TriCities
October/November 2018
Serving the TriCities area Batavia | Geneva | St. Charles
Scandal! Grave robbery, murder, abandonment, corruption and, yes, sex… right here in Kane County.
Magazine
POSTAL CUSTOMER PERMIT NO. 48 ST. CHARLES, IL 60174
TriCities Magazine 28 S. Water St., Suite 301 Batavia, IL 60510
PAID
PRSRT STD ECRWSS U.S. POSTAGE
In this issue
Coming in December…
Welcome......................................................................................... 6
Cool Stuff
The coolest gifts to be found in the Fox Valley A few of our favorite things for this holiday season—the best gifts to be found in the Fox Valley.
Scandal.........................................................................................10 Kane County has a rich and colorful past with…scandals!
Insights.................................. 8
Don’t be left out!
Geneva in the news— oh how we love to read about a good scandal
See more at KaneNeighbors.com For advertising in TriCities Magazine call 630-995-3482
The art of buiness...............19
Custom homes, dream kitchens, code for kids 4 KaneNeighbors.com
TriCities Magazine
Helping hands.................... 22 211 referal hotline comes to the TriCities
Celebrate the harvest........ 23 The best pumpkin patches in the area
Music................................... 28 The St. Charles Singers welcome in the holiday season with Candlelight Carols
More Real Estate..................................................................................18 UnPlug........................................................................................24 Theater........................................................................................29 Last Look....................................................................................30 Neighbors Publications 630-995-3482 KaneNeighbors.com Neighbors Staff Tim Sullivan & Kate Sullivan, Publishers Amber Johnson, Production Director Linnea Carlson, Creative Director
For advertising opportunities:
Neighbors is a Service Disabled Veteran owned small business. We are proud to offer special advertising discounts to all Veteran owned businesses. NEIGHBORS™ is published bimonthly. Editorial contributions are welcome. Send your information to: newsroom@neighborsmagazines.com.
Anita Malik, Account Executive 630-995-3482 info@neighborsmagazines.com
Advertising deadline is the 10th of the month preceding publication.
See the online edition at KaneNeighbors.com.
©2018 TriCities Magazine is published by Emerald Marketing, Inc. All rights reserved. No portion of this publication may be reproduced without the written permission of the publisher. KaneNeighbors.com 5
Welcome “Scandals,” our feature story starts on page 10. Scott Lebin has also dedicated his regular column, “Insights,” to scandals from Geneva’s past. These sorts of stories always provide tantalizing reading. Why is this? Psychology Today offers five reasons why we love scandals: 1) There is vicarious pleasure in watching or reading about someone else breaking the rules; 2) Seeing the transgressor punished gives us a sense of moral satisfaction; 3) We like watching someone else “get away with it”; 4) Being asked to forgive elicits a feeling of power and triumph; 5) most importantly, scandals give us a distraction from our own difficult everyday problems…our own scandals. Abby Stein, Professor of Interdisciplinary Studies at John Jay College of Criminal Justice notes, “In the presence of perpetration we may be repelled but we are also excited.” The scandalous stories we selected for our feature story have all the juicy elements that work. Maybe, in their own quirky way, the strange unacceptable actions of others somehow contribute to a better life for all of us. Just maybe, that’s another reasons we not only tolerate scandals…we are drawn to them. We are looking forward to our second annual Holiday Gift guide, which will be published in November. Once again, you will find unusual gift ideas covering a wide price range and audience. What’s nice is that all of the gifts we will be featuring are available from shops in the area. We’d love to see and hear about the unique gifts you have found in our local stores. When you find something special, take a picture and send it to us (newsroom@neighborsmagazines.com). Please include the name of the store. Enjoy the fall weather! Tim and Kate Sullivan, Publishers
6 KaneNeighbors.com
TriCities Magazine
Contributors
Scott Lebin
Insights, page 8
Scott Lebin is a long time Geneva resident, a board member of the Geneva Chamber of Commerce (20 years) and an avid photographer. Previously, he has written a bi-monthly article for the Neighbors of Geneva Magazine. He is president of Managed Economics for Doctors, Inc. and Lebin Financial Planning in Geneva. He is the past-president of Geneva Lions Club International, served on the financial advisory committee of the Geneva School District, served on the City of Geneva Economic Development Commission and was an elected member of the Board of Education. He is past president of the Illinois Theatre Association. Scott has been married to Bobbi for 52 years and has two children and three grandchildren.
Deb Gurley Real Estate, page 22 Deb Gurley is the recipient of St. Charles 2015 L.E.A.P. Award, President of Geneva Women in Business–2014, president of St. Charles Women’s Business Council–2015, current board member of Mutual Ground, current board member of the St Charles Chamber of Commerce and previous board member of Zonta. Currently, Deb is a Real Estate Broker for Miscella Real Estate in Geneva. She is also a Certified Interior Redesign Specialist, and Home Stager. Her guiding principle in real estate and in life is…“treat others with the respect, service and integrity they deserve.” October/November 2018
KaneNeighbors.com 7
Photo: darius Sankowski, Media Bakery
Historic Geneva scandals in the news
Insights
by Scott R. Lebin Oh how we love to read or tell about a good scandal
8 KaneNeighbors.com
A
community, even in the Fox Valley, can have in its history a story “creating an outrage or anger caused by a scandalous action or event” as scandal is defined by the dictionary. I wanted to research some of the best of our scandals, so I retreated to the Geneva History Museum knowing that if any stories were to be found, their archives would hold such stories. I was not disappointed! I narrowed my search
to the following three scandals that I will present in chronological order.
