Celebrate the beginning of the holiday season in downtown Naperville with the Electric Lights Parade and Grand Illumination Friday evening.There will be live entertainment, Santa and Mrs. Claus' official arrival, and the illumination of more than 300,000 lights.

Whether it's your first time or your fifth time trekking out to the malls and big-box stores early on Black Friday, retailers are asking shoppers to bring their patience -- as well as their wallets. Retailers and local law enforcement personnel say shoppers need to be patient and courteous if they want to keep the atmostphere festive.

The Naperville City Council is considering laying off 25.5 to 57 employees to close an estimated $11.2 million general fund budget deficit in fiscal year 2011. The city expects layoffs to save between $1.9 million and $4.3 million. No official decision has been made.

Arson has been cited as the cause of a blaze that did more than $100,000 damage Friday morning to Scott Elementary School in Naperville. Police are reportedly speaking to school staff and students about the blaze that started at about 9:53 a.m. The fire caused extensive smoke damage. The school's students were transfered to another school for the day.

Opponents of Canadian National Railway Company are celebrating a recent decision by the federal Surface Transportation Board that will see third-party oversight of CN's monthly and quarterly reports on its newly acquired suburban rail line.

These are incidents reported by the Naperville Police Department. Where charges have been filed, some of the reports include when and where the suspect was stopped or taken into custody and the nature of the charges.

Update: Nicor employee Gary Cichy, 52, of Hinckley, from injuries after his truck struck a piece of equipment that then fell on top of him on Leverenz Road about a block east of Book Road. Emergency crews sought the aid of an medical helicopter to  rush the man to the hospital but foggy conditions precluded its use. Instead, the worker was taken by ambulance to Edward Hospital in Naperville.