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.

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The Arcada Theatre to welcome Bachman & Turner

The Arcada Theatre in downtown St. Charles will present a Night of Bachman & Turner Overdrive featuring Randy Bachman and Fred Turner at 8 p.m. June 28. Bachman and Turner will perform their classic hits and new works. Tickets start at $59. The Arcada is located at 105 E. Main St., St. Charles. For more information, call 630-962-7000.

Library to put spotlight on 'amore'

The Batavia Public Library will present That’s Amore featuring singer Heather Braoudakis at 2 p.m. June 30. Braoudakis will perform songs about love by Nat King Cole, George Gershwin and others. The presentation is part of the library’s Sundays on Stage series. Admission is free, but registration is encouraged. For more information or to register, call the library at 630-879-1393, ext. 200. The library is located at 10 S. Batavia Ave. in downtown Batavia. The series will present a Tribute to Mae West on July 28 and The Artful Song on Aug. 25.

Church plans Vacation Bible School

Calvary Episcopal Church in Batavia will offer its Vacation Bible School from July 8 through July 12. The program will meet from 9 a.m. to noon and is open to children ages 5 and older. The theme for this year’s program is Paul’s Discovery: Creating Ambassadors for Christ. The suggested donation for the program is $25 per child. Registration can be completed online. The church is located at 222 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia. For more information, call 630-879-3378.

It’s now ImageSmith Creative

Lisa Smith Youngdahl recently changed the name of her Batavia-based business from Lisa Smith Youngdahl Graphic Design to ImageSmith Creative. The change reflects the extensive range of services Lisa now offers at the 25-year business. ImageSmith Creative uses a multi-channel approach to develop dynamic marketing materials. Services include digital and offset printing, direct mail, brochures, banners and more. For more information, call Lisa at 630-360-3111.

Bethany Lutheran to offer free community supper

Our friends at Bethany Lutheran Church in Batavia will host their monthly community supper from 5 to 7 p.m. June 28. The church is located at 8 S. Lincoln St., Batavia. The meal is offered free, carry-outs are available and all are welcome. Donations are accepted. For more information, call 630-879-3444.

Dunkin Donuts to host grand reopening at St. Charles location

Dunkin Donuts, 1711 W. Main St., St. Charles, will celebrate its grand reopening with a party from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 28. The celebration will include games, prizes and a raffle. Visitors also will find special prices on donuts and small coffees. 

Repticon to visit Kane County Fairgrounds

Repticon, an expo featuring reptiles and exotic animals will visit the Kane County Fairgrounds June 29 and June 30. The show will include animal presentations, exhibits and vendors. The expo will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday. Admission is $10 for adults and $5 for ages 5 to 12. The fairgrounds are located on Randall Road, near Route 64, in St. Charles.

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Pal Joey's pizza attracts a following

Pal Joey's in Batavia puts pizza in the spotlight.

Kane County Chronicle photo

The Kane County Chronicle's Mystery Diner recently reviewed the pizza creations offered at Pal Joey's restaurant in downtown Batavia and truly enjoyed the sampling of pies. The Mystery Diner was particularly impressed with the quality of the pepperoni pizza, but noted the expansive variety of toppings available. The restaurant offers several other menu items, including pasta, ribs and seafood. But I encourage visitors to stick with pizza. Pal Joey's is located at 31 N. River St.  An ongoing street-renovation project on River Street makes it a bit of challenge to reach Pal Joey's, but visitors arriving from the west side of the Fox River are encouraged to park at the municipal lot at Batavia's City Hall and use the pedestrian bridge to cross the river and reach the restaurant. Might sound like a hassle, but as the Mystery Diner noted, the pizza is worth the effort. For more information about Pal Joey's call 630-593-6600 or visit www.paljoeys.com.

The Daily Chronicle names Duchnowski news editor

Congratulations to Jillian Duchnowski on being named news editor at the Daily Chronicle in DeKalb. Duchnowski most recently served as an editor at Yorkville Patch, an online community news site. Prior to joining Patch, she was an award-winning reporter at the Northwest Herald in McHenry County. The Daily Chronicle and the Northwest Herald are products of Shaw Media. The Daily Chronicle is one my favorite small daily newspapers.

Kane County Fairgrounds to host flea market

The Kane County Fairgrounds will host its next flea market show Saturday, Nov. 3 and Sunday, Nov. 4. Admission is $5 per day for adults. Children 12 and younger are free with a paying adult. Parking is free. The market offers a variety of merchandise. The fairgrounds are located at 525 S. Randall Road, St. Charles.

The Howard House Hotel was located at 123 S. Third St., St. Charles.

St. Charles Heritage Center photo

Article details St. Charles' spiritualist history

The Kane County Chronicle recently published an article by Abby Sheaffer that details a visit Mary Todd Lincoln made to St. Charles in 1871 to attend a seance at the Howard House Hotel, which was located on south Third Street. Mrs. Caroline Howard, the proprietor's wife, was said to have the gift of clairvoyance, according to the article. Sheaffer's article is fun reading for the Halloween season and engaging local history for any time of year. It's a long report, but worth the time. Sheaffer is a St. Charles resident, and fans of local history are sure to enjoy her article.

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