LeKander “Bad Boys” In February 1903, Harry L. and Joe B. carried outdoors a mattress that their father lay upon in a drunken stupor. The mattress was put on a pile of hot cinders near the glucose boilers on River St. It soon caught fire and the two men twice pushed their father back on the TriCities Magazine
burning pile. Their efforts were defeated by Albert S. who was night foreman at the factory; he stopped them and drove them away. As printed in the Geneva Republican, “These fellows are a bad lot and a disgrace to the town.” Again in 1903, Harry L., twenty years old, and Arthur L., fourteen years old, left town when it was reported that liquor had been stolen from Grahn’s Saloon at the corner of First and State Streets. The liquor was found buried in their backyard. Harry died in April, 1905 after getting out of Pontiac prison in February at age twenty-two. His father and brother remained in jail.
Prohibition years In 1920, the Geneva Republican reported, “Peddled ‘Hootch’ found in a baby carriage.” A woman on N. First St. reported that a neighbor woman had a still and had been seen making frequent trips to St. Charles pushing a gallon jug in her carriage together with her baby. The woman told police her husband left her, and she was selling three to four gallons of alcohol a week to make ends meet.
Scandalous mayoral race In 1973, twenty-two-year-old, Greg Zanis ran for mayor of Geneva. His opponents were Alderman Burt Wood (son of former Mayor William C. Wood) and Alderman Merritt King. Two days before the election, Greg Zanis was shot and claimed he was abducted by a masked man. Zanis’ brothers, Chris and Steve, gave the press a detailed account of the events leading up to the shooting. They claimed that when he got out of his car in the driveway early Sunday morning, a man wearing a mask forced him back into the car at gunpoint. Greg was forced to drive to Western Avenue School. When they got to the school, Greg reportedly saw a dark blue Buick parked October/November 2018
with its headlights on in the parking lot. The gunman then left the Zanis car and fired the gun as he left. The bullet hit Greg on the lower left side of the abdomen and went out the back. Greg then drove away from the school to a friend’s house on Considine Rd. to call the police. News of the shooting spread quickly. The local radio station, WGSB told the newspaper that they received an anonymous tip at 7:20am Sunday. Zanis campaign workers called Chicago news media immediately. Throughout the week camera crews from Chicago newspapers and television stations visited Geneva. Zanis’ brothers told the news media that Greg had been receiving threatening phone calls for weeks. Authorities eventually found the gun. Investigations continued and on May 3 a Kane County grand jury ruled that it could find no evidence to indicate Zanis was kidnapped and shot by a masked assailant.
It appeared Zanis had either accidentally shot or intentionally shot himself. Burt Wood won the Mayoral election, Merrit King came in second and Greg Zanis received 8% of the total vote. Oh, how we love to read or tell about a good scandal. Thanks to Terry Emma and the Geneva History Museum!
KaneNeighbors.com 9
10  KaneNeighbors.com
TriCities Magazine
Scandals The stories everyone wants to hear; no one wants to tell. by Tim Sullivan with Deb French
Kane County has a rich and colorful past. To be sure, much of Kane’s history is bucolic and rich. Like any other county, hidden in the peaceful, relatively low-crime area, are a few scandals that are, like it or not, just a part of history. We avoided legends, ghost stories, crimes of passion, myths and gossip, and settled on a few scandals that have impacted the very character of our area, resulting in new important laws, defining what is or is not acceptable, ultimately contributing, in their own strange manner, to a better way of life.
October/November 2018
KaneNeighbors.com 11
Photo courtesy St. Charles History Museum
The Franklin Medical School was located in the second floor of the building on the corner of Main St. and First Ave. in St. Charles.
Grave robbers steal the body of 16 year-old Marilla… for medical classes On the surface, the grave robbing of young Marilla Kinyon’s body in 1849 promises a tantalizingly scandalous truelife tale… Dr. Richards arrived in St. Charles sometime around 1839 and in 1842 founded the first medical school in Illinois, Franklin Medical College (Rush Medical College in Chicago was founded just one year later). The first classes were 12 KaneNeighbors.com
believed to have been held in a building at the corner of First Avenue and Main Street, St. Charles. Finding “human material” for medical education was a problem. One solution was grave robbing (a heinous crime even then), which had to be done soon after burial or the body would not be suitable for dissection and study. John Rood, a student of the college, and two accomplices, headed out on a two-horse wagon with shovels and rope, to rob a grave. Motivation: probably to
pay for his medical education at Franklin. They must have known that the 16 year old bride of George Kinyon had recently been laid to rest in Ohio Grove Cemetery. Along the way, they stopped for drinks at James Lovell Tavern. Lovell’s daughter overheard discussions of their plans. The alarm was sounded and the potential grave robbers were met before reaching their goal. Although threatened with hanging, the three would be felons were escorted out of town. To be sure she remained undisturbed TriCities Magazine
in her grave, the concerned family exhumed Marilla’s coffin. It was empty! How the body of Marilla was stolen and by whom, was a mystery. A party of 12 relatives and neighbors, in pursuit of the robbers, went directly to Dr. Richard’s Institute and searched the limestone building. Finding nothing more than a lock of hair that resembled the color of Marilla’s hair was enough for distraught husband George Kinyon. The “Richard’s Riots” ensued. There was riotous fighting and bloodshed. John Rood was mortally wounded, Dr. Richards severely injured and indicted for “exhuming the body of Mrs. Kinyon.” The case was never prosecuted, but Dr. Richards was removed to Chicago and the renowned Franklin Medical College of St. Charles forever closed. What happened to Marilla’s body is clouded in speculation. Dr. Richard may have played a role in this crime, but the conditions and state of medical science at the time also contributed. Ironically, this story is as much about formative years of American medical science…the greatest in the world...as it is about scandal. Of the many sources available on “Richard’s Riot” and the grave robbing of young Marilla’s body, none is more detailed than the book by Dr. Rodney B. Nelson, “The Franklin Institute, Illinois’s First Medical School.” It is the primary source for this “scandalous” story.
