O' Solo Mio to host Wine and Canvas event

O’ Sole Mio Gelato Cafe, 27 N. River St. in downtown Batavia will host another Wine & Canvas session from 6 to 9 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 30. A local artist will lead participants with step-by-step instructions for creating a painting. Registration is required and can be completed at www.wineandcanvas.com.

Military fest in St. Charles

Pheasant Run Resort and Conference Center, 4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, will host the annual Military Fest Friday, Jan. 31 to Sunday, Feb. 2. The fest will feature workshops, demonstrations,   music and other attractions. The festival is open from noon to 7 p.m. Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday. Tickets are $20 for adults. Veterans and children ages 15 and younger are admitted free. A three-day pass is available for $30.

Church to host used book sale

Baker Memorial United Methodist Church in St. Charles will conduct a used  book sale from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1. The church is located at 307 Cedar Ave. in downtown St. Charles. Proceeds from the sale will benefit tornado relief efforts in Illinois. For more information, call 630-584-6680.

Park District to host Super Shuffle 5K

The Geneva Park District will host the annual Super Shuffle 5K at 10 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 2 at Geneva Middle School South, 1415 Viking Drive, Geneva. Check-in will begin at 8:45 a.m. Awards will be presented to top male and female finishers. For more information, call 630-232-4542 or go to www.genevaparks.org.

Gibby’s partners with Graham’s for wine and chocolate event 

Gibby’s Wine Den in Geneva will partner with Graham’s Fine Chocolate Saturday, Feb. 1 for an event featuring wines paired with hand-dipped chocolates. The event will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. at Gibby’s, 1772 S. Randall Road. Tickets are $35 and must be purchased in advance. Attendees must age 21 or older. For more information, call 630-208-6424.

In case you missed these items:

• The Batavia Chamber of Commerce recently named Holly Deitchman the group’s new executive director, replacing Roger Breisch. Deitchman is the station manager at Batavia Access Television and is scheduled to start at the chamber Feb. 10. For more about the appointment, click here.

• Congratulations to John Carr of Batavia on being honored as Illinois Veteran of the Month on Jan. 22. The Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs presented Carr with a plaque honoring his work on behalf of veterans through his role as superintendent of the Veterans Assistance Commission of Kane County. Carr served with the Army in Vietnam. About 75 veterans attended presentation ceremony, according to a report in the Aurora Beacon-News.

• Batavia aldermen recently approved a measure that would provide $100,000 in financial assistance to Gaetano and Wendy DiBenedetto for an Italian restaurant at 15 E. Wilson St. in downtown Batavia. The site is the former home of the The Rhino Room. The package includes a $25,000 tax increment financing district grant and a $75,000 loan. The DiBenedettos plan to open Gaetano’s Batavia later this year. The couple owns Gaetano’s in Forest Park.

• Nabisco recently announced plans to launch two new flavors of its Oreo cookie. The company will launch a marshmallow crisply cookie and a cookie dough version Feb. 3. The new flavors will be available for a limited time, according to Nabisco. I am willing to sample the new cookies when they are available. I will be happy to share my opinion of the cookies, but I probably will not share the cookies. 

— 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.

Batavia Masons plan pancake breakfast

The Batavia Masonic Temple, 28 N. Van Nortwick Ave., Batavia, will host a pancake breakfast from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26. The meal will include eggs, sausage, juice and coffee. Tickets are $6 for adults, $3 for ages 10 and younger, and $18 for a family of four. For more information, call 630-879-9681.

Cougars plan job fair

The Kane County Cougars will conduct a job fair for part-time seasonal employees from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 1 at Fifth Third Bank Ballpark in Geneva. The Cougars are seeking concession stand staff, picnic servers, beer servers, suite attendants and a bartender. For more information, call 630-232-8811. Applications are available online.

Bunco event to benefit Casey’s Safe Haven

Casey’s Safe Haven will conduct a Bunco event Friday, Jan. 24 at the Old Town Pub, 40W290 LaFox Road, St. Charles. Check-in will begin at 6:45 p.m. Bunco will begin at 7 p.m. The event will include food, raffles, and prizes. A $20 donation is suggested. All proceeds from the event will benefit the dogs at Casey’s Safe Haven. For more information about the event, email Kathy at caseysdogs@yahoo.com.

