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Sunday, May 20, 2012

Crafters Wanted for Festival of the Vine Craft Show—June 1 Deadline

Deadline is June 1 for Festival of the Vine Craft Show Application

Would you like a venue to sell your handmade crafts? Geneva Chamber of Commerce is inviting crafters to apply for the 2012 Festival of the Vine Craft Show held Saturday, Sept. 8, and Sunday, Sept. 9.  Your creative wares will be displayed in your tents on the streets bordering the courthouse in downtown Geneva. The craft show will be open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday of that weekend. Applications are available at genevachamber.com/festivalofthevine.html.   Deadline for application is June 1, 2012. If you have further questions, please call Geneva Chamber of Commerce at 630-232-6060. The craft show is a part of Geneva Chamber of Commerce's Festival of the Vine, which runs from Sept. 7 through Sept. 9 , 2012.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Readers' Choice: What's Your Favorite Staycation Destination?

What's your favorite place to take the kids for a day of fun in the Tri Cities?

Guess what? You can spend a little money and have a lotta fun right here in your own backyard this summer. Even you're not planning a faraway trek this year, there's still plenty to do in the Tri Cities. Video game arcades, expansive parks and riverfront attractions are just some of the destinations you can make this summer. We want to spotlight your favorites and share your ideas with the rest of our readers. Patch has gathered the names and addresses of some staycation spots in Batavia, Geneva and St. Charles. They include: Batavia Riverwalk, Houston Street and North Island Avenue, Batavia Clark Island Recreation Area, 401 S. River St., Batavia Funway, 1335 S. River St., Batavia Island Park, 1 E. State St., Geneva Otter Cove Splash Park…

Thursday, May 10, 2012

Cadence Gets OK for Cancer Center

Cadence Health's request to build a new cancer treatment center at Delnor passes on the City Council's consent agenda.

Easy peasy lemon squeezy. According to UsingEnglish.com, that's an American that means something "is very easy indeed." As a city construction approval process goes, the Cadence Health request to build a $20 million cancer treatment center probably qualifies. Cadence's request sailed through the Plan Commission, City Council Committee of the Whole and landed on the consent agenda Monday, without much of a peep. According to the summary by Community Development Director Dick Untch Cadence Health sought site-plan approval for additions to the north and south sides of the existing cancer center building. The proposed 25,950-square-foot addition and renovation of the existing building will create a single location for all of the medical …

Update: New Batavia McDonald's Construction Can Begin

The Batavia Plan Commission on Wednesday approved the design for a new 4,039-square foot restaurant. This was the last vote needed from the city to begin the long-awaited project.

It's official: Batavia will have a new downtown McDonald's. The Batavia Plan Commission voted 6-1 in favor of the design for a new 4,039-sq. ft. restaurant. This was the last vote needed from the city to actually begin the project. “This is final,” said Joel Strassman, the city's planning and zoning officer, following the vote to approve the design. Plan Commission Member Tom LaLonde voted against the design review. The two absent members were Kris Monn, school district representative and John Tilmon, park district representative. The Batavia City Council on April 16 approved variances and a conditional use permit for the McDonald's plan, leaving only the Plan Commission’s approval of design. After a five-year process to build a new …

kyle brown

11:00 am on Thursday, May 17, 2012

i like the more bike racks idea.. and hopefully then there will be a bigger inside, not the smaller they are talking about. also wouldnt mind seeing an out side eating area larger in scale then what was there before.   more ›

Friday, May 4, 2012

Reader's Choice for Mother's Day Brunch? Town House Books

There are many wonderful options for Mother's Day brunch in the Tri-Cities. Your favorites? Town House Books in St. Charles is No. 1, followed by Atwater's and Fiora's in Geneva.

There are a ton of great places to go for brunch on Mother's Day. Click on this story for some starters. Then there's a shorter list of finalists you selected. And now the winners. (Drum roll, please.) The Patch Reader's Choice for Best Place to Go for Mother's Day Brunch is ... Town House Books & Cafe of St. Charles! Runners-up are: Congratulations to the winners and all the great places that serve our moms on Mother's Day!

Lorrie Marsiglio

10:45 pm on Saturday, May 5, 2012

House of Toikyo, and the Odessey, both restaurants in St. Charles, are two of our family favorites. We've always had a great time, superb service, and excellent food at both these fabulous restaurants.   more ›

Thursday, May 3, 2012

Photo Gallery: Welcome to Fifth Third Bank Ballpark

With the ribbon-cutting Thursday, May 3, the Kane County Cougars' home stadium is now, officially, Fifth Third Bank Ballpark.

