Batavia to welcome new year with fireworks display

Batavia will ring in the new year and start the celebration of the city’s 180th birthday with music and a mini fireworks display Tuesday, Dec. 31 at the Riverwalk in downtown Batavia. The event will begin at 9 p.m. and will include a performance by the Batavia Community Band, refreshments, a 50/50 raffle, and other attractions.

Forest preserve to offer winter birds program

The Forest Preserve District of Kane County will offer a program about winter birds at 10 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 28 at the Creek Bend Nature Center, 37W700 Dean St., St. Charles. The 90-minute program is designed for ages 10 and older. Admission is free, but registration is required. For more information or to register, call 630-444-3190 or email programs@kaneforest.com.

Library to welcome author

The Aurora Public Library will welcome Matt Hanley, author of “True Tales of Aurora” at 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 4 at the library’s Eola Road Branch Library, 555 S. Eola Road, Aurora. Hanley will discuss his book, share writing tips, and take questions from the audience. For more information about the program, call the library at 630-264-3424.

Forest preserve to host scavenger hunt

The Forest Preserve District of Kane county will host a family-oriented scavenger hunt at 10 a.m. Friday, Dec. 27 at the Bliss Woods Forest Preserve, 5S660 Bliss Road, Sugar Grove. The program is free, but registration is required. For more information or to register, call 847-741-8350 or email programs@kaneforest.com.

In case you missed these items:

• The Batavia Chamber of Commerce recently named James Hanson its 2013 Batavia Citizen of the Year and will honor him Jan. 23 at the chamber’s annual awards event. Hanson, 88, served as an alderman and had a hand in planning the city’s downtown redevelopment effort in the 1960s and 1970s. Hanson volunteered with several community organizations over the years and remains active at the Batavia Depot Museum and at Batavia’s Calvary Episcopal Church. For more information about Hanson’s selection for the award and the chamber’s awards ceremony, go to www.bataviachamber.org.

• Shaw Media, publishers of the Kane County Chronicle, announced Dec. 23 it will purchase The Herald-News in Joliet from Sun-Times Media. The purchase is expected to be completed in early January. Shaw Media, based in Dixon, publishes several daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois, including The Northwest Herald in Crystal Lake and The Daily-Chronicle in DeKalb.

• Officials at Waubsonsee Community College in Sugar Grove said the college’s campus in downtown Aurora is up for sale again after the developer slated to buy the property stepped away from the purchase, according to a Dec. 22 report in The Beacon-News. The transaction was expected to be completed in January. The college will soon begin marketing the building, which is located a 5 E. Galena Blvd., according to the report.

• While most Americans were preparing to celebrate Christmas, the Postal Regulatory Commission quietly approved price increases for the U.S. Postal Service on Dec. 24, hiking the cost of a first-class to 49 cents, up from 46 cents, effective Jan. 26. The decision amounts to a 6 percent increase for most mail, according to a report in The Chicago Tribune. The magazine and direct mail industries opposed the increase, arguing it would drive consumers away from the postal service, cause layoffs and harm the national economy.

— Share news and photos about your business or organization here. Email information and photos to kbotterman@gmail.com. Please include caption information for each submitted photo. Fox Valley Notes is available at Facebook and Twitter.

'Christmas in Connecticut' remains a holiday treat

Christmas traditions in my house include annual screenings of Christmas movies, old and not so old.

Lori selects “Love Actually,” director Richard Curtis’ 2003 film about eight couples and their lives in the hectic weeks before Christmas in London. It’s an entertaining film and features a talented cast, including Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson. I always enjoy it.

I select “Christmas in Connecticut,” a 1945 production starring Barbara Stanwyck, Dennis Morgan, and Sydney Greenstreet. 

There are many other fine Christmas movies. “It’s a Wonderful Life,” starring James Stewart, is popular with all audiences and can be seen on television during the holiday season. Other Christmas favorites include the various versions of “A Christmas Carol,” 1983’s “A Christmas Story,” and 2004’s “The Polar Express.” I enjoy these movies and other holiday features, but “Christmas in Connecticut” remains my favorite.

The movie is set during World War II and presents the tale of Elizabeth Lane (Stanwyck), a magazine columnist who offers advice on cooking and related family matters from her farm in rural Connecticut. Lane is promoted as the finest cook in the United States. It’s all made up. Lane is a single woman who can’t cook and resides in an apartment building in New York City. Lane’s fictitious life is put on a collision course with the truth when her publisher, portrayed by Greenstreet, invites himself to Lane’s Connecticut farmhouse for Christmas and insists on bringing a war hero with him (Morgan).

