Carolyn Stein

Carolyn Stein covers news for the Naperville Sun. She is a recent graduate of Stanford University, where she studied communication and East Asian studies. She has previously worked for the San Francisco Chronicle, Mercury News and Mission Local.

Residents listen to members of the Naperville City Council discuss a proposed data center during a meeting Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, at Naperville Municipal Building. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

Naperville council votes down controversial data center proposal

January 21, 2026 at 12:30 p.m.

Naperville City Council members, facing a packed house opposed to a proposed data center, voted 6-1 to reject the project.

Signs on the windows at Francesca's, a women's apparel and gift store in downtown Naperville, announced Tuesday, Jan. 20, 2026, that all merchandise was discounted up to 30%. The company is closing all of its remaining locations. (R. Christian Smith/Naperville Sun)

Women’s boutique store Francesca’s to close all of its locations, including Naperville’s

January 20, 2026 at 3:26 p.m.

Francesca’s, a women’s clothing and gifts store chain with a location in Naperville, is shutting down all of its remaining stores.

Piccolo Buco, part of Naperville's Block 59, is one of more than four dozen restaurants offering special deals during Naperville Restaurant Week 2026, which starts Jan. 23. (Carolyn Stein/Naperville Sun)

Nearly 50 restaurants to take part in this year’s Naperville Restaurant Week

January 20, 2026 at 2:14 p.m.

Naperville Restaurant Week is back for its 12th year, with dozens of restaurants offering special deals and pre fixe menus.

Navya Shah, left, unloads a donation for Hesed House in Aurora with her younger sister Kyrha in July 2025. The nonprofit Empower Futurewave Foundation started by Shah, a student at Neuqua Valley High School in Naperville, helps address food insecurity. (Navya Shah)

Naperville student’s nonprofit delivers food to shelters, offers English classes

January 17, 2026 at 10:49 a.m.

Navya Shah grew up with a message from her mom that always stuck with her: don’t waste food. It’s a simple message and a common one, emphasizing the importance of...

Overhead view of Nike Sports Complex in Naperville, with planned amenities listed along the left side of the illustration. (Naperville Park District)

Park district lands $600K grant to help fund Naperville’s Nike complex upgrades

January 16, 2026 at 6:45 p.m.

Naperville Park District was awarded a $600,000 state grant to help fund $4.25 million in improvements at Nike Sports Complex.

Barrel & Heritage at 21 W. Jefferson Ave. in downtown Naperville was previously named Tasting deVine Cellars. The business has rebranded to better reflect its beer, wine and spirits offerings. (Carolyn Stein/Naperville Sun)

Naperville’s Tasting deVine Cellars now named Barrel & Heritage to better reflect what it offers

January 15, 2026 at 2:04 p.m.

Tasting deVine Cellars in Naperville is reinventing itself as Barrel & Heritage for the beer, wine and spirits it now sells.

A performance of a zaffa procession, or a wedding march, was held during the 2025 Chicagoland Halal Fest at Frontier Park in Naperville. The fest is moving to College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn next year. (Illinois Muslim Chamber of Commerce)

Halal Fest moving to College of DuPage this year due to Naperville parking issue

January 15, 2026 at 1:28 p.m.

Despite a record turnout in Naperville, Chicagoland Halal Fest will be held at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn this year.

College of DuPage, based in Glen Ellyn, plans to use $4 million in new federal funding to develop more programs in aviation and unmanned aviation vehicle/drone usage. (College of DuPage)

College of DuPage receives $4M in federal money for its aviation, drone programs

January 13, 2026 at 4:32 p.m.

College of DuPage has been awarded $4 million in federal funding to expand and support its aviation and drone programs.

A Naperville police vehicle pulls up in front of the Naperville Police Department building at 1350 Aurora Ave. on Thursday, Jan. 8, 2026. (Carolyn Stein/Naperville Sun)

Naperville police trying to deal with big increase in body cam footage requests

January 13, 2026 at 3:01 p.m.

Naperville police want legislation to curb the growing number of Freedom of Information Act requests for body camera footage.

Felon charged with having a loaded gun in Naperville denied pre-trial release

January 14, 2026 at 11:45 a.m.

A convicted felon was denied pre-trial release after being arrested over the weekend on a charge of possessing a loaded gun.

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