Civil War gravesites redicated in Batavia and more

Harry Reineke IV, a Batavia resident and member of the Sons of Union Veterans the Civil War, addresses the audience at a grave restoration dedication ceremony Oct. 28 at the West Batavia Cemetery.

     Area residents and public officials gathered Oct. 28 for a ceremony celebrating the restoration of several headstones at the graves of Civil War veterans at the West Batavia Cemetery.
     The brief ceremony was conducted by members of the Gen. Philip H. Sheridan Camp 2 chapter of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. The group cleaned and restored several headstones of Civil War veterans at the cemetery earlier this year.
     The dedication ceremony included comments from local officials and the playing of "Taps."

St. Mark's to host holiday market
St. Mark's Lutheran Church in downtown St. Charles will host "Abundant Blessings," a holiday market featuring crafts, clothing, jewelry and other items, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Nov. 4.

Guitarist Jim Green to perform at STC library
The St. Charles Public Library will host a concert by guitarist Jim Green at 2 p.m. Nov. 12. Green’s acoustic stylings have been called relaxing and engaging. The performance is part of the library’s Sunday Concert series and will be presented in the library’s Carnegie Community Room. Admission is free, but registration is encouraged. The library is located at One S. Sixth Ave. in downtown St. Charles.

Ellwood House to present Holiday Traditions
The Ellwood House Museum in DeKalb will its annual Holiday Traditions event beginning Nov. 15 and continuing through Nov. 30. The event includes guided tours of the museum with each room elegantly decorated for the holidays. The event is one of our favorites during the holiday season. Tickets are $10 for adults.

Batavia library welcomes local author
Batavia writer Marnie Mamminga will be the featured author at the Batavia Public Library's Book Between Bites program at noon Nov. 16. Mamminga will share essay from her most recent book "On a Clear Night". The library is located at 10 S. Batavia Ave., in downtown Batavia.

Library to screen “Seven Brides For Seven Brothers
Our friends at the Messenger Public Library in North Aurora will show the musical "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers" at 2 p.m. Nov. 19. The 1954 film stars Howard Keel and Jane Powell and is part of the library’s monthly Classic Cinema Sundays series. The library is located at 113 St., North Aurora. Admission is free but registration is encouraged. For more information, call 630-896-0240.

Farm Bureau features alpaca farms
The Illinois Farm Bureau's Partners magazine offers an interesting article about alpaca farms in Illinois, including the Timberview Alpaca Farm in Clinton. Here's an interesting fact: Alpaca fiber 22 natural shades, which allows farms to craft items with fiber and avoid using dyes that might harm the environment. I hope you find the report as interesting as I did.


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Monika uses 'off seasaon' to refine bakery skills

Courtesy photo

Monika’s Organic Bakery is one of our favorite vendors at Batavia’s outdoor Farmers’ Market, and we happily followed Monika’s Facebook updates from Germany, where she recently spent a month at a bakery academy. Monika further developed her skills in bread making and dessert preparation. Monika’s bakery is located in Kingston and Monika regularly offers her baked goods at winter markets in St. Charles and Woodstock. During the summer months, Monika participates in outdoor markets in DeKalb, Kane and McHenry counties. Batavia’s Farmers’ Market is scheduled to open June 3.

Library to host ESPN writer
The Batavia Public Library will host a presentation featuring ESPN senior writer Lester Munson at noon March 16. Munson will discuss two sports books, “The Last Innocents” by Michael Leahy and “All the Way” by Jordin Tootoo. The presentation is part of the Books Between Bites program. Admission is free and attendees may bring a lunch to enjoy during the hour-long program. The library is located at 10 S. Batavia Ave. For more information, call 630-879-1393.

Messenger library to screen 'Some Like It Hot'
The Messenger Public Library in North Aurora will show the classic 1959 comedy “Some Like It Hot” at 2 p.m. March 19. The movie stars Tony Curtis Marilyn Monroe and Jack Lemmon. The screening is part of the library’s monthly Classic Cinema Sundays series. Admission is free, but registration is encouraged. For more information or to register, call 630-896-0240. The library is located at 113 Oak St., North Aurora

Here comes 'Restaurant Madness Week'
Batavia’s 2017 Restaurant Madness Week is set for March 20 24 and will include 30 Batavia eateries. For a list of participating restaurants and a coupon, click here.
The event is presented by Batavia MainStreet, the Batavia Chamber of Commerce and the City of Batavia.

From the farm bureau:
The Kane County Farm Bureau recently shared these interesting facts:
• More than 30 million acres of land in Illinois are used for agricultural purposes.
• Illinois has about 1,500 different soil types.
• The average depth of Illinois top soil is 12.6 inches.
• The average age of an Illinois farmer is 56, and each Illinois farmer feeds 156. (And that average age fact ought to fuel some concern for each of us.)
• Illinois grows more pumpkins than any other state.

Here’s what I think:
• I frequently comment about the sad condition of state government in Illinois, so I want to balance some of my criticism with a bit of praise. I had reason in recent months to visit two different facilities operated by the Illinois Secretary of State’s office, one in Aurora and another in Elgin, and I left impressed with the staff’s efficiency and professionalism. I completed my business at both locations in less than 10 minutes and was tended to by workers who were pleasant and professional. I just wanted to go on the record with that before I return to complaining about the state legislature.

• When it comes to Hollywood depictions of military drill instructors, I can’t imagine any actor topping R. Lee Ermey’s performance as Gunnery Sgt. Hartman in 1987’s “Full Metal Jacket”,  but Vince Vaughn does a fine job as Sgt. Howell in Mel Gibson’s Oscar-winning World War II saga “Hacksaw Ridge”. Lori and I recently watched the film, and I recommend it, but do not let the humor in this scene mislead you. The film’s combat scenes are beyond intense, and Mel really has a thing for flamethrowers.
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NIU's Mikhail Titov is the MAC's Men's Tennis Player of the Week

Mikhail Titov

Submitted photo

• Congratulations to NIU junior Mikhail Titov on being named the Mid-American Conference's Men's Tennis Player of the Week on March 8. Titov, a native of Russia, is 4-3 in singles for the Huskies and 4-6 in doubles play. He recently went 3-1 for NIU. 

• The Messenger Public Library in North Aurora, will offer Beyond the Dots, an art program, on March 12. The program will present the different paths artists pursued between 1890 and 1920 following Impressionism and Pointillism. For more information or to register, call 630-896-0240, ext. 3. The library is located at 113 Oak St.

•The Geneva Public Library will offer Gateway to Gardening, a youth program, at 4 p.m., March 13. The library is located at 127 James St. For more information or to register, call the library at 630-232-0780.

• The Town and Country Public Library in Elburn will host quilting lessons from 9:30 a.m. to noon, March 17, National Quilting Day. The library is located at 320 E. South St. For more information or to register, call 630-365-2244.

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