Good morning, DuPage! Grab a jacket today as we’re expecting light snow with a high of 33°F and a low of 18°F.

The Wheaton City Council is set to meet tonight to finalize a major piece of the city's pedestrian infrastructure. On the agenda is a recommendation to award a $335,013 contract to Alliance Contractors for the construction of a new prefabricated weathering steel pedestrian bridge over Winfield Creek.

The bridge is the final link in the recently installed sidewalk network along Roosevelt Road between County Farm and Lorraine Roads. While the bid came in roughly $85,000 over the original budget, city staff noted that a $250,000 state grant will offset the majority of the cost, and the city’s Capital Projects Fund has the reserves to cover the difference. Once completed, this project will provide a continuous, safe pedestrian route for residents navigating one of the city's busiest corridors.

Hundreds of flights were canceled at Chicago's major airports this past weekend as the region prepared for a significant shift in weather involving rain, snow, and dangerously high winds. As of late Sunday afternoon, O'Hare International Airport reported 793 cancellations within a 24-hour period, while Midway International Airport saw 107 flights grounded. In addition to the cancellations, O'Hare experienced a ground delay on Sunday, with inbound domestic flights delayed by an average of 216 minutes due to severe thunderstorms.

The travel disruptions come as the National Weather Service issued a wind advisory, forecasting gusts up to 45 mph. Forecasters expect a cold front to transition Sunday's rain into sleet and accumulating snow by Monday. The combination of falling snow and high winds is predicted to cause blowing snow, significantly reducing visibility and creating hazardous driving conditions on snow-covered roads.

Travelers are advised to check their flight status frequently as the "wild weather" continues into Monday. The wind advisory remains in effect until 9:00 p.m. Sunday, but the impact of the snow and wind is expected to persist through the start of the work week.

Developers have officially withdrawn an application to build a large-scale data center at 711 Ogden Ave. in Lisle, ending months of local debate. Cloud Centers, LLC, had proposed a 256,000-square-foot facility capable of 50 megawatts, which would have required several zoning variations and a special use permit from the village. The withdrawal was announced on the Village of Lisle website after a period of uncertainty regarding whether the project would move forward following intense public pushback.

The proposal faced significant community scrutiny, highlighted by a January public hearing that had to be postponed because the volume of residents exceeded the capacity of village hall. This resistance mirrored similar actions in nearby Naperville, where the city council recently rejected a separate data center proposal. In February, Lisle officials indicated they were waiting for the developer to decide on their next steps, leading to the final decision to pull the application this week.

Despite the withdrawal, the site at 711 Ogden Ave. remains a priority for local redevelopment. It has sat vacant since the early 2000s after the closure of The Lockformer Company. Village officials and staff have stated they will continue to explore new opportunities for the property that align with the community's vision for the Ogden Avenue corridor.

See our Calendar of Events Here!

Exactly 100 years ago today, on March 16, 1926, Robert H. Goddard launched the world’s first successful liquid-fueled rocket in Auburn, Massachusetts. While the flight lasted only 2.5 seconds and reached an altitude of 41 feet (averaging 60 mph), it proved that liquid propulsion was viable. Without this 10-foot tall "Nell" rocket, the Apollo moon landings and modern satellite technology simply wouldn't exist.

If you're a movie buff, you might find this one even more interesting: The horrific, decaying portrait used in the 1945 MGM film The Picture of Dorian Gray was painted right in Warrenville.

World-renowned artist Ivan Albright lived in Warrenville for his most productive years, using an abandoned 1858 Methodist Church as his studio. He used several local residents—including the local blacksmith and a tavern owner—as models for his famous "magic realism" paintings that now hang in the Art Institute of Chicago.

Thanks for reading! See you tomorrow, and remember to always support your local businesses!

Know someone who loves staying on top of DuPage News?

Forward this email to one neighbor today or send them the ‘Subscribe Free’ link below. It only takes a few seconds and means the world to me.

Your Friendly Neighbor,

Ben