as a blind pig or blind tiger, and there were more than a few of them in Kane County. But where did they get their booze? One source was Al Capone's Blackberry Creek Farm in St. Charles. In order to serve the liquor in the first place, it needed to be produced, and, considering the heavy equipment required, it was no small task. Capone’s mob hired a farmer to front the operation, storing liquor in barrels in the basement of the barn while the farmer worked the scenic fields. Used exclusively as a link in the distribution chain, the farm was designed to give lookouts a good view of oncoming traffic from all sides. Men in grey fedoras and matching suits patrolled the balconies with barely concealed
Tommy guns and vicious attitudes. Alcohol was stored in the basement, and then transported to other speakeasies in St. Charles and throughout Kane County. The liquor production flourished finding its way into dances, parties, and establishments of "questionable reputability." With all the activity of the speakeasies, it was inevitable authorities would catch on eventually. Police broke into Blackberry Creek Farm and, after spilling their contents across the dirty floor, cemented the barrels into the wall and bricked up the entrances. As Shirley Pieper Sportsman recalled, "Feds would suddenly arrive, axe down locked doors and haul out bushels of bootleg booze from their hiding places.
The scandalous prohibition era in St. Charles At Arcada Theater’s “speakeasy” retro style bar and gathering place you don’t have to worry about being caught up in a local scandal just for going there. During prohibition (1920–33) you might have been arrested and booked. A “speakeasy” referred to an illicit establishment that sold alcohol. Speakeasies were also known Robbing graves was often the only way for medical students to obtain bodies for anatomy studies. Unfortunately it was an all-to frequent crime in the early days of Kane County. October/November 2018
KaneNeighbors.com 13
With a dramatic flourish, the agents mashed the quart bottles on the rocks out front." However, after a brief restocking and renovation period, the speakeasies were back in business, selling their illegal wares to the citizens of St. Charles as if nothing had happened. Pleas from the Justice of the Peace and Chief of Police to report speakeasies fell on mostly deaf ears…and the scandalous, illicit activity flourished in the Fox Valley until the end of Prohibition. —adapted from 2011 article, Neighbors of St. Charles
Little girls’ live lives of horror at Geneva school Longtime TriCities residents may remember the days when the Illinois State Training School for Girls was located in Geneva. For over 80 years, the school housed girls between the ages of 10 and 18 who were considered “wayward”, “feeble-minded” or in need of reform. Many were victims of their social circumstances, being from poor or working-class families in Illinois’ cities.
Photo courtesy St. Charles History Museum
Members of the St. Charles Police Department display a brew kit and a gun they collected after a raid.
All that remains of the once expansive campus is a small 51-grave cemetery in the southwest corner of Fox Run subdivision. The cemetery contains graves of girls who died from illness,
Photo courtesy Geneva Historical Society
Inmates at the Illinois State Training School for Girls had small barren rooms. 14 KaneNeighbors.com
suicide or other circumstances and had no family to bury them. You’ll also find graves of children who were born at the school and died while their mothers were still serving time. Rumors still circulate about suspicious events surrounding some of those deaths. In 1895, Mrs. Ophelia Amigh was appointed Superintendent of the State Training School for Girls, located in Chicago. The school moved in 1895 to a site on what is now Crissey Ave. Under Mrs. Amigh’s management, officials expected the school to become a model of education and reform for girls who found themselves on the wrong side of the law or of social and moral expectations of that time. Mrs. Amigh believed that the cause of many social problems was genetic. She spoke often of the need to sterilize or somehow limit the ability of the “feeble-minded girls of this and every other school of this kind, [to] cut down the expense of caring for paupers and criminals.” She also believed in tough discipline. Mrs. Amigh instituted a system of punishment for difficult girls called the TriCities Magazine
First lady’s son commits mother to Batavia insane asylum
Ophelia Amigh served as the first superintendent of the State Training School for Girls.
strong chair, which was the combination of a ducking stool and New England stocks. Stories of whips and handcuffs also circulated. In 1910, a Chicago newspaper ran an article in which several discharged girls and a matron accused Amigh of cruelty. Although the standards of punishment were very different at the beginning of the 20th century, officials investigated the allegations. Eventually, political pressure forced Mrs. Amigh to resign her post.
October/November 2018
The wife of Abraham Lincoln, Mary Todd, (photo page 16) had suffered significant loss during her life. Not only had her husband been assassinated, but three of her four sons had also died. During the ten years following Mr. Lincoln’s death, Mary consulted clairvoyants in attempts to communicate with her dead family. She reportedly suffered from insomnia, paranoia and hallucinations. In May of 1875, Mary’s son, Robert, petitioned the court in Chicago to have her declared insane and committed to an asylum. She was forcibly taken to the courthouse where seventeen witnesses testified to her insanity. She was ordered to be committed to a state hospital for the insane or to a private sanitarium, if she could afford it. Mary was moved to Bellevue Place at 333 S. Jefferson St. in Batavia, where her estate paid $10 per day for her care.
