R. Christian Smith

Christian Smith reports on Aurora city government for The Beacon-News. He grew up in Charleston, S.C., and graduated from Winthrop University in 2022. Previously, he has reported for The Citizen Times in Asheville, N.C., and The Morning News in Florence, S.C.

Students in Aurora walked out of school and gathered around Aurora City Hall on Feb. 13, 2026, to protest the Trump administration's ongoing mass deportation campaign. (R. Christian Smith/The Beacon-News)

Aurora students again protest ICE with walkout

February 13, 2026 at 8:45 p.m.

Aurora students walked out of school on Friday in protest of the Trump administration’s continued mass deportation campaign.

Jasmin Olvera lights candles next to a memorial outside the Henry Pratt Co. plant in Aurora after a mass shooting at the facility on Feb. 15, 2019, killed five employees and wounded five Aurora police officers and a Pratt employee. On Sunday, Feb. 15, the city of Aurora will hold a remembrance ceremony at City Hall to honor the victims on the seventh anniversary of the mass shooting. (Armando L. Sanchez/Chicago Tribune)

Aurora ceremony to honor victims on seventh anniversary of Henry Pratt mass shooting

February 13, 2026 at 12:08 p.m.

The city of Aurora will hold a wreath-laying ceremony on Sunday to honor those who lost their lives in the mass shooting at the Henry Pratt Co. facility in the...

The city of Aurora's Development Services Center, seen here on Feb. 4, 2026, will soon have its HVAC system upgraded at a cost of around $665,000. (R. Christian Smith/The Beacon-News)

Aurora City Council OKs more than half-million-dollar upgrade to Development Services Center

February 12, 2026 at 10:24 a.m.

Aurora’s Development Services Center is at 77 S. Broadway and houses several city departments and divisions.

The city of Aurora's Central Garage, seen here on Feb. 4, 2026, is set to be demolished at some point in the future after operations were moved into a new facility. (R. Christian Smith/The Beacon-News)

Aurora to do environmental study ahead of demolishing Central Garage

February 11, 2026 at 3:10 p.m.

Aurora is moving forward with an environmental study looking at the site of its Central Garage, which it is planning to one day tear down.

Aurora's water tower on Church Road stands behind a nearby industrial building on Feb. 10, 2026. (R. Christian Smith/The Beacon-News)

Aurora planning nearly $1.9 million renovation of water tower

February 10, 2026 at 3:15 p.m.

The city of Aurora is planning a nearly $1.9 million renovation of the water tower near the corner of Church Road and Bilter Road.

The CyrusOne data center on Feb. 2, 2026, in Aurora. Neighbors have complained that noise produced by fans and generators at the facility has affected their quality of life. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)

Aurora to host open house on data centers amid moratorium

February 9, 2026 at 3:10 p.m.

As Aurora's moratorium on data centers nears its end, the city is planning an open house to give residents the chance to voice concerns and ask questions about the topic.

Laura Evans' neighborhood, along Shetland Lane, is about a block away from the CyrusOne data center, as seen on Feb. 2, 2026, in Aurora. Evans and her family moved into the neighborhood 30 years ago. Construction on the data center began 17 years ago. (Stacey Wescott/Chicago Tribune)

Amid chaotic data center debates, industry warns Illinois will miss out unless privacy law weakened

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

Residents already have demands about jobs and the environment. Now data center operators want Illinois to reduce its biometric protections.

An Aurora City Council panel is set to consider hiring a company to design a new sound wall for Orchard Road to replace the existing wooden fence along the road, seen here last August. (R. Christian Smith/The Beacon-News)

Aurora committee to consider design contract for Orchard Road sound wall

February 6, 2026 at 8:19 p.m.

A committee of the Aurora City Council is set to consider hiring a company to design a new sound wall for Orchard Road, which is a project that has been...

Society 57 is one of many businesses set to take part in the First Fridays event in downtown Aurora on Friday, Feb. 6, 2026. (Steve Lord/The Beacon-News)

First Fridays event in downtown Aurora begins again on Feb. 6, now under new management

February 5, 2026 at 4:04 p.m.

The monthly event in downtown Aurora known as First Fridays is returning on the evening of Feb. 6 under the management of a new group.

The city of Aurora's Development Services Center, seen here on Feb. 4, 2026, may soon have its HVAC system upgraded at a cost of around $665,000. (R. Christian Smith/The Beacon-News)

Aurora planning over half-million-dollar upgrade to Development Services Center

February 4, 2026 at 4:01 p.m.

The city of Aurora is planning to spend over a half-million dollars to upgrade the HVAC system of its Development Services Center in downtown.

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