Here’s a look at some of 2021′s biggest stories in Elburn, Sugar Grove

Sugar Grove welcomed a new village president, Elburn Days came back and Kaneland School District 302 returned to the classroom full-time with no remote option. Those are just a few of the biggest stories that made news in Elburn and Sugar Grove in 2021.

Before we usher in 2022, the Kane County Chronicle is taking a look back at some of the most important happenings this past year.

Kaneland School District 302 welcomes back students to the classroom full-time, hires more staff to accommodate

Students in Kaneland School District 302 went back to school full-time in August after spending most of the first half of the year in their classrooms only a few days each week. The school board voted this summer to hire additional support staff, including psychologists, social workers and learning behavior specialists to help meet increasing demand for mental health services as students work through pandemic disruptions.

Jen Konen elected Sugar Grove village president

New Sugar Grove Village President Jen Konen was sworn in May 4 after she defeated incumbent Sean Michels in the April election. Konen, a two-term village trustee, defeated five-term village president Michels by garnering nearly 60% of the vote. Michels was appointed president in 1999.

Elburn Days return

After being canceled in 2020 because of the pandemic, the Elburn Lions Club’s popular end of summer celebration returned. The Friday, Aug. 20, parade kicked off the event. The rest of the weekend was filled with games, rides, food, live music and more at Lions Park. Elburn Days is the largest fundraiser for Lions Park and Elburn Lions charities. The event takes place annually on the third weekend in August.

Holiday in the Grove, Sugar Grove Corn Boil canceled

The Sugar Grove Corn Boil was canceled again this summer after the nonprofit organization wasn’t able to secure liability insurance coverage for the event. Organizers also had difficulty finding sponsors, volunteers and lacked a safety plan. Plans are underway to have the event next summer.

Unlike the Corn Boil, Holiday in the Grove won’t be returning in 2022. Former Holiday in the Grove President Marguerite Ledone moved out of the area in the spring, and the committee had been trying to get more volunteers. As of now, the festival will not happen next year.

“As much as we love Holiday in the Grove, nobody wants to take it over. We’re done,” Ledone said. “We tried to get more volunteers in 2018 because we wanted to pass it on in 2019 and then we did 2019 and said this is the last year if nobody takes it over. Then 2020 comes and COVID hits, so we’re not doing it. We’ll pass the torch now.”

Jim Oberweis asks for recount of votes in Illinois’ 14th Congressional District race

Republican Jim Oberweis of Sugar Grove, claiming voting irregularities, in January formally asked the U.S. House of Representatives to void the 2020 election results in Illinois’ 14th Congressional District race and either conduct a recount by hand or hold a special election April 6. Incumbent Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, won the race by about 5,300 votes and was sworn into Congress on Jan. 3. The challenge went nowhere as the U.S. House voted in May to officially dismiss Oberweis’ contest of the results.

New fast-casual Mexican restaurant, Cold Stone Creamery headed to Sugar Grove

Bubbakoo’s Burritos, a chain based on the Jersey Shore that started franchising in 2016, will be opening in an undeveloped lot in the Sugar Grove Center Planned Unit Development. It will be free-standing, just north of the existing in-line building that’s home to L.A. Tan, Rosati’s Pizza and Subway. Hemant Patel of Sugar Grove Real Estate purchased the lot, which is being developed into a 12,000-square-foot multiple tenant building that will feature five additional tenant spaces. While all of the tenants haven’t been named, one will be a Cold Stone Creamery. A high-end bar also may fill one of the spots.

Dollar Tree coming to Elburn

Construction is underway on a new Dollar Tree store behind the Walgreens near the intersection of Routes 47 and 38. Construction is expected to be complete around June, depending on the weather.