City of Joliet, Illinois, Government

06/22/2026

Welcome to Downtown Joliet, Rage Cage!

Founded by Joliet native and Police Officer Tyrell Hundley, Joliet's first rage room at 173 N. Chicago St. brings a unique entertainment experience focused on stress relief, mental wellness, and fun. We're proud to see homegrown entrepreneurs investing in the community they call home and contributing to the continued growth of Downtown Joliet.

Congratulations to Tyrell and the entire Rage Cage team on this exciting new venture!

06/22/2026

Another Preparedness Friday is here!
In this video, John Lukancic, Director of EMA, and Tim Chaplin, Battalion Chief of EMS, highlight key water safety tips as summer heats up and families head to pools, rivers, and water parks.

• Keep children within arm’s reach
• Don’t rely on flotation devices or older kids for supervision
• Remove pool toys when not in use to reduce temptation
• Leave the water at the first sound of thunder or sight of lightning
• Learn CPR and basic first aid to be ready in an emergency

A few minutes of awareness and preparation can make all the difference.
For CPR registration or more information, please call 815-724-3500.

06/19/2026

🎉 City Square Opening Celebration Weekend is Almost Here! 🎉

Be part of history as we celebrate the opening of Joliet's new downtown gathering place with two days of live music, entertainment, local artists, family-friendly activities, and a spectacular Route 66-inspired Drone Show!

📍 City Square, Downtown Joliet
📅 Friday, June 26 | 10 AM–9:30 PM
📅 Saturday, June 27 | 11 AM–9:30 PM

🎶 Featuring:
• The Nick Moss Band
• The Selectones
• 7th Heaven
• Big Sky Ensemble
• John Condron and the OGO
• Ray Koncar & The Boys
• Brian Motyll

🎭 Plus:
• Love's Labour's Lost Shakespeare Performance
• Poetry Open Mic
• Local Artists

🚁 Don't miss the Drone Show at 9 PM on Friday, lighting up the sky in celebration of Route 66 and City Square!

Bring your family, invite your friends, and discover Joliet's newest destination for arts, culture, entertainment, and community.

06/18/2026

Starting July 1, 2026, the City of Joliet will be switching to Smart911 for their emergency alert notifications. If you are currently signed up through Everbridge – Smart Message Community Alerts, you will need to register with Smart911 by July 1 to continue receiving local alerts.

Like the current system, Smart911 will send out alerts regarding emergency water shutoffs, boil orders, road closures, and other emergency situations. To sign up for the system, please visit smart911.com and select notifications from the City of Joliet.

🚨 Did you receive an alert today about switching to Smart911?

Will County is transitioning to Smart911 for emergency notifications and community alerts. If you are currently signed up through Everbridge, you will need to register with Smart911 by July 1 to continue receiving local alerts.

Smart911 also allows you to create a Safety Profile with important information that may help 911 dispatchers and first responders during an emergency.

Register here: https://willcounty911.gov/smart-911/

Want to learn more? Read the full press release here:
https://willcounty.gov/County-Offices/Administration/County-Executive/Press-Releases/new-alert-system-launched-for-emergency-notifications-and-community-updates-across-will-county

06/17/2026

Reminder:

Join us tonight, Wednesday, June 17 for a presentation with Urban3's Joe Minicozzi exploring how development, infrastructure, and city design all connect.

🌃Evening Presentation - FREE
📍Billie Limacher Bicentennial Park Indoor Theater
🕧Doors 6:30 p.m. | Presentation 7:00 p.m. | Q&A 7:45 p.m.
🍿Free admission + popcorn & water
🚗Parking available on-site

Whether you're a resident, business owner, or simply interested in the future of our community, we hope you'll join us for one or both presentations!

06/17/2026

The National Weather Service has issued an update regarding today's severe weather potential. An outbreak of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes is possible, particularly along and south of I-80.

• Window 1 (9:00 AM – 2:00 PM): A threat of heavy rainfall, damaging winds, and large hail up to the size of golf balls.