More Cougars news

• The Kane County Cougars recently announced details of the 2014 ballpark concert series that will begin June 21 with a performance by the Mr. Myers Band. The series will include concerts by 7th Heaven, American English, Suburban Cowboys and Hi Infidelity. For more information about the series, visit www.kccougars.com.

• The Cougars will host their home opener at 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 8. The Cougars will play a six-game home stand featuring three games with Fort Wayne, April 8  through April 10, and three games with Lake County, April 11 though April 13. The Cougars open the 2014 season on road April 3, playing a four-game series in the Quad Cities. For details about the Cougars'  2014 schedule, click here.

Rasmussen College plans career fair

Rasmussen College, 2363 Sequoia Drive, Aurora, will conduct a career fair from 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 27. The fair will include workshops and opportunities to meet with representatives from area employers, including Microsoft, TCF Bank, DuPage Medical Group, and Verizon Wireless. Admission is free. For more information about the event, call 630-888-3500.

Save the date

The Hampshire Area Chamber of Commerce will conduct its annual Home & Business Expo from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, March 15 at Hampshire High School, 560 E. State St. For more information, call Bonnie at 847-683-1122, or go to www.hampshirechamber.org.

A curious lack of transparency

I am one of those voters who think it is important to have transparency when it comes to things involving government operations, elections, and the spending of tax dollars. I also think candor is crucial to building trust and credibility. This might explain my curiosity about two websites connected to the March elections.

One site, www.showyoucarekane.com, promotes a referendum question asking voters to create a new tax to fund services for individuals with developmental disabilities. The second site, www.iltruthteam.com, promises to “call ‘em as we see ‘em” and claims to “like candidates who want to change the Illinois Republican Party.”

The trouble I have with both websites is that neither site takes transparency and candor seriously. Visit these sites and you’ll have trouble learning who is responsible for the content.

Visitors to showyoucarekane.com need to sift through the website to learn, (indirectly) the site is operated by the Association for Individual Development, an Aurora-based agency serving those with development disabilities. Lynn O'Shea, AID's executive director, runs the Show You Care Kane effort, according to documents filed with the Illinois State Board of Elections. Oddly, I could find only one reference to the Show You Care Kane campaign at the AID website, and that was on Page 7 of a pdf version of the group's Fall 2013 newsletter. 

Visitors to iltruthteam.com are in for a real challenge in determining who is responsible for the nonsense posted to its pages. The site includes an “about us” page, but all you’ll find there is two paragraphs of poorly constructed sentences revealing nothing about those behind the site. I could not determine who runs the site or a related Facebook page. Judging by the (childish) content posted at the site, I’d say its operators are not friends of DuPage County Auditor Bob Grogan, a Republican candidate for Illinois State Treasurer in the March primary elections. 

For the record, I am Kevin Botterman, and I am responsible for the content of this blog. 

— Share news and photos about your organization or business 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.

O' Sole Mio Gelato to host Artisan Collective market

O’ Sole Mio Gelato, 27 N. River St., Batavia, will host Batavia MainStreet’s Artisan Collective market from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16. Artisan Collective is a flash market conducted once each month at different locations in Batavia, The market features some of the area’s finest designers and artists. For more information about the market, call Batavia MainStreet at 630-761-3528.

50th District GOP candidates to debate

Candidates for the GOP nomination in the 50th District will debate at 7 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 15 at the Orchard Valley Restaurant, 2411 W. Illinois Ave., Aurora. The Kane County Young Republicans will host the debate, which will feature candidates Julie Cosimo, Beth Goncher, Bill Keck and Keith Wheeler. 

Lions Club offers Bingo

The Elburn Lions Club hosts Bingo at 6:30 p.m. Fridays at Lions Park, 500 S. Filmore St., Elburn. The doors open at 5 p.m. Admission is free. Food and drinks are available for purchase. For more information, call 630-365-6315. 

Dinner to benefit teen mission trip

Teens at St. Peter Catholic Church in Geneva will conduct their annual spaghetti dinner from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 23 at Riverview Banquets, 1117 N. Washington Ave., Batavia. Tickets are $10 for ages 10 and older and $5 for ages 3 to 9. Children ages 2 and younger are admitted free. Proceeds from the event will benefit the teens’ mission trip. For more information, call 630-232-0124.

Music at O’ Sole Mio

O’ Sole Mio Gelato in downtown Batavia will continue its program of live entertainment with Spanish guitar music Friday, Jan. 17 and a performance by guitarist Dana French Saturday, Jan. 18. O’ Sole Mio is located at 27 N. River St. For more information, call 630-454-4536.

