From wrestling and football state championships to a 31-game winning streak and first sectional title in 43 years on the basketball court and heroics at state swimming, here are the top sports stories of 2025 in the Kane County Chronicle coverage area.

Take a look at some of our best and favorite news and feature images of 2025 by Shaw Local News Network photographers.

Shocking arrests, controversial speakers, election upsets, big housing developments and the impacts of President Trump's first year of his second term were among the big news stories in Kane County in 2025.

Get the New Year started off right with a First Day Hike at one of Kane County's many forest preserves and nature trails.

Rescued pets are more likely to be adopted if they've been fostered, local advocates say, but they add the number of people willing to foster pets is declining.

The STC Underground is a vital part of the youth community in St. Charles and a safe haven for teens to form healthy connections with their peers.

Three suspects of a shooting in unincorporated Big Rock were taken into custody by police near Yorkville after a car chase between the suspects and authorities.

Aurora’s St. George Byzantine Catholic Church will host the Pilgrimage of the Bishops, including sacred relics of martyred bishops, in January.

An anti-DUI enforcement campaign in Kane County over Thanksgiving resulted in charges against eight people, the agencies announced Tuesday.

Native plants not only help support pollinators but also filter out pollutants, help build healthy soils, and mitigate flooding.

Don't miss these books when looking for your next read.

When the blue light blues get you down, take steps to detach from the screens.

Let the power of community keep you grounded in your resolutions this year.

Several fire crews responded to a pole barn fully engulfed in flames in Kane County Monday. Heavy smoke billowed into the sky as the fire crews worked on extinguishing the fire.

The top-seeded Kaneland boys basketball team used a game-changing 14-0 run spanning the end of the third and start of the fourth quarters in a 67-50 victory over No. 4-seeded La Salle-Peru in Monday's semifinals of the 62nd Plano Christmas Classic.

A late 3-pointer from Riley Barber sent things to overcome, but St. Charles North was eventually bested by Maine South in the Komaromy Classic semifinals Monday.

Despite 13-point efforts from Joe Reid and Evan Blankenship, Batavia couldn't keep stride with St. Patrick in the quarterfinals of the Jack Tosh Holiday Classic on Monday.

A Geneva resident sustained a minor heat-related injury following a fire engulfing a three-car garage in Geneva on Dec. 27.

To ensure fast and reliable information during emergencies, Kane County is launching a new Public Safety Alert System with expanded features and improved reliability. Residents can enroll now.

Geneva School District 304 and the Geneva Public Library District have partnered to provide students greater access to library materials.

Aurora will launch a Pets For Vets Program that will waive adoption fees for one cat or dog for Illinois veterans.

Joe Reid scored 23 points and Evan Blankenship 15 as Batavia rolled past Riverside-Brookfield to advance to the quarterfinals of the Jack Tosh Holiday Classic, and Audrey LaFleur's career-high 25 points led Burlington Central to a win at the Dixon Holiday Tournament.

The Jeffrey Cesario Insurance Agency has moved to a new location in Batavia.

The next time you go pinecone picking keep these fun facts in mind, as pinecones play an important part in nature and have a specific function in the plant world.

St. Charles is taking another crack at spurring development of the former police station land along river downtown. The public and council rejected proposals in 2021 calling the high-density options misaligned with the public's desires.

Catch up on the week’s top Kane County news in minutes. Listen to the week’s 5 most popular stories for Dec. 21-27, read aloud for you

A single-family home in Elgin that sold for $1.15 million tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Kane County over the past week.

Marshawn Cocroft had 22 points, five assists and five steals, Jalen Carter hit four three-pointers and Kaneland's defensive pressure overwhelmed Timothy Christian as the two-time Plano Christmas Classic defending champs rolled into the semifinals with a 65-33 win.

The nominees for Kaneland District 302's nominees for Kane County 2026 Educator of the Year Awards have been named. Here's how you can help them win.

After a season of clutch football plays, Brett Breggren came through with the winning putback as Batavia knocked off York on Friday, 37-36.

It’s still the holiday season, but Burlington Central wasn’t in the mood for giving Friday morning at the Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic. The Rockets had nine steals in the first half against Schaumburg, three alone in the second quarter by junior guard Cedric Ceniza, in a win.

Several vehicles at a semi-truck parking lot in East Dundee caught fire on Friday after a running semi was left unattended, authorities said.

Kane County State's Attorney Jamie Mosser is among 11 applicants to fill a judgeship that will vacant when Circuit Judge Kevin Busch retires on Jan. 29.

Three women were shot in Aurora on Christmas night, authorities said, The shooting remains under investigation by the Aurora Police Department.

The long-range facility plan is broken down into three phases: facility condition assessment, educational alignment and long-range facility planning.

An Aurora home was heavily damaged by fire on Christmas Day, authorities said. "Structure fires tend to spike during the winter months, so it’s a good time for everyone to check their smoke alarms and stay alert," Fire Chief Kevin Nickel said.

Three people were hospitalized following a vehicle crash near Pingree Grove in Kane County on Christmas Eve.

Batavia High School announced that 83 students from the graduating class of 2026 were designated as Illinois State Scholars.

A Batavia man will remain behind bars while he awaits trial on a first-degree murder charge alleging he killed his wife.

The BoDeans will perform Saturday, Dec. 27 at the Arcada Theatre in downtown St. Charles.

The St. Charles Fire Department is again testing hydrant flow in the city on the morning of Dec. 26. For a short period of time, residential water may turn a little rusty. Here's what you need to know.

The Illinois Association of County Auditors honored Kane County Auditor Penny Wegman with the 2025 Auditor of the Year Award.

Police said a driver might have experienced a medical issue before crashing his car into Rosati’s Pizza in Batavia, injuring two employees and causing severe damage to the building.

A Batavia man was taken into custody and charged with murder after telling dispatchers that he had just killed his wife, according to police.

Following the death of a 30-year-old man after a confrontation with police, Kane County State’s Attorney Jamie Mosser found “no wrongdoing on the part of the Aurora police officers involved in the incident.”

Naperville North knocked off previously undefeated Geneva 56-45 on Tuesday to advance to Friday's Hinkle Holiday Classic championship game.

Three congressional candidates vying to serve different parts of the Northwest or West suburbs will find out early next month if they’ll appear on March 2026 primary ballots or be booted.

A Berwyn man has been sentenced to 10 years in prison for participating in a burglary ring that targeted video gambling businesses in the suburbs and downstate.

An Aurora man faces 32 felony charges following an investigation by the Aurora Police Department into materials allegedly depicting child sexual abuse, according to police.

The legacy of Schaefer Greenhouses lives on and grows after a century of business.