Aurora Beacon-News Opinion

David Heatley of Montgomery holds a gift box of his three Chef Heatley's Hot Pepper Farm sauces that won major awards at a national hot sauce expo. (Denise Crosby/The Beacon-News)

Column: Fox Valley chef’s career kicks into high gear as hot sauce champ

By Denise Crosby

May 3, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

David Heatley recently returned from the NYC Hot Sauce Expo, where his creations won four...

From left, Aurora GreenFest founder Mavis Bates and Jazmine Garcia, sustainability coordinator for the city of Aurora, stand in the city's former downtown post office, where GreenFest will be held on Saturday, May 2, 2026. (Mavis Bates)

Column: Old Post Office generating new energy for Aurora GreenFest

By Denise Crosby

May 1, 2026 at 6:00 a.m.

After sitting unused for five years, the nearly 100-year-old former Aurora Post Office in the...

Kane County Treasurer Chris Lauzen, left, and Aurora Mayor John Laesch, who are on opposite ends of the political spectrum, are both throwing their support behind Lauzen's project, "Love Letters to America." (City of Aurora)

Column: Kane County invited to submit ‘Love Letters to America’ for nation’s 250th anniversary

By Denise Crosby

April 26, 2026 at 6:00 a.m.

Love Letters to America is a community storytelling project celebrating America’s 250th birthday with voices...

Quintin Ingram, a licensed social worker at Family Counseling Service in Aurora, started an onsite food and clothing closet for clients to help them more easily get items to meet their basic needs. (Aurora in Black)

Column: Young therapist at Family Counseling Service in Aurora creates on-site food and clothing pantry

By Denise Crosby

April 8, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

As a therapist at Family Counseling Service in Aurora, Quintin Ingram not only listens to...

The Rev. Jerome Kish, new priest at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Yorkville, uses magic to help teach Scripture, including the story of the Resurrection. (Denise Crosby/The Beacon-News)

Column: New Yorkville priest combines magic with ministry

By Denise Crosby

April 5, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

The Rev. Jerome Kish says he uses magic "as a teaching moment rather than a...

Willy Nast, who graduated in 2002 from West Aurora High School, has released a six-part podcast called "City of Lights" that delves into the cold case killing of Jeff Signorelli in Aurora in 2002 and how this drive-by shooting impacted others, especially the victim's parents. (Destri Andorf)

Column: New podcast shines light on Aurora and cold case killing

By Denise Crosby

April 3, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

The “City of Lights” podcast is not a whodunit that focuses on the investigation, it...

Susan S. Starrett, left, who was given the Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame's first Lifetime Achievement Award on Friday, March 27, 2026, shares a celebratory moment with theater teacher Arlene Hawks. (Chiann Gibson)

Column: Susan S. Starrett takes center stage with Lifetime Achievement Award

By Denise Crosby

April 1, 2026 at 8:56 a.m.

Starrett’s accomplishments in music honored by Fox Valley Arts Hall of Fame.

The Mayan building is at 77 S. Stolp Ave. in downtown Aurora. (R. Christian Smith/The Beacon-News)

Column: Developer Karademas says Leilani the right fit for upscale restaurant in The Mayan building in Aurora

By Denise Crosby

March 25, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Plan would have Leilani Asian Fusion go into first-floor space at the historic structure in...

A memorial for 8-year-old Izaiah Lopez was put up on Lake Street near Plum Street in Aurora, close to where the child was killed by a hit-and-run driver in 2019. (Denise Crosby/The Beacon-News)

Column: Aurora hit-and-run driver resentenced to six years in prison after violating probation

By Denise Crosby

March 22, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

On Wednesday afternoon in Courtroom 305 of the Kane County Judicial Center, the parents of...

Campaign signs line the sidewalks outside a polling place in Chicago on March 12, 2026. Such displays of signs were common in the Chicago area before the primary election on Tuesday. Now that the election is over, residents in Kane County are being encouraged to recycle their used campaign signs. (Brian Cassella/Chicago Tribune)

Column: Here’s a winning way to get rid of those election signs

By Denise Crosby

March 20, 2026 at 6:00 a.m.

Now that the primary is over, you might be looking to make those election signs...

Founder Shari Chapman, left, and her Called to Care Foundation honor Yorkville Police Officer Luke Swanson at the nonprofit's recent fundraiser for the kindness and patience he showed when a pregnant teen tried to run away from an emergency shelter for foster children. (Kevin Klock Photography)

Column: Quickly-growing Fox Valley nonprofit filling in gaps in foster care system

By Denise Crosby

March 19, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

There was no shortage of energy or passion at the fifth annual Called to Care...

East Aurora High School Assistant Principal Frank Babich, front row, right end, was a Student Council faculty sponsor in 1982. (East Aurora School District 131)

Column: For retired Fox Valley educator Frank Babich, students have always come first

By Tom Strong

March 15, 2026 at 6:00 a.m.

From 1966 to 1985, he was a teacher and an assistant principal at East Aurora...

Dorothy and John Flisk, owners of Legacy River Equestrian Center on Ashe Road, are not only concerned about the impact a planned data center campus in Yorkville would have on them personally and professionally, but also how it would affect the horses at the facility. (Denise Crosby/The Beacon-News)

Column: Owners of equestrian center concerned how planned Yorkville data center could impact horses

By Denise Crosby

March 15, 2026 at 5:00 a.m.

Legacy River Equestrian Center's owners say they are aware of just how much the proposed...