Utica Village Board

The April 2025 ballot is starting to take shape in the Illinois Valley. Here is who filed in La Salle, Mendota, Oglesby, Peru, Princeton, Spring Valley, Streator and Utica.

Utica Mayor David Stewart confirmed Thursday construction of the Market on Mill, the village’s outdoor retail plaza, should be completed by mid-December.

Utica’s tax base grew by more than $4.4 million. That gives the Utica Village Board a few choices: bring in extra money, grant tax relief or a little of both.

The Utica Village Board has OK’d the reopening of an off-road riding complex.

The Market on Mill retail plaza in Utica isn’t finished yet – there’s at least another month ahead for workers – but the portable retail stalls all will be in place.

There once was a track for dirt bikes and off-road vehicles in rural Utica. Two developers want to reopen it – and manage it better than previous owners had. The Utica Planning Commission took steps Tuesday to make it happen.

The Market on Mill retail plaza in Utica is progressing nicely – but the project won’t be finished in time for this weekend’s Burgoo Festival.

The Market on Mill Street project in Utica is moving along well, but contractors need to maintain that pace to be ready for the Burgoo Festival.

Two years ago, Utica officials applied for a grant to lay sidewalks from Johnson Street south to the police department. That was denied. They’re trying again.

Utica has canceled its July meetings of the Planning Commission and the Committee of the Whole, previously set for Thursday, July 25.

Utica will launch work on the Market on Mill project the week of July 22.

Utica received one do-over bid for the Market on Mill retail plaza, but the village took it. Illinois Valley Excavating, Inc. gets the job for about $1.8 million.

Utica will host a special meeting at 6 p.m. Tuesday to (it hopes) award a contract for the Market on Mill, the proposed outdoor retail plaza.

A beauty salon is moving into downtown Utica inside the Beautique, directly north of August Hill Winery.

Utica still doesn’t have a contractor to build its outdoor retail plaza. The two bids for the Market on Mill project came in higher than the engineer’s estimate.

Utica has given Waltham Elementary the OK to launch a temporary expansion.

The Utica Village Board will award a bid May 30 to a contractor to develop the Market on Mill, the proposed outdoor retail plaza.

The Waltham Elementary School Board has settled on a short-term solution to its crowding: modular units.

Utica’s mayor hopes to break ground on the Market on Mill, the village’s proposed outdoor retail plaza, right after Memorial Day or early June.

Bean Box Espresso will not be operating in Utica this summer.

Utica is on pace to go out for bids later this month on the Market on Mill, the north-end shopping plaza that will feature portable retail stalls.

Utica soon will commemorate the worst disaster in its history: the 2004 tornado.

Utica is inching closer to breaking ground on the Market on Mill, the village’s outdoor retail plaza.

Want a sneak peek at the Market on Mill, Utica’s forthcoming outdoor retail plaza? The first of the portable retain stalls arrived Monday and is on display outside the village hall.

The Utica Village Board will host a special meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, Feb. 26.

Outdoor dining will return to Utica starting Mother’s Day weekend.

The Utica Village Board made a significant step toward developing the Market on Mill, approving the purchaes of portable stalls the proposed outdoor retail plaza at the north end of downtown.

Construction begins as soon as spring arrives and Utica officials, with fingers crossed, hope to have the outdoor retail plaza finished by Memorial Day.

Utica’s tax base grew by more than $5 million, giving village officials the attractive options of bringing in extra money, granting tax relief or both.

Utica still hopes to hold an open house on its outdoor retail plaza at the north end of Mill Street and is shooting for November – but no firm date is set.

Utica has made progress toward an outdoor retail plaza north of downtown – the village acquired a key parcel – but it looks as if development won’t begin until spring.

Portable retail stalls are coming to Utica – planned for the block damaged by 2004 tornado – and the village is kicking around ways to beautify the block as a whole.

Utica had allowed residential solar panels, but only on rooftops. Not anymore.

If you live or own a business in Utica, your water rates are going up this fall – albeit for the first time in about 20 years – though they’ll remain the county’s lowest.

A timeline has emerged for constructing the portable retail stalls slated for the vacant lot at the north end of Mill Street in Utica.

Utica again has a Pawlak on the village board. Tuesday, Mayor David Stewart appointed Pete Pawlak to replace his late mother, Mary, on the Utica Village Board.

The owners of Clark’s Run Antiques in Utica got the OK on Thursday to rezone a neighboring parcel.

The Utica Village Board on Wednesday approved a $299,000 bid from Advanced Asphalt Co. to complete its street program.

Clark’s Run Antiques could undergo an expansion now that its owners have the preliminary OK to rezone a neighboring parcel.

Longtime Utica village trustee Mary Pawlak died Tuesday, May 23, 2023, following a short illness. Her colleagues remembered her for her more-than-three decades service to the village.

James Mandujano is Utica’s new chief of police.

The traffic circle in Utica still isn’t finished – contractors will have wrap-up work into June – but the roundabout at U.S. 6 and Route 178 was activated Wednesday morning.

The Bean Box received the OK to open a new location in Utica.

The Bean Box might open a new location, this one in Utica.

Construction the roundabout at Route 178 and U.S. 6 in Utica resumes Monday, weather permitting, and should be finished by mid-June.

Outdoor dining in Utica returns Friday, April 28.

A husband and wife are buying the Utica Knights of Columbus building and want to make it a multi-use facility. Possible uses include a botanical garden, pizzeria, video arcade, tea room and/or event center.

Utica is seeking a $50,000 to build a grandstand west of the municipal complex for public events such as showing outdoor movies.

The Illinois and Michigan Canal turns 175 this year and Utica hopes to join the celebration by re-watering its portion of the canal.

The outdoor shopping plaza planned for the north end of Mill Street in Utica is expected to be delayed several months.