The city of Naperville used a $15,000 grant to replace 50 of the 240 trees uprooted by the tornado that came through the northern part of the city in June 2021. (Jose M. Osorio / Chicago Tribune)
The city of Naperville used a $15,000 grant to plant 50 trees in the area severely damaged by an EF-3 tornado that touched down in Naperville on June 20, 2021.
After the tornado, 240 parkway trees were removed. The Naperville City Council approved replanting the trees in the hardest hit areas within one year at no cost to residents.
Grant money provided by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service through the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Urban and Community Forestry Partner Grant Program helped cover the cost of the 50 trees.
A total of 260 new trees have been planted in the heavily damaged area, city officials said in a news release. They are native species and will be watched for the next two years, officials said.
The Naperville police and fire departments will host their annual Public Safety Open House from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 17, at the Public Safety Campus, 1380 Aurora Ave.
The free event features safety information, activities and demonstrations, including a water rescue in Lake Osborne, a flashover fire and K9 unit exercises. A helicopter landing is planned for 1:30 p.m.
Participants also can view police and fire equipment and vehicles and meet Sparky the Fire Dog and McGruff the Crime Dog.
Food trucks will be on site from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
For more information, go to www.naperville.il.us/psoh.
A five-year capital improvement plan focused on upgrading technology was presented to the Naperville District 203 School Board this week.
Chief Information Officer Roger Brunelle said district officials are proposing the purchase of Chromebooks, iPads, notebooks, computer lab equipment and other technology starting in the 2023-24 school year.
“(The purchases) assist in planning key projects and logistics across multiple school years,” Brunelle said.
The 2022-23 capital improvements budget calls for $5.3 million in infrastructure spending, $3.3 million for capital expenditures and $1.4 million for applications and data management.
Equipment costs have increased in the past year, with Chromebooks and iPads going up 17% from $4.1 million last year to $4.8 million for this year, officials said.
Superintendent Dan Bridges said the district must deal with price increases to keep up with technology.
“We have to plan for and prepare for some pretty substantial purchases,” Bridges said.
The board is expected to vote on the 2023-24 portion of the plan at its Sept. 19 meeting.