“Christmas in Connecticut” is an entertaining mix of friendly deception, comedy, and romance. Contemporary audiences might dismiss it as light weight and unrealistic. I like it because it is light, even whimsical at times. The dialogue is crisp, intelligent, and suitable for all ages. 

Stanwyck sparkles as Lane and Greenstreet plays the stuffy publisher to perfection. A talented supporting cast truly bolsters the movie and includes, S.Z. Sakall, Reginald Gardiner, Una O’Connor, Joyce Compton, Dick Elliott and Robert Shayne.

Curiously, the movie avoids the themes common to many Christmas movies — redemption, compassion, forgiveness, and generosity — but it still manages to present a charming (and now nostalgic) depiction of Christmas in rural America.

The movie was filmed entirely on studio sets, typical for productions of its time, and the set for the Connecticut farmhouse is one of my favorites.

If you enjoy “Christmas in Connecticut,” you might also enjoy 1942’s “The Man Who Came to Dinner,” and 1947’s “The Bishop’s Wife.”

“Christmas in Connecticut” is aired during the holiday season. Turner Classic Movies will show it Dec. 24. Treat yourself to some “Christmas in Connecticut.” It just might become a Christmas tradition for you and your family.

— Share information about your business or organization here. Email information and photos to kbotterman@gmail.com. Please include caption information for each submitted photo. Fox Valley Notes is available on Facebook and Twitter.

Cougars to host a visit with Santa

The Kane County Cougars will host a visit with Santa from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 14 at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva. Attendees will have an opportunity to have their picture taken with Santa and Ozzie, the Cougars mascot. The event also will offer a variety of activities for children, including a coloring station, an ornament decorating station and a cookie decorating station. Admission is free, but there is a $5 fee per child for ornament and cookie decorating activities. Attendees are encouraged to bring a gently-used winter coat for donation to the Cougars’ annual winter coat drive. For more information, call 630-232-8811.

Library to welcome Santa

The Geneva Public Library will celebrate the holiday season with music and a visit with Santa during a special event from 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, Dec. 13. The event will include crafts, refreshments and performances by Geneva High School’s Jazz Choir and the school's chamber orchestra. Admission is free, but visitors are encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item for donation to the St. Peter Food Pantry. The library is located at 127 James St. in downtown Geneva. For more information, call 630-232-0780.

St. Mary’s to host Breakfast with Santa, cookie sale

Our friends at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Maple Park sent word about their annual Breakfast with Santa event from 9 a.m. to noon. Saturday, Dec. 14. The event also will include a holiday cookie sale. The church is located at 123 S. County Line Road in Maple Park. For more information call Anne at 815-827-3302.

A last-minute gift idea

If you’re need of a last-minute Christmas gift for someone on your list, you might consider an Operagram from our friends at Operagram.biz. Opera singer Rose Guccione launched the message-delivery service after friends told her how much the enjoy sing “happy birthday to them. Customers can select the delivery method for their operagram — in person, by telephone or online video. The Chicago Tribune and other media operations have featured Operagram in reports. 

In case you missed these items:

• Residents opposed to a proposed increase in the Batavia School District’s tax levy are expected to crowd a Batavia School Board meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 17, according to report by Rick Nagel, editor at Batavia Patch. The proposed 2013 tax levy would be a 13 percent increase over 2012, according to Nagel’s article. Opponents of the proposed increase recently launched lowerthelevy.com, a website with information about the levy. The school district also has information about the proposed increase posted here.

• The Kane County Chronicle’s Mystery Diner recently wrote a very positive review of Altiro Latin Fusion, a tapas-style restaurant in Geneva, and I agree with its hearty endorsement. I was pleased with each item ordered and had difficulty selecting the tastiest item. Altiro Latin Fusion is located at 308 Anderson Blvd, Geneva. For more information, call 630-232-7717. For more good eating, be sure to visit Ari’s Kitchen Company, 362 Randall Road, North Aurora and the Golden Egg Pancake House at 459 S. Randall Road, North Aurora, just north of Ari’s Kitchen Company.

• I’m a fan of Barry Schrader, a columnist for the Daily-Chronicle in DeKalb. Schrader frequently writes about local history and last month offered an interesting column about Annie Glidden and the Glidden House at 217 Annie Glidden Road in DeKalb. I think his report is interesting and just as interesting is a subsequent column Schrader wrote about the Glidden House. Take some time to read both items. I think you'll find them informative and thought provoking.

