Catch up on the week’s top Kendall County news in minutes. Hear the week’s 5 most popular stories, read aloud for you, for the week of May 31-June 6

Plano Library offers free programs for kids and adults through June

The annual Star Wars Day in Joliet continues to draw people throughout the Chicago region.

The Illinois River Valley Chapter serves 1.1 million people in five counties including Grundy, Kane, Kendall, LaSalle, and Will.

Edith Farnsworth House, a site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, in Plano secured grants from two national foundations for its Mexican Modernism programming this year.

Yorkville Public Library will hold Stories in the Park at Town Square in June and July.

Growing a pollinator garden with flowering plants is one simple way Illinois residents can make a meaningful environmental impact at home.

Owning and operating a food truck is more than simply pulling up to an event and selling food. Joe Zolecki, owner of Smokin’ Z BBQ and Cookin’ Z Kitchen, said food trucks are “getting hit left and right with increased fees."

From our editorial board: The Bears have now advanced a “site TBD” in Hammond, Indiana. The phrasing matters. It is not a plan. It is not a commitment. It is not even a fully described proposal. It is a directional signal carefully calibrated to do two things at once

Illinois lawmakers reacted with alarm, frustration and urgency after the Chicago Bears announced plans to advance a stadium project in Hammond, Indiana, though several officials stressed the move is not final and said there is still time to reach a deal to keep the team in state

From Capitol News Illinois: The former defendants known as the “Broadview Six” are moving forward with an aggressive plan to force the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago to reveal the machinations behind how they were indicted

Will County Judge Carmen Goodman made the ruling during a hearing on Friday in a juvenile courtroom at River Valley. The teenager's next hearing is set for June 25.

From Capitol News Illinois: Bills banning Glocks, creating a prescription drug board and regulating algorithmic pricing advanced in the final days of session, but not to the governor’s desk

The Chicago Bears announced Friday that its board of directors voted to advance its stadium project in Hammond, Indiana. However, two Illinois lawmakers confirmed to Capitol News Illinois that any talk of the Bears leaving the state is premature

Star Wars Day on June 6 starts with the annual parade of costumed characters at 11 a.m. The event will include the new City Square.

Marengo's Brady Kentgen was named the Kishwaukee River Conference Player of the Year and Johnsburg's Peyton Mesce earned Pitcher of the Year honors. Here is the rest of the 2026 All-KRC baseball team, as selected by coaches.

Chicago Bears wide receiver Rome Odunze is determined to be "excellent" after an injury-plagued season last year. Here's how he's working over the offseason to get there.

The two new facilities represent the first phase of Minooka Community High School's $82 million, multi-year facilities plan aimed at expanding educational opportunities and preparing students for success in college and careers.

From Capitol News Illinois: State Treasurer Mike Frerichs visited the Vatican this week with a gift for the pope: $8.65 of his own money

Yorkville Library brings adults together with free classes, workshops, and events designed to build skills, advance careers, and celebrate community.

With a resolution passed to preserve the deep body of upstream water resulting from the Fox River dam in St. Charles, the question turns to funding. City Council said it's open to modifying the dam, but did not say how it would cover the project's significant costs.

From Capitol News Illinois: House Bill 4418 creates the Plastic Pellets Pollution Control Act, which takes a step toward controlling the amount of plastic that ends up in Illinois waterways

The National Weather Service said warm, dry conditions, combined with southwest winds gusting as high as 25 mph will result in an increased grass and brush fire threat this afternoon

Oswego School District 308 officials said they have identified about $317 million in facility needs over the next 10 years across all the district’s schools.

Oswego sophomore Adalynn Fugitt, who was 8-for-11 with four runs scored across three playoff wins to help lead Oswego back to state for the third straight year, is the Record Newspapers Athlete of the Week in an online vote. Here is her Q&A with Sports Editor Joshua Welge.