During her time at the sanitarium, Mary was treated well. She was allowed frequent carriage rides and occasionally visited friends in Batavia and St. Charles. But Mary still felt imprisoned. She worked with lawyers to obtain her release. In September of 1875, Mary moved to Springfield to live with her sister.
Children (ages 4 and 9) left at home alone while parents vacation In December 1993, Sharon and David Shoo left their St. Charles home for a nine-day vacation in Mexico—something many TriCities residents would love to do. The problem was that they left their two daughters, aged 4 and 9 years, home alone. The Shoos left cereal and frozen food for the girls but neglected to leave a way for their daughters to contact them. Two days into the trip, the girls ran to a neighbor’s house because the fire alarm was going off in their home. The neighbor called authorities, who took
KaneNeighbors.com 15
Mary Todd Lincoln spent several unhappy months confined to a sanitarium, Bellevue Place, in Batavia in 1875.
Kane County’s Dennis Hastert ends storied career with scandalous corruption In 2016, Dennis Hastert was sentenced to 15 months in prison. It marked the end of a storied, successful journey as educator and politician. 16 KaneNeighbors.com
From 1987 to 2007 he was a Republican Congressman (14th District); from 1999 to 2007 he was Republican Speaker of the House, the third most powerful position in government.
Photo: United States House of Representatives Official Photo
the girls into custody. Their parents were arrested at O’Hare when they returned from Mexico. The incident drew national attention. At the time, Illinois law did not provide a clear definition of child abandonment. There were no laws preventing parents from leaving a child home alone unless they did not intend to return. In response to the Shoo scandal, legislators passed a law in 1993 that made Illinois one of the first states to define when children can be left alone. We now define legal abandonment as leaving a child under 14 years of age alone for 24 hours or more.
His undoing crossed both personal and professional lines. While Hastert championed a $207 million federal earmark for the Prairie Parkway, a proposed expressway that was to run through his district, he failed to disclose that he would profit from the project, turning a $1.8 million profit on nearby land he owned at the time. Hastert denied any wrongdoing, but pleaded guilty to taking bank withdrawals to avoid bank reporting requirements…a felony. He also admitted that some of those funds ($3.5 million) were used to silence one of the several underage victims he has admitted to molesting when he was a high school wrestling coach. Hastert is the highest ranking government official ever convicted of a felony committed while in office. Rather than the memory of an illustrious career, Hastert joins the growing ranks of the infamously scandalous list of corrupt Illinois politicians. “Some actions can obliterate a lifetime of good works,” said Judge Thomas M. Durkin of Federal District Court in 2016. “Nothing is more stunning than having ‘serial child molester’ and ‘speaker of the House’ in the same sentence.”
Dennis Hastert presides over the US House of Representatives TriCities Magazine
October/November 2018
KaneNeighbors.com 17
Real Estate
It’s what’s inside that matters by Deb Gurley
It is not the house that makes the home—focus on things that really matter
There are many reasons why a person may choose to move: a relationship change, job change, financial situation, downsizing, needing more space, or just desiring homeownership in general. In fact, most of us move almost every 8 years and will do so an average of 11 times in our lives. As Sellers, Buyers and Realtors, we tend to focus on the search for the “perfect” house. Is it an open concept style? Are there hardwood floors throughout? Does the kitchen have granite countertops, an island and stainless steel appliances? Is the backyard large enough for the kids to play or sufficient for entertaining needs? By focusing on this “perfect” house, we often forget what really matters. In late July, I lost one of the most important people in my life, my father. My father taught me to: • Show love and compassion. • Be a good listener. • Persevere and believe in yourself. • Pay attention to detail. • Be a constant learner. • Be personable with a positive attitude. • Take pleasure in the world’s beauty. • Be kind and care, even when it’s difficult. These lessons can be applied to homeownership as well. It is possible to change the features in a house, but things that cannot be replaced are often overlooked. Through focusing on things that matter, you’ll not only grow yourself, you’ll grow your relationships, your business, your community and your life. No matter the reason for moving to another house remember this, it is not a house that makes a home. It is those precious relationships we build inside our hearts. Your heart is the “perfect” home and will never be empty, as long as you love and keep the door open. —Written in memoriam by Guy Fritz’s daughter-
18 KaneNeighbors.com
TriCities Magazine
The Art of Business
Special Advertising Supplement
What homebuilders don’t want you to know about pricing
Did you buy something today? Chances are pretty high that you did—whether it was coffee, groceries, gas, clothes, you name it. We spend money like it’s second nature, and we oftentimes know what we expect items to cost before looking at the price tag. Buying some apples? You can be fairly confident it will be between $1 to $2 per pound. Buying an Apple computer? You’ll almost certainly have a comma listed in that price. But whether you’re buying something cheap or expensive, necessary or extraneous, you don’t actually commit to buying it until you know what it will cost you. Unfortunately, that’s not typically the case for one of the largest purchases you’ll make in your lifetime. Building your own home should be an incredible experience! You finally have the opportunity to design the details of your dream home exactly as you have always imagined. Have you dreamt of your own cozy reading nook, illuminated by the sunrise each morning? Or maybe you’ve envisioned orderly storage space to finally organize your craft supplies. Whatever you’ve thought of, building a custom home is the only way to piece everything on your wish list together in one beautiful package. There’s just one problem— unlike your groceries and everything else you buy, you usually don’t actually know what it will cost until after it’s completed. On average, your new home will cost 20% more than the price you were given.
