Naperville News Digest: Naperville Park District to do prescribed spring burns; Loaves & Fishes to hold Chef Showdown fundraising event

Chicago Tribune

14-03-2025

Naperville Park District planning prescribed spring burns
Naperville Park District will conduct prescribed burns at three dozen parks this spring to help improve the overall health of their ecosystems.
Burns are intentionally set to clear invasive weeds and reduce the amount of leaf and plant debris on the ground, officials said in a news release.
They are supervised by professionals, and weather conditions and certain variables must be met before maintenance crews start the fires. Factors such as dormant grass, wind velocity and direction, and precipitation are evaluated when determining when the burns will be conducted, the release said.
The parks where prescribed burns will be done this spring are Arrowhead Park, Ashbury Greenway, Ashbury Park, Bailey Hobson Woods, Baileywood Park, Brighton Ridge Park, Brook Crossings, Buttonwood Park, Commissioners Park, DuPage River Park, Fairway Commons Park, Frontier Sports Complex, Hobson West Ponds, Hunter Woods, Kingsley Prairie, Knoch Knolls Commons, Knoch Knolls Park and Lincoln Greenway.
Others include May Watts Park, Meadow Glens, Nike Sports Complex, Olsen Estates Park, Pioneer Park, Rock Ridge Park, Seager Park, Sportsman's Park, Springbrook Crossings, Springbrook Parkway, Summerfield Lake Park, Tall Grass Lakes, Westglen Commons, Willowgate Square, Wil-O-Way Commons, Wil-O-Way Park. Winding Creek Park and Wolf's Crossing Community Park.
Loaves & Fishes to hold Chef Showdown fundraising event
Chef Showdown, an event to raise funds for Loaves & Fishes Community Services in Naperville, will be held Thursday, April 17, at the organization's Linnea Eleanor Rutkowski Food Distribution Hub in Aurora.
Executive chefs from Entourage and Meson Sabika will go head-to-head in a culinary battle to create unique dishes during the competition. The chefs have an hour to create a three-course meal while being observed by a panel of judges.
They will be assisted by celebrity sous chefs and Loaves & Fishes supporters, including Adam Fuchs of Wintrust Commercial Banking, Kristen Refness of Endeavor Health, Karen Wells of Make-A-Wish Foundation and Dustin Wilson of Duly Health and Care.
Panelists voting on the dishes are 'Chopped' celebrity Chef Alonso Beckford from The Matrix Club, John Diederich from Rush Copley Medical Center, Dr. Susana Rivera-Mills from Aurora University and Naperville Mayor Scott Wehrli.
The competition will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. inside the Loaves & Fishes Aurora warehouse at 580 Exchange Court, which will be transformed into a kitchen.
Tickets are $125, with food provided by My Chef Catering. Special seating, including 'Feel the Heat' seats closer to the competition and 'Chill Out Chairs,' are available.
Purchase tickets at www.loaves-fishes.org.
Park district holding open houses for ADA Accessibility Plan
Two open house events for residents to offer feedback on Naperville Park District's updated accessibility plan will be held at 1 and 6 p.m. Tuesday, April 8, at the Fort Hill Activity Center, 20 Fort Hill Drive.
The district's original Americans with Disabilities Act Transition Plan was created in 1992 and last update done in 2014, a news release said.
Presentation boards will be set up for attendees to review, and district staff on hand to answer questions and receive comments or suggestions. No formal presentation will be made.
Online feedback will be solicited later, the release said. A final report is scheduled for release by the end of 2025.
Anyone interested in attending one fo the open houses or in need of special accommodations should contact Eric Shutes at 630-848-5014 or [e-mail].