Marc Silverman argues that despite uncertainty off the field, the Bears are building something fans can genuinely believe in this season

Putnam County's Johnathon Stunkel struck out the side in the top of the first inning and the Panthers scored two runs in the bottom half to set the tone early in an 11-1, five-inning victory over Newark in a Class 1A Putnam County Sectional semifinal Wednesday.

Chase Dykstra was dominant on the mound and Fulton capitalized on seven Parkview Christian errors to win 12-1 in five innings in a Class 1A Putnam County Sectional semifinal Wednesday.

Putnam County defeated Newark 11-1 on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at Putnam County High School. The Panthers will take on Fulton on Saturday at 11a.m. for the Sectional title.

From Capitol News Illinois: Lawmakers on the final day of the General Assembly passed a bill to regulate how minors interact with social media and other online platforms to make them less addictive

Fulton defeated Parkview Christian 12-1 in five innings on Wednesday, June 3, 2026 at Putnam County High School in Granville. Fulton will play for the Sectional title on Saturday at 11a.m.

Chicago Bears head coach Ben Johnson and some players met with reporters Wednesday at Halas Hall in Lake Forest as they continued their Organized Team Activities (OTA) practices. Here are three of the most interesting things the Bears said Wednesday.

From Capitol News Illinois: In an exceptionally rare move, U.S. Attorney Andrew Boutros published a “special report” containing the transcript of a nearly four-minute speech he gave to a grand jury in October that would go on to indict the “Broadview Six” later that day

Bedding plants are typically annuals – plants that complete their lifecycle in one season – but may include biennials, which are plants that complete growth in two seasons, as well as perennials, which are long-lived plants.

Kendall County’s century of post-Civil War population decline and its subsequent explosive post World War II growth will be the underlying theme at the Little White School Museum program.

Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams will be on the "Madden 27" cover. He is the first Bears player to ever appear on the cover since the game was first released in 1988

From Capitol News Illinois: Gov. JB Pritzker says he intends to sign legislation imposing a statewide ban on cell phones and other wireless communication devices during instructional time in public schools and charter schools

The Chicago Bears will go up against a familiar opponent for a joint practice in August. Chicago will travel to Cincinnati for a joint practice on Aug. 20 against the Bengals.

Jamal Scott is currently the vice president of Undergraduate Education and dean of the Undergraduate College at National Louis University.

Ryan Paradise, a Northern Illinois graduate who played basketball there and was Marmion basketball coach before running his Basketball Paradise program in the Fox Valley area, has been hired as Yorkville Christian’s athletic director.

From Capitol News Illinois: An Illinois law banning “swipe fees” on taxes and tips — already delayed twice by lawmakers — appears to be on life support after a federal judge who once permitted it issued a permanent injunction against it this week

Minooka Community High School Announces Hall of Fame Class of 2026

A Joliet woman has filed a proposed class action lawsuit in Will County that claims two companies passed the burden of U.S. President Donald Trump’s unlawful tariffs onto consumers.

The Beautification Committee members and volunteer judges will visit all nominated properties and select award recipients on Wednesday, June 17.

The Chicago Bears’ search for a new stadium took another unexpected dramatic turn early morning Monday in Springfield when Illinois lawmakers failed to pass a bill that would help them build a new stadium in Arlington Heights. Here's what could happen next in the search.

Marengo's Gabby Christopher was named the Kishwaukee River Conference Player of the Year and Woodstock North's Kylee Nicholson earned Pitcher of the Year honors. Here is the rest of the 2026 All-KRC softball team, as selected by coaches.

June is National Candy Month.

Record stories that captured people's attention in years passed.

From Capitol News Illinois: JB Pritzker acknowledged that the Chicago Bears may be on their way to Indiana. But he and Democratic leaders defended their decision not to move a bill incentivizing them to stay

From Capitol News Illinois: The General Assembly passed a bill early Monday that would give rideshare drivers the right to form a union