• Window 2 (2:00 PM – 9:00 PM): A threat for destructive tornadoes and winds, especially along/south of I-80.

What You Need to Do Right Now:
1. Have multiple ways to get alerts: Make sure your phone's wireless emergency alerts are turned on and keep a weather radio handy.

2. Know your safe spot: Identify an interior room on the lowest level of your home or building, away from windows.

3. Secure loose items: If safe to do so, quickly secure outdoor furniture or trash cans that could become dangerous projectiles in high winds.

Stay safe and monitor weather.gov/chicago, https://www.weather.gov/lot/, or https://www.spc.noaa.gov/ for real-time forecast updates.

06/16/2026

📣 Storm Clean-Up Update: Street-by-Street Operations Underway

Our Public Works crews are working extended hours this week, and we’ve brought in contractor support to help clear debris as quickly and safely as possible.

• Our top priority was addressing immediate safety hazards (like blocked roadways or hanging limbs), and those have now been resolved.

• Crews are now beginning a systematic, street-by-street clean-up across the city.

• Because of the volume of debris, we estimate it will take until next week to finish the clean-up.

• Please note that more storms are forecast for this week. If severe weather hits, it may temporarily delay our progress, but crews will resume operations as soon as it is safe to do so.

Thank you for your patience and cooperation as our teams work hard to clear our neighborhoods.

06/16/2026

We are currently under a Level 1 (Marginal) Severe Weather Threat for this afternoon and evening.

• Scattered thunderstorms are most likely between 2:00 PM and 7:00 PM.
• Isolated storms could bring damaging winds capable of downing tree limbs and large hail up to 1" in diameter.
• Move indoors immediately if you hear thunder, and make sure you have multiple ways to receive severe weather warnings today.

Tomorrow (Wednesday, June 17)

Our area is under an Enhanced Risk (Level 3 of 5), meaning we expect more widespread and intense storms than today.

🛡️ How You Can Prepare Now:
1. Secure Outdoor Items: Before the afternoon storms hit today, secure patio furniture, trash cans, and any loose items that could become airborne in high winds.
2. Review Your Plan: Make sure everyone in your household knows where to go (an interior room on the lowest floor) if a Severe Thunderstorm or Tornado Warning is issued.
3. Keep Devices Charged: Charge your phones and backup batteries today in case tomorrow's stronger storms cause power outages.
4. Download Warning Apps: Ensure your Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) are turned on, or keep a NOAA weather radio handy.

Stay safe and monitor weather.gov/chicago, https://www.weather.gov/lot/, or https://www.spc.noaa.gov/ for real-time forecast updates.

06/15/2026

🚗 City of Joliet to Begin Roadway Mapping Program

Beginning the week of June 15, the City of Joliet, in partnership with Cyclomedia Technology, will be capturing 360-degree street-level imagery and roadway data using advanced camera and LIDAR technology to help assess and manage our transportation infrastructure.

The project is expected to take 4–6 weeks to complete, and the mapping vehicle will be traveling on streets throughout the city during that time.

Questions? Contact the City of Joliet Department of Public Works at 815-724-4200.

06/15/2026

On June 4, we gathered at the future Western Avenue Greenway Early Action Project Site for Community Meeting #4! More than 30 residents from Heritage Place Apartments and the Bicentennial Bluffs Planning Area came together to share ideas, provide feedback, and help shape their community's future. Big shout-out to the Bicentennial Bluffs Neighborhood Association for all their continued support!

Together, participants:
🏡 Identified priority People strategies to support residents and families.

🏘️ Reviewed refined housing design concepts and shared feedback to guide the next phase of design.

🗺️ Explored neighborhood priorities, strategies, and projects through interactive activities and discussions.

🌳 Learned about the progress of the Early Action Project in the Western Avenue Greenway and helped build excitement for its implementation through hands-on youth engagement activities.
A huge thank you to everyone who joined us, shared their ideas!

📅 Community Meeting #5 is coming in October 2026. Stay tuned for more details!

📸 Photography credits: Laurie Fanelli