2026 deadlines have passed. How to get ready for 2027

Fall trees turning yellow and red along a residential street and riverside path, with a South IL 25 route sign

Fall leaf collection 2026: St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia dates

Green two-story clapboard house with a white front porch and light snow on the lawn

Money & Savings

Property tax exemptions Tri-Cities homeowners might be missing

Multi-story brick Kane County Government Center building with a parking lot and landscaping in front

Where to recycle electronics, paint and batteries in the Tri-Cities

Brick library building with tall windows, a peaked wood-trimmed entrance, bike racks and a lawn in front

Money & Savings

Free stuff your Tri-Cities library card gets you

The red Batavia Depot Museum and a red caboose surrounded by fresh snow under a blue sky

Tri-Cities snow rules: parking bans, plowing and sidewalks

Pottawatomie Park along the Fox River in St. Charles, with a tower-topped park building and riverboats

Health & Wellness

Senior wellness in the Tri-Cities: centers, classes and support

Two-story red brick Geneva City Hall with a City of Geneva sign over the entrance and landscaped grasses in front

Holiday lights and Christmas tree recycling in the Tri-Cities

A cluster of full brown paper yard waste bags standing on dry grass beside a curb and a residential street

Tri-Cities yard waste season ends Nov. 30: stickers, carts, haulers

White Art Deco St. Charles Municipal Building with its tall tower and an American flag, seen from the street on a sunny day

Do you need a building permit? St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia rules

The Arcada Theatre's lit vertical marquee and entrance on Main Street in St. Charles at night, with a lit tree beside it

Entertainment & Culture

Arcada Theatre shows this fall and winter: Art Garfunkel to Blue Öyster Cult

Glass entrance canopy and front drive of a modern hospital building with a parked car and people walking

Health & Wellness

Delnor Hospital in Geneva: services, classes and community programs

The entrance of the Norris Cultural Arts Center with a bronze sculpture of dancing figures.

Entertainment & Culture

Holiday shows at the Norris and Batavia Fine Arts Centre this season

A parent and three children ice skating on frozen Depot Pond in Batavia.

Money & Savings

Free winter fun in the Tri-Cities: skating, sledding and more

The lit Arcada marquee and storefronts on Main Street in St. Charles at night

Entertainment & Culture

Where to hear live music in the Tri-Cities most weeks

A person in a dark coat pushes a stroller along a paved path past bare trees at Fabyan Forest Preserve

Health & Wellness

Guided nature walks in the Tri-Cities this fall and winter

The stone Water Street Studios building in Batavia with its painted sign and an Open flag.

Entertainment & Culture

Art in the Tri-Cities this fall: galleries, receptions and markets

A quiet stretch of the Fox River with a grassy bank and stone edge in the foreground and trees and buildings on the far shore under an overcast sky

Health & Wellness

Mental health help in the Tri-Cities and Kane County: who to call

Aerial view of Fermilab's Wilson Hall high-rise surrounded by green fields and roads

Entertainment & Culture

Fermilab talks, tours and art open to the public this fall

Two-story red brick building with a GENEVA sign over the entrance, landscaped beds and a tree out front

Geneva's development pipeline: senior apartments, townhomes and more

A tree-lined brick-edged sidewalk along Third Street in downtown Geneva, with a red wooden storefront, an OPEN flag and a small outdoor table and chairs

Where to eat on Third and State streets in downtown Geneva

A paved trail curving through fall trees with green wayfinding signs pointing to nearby towns at a trail junction

Fox River Trail guide: St. Charles, Geneva and Batavia

A hand reaching to adjust a wall-mounted digital thermostat in a dim room

Money & Savings

Kane County heating bill help: how to apply for LIHEAP this winter

View from the upper deck of the Fabyan Windmill, with one wooden sail and shingled siding in front of green trees and the Fox River below

Three Kane County forest preserves for fall hikes near the Tri-Cities

Plates of macaroni and cheese and grilled cheese with fries at The James in Geneva.

Deals & Freebies

Kids eat free and family deals in the Tri-Cities

Guests in western wear and cowboy hats gather on a covered patio outside a red barn-style building

Lazarus House in St. Charles: how to help this season

Two Lou Malnati's deep dish pizzas in black pans on a serving stand, one topped with tomato slices and one with chunky tomato sauce, each with a metal server

New in St. Charles: Starbird and Lou Malnati's are both open

The Arcada Theatre marquee on Main Street in St. Charles lit up at night, reading From our family to yours Merry Christmas, with a lighted tree on a light pole out front

St. Charles Holiday Homecoming 2026: lights, parade, Santa and Elf

The white art deco St. Charles Municipal Center with its tall tower and an American flag out front under a blue sky

St. Charles OKs Shops at Pheasant Run plan and a $3.5 million TIF deal

Santa sits with a mother and young daughter by a Christmas tree.

St. Charles Park District December 2026: Santa, cows and gingerbread

Three-story limestone Batavia Government Center building with green window trim and a wooden windmill sculpture on the lawn

Batavia caps video gambling licenses at 14 under new city rules

Brick-paved shared street with large planters, outdoor patio seating and a yellow Share the Road sign in downtown Batavia

Where to eat and drink in downtown Batavia this fall

The red brick Kane County Courthouse in Geneva with a green dome, a statue and steps on the front lawn, on a sunny day

Geneva holiday guide 2026: Christmas Walk, lights and more

The Fabyan Villa, a two-story house with a steep shingled roof, wide eaves and a brick chimney, on a green lawn under a clear blue sky

Fabyan Forest Preserve off-season: what's open in Geneva

The red Batavia Depot Museum building and caboose with snow on the roof and ground under a blue sky

Batavia holiday season 2026: lights, Santa and shopping dates

A restored red wooden windmill tower with a white wheel stands in a landscaped bed in front of a historic stone building in Batavia

Windmill City: Batavia's windmills, Depot Museum and Fermilab

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