With the trumpeting theme song from Jurassic Park blaring and Ozzie the Cougar wielding the scissors, the blue ribbon was cut along the first-base line just before the 6 p.m. start of Thursday's ballgame between the Kane County Cougars and the Peoria Chiefs—officially the first-ever game at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark. Geneva Mayor Kevin Burns, U.S. Congressman Randy Hultgren and more than a dozen other local dignitaries from Fifth Third Bank and the Cougars front-office took part in the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Although fans didn't flock to the stadium, they enjoyed the usual, fantastic Cougars amenities, took advantage of the special $5.50 price per seat, dodged the raindrops and saw a terrific baseball game. The only thing that could have…

Bob McQuillan

11:35 pm on Thursday, May 3, 2012

Still no one can explain how the stadium can be owned by Kane County Forest Preserve (county taxpayers) yet the minor league baseball team that leases the stadium gets to keep ALL the revenue for renaming the stadium. Named after a business, Fifth Third Bank, that doesn't pay any sales tax? Better yet, the owners of the stadium (taxpayers) don't know what Fifth Third Bank paid for the naming …   more ›

Greater Geneva Art Guild Forum Is May 4

Discussion group meets at the Art Box

Throughout history, artists have formed discussion groups and salons to share ideas and collaborate on projects. The newly formed Greater Geneva Art Guild aims to provide a similar forum for local artists to come together, learn and support each other. Those interested in art will have the opportunity to learn more about the Guild at a public meet-and-greet from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, May 4, at the Art Box, 514 W. State St., Geneva, during the First Friday Gallery Walk. Guild members will be on hand to answer questions and discuss goals of the new guild. "Artists have got to be around other artists,” said Len Bielefeldt, owner of the Art Box and Guild member. “We are all constantly learning and growing. The need to grow is huge and to show …

Reader's Choice: Time to Choose Among Finalists for Best Mother's Day Brunch

The nominations are in. Now it's time to pick your favorite Mother's Day brunch!

The nominations are in for best Mother's Day brunch in the Tri-Cities! Here are the finalists, based on your recommendations and those of the Geneva, Batavia and St. Charles chambers of commerce. Some we had to leave out because they're a little too far outside the city limits. Mother's Day is Sunday, May 13. Which of the following offers the best Mother's Day brunch?   Claddagh Irish Pub, 1702 Commons Dr., 630-208-0337 Fiora’s, 317 S. Third St., 630-262-1317 Atwater's Restaurant, 15 S River Lane, 630-208-7433 The Little Traveler, 404 S. Third St., 630-232-4200 Mill Creek Golf Club, 39w525 Herrington Drive, 630.208.7272  Eagle Brook Country Club, 2288 Fargo Boulevard, 630-208-4653 Hotel Baker, 100 W. Main St., 630.584.2100 Pheasant Run …

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Rick Nagel

9:22 am on Friday, May 4, 2012

Deadline is 2 p.m. today to vote for Best Mother's Day brunch!   more ›

Monday, April 30, 2012

Reader's Choice: What's Your Favorite Place for Mother's Day Brunch?

Mother's Day is Sunday, May 13. Where's the best place to take your mom for brunch?

We're going to do this week's Reader's Choice a little like Ike and Tina Turner used to perform Proud Mary: We'll start nice and easy, and we'll end nice and rough. "Rough" because this week's topic is your favorite place to go for Mother's Day brunch. And there are so many great places to eat in the Tri-Cities, making a selection is never, ever easy. Mother's Day is May 13 this year, so we'll start collecting your nominations today (Monday, April 30), present the nominations in a poll on Wednesday and complete the Reader's Choice voting on Friday. The deadline for making a nomination is noon Tuesday, May 1. To make a nomination, name your favorite place for Mother's Day brunch in the comments field below. We'll offer a few suggestions (…

Jamie

5:39 pm on Wednesday, May 2, 2012

And The RendezVu Restaurant and Bar will be open for lunch at noon on Mother's day ; )   more ›

Saturday, April 28, 2012

'Fifth Third Day' (May 3) Celebrates New Stadium Name With $5.30 Cougars Tickets, Food Drive

Fifth Third Bank and the Kane County Cougars present “Strike Out Hunger,” a food-collection drive at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark on “Fifth Third Day.”

Fifth Third Bank and the Kane County Cougars will host a food drive at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark on Thursday, May 3, before the Kane County Cougars game against the Peoria Chiefs. Fans attending the game are encouraged to bring non-perishable food items that will benefit the Northern Illinois Food Bank. May 3 (5/3) is celebrated by the bank as “Fifth Third Day.” It was also announced that tickets for the May 3 game have been deeply discounted to $5.30 per person and are available by visiting the Cougars website at http://www.kccougars.com  The food drive and discounted ticket offer are part of Fifth Third Bank’s plans to officially celebrate the renaming of the Kane County Cougars ballpark as Fifth Third Bank Ballpark. Fifth Third Bank has…

Rod Nelson

9:55 am on Sunday, April 29, 2012

"Under the agreement reached with the Cougars, the forest district will cover $8 million in improvements, up from the $5 million to be derived originally from the sale of revenue bonds. Team owners, meanwhile, have agreed to increase the annual fee, ranging from $1.1 million to $1.3 million a year, that they will pay the district through 2028. The increase will come from the team’s sale of naming…   more ›

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