How can a builder give you a price for a home without knowing any features that will be included? Hardwood floors across 3,000 square feet cost significantly more than carpet, so how can your builder know what price to give you if they never asked you what you planned on using? Most builders give you a price based on average allowances they’ve created for flooring, cabinets, and everything else, and that’s a SCANDAL! Wausau Homes North Aurora has Redefined the Building Experience by discovering everything that will go in your new customized home before you ever sign a contract. We give you a firm price that will not change. You wouldn’t buy anything else before knowing the cost—so why build your custom home that way? Contact Wausau Homes North Aurora today to get started building your custom dream home Your Way, with a Firm Price, and On Time delivery!
WausauHomes.com | (855) 928-7281 | NorthAurora@WausauHomes.com October/November 2018
KaneNeighbors.com 19
The Art of Business Your dream kitchen is here West Dupage Cabinets and Granite is a family-owned cabinetry, granite and flooring company located in historic downtown Batavia. Owner Catherine Sanzeri started her business from home 5 years ago after discovering a strong need from homeowners looking for quality cabinetry at an affordable price. She brought extensive experience in design and layout to her new business building custom homes alongside her husband for over 30 years. The word spread quickly that West DuPage Cabinets and Granite goes above and beyond for their clients, leading to a new showroom in 2016 at 143 S. Batavia Ave. West DuPage Cabinets and Granite offers everything from direct wholesale distribution of stock cabinets to complete kitchen and bathroom remodeling. Sanzeri and her team work with suppliers that carry products for every budget and she says that “Many big box stores will charge for options we consider standard. Plus, we will match any written estimate for the same quality of cabinetry.” “Our customers are always our highest priority and we offer scores of customizable options,” Sanzeri added.
“We pass our contractors discounts along to our clients to further save them money. When remodeling a kitchen or a bath every penny counts!” Client Neil Sprindis agrees. “They provide superior customer service. Our project was followed to the day and within budget. We will be using this team again!.” Private label cabinetry made from solid plywood at great prices is also available. Waypoint, Shiloh and Countryside cabinetry is discounted up to 50% off in October.
West DuPage Cabinets & Granite • 630-414-2363 • westdupagecabinetsandgranite.com
d. e t i m i l s i e c a p S
Call today to reserve the spot. next available
2 630-995-348
The Art of Business
We’d like to share YOUR story with the world. The Fox Valley wants to read your story. Now you can share the passion you have for your business with your customers…our readers. Neighbors Magazines and TriCities Magazine introduce The Art of Business, a new section dedicated to sharing your story with your customers…our readers. Imagine you are at a humongous networking event with thousands of people. Suddenly, the noisy chatter stops. There is complete silence. Everyone turns to hear your story. Sure, they want to hear what you do…but what they are really waiting to hear is who you are. This is an opportunity to share your story with a captive audience of thousands. …Tell them who you are, where you came from, how you got into your business.
Your story can be published in the next issue of TriCities Magazine and any of our print and online media in DuPage and Kane Counties. Reach up to 138,000 Neighbors/TriCities Magazines readers! Plus you will have a powerful marketing tool that will serve your business for years. Included with your story… • Professionally written/edited story about your business • Your photos • Published in print and online • Widget to link your story to your website • Shared to social media • A free online microsite for your business
orsMagazin info@ Neighb
es.com
PLUS (for a limited time) we will include 25 full color reprints* of your story and a FREE acrylic display. Space is limited. Call today to reserve the next available spot. 630-995-3482 info@NeighborsMagazines.com
*Additional reprints available on request. 20 KaneNeighbors.com
TriCities Magazine
Special Advertising Supplement
Have a TECHTASTIC time at Code Craze
We are CodeCraze, LLC. Located in downtown Batavia, we are the leading computer and robotics center in the Western Suburbs. We offer regular instruction in Python, JavaScript, WordPress, Scratch, game development, and so much more. Learn how to use these languages to create your own program, app, website, or game. Here in the US, IT jobs are expected to increase by 22% by 2020. Technology is the way of the future, how will you or your child be able to keep up? Join us in learning a variety of film techniques from stop motion to green screen, or having your own, effective YouTube channel. Would you like to go on a virtual or augmented reality world that YOU have created? Let your imagination run wild in our Maker Space that includes our industry leading 3D printer, CNC milling machine, and over 11,000 components for you to create and learn. Your imagination is the only limitation. Would you like to build robots using recyclables, LEGOs, or Arduino and Raspberry
Pi components? Does being part of a nationally competitive youth robotics team interest you? Are you a small business that wants to increase your online presence? Come talk with one of our web design experts to see how you can increase your traffc and visibility. From STEM centered toddler Drop and Dash (drop off) days to our After School STEM enrichment and our ever so popular Friday Fun Nights and birthday parties, we are committed to our community and using technology to nurture and strengthen the potential of our students and our local merchants. Let your learning take hold and see how CodeCraze can help you. Ready to learn more? Visit us at codecraze.com or on Facebook. Together we, Dream It. Build It. Share It.
