Hugo Saltijeral of Aurora has been named grand marshal of Aurora’s Fourth of July Parade, set for the city’s downtown on Friday, July 4.
According to a press release from the city, “Hugo’s leadership, generosity and commitment to our community” made him the choice to be grand marshal.
Saltijeral currently serves as executive director of Valley Sheltered Workshop, which works to provide meaningful work and community engagement opportunities for adults with disabilities, according to a city of Aurora post on Facebook.
He also serves on the Governor’s Task Force for Employment and Economic Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities, and has worked to help the homeless in Aurora, the post said.
Saltijeral also is active at St. Joesph Parish in Aurora, and also has coached youth sports teams in the area, officials said.
The city’s Fourth of July Parade will step-off at the intersection of Benton Street and Broadway in downtown Aurora at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 4. The reviewing stand will be placed in front of the David L. Pierce Art and History Center at 20 E. Downer Place, city officials said.
Concerts in the Park to begin in Geneva
The Geneva Park District will offer its annual Concerts in the Park series beginning July 9 at River Park along the Fox River in Geneva.
The free events will be held on Wednesdays beginning the second week in July, and all ages are invited to attend, organizers said in a press release.
The concerts at River Park, 151 N. River Lane, will begin at 7 p.m. and run until 8:30 p.m. Food trucks will be on site, and alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages will be available for purchase, according to the release.
The 2025 Concerts in the Park lineup includes the FeelGood Party Band on July 9, Nashville Electric Company
on July 16, Mr. Myers on July 23 and the Dennis O’Brien Band on July 30.
In the event of inclement weather, the concerts will be canceled, according to the release. For more information about Concerts in the Park, go to www.genevaparks.org or call 630-232-4542.
Two dates added for Unwind Wednesday
The St. Charles Business Alliance has announced that Unwind Wednesday events will continue this summer with two additional dates.
Taking place from 6 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, July 16, and Wednesday, Aug. 13, Unwind Wednesday invites individuals to enjoy live music and beverages on First Street Plaza in downtown St. Charles, according to a press release about the events.
Patrons 21 years old and older who wish to have an alcoholic beverage during Unwind Wednesday must purchase their drink from one of the five nearby businesses on First Street Plaza. The five local businesses are Alter Brewing + Kitchen, Gia Mia, La Mesa Modern Mexican, La Za’Za’ Trattoria and McNally’s Irish Pub.
To participate, patrons must stop by one of the listed venues and present valid identification to receive a wristband.
Once a wristband is received, individuals will then be able to purchase a beverage that they can enjoy on First Street Plaza while listening to Connie Cipher and Michael McInerney on July 16 and Dennis O’Brien on Aug 13.
“The first Unwind Wednesday was a great success,” St. Charles Business Alliance Executive Director Jenna Sawicki said in the release. “It was wonderful to see so many people enjoying the live music, the atmosphere and supporting our local businesses. We’re looking forward to seeing this event continue to grow with these additional dates.”
For more information about Unwind Wednesday, go to www.stcalliance.org/unwindwednesday.
‘Conversations with Farm Kids’ set in Oswego
The Oswegoland Heritage Association will explore the era between the early 1950s and the early 1980s in the Oswego area during “Conversations with Farm Kids” on Saturday, July 12, at the historic Little White School Museum, 72 Polk St. in Oswego.
Admission is $5, through early registration or at the door, with proceeds benefiting the museum, according to a press release about the event.
From the 1950s to the early 1980s, the Oswego area underwent a profound change, event organizers said, with a farming area rapidly changing into a suburb.
Oswegoland Heritage Association board member Linda Heap Dean will lead the discussion at the event with a panel of a half-dozen former farm kids who will share stories of their roles on the farm, looking for companionship where the nearest neighbor might have been a mile away and balancing schoolwork with chores.
Audience comments and questions will be entertained after the panel discussion.
For more information on the program or to register in advance, call the Oswegoland Park District at 630-554-1010 or go to the museum registration page, bit.ly/LWSMPrograms.
DuPage forest preserve police officer wins state honor
Kim Eversole, a police officer for the Forest Preserve District of DuPage County, has been named a 2025 Illinois Juvenile Officers Association Officer of the Year.
Eversole is a 14-year veteran of the department and is its community engagement coordinator. She is involved with several efforts to connect youth with nature and law enforcement, a news release from the forest preserve district said.
Among her outreach events last year included four free “Cops and Bobbers” fishing programs held at DuPage County forest preserves.
Eversole also attended numerous summer camps and community programs, including National Night Out, which reinforces the idea that law enforcement officers are approachable, the release said.
In December, she organized “Shop With a Cop,” a program that gives kids a holiday shopping trip to pick out items from their wish list while spending meaningful time with an officer.
Eversole is also a field training officer and responds to calls as a Metropolitan Emergency Response and Investigations Team drone operator in addition to her regular patrol duties. She previously led the department’s volunteer Trail Watch program.
