Latest news with #VanessaSaenz
CBS News
06-07-2025
- Climate
- CBS News
Officials issue warning about blue-green algae at Cherry Creek Reservoir in Aurora
Officials at Cherry Creek Reservoir in Aurora are warning people about toxic blue-green algae, which can cause rashes, gastrointestinal issues, muscle weakness, or even vomiting. Friends Sonya Dominguez and Vanessa Saenz spent their Sunday morning paddleboarding in the reservoir. "It was cold today, but it felt really good because it's so hot," said Dominguez. "There was a lot of, like, you know, motorboats out too. So sometimes there would be some waves, which is nice." They weren't the only ones. Plenty of people took advantage of the long weekend to take a refreshing dip in the water. But the park wasn't full, which surprised them. "I was surprised. Especially with it being like 4th of July weekend, it was not as busy," Saenz said. "Yeah, I was anticipating a lot worse, to be honest," Dominguez added. It may have been because of the blue-green algae on the shore and in the water. Cherry Creek State Park posted online Saturday that the lake has blue-green algae. They advised keeping children and pets out of the water because it can cause illness. If you come in contact with it, health experts advise showering immediately. You can fish, but park officials urge people to rinse off their fish and dispose of their guts when cleaning them. Boating is allowed, but they say if you choose to swim, you're doing so at your own risk. "I was freaking out a little bit about it. I was like, 'it's touching my leg,'" said Saenz. "I'm really trying to find different places to get in the water because of that," Dominguez said. Dominguez and Saenz say the algae won't stop them from paddle boarding the rest of the day, but they will make sure not to skip that post-paddle shower they were each planning to take. "It is what it is," Dominguez said. "We've already been in the water, so might as well just keep it going." If you have any questions, you can call the park office at 303-690-1166 ext. 1.
Chicago Tribune
20-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Celebration in Aurora puts children in the spotlight
Saturday was a day for kids as the Aurora Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board hosted its annual El Dia de los Ninos celebration at West Aurora High School. The four-hour community event centered on children featured book giveaways, arts and crafts, inflatables and games, food vendors, raffles and more. Bianca Guzman of Aurora came to the celebration Saturday with her son Lorenzo, 2. 'This is something I wanted to do. I have Lorenzo now and he's a lot more active and into different activities and I'm trying to get him involved in the community,' Guzman said. 'Getting kids raised up and involved in the community, for them to do educational activities is important.' Tony Martinez, who works for the city of Aurora and serves as the liaison to the Hispanic Heritage Advisory Board, said that the event in Aurora has been going on for more than a decade 'to celebrate the day of the children – how they are important to our society.' 'Children are important to our society and it's important to raise them to be the leaders of the future,' he said. 'It's a day for families to get together and we have food vendors, literary stations, games and more. We used to hold this outside but over the years it's always been raining, so we've moved it to an indoor location.' The event has drawn 500 to 1,000 guests per year, a number that Martinez said has remained steady. A mariachi band was brought back this year for the first time in a while, he said. 'We give out prizes and books as we have Disney characters and try to keep it fun for the family and all ages,' he said. 'At the end of the day we really want people to value the children in our community and what they do to contribute. We want to get them out in the community and know we're all together here in the city of Aurora.' Vanessa Saenz of Batavia and her husband Daniel Lopez came to the event with their children and said this was their first time at the festival. 'We really care about cultural immersion for our children and making sure we are keeping tradition in their lives,' Vanessa Saenz said. 'That part of it is really important for us, bringing them to where they have the music, the food, the culture. It reinforces their background.' Daniel Lopez noted that 'Dia de los Ninos is something that we celebrate as a community. We've done it my whole life growing up.' 'It's nice to pass along a little bit of us and keep the tradition going with the kids. It's a little bit different because we usually did it (the celebration) at church, so we weren't coming to a lot of events like this,' he said. 'This is something we want to expand on. It gets the kids out of the house and away from the TV and this keeps the momentum going.' Jaimie Paprocki of Aurora was seen pushing her 6-month-old son Joel in a stroller while her 8-year-old son was inside playing at the festival. 'We wanted to bring the kids over and have some exposure to their culture and have some fun and be part of the community of Aurora,' she said. 'My son is going crazy in there. He went to the bounce castle and the obstacle course and he's having a blast. I think having a day to celebrate kids is spot on. It's showing kids they can come together more and we're celebrating them and showing we have a whole community behind them and getting their parents out and backing them as well.'