CodeCraze | (630) 828-5566 | 1001 E. Wilson St., Suite 140 | Batavia, IL 60510 | codecraze.com October/November 2018
KaneNeighbors.com 21
211 information and referral hotline coming soon
Need help? Soon it will be as simple as dialing for emergencies
Just like dialing 9-1-1 for emergencies, soon you will be able to call “2-1-1” in Kane County and be connected to a live specialist, any time of the day or night, to assist you with your human service and resource needs. With more than 1000 government, non-profit, and faith-based organizations providing much needed services throughout Kane County, it can be overwhelming and confusing to know who does what and exactly where to start to get help needed. 2-1-1 is a free, centralized, anonymous place to start with a specialist on hand to help sort out the options. No computer or internet is required, translation is available in over 150 languages and callers of all ages can use this service as often as needed.
Helping hands
When will the service start?
22 KaneNeighbors.com
According to Melinda Kintz, executive director, Batavia United Way, “The date is not firm until AT&T does their part. They know 11/1 is our deadline and say they will meet it, but everyone has warned us to be skeptical. The data base will be complete and everything else is ready to go.” Batavia United Way has contracted with PATH, an accredited call center in Bloomington, to receive calls 24/7/365. PATH currently provides 211 service for 40 counties in Illinois, is AIRS Certified and Red Cross and FEMA approved for disaster aftermath assistance. “Funding for 211 has been a collaboration of Kane County schools, Kane County Government, a grant from the Community Foundation of Fox River Valley, Batavia United Way, Elgin United Way, Fox Valley United Way and Chicago Metro United Way,” says Kintz. The Community Foundation of the Fox River Valley is a non-profit, taxexempt, philanthropic organization that administers individual charitable funds from which grants and scholarships are distributed to benefit the citizens of the
Greater Aurora Area, the TriCities and Kendall County, Illinois. Founded in 1948, the Foundation provides a simple and powerful approach to charitable giving. Individuals, families, businesses and organizations have the opportunity to custom design their own named funds that reflect their charitable goals and interests. Since its inception, the Community Foundation has grown to more than $90 million in assets and has awarded nearly $70 million in grants and scholarships. 94% of the U.S. population, including over 40 counties in Illinois, already have access to 2-1-1. This has proven to be a valuable resource for anyone looking for help, whether it’s yourself, a family member, an employee, client, or anyone who comes to you seeking assistance. 2-1-1 can offer access to the following types of resources: Basic human needs: food banks, clothing, shelters, rent assistance and utility assistance. Physical and mental health: crisis intervention services, support groups, counseling, drug and alcohol intervention, Medicaid and Medicare, services specific to cancer, early childhood development and more. Employment support: unemployment benefits, financial assistance, job training, transportation assistance and education programs. Support for older Americans and persons with disabilities: home health care, adult day care, congregate meals, Meals on Wheels, respite care, transportation and homemaker services. For more information, contact your local United Way or email info@bataviaunitedway.org.
TriCities Magazine
Celebrate the harvest From pumpkin spice to apple cider, here are some places to get out in the fresh air, find the perfect pumpkin and enjoy the fall season. Abbey Farms Pumpkin Daze —through October 28 Pumpkin Daze at Abbey Farms gives you great, ol’ fashioned family fun for one price. Packed with activities, the 40-acre pumpkin farm will make your family’s day at the farm memorable. 850 Butterfield Rd., Aurora 630-966-7775 abbeyfarms.org
Anderson Farm Pre-picked pumpkins and produce, Indian corn, broomsticks, corn stalks, tractorpulled hay rides, straw maze and petting farm on weekends. 251 Montgomery Rd., Montgomery 630-896-8835
Goebberts Fall Festival —through Halloween. A great place for families to enjoy the animals, watch a pig race, see their famous Pumpkin Eating Dinosaur, have some lunch and pick out a pumpkin. The Farmer’s Wife Cafe has some tasty treats, including their famous apple cider
October/November 2018
donuts and pumpkin cookies. Pets are not allowed on the farm. 42W813 Reinking Rd., Hampshire 847-464-5952 pumpkinfarms.com/Hampshire
Kuipers Family Farm —open until Dec. 16 Apple picking, pumpkin farm, Christmas trees, Santa visit. See website for event dates and details. 1N318 Watson Road, Maple Park 815-827-5200 kuipersfamilyfarm.com
Randy’s Vegetables In season vegetables, pumpkins, fall décor, weekend family fun, amusements, corn maze, apple cider, donuts, face painting, food. 15N440 Randall Rd., Sleepy Hollow 847-428-5244 randysvegetables.com
pony wheel ride, costume shop, Dizzy Zone. Christmas tree sales start Nov. 24. See the website for more information. 26W310 North Ave., West Chicago 630-231-9515 sonnyacres.com
Windy Acres Fall Festival —through October Buttermilk Barnyard Petting Zoo (newly renovated!), children’s play area (Charlotte’s Tangle Web, rock climbing playground, peddle tractors, rubber duckie races, new Horsey Swing Corral, Roping Rodeo Toss, NEW corn stalk maze, 30 foot inflatable slide, two Moon Bouncers, giant jumping pillow, tractor rides to the pumpkin patch, kiddie train, mini golf, zip line, giant corn box 37W446 Fabyan Pkwy., Geneva 630-232-6429 windyacresfarmstand.com/fall-festival
Sonny Acres Fall Festival —through October Hay rides, haunted wagon rides, giant slide, Dori’s food truck, haunted barn,
KaneNeighbors.com 23
Un-Plug
river community. Features authentic German food, music, entertainment and of course, beer! New this year is Family Day on Sunday and the BratTrot 5k and Kid’s Dash. Official Sam Adams stein hoisting contests on Friday and Saturday nights. All Batavia Oktoberfest happenings will be hosted on North River St. between Wilson and Spring Streets Oct. 5, 6 & 7.