Friday film program at Geneva church

The Social Justice Committee at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva will screen the documentary “Inequality for All” at 7 p.m. Friday, Jan. 24. The screening is part of the church’s Friday Film Program, which is presented the third Friday of each month. Admission is free, and all are welcome. The church is located at 102 S. Second St. in downtown Geneva. For more information, call 630-232-2350.

Celebrate Hot Tea Month

Shari Ralish of Peaceful Parlour in Geneva and the Geneva Public Library will partner for a program about hot tea at 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25 at the library, 127 James St. in downtown Geneva. The program will include a tea tasting. For more information or to register, call the library at 630-232-0780. 

Coin club to host show

The Geneva, Illinois Coin Club will host its Mid-Winter Classic Coin Show from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26 at the Elgin Holiday Inn, 495 Airport Road, Elgin. The event will include more than 50 dealer tables. Visitors can buy, trade, and sell U.S. and foreign coins. Admission and parking are free. For more information, call Fred at 630-677-3866.

Mozart for the Masses

The St. Charles Singers will present “Mozart for the Masses” at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 26 at Baker Memorial Church, 307 Cedar Ave. in downtown St. Charles. The performance will include the Metropolis Chamber Orchestra and Anima, a youth choral organization. Tickets are $40 for adults, $30 for ages 65 and older, and $10 for students. For more information, call 630-513-5272.

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

Steel Beam Theatre to stage "Postmordem'

The Steel Beam Theatre in St. Charles will present the thriller “Postmordem” starting Friday, Jan. 10 and continuing on select dates through Feb. 9. “Postmordem” is a mystery crowded with suspects, clever twists and laughter. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 630-587-8521, or go to www.steelbeamtheatre.com. The theater is located at 111 W. Main St., St. Charles.

Mystery Diner urges a visit to Prime Bistro

The Kane County Chronicle’s Mystery Diner recently visited Prime Bistro, 105 Walnut Ave. in downtown St. Charles and urges readers to stop in and try the burgers, the house specialty. I find the Mystery Diner's recommendations reliable, so I am confident Lori and I will visit Prime Bistro soon.

Fairgrounds to host sportsmen show

The Kane County Fairgrounds will host a sportsmen show from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12. The show will feature firearms and related items. Admission is $5. The fairgrounds are located at 525 S.Randall Road, St. Charles.

Symphony to put spotlight on Scotland

The Elgin Symphony Orchestra will present a musical tour of Scotland at the Hemmens Cultural Center, 45 Symphony Way, Elgin. The symphony will perform at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 11 and 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 12. For more information or to purchase tickets, call 847-888-4000.

Mystery Diner urges a visit to Prime Bistro

The Kane County Chronicle’s Mystery Diner recently visited Prime Bistro, 105 Walnut Ave. in downtown St. Charles and urges readers to stop in and try the burgers, the house specialty. I find the Mystery Diner's recommendations reliable, so I am confident Lori and I will visit Prime Bistro soon.

Mid-Winter Hamfest set for Jan.19

The Wheaton Community Radio Amateurs will host Mid-Winter Hamfest starting at 8 a.m. Sunday, Jan. 19 at the Kane County Fairgrounds, 525 S. Randall Road, St. Charles. The event will include demonstrations, information sessions, an electronic flea market and more. Tickets are $10. Children ages 12 and younger admitted free. Parking is free and food will be available for purchase.

In case you missed these items:

• Crain’s Chicago Business offered a county-by-county look at how the end of the Emergency Employment Compensation program impacted Illinois. The program expired Dec. 28, leaving more than 80,000 Illinoisans without unemployment benefits.

• The Kane County Chronicle recently offered this article detailing how homeowners can save money through efficient energy use. 

Looking forward

I like to prepare a list in January of the interesting activities and events planned for the coming months. One of the items on this year’s list is the primary elections set for March 18. Voters will have an opportunity to express their support (or disdain) for candidates for state and local offices. Ballots in some areas will include referendum questions. Kane County voters will see the Show You Care Kane question, which would authorize a new property tax of 0.1 percent of assessed value of all taxable property to fund care for the county’s developmentally disable residents. To read the official question, click here.  To learn more about Show You Care Kane, click here. To read a recent Elgin Courier-News report related to the question, click here.

— 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. Please follow Fox Valley Notes on Facebook and Twitter.