— Share news and photos about your business or organization here. Email information and photos to kbotterman@gmail.com. Please include caption information for each submitted photo. Fox Valley Notes is available at Facebook and Twitter.

'Hunting Che' a prize for history fans

History fans will enjoy “Hunting Che: How A U.S. Special Forces Team Helped Capture the World’s Most Famous Revolutionary,” a fast-paced read by Mitch Weiss and Kevin Maurer. The book describes the Green Berets’ efforts to train Bolivian soldiers to track down Che Guevara and stop his attempt to ignite a Cuban-style revolution in the mid-1960s in Bolivia. 

The authors do a fine job presenting the backstory leading up to Guevara’s unsuccessful campaign in Bolivia. However, the focus is on the Bolivian soldiers involved in the hunt and the Green Berets who trained them to be rangers, an elite combat team. 

The book details the search for Guevara, his capture, and his subsequent execution by Bolivian rangers. The book is noteworthy for its direct depiction of Guevara as a failed revolutionary. Many on the political left in the U.S. continue to celebrate Guevara’s reputation. Perhaps “Hunting Che” will lead them to finally reevaluate their high regard for Guevara.

Weekend offers variety of holiday activities

Those seeking Christmas-related activities have plenty of options this weekend. Below is a sampling of some of the events scheduled for Dec. 7 and 8 in the Fox Valley.

Annual Snowflake Shuffle set for Dec. 7

TriCity Family Services will conduct the fifth annual Snowflake Shuffle 5K Run Saturday, Dec. 7 in Geneva’s Mill Creek Subdivision. Registration and check-in will begin at 7 a.m. at the Mill Creek Clubhouse, 39W525 Herrington Drive, Geneva. A youth mile will begin at 8:30 a.m. The 5K will start at 9 a.m. The registration fee is $30 for adults. For more information, call TriCity Family Services at 630-232-1070. 

Breakfast with Santa

The Geneva Lions Club will host its annual Pancake Breakfast with Santa from 7 to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 at Geneva High School, 416 McKinley Ave., Geneva. Tickets are $5 in advance and $6 at the door. Children ages 5 and younger are admitted free. The menu will include pancakes, sausage, juice, coffee and milk.

Christmas in Kaneville

Our friends at the Kaneville Township Historical Society will host Christmas in Kaneville from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7. The celebration will include activities at Hill’s Country Store, 2S133 Harter Road, and the Kaneville Community Center, 2S101 Harter Road. The Farley House, dating to the 1840s, will be open for viewing. The celebration will include a bake sale and children’s crafts. For more information, call 630-557-2854.

Durant House to offer Candlelight Celebration

The Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley will offer a Candlelight Celebration at the Durant House Museum from 2 to 6 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 and Sunday, Dec. 8. The event offers a glimpse of how Christmas was celebrated in the 19th century. Admission is $3 for adults and $1 Children. The museum is located in the Leroy Oakes Forest Preserve. 37W700 Dean St., St. Charles. For more information, call 630-377-6424. 

Albright Theatre to stage holiday show

The Albright Theatre Company in Batavia will present “Just in the Nick of Time” starting Dec. 6 and continuing through Dec. 15. The play follows Detective Red Mistletoe and the citizens of the North Pole as they search for the missing Santa Claus. Tickets are $12 for adults and $9 for students and seniors. For more information, visit www.albrighttheatre.com.

Santa to visit county animal shelter

The Kane County Animal Control shelter will host a visit with Santa from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 7. Visitors are invited to bring their pets for photos with Santa. The event is free, but visitors are encouraged to donate pet food, toys and blankets to the shelter for the shelter’s animals. For more information about the event, call 630-232-3555.

St. Charles Singers plan Candlelight Carols

The St. Charles Singers will present Candlelight Carols at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7 and 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 8 at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church, 307 Cedar Ave., St. Charles. The program will feature traditional carols and anthems. Tickets can be purchased online at www.stcharlessingers.com.

Just one more thing

The Batavia Public Library will host a book sale from 9:15 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 7. The library is located at 10 S. Batavia Ave. in downtown Batavia. For more information, all 630-879-1393.

— Share news and photos about your business or organization here. Email information and pictures to kbotterman@gmail.com. Please include caption information for each submitted photo. Follow Fox Valley Notes on Twitter and at Facebook.