Get educated with local author Kim T. Cook is an RN and Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). She has three daughters, now all successful adults. Her book, Teen World Confidential: Five Minute Topics to Open Conversation About Sex and Relationships, is a delightful blend of up-to-theminute information, practical advice, and personal experience. Kim’s book is available at amazon.com and through her website.
Moonlight Hayrides Tractor-drawn wagon rides at Primrose Farm are happening Oct. 12 & 13 and 19 & 20. Rides are approximately 45 minutes. Bonfire, marshmallow roast, hot chocolate, and cider round out this delightful seasonal family event. Advance reservations required. Group
reservations available. Fees apply.
Mystery History Food Crawl The St. Charles History Museum is holding a Mystery Food Crawl Oct. 11. Walk through the history and culture of St. Charles. Visit downtown eateries and discover the ties St. Charles has to U.S. history. Food and trivia fun provided at each stop. (photo)
Tri-Cities CROP Hunger Walk—5k Walk. Give. Change the world on Oct. 13. CROP Hunger Walks are community-wide events sponsored by Church World Service and organized by religious groups, businesses, schools and others to raise funds to end hunger in
Bensidoun USA is operating the French Market on Sundays, 9am–2pm, in the Metra Parking Lot at Fourth & South Streets. Vendors sell items such as vegetables, fruits, flowers, oils, cheeses, tea, baked goods, pasta and homemade soaps. There are also some unique goods such as apparel and art. Come take a stroll through the market each weekend through midNovember.
Batavia Oktoberfest A traditional Oktoberfest event in the beautiful 24 KaneNeighbors.com
Photo courtesy Batavia MainStreet
Geneva French Market
TriCities Magazine
Photo courtesy St. Charles History Museum
the U.S. and around the world. Registration 8am at Bethlehem Lutheran Church; walk begins at 8:50am. Bethlehem Lutheran Church is located at 1145 N. Fifth Ave. (Rt. 25) in St. Charles (photo)
Silent Saturday morning Renew Your Soul in the silence of Nature. Carve out sacred time for yourself to pray and reflect in a group setting. Morning will consist of time for meditation, reflection, a guided silent walk in nature, time to journal and optional sharing. The programs are 9am–12pm on Sat. Oct. 20
and Sat., Dec.1. Cost is $20 per person.
Come to the “The Grand Gala” Dunham Woods Riding Club in Wayne Join the Geneva Academic Foundation at the Dunham Woods Riding Club on Oct. 20 for the annual fundraiser and gala. The evening includes performances from talented musicians from Geneva High School, silent auction, dinner, and dancing. Additional information and tickets are available at the website.
Photo courtesy crophungerwalk.org
October/November 2018
KaneNeighbors.com 25
See a Gallery of Ghoulish Homes
Join Fox Valley Food for Health at their annual fundraiser, the Harvest Moon Dance on Nov. 10 at Eagle Brook Country Club in Geneva. The evening includes cuisine, cocktails, live music and dancing. Additionally there will be silent and live auctions and a raffle for a one of a kind custom pendant from State Street Jewelers. All proceeds benefit Fox Valley Food for Health and their mission to promote a nutritionally focused community by educating teens and serving those struggling with a health crisis. Sponsorship and advertising opportunities are still available, contact info@ foxvalleyfoodforhealth.org for more information. Tickets available on the website.
Ghouls are gathering in Batavia BatFest is Batavia’s annual Halloween themed family event attracting over 2,500 ghouls. BatFest includes, downtown Trick-or-Treating, 26 KaneNeighbors.com
Celebration of Lights Festival Bowlers choose their balls for the Pumpkin Roll. BatFest gets underway Oct. 27 with activities for everyone.
Mothers’ Club Parade, pumpkin bowl, contests BatArt and games for free family fun. The event is Sat., Oct. 27 around downtown and at the Batavia Riverwalk and Peg Bond Pavilion from 10am to 2pm. Also at the festival, shop the last of the Farmers’ Market outdoor season.
Batavia United Way website to register.
Welcome home for the holidays Holiday Homecoming one of the Midwest’s most spectacular holiday events and is the official kick-off to the holiday season in St.
Experience the Magic of Batavia Nov. 25, 5–7pm on the Riverwalk. Santa arrives and the trees are lit. Take part in a community sing-along and enjoy some free roased chestnuts. Bring a food donation for the Batavia Food Pantry and take a free hayride. Make an old fashioned ornament at the Depot Museum and enjoy more holiday craft
Batavia United Way BatFest Walk/Run On Sat., Oct 27 this run/ walk begins on River & State Streets in beautiful downtown Batavia, traveling north on the Fox River Trail bike path. For runners of all ages and abilities, with the 10k starting just minutes before the 5k. In keeping with the BatFest and Halloween themes, costumes are welcome and encouraged. Runners, walkers, spectators and fans are welcome to purchase Abbey Farms Cinnamon Donuts and visit our post run Bloody Mary Bar at Bar Evolution, near the start line from 8:30–12pm. Visit the
Photo: Jodi Dazzo; courtesy Batavia United Way
Dance under the Harvest Moon
Photo courtesy Batavia MainStreet
Pack up the family for an evening cruise to see some of the spookiest houses in the St. Charles community Oct. 19 through Oct. 31. If you wish to participate in the tour, email jgreenwald@stcparks.org in early October. Free guided tour available on line. Homes best viewed at dusk.
Charles. This weekend-long event has been making holiday memories for area families for over seventeen years. The event features seasonal music, holiday movies, sleigh rides and lighted parade floats that light up Main St. between Sixth St. and Fourth Ave. (photo)
TriCities Magazine
Photo courtesy Downtown Partnership, St. Charles
activities inside at the city hall council chambers. Visit Santa at the Peg Bond Center warming house and receive a treat from
Go:
Santa (children under 10 while supplies last) See the Batavia Park District website for a complete schedule.
Photo courtesy Batavia Park District
Teen World Confidential: teenworldconfidential.com Geneva French Market: bensidounmidwestmarkets.com/ geneva-french-market Batavia Oktoberfest: 630-761-3528, downtownbatavia.com/oktoberfest Primrose Farm: 630-513-4374, primrosefarmpark.com St. Charles History Museum: 630-584-6967, stcmuseum.org Bethlehem Lutheran Church: 630-673-5855, crophungerwalk.org/ saintcharlesil Healing Gardens: 630-377-1846, healinggardensatstonehillfarm.com Geneva Academic Foundation: gafgeneva.org Gallery of Ghoulish Homes: 630.513.6200 stcparks.org Harvest Moon Dance: foxvalleyfoodforhealth.org BatFest: downtownbatavia.com/currentevents/bat-fest BatFest Walk/Run: bataviaunitedway.org St. Charles Holiday Homecoming: stcharlesil.gov/events/ festivals-and-special-events/holiday-homecoming-lighting Celebration of Lights: 630-879-5235, bataviaparks.org October/November 2018
KaneNeighbors.com 27
Music
Rivers Edge Bar & Grill, Batavia Bluegrass Sundays in October, 5–8pm Enjoy bluegrass tunes from local musicians every week, a kind of country music influenced by jazz and blues and characterized by virtuosic playing of banjos and guitars and high-pitched, close-harmony vocals.
Pearl Jam Tribute Chicago rocks at EvenFlow in October
EvenFlow Music & Spirits, Geneva Pearl Jam Tribute Chicago Sat., Oct. 20, 9pm The Midwest’s premier tribute to one of the greatest and most influential American rock bands of all time, the band members truly are fans. Experience the same live show you would expect from a real Pearl Jam show.
Arcada Theatre, St. Charles America
America brings their timeless sound to the Arcada Theatre in November
Fri., Nov. 16, 8pm Founding members, Gerry Beckley and Dewey Bunnell (along with former band mate Dan Peek) met in high school in London in the late 1960s and quickly harmonized their way to the top of the charts with their signature song “A Horse With No Name.” Forty plus years later, these friends are still making music together, touring the world and thrilling audiences with their timeless sound.
Elgin Symphony, Elgin Titans: Beethoven, Strauss & Wagner Sat., Nov. 3, 7:30pm Sun., Nov. 4, 2:30pm Andrew Grams, conductor | Laura Wilde, soprano Beethoven Fidelio Overture; R. Strauss Four Last Songs; Wagner Highlights from The Ring of the Nibelung Soprano Laura Wilde joins the symphony for highlights from three of the most influential German composers in history. Wilde has sung leading roles at the Lyric Opera of Chicago and many opera houses in Europe. She has been praised by Opera News for her “ravishingly beautiful sound.” Don’t miss this concert!
St. Charles Singers Candlelight Carols
Soprano Laura Wilde joins the Elgin Symphony for a tribute to three of the world’s most influential composers
Fri, Nov 30, 7:30pm, Baker Memorial United Methodist Church Sat, Dec 1, 7:30pm, Fourth Presbyterian Church, Chicago Sun, Dec 2, 3pm, Baker Memorial United Methodist Church St. Charles Singers well-loved welcome to the holiday season includes festive and contemplative pieces, traditional and some lesser known carols, and a newly commissioned work by composer in residence, Nathaniel Adams. Repeat customers know that the St. Charles performances sell out, so don’t wait to purchase your tickets!
Fox Valley Concert Band Colin Holman, Music Director, and the Fox Valley Concert Band present “Heroes in Music.” The program features guest soloist Jennie Brown (flute) and includes “Xerxes” (John Mackey), “A Movement for Rosa” (Mark Camphouse) and music from The Incredibles. The concert is Nov. 4, 3pm, at Norris Center in St. Charles. Admission is free.
Go: Rivers Edge Bar & Grill: 630-406-9200, theriversedgebatavia.com EvenFlow Music & Spirits: 847-852-6256, evenflowmusic.com Arcada Theatre: 630-962-7000, arcadalive.com Elgin Symphony: 847-888-4000, ElginSymphony.org St. Charles Singers: 630-513-5272, stcharlessingers.com Fox Valley Concert Band: fvcb.org 28 KaneNeighbors.com
TriCities Magazine
Oct 12–Nov 4 (see website for detailed information) In a bar in rural Ireland, the local men swap spooky stories in an attempt to impress a young woman from Dublin who recently moved into a nearby “haunted” house. However, the tables are soon turned when she spins a yarn of her own. A modern Halloween classic. “Sheer theatrical magic. Tremendous.”—London Daily Telegraph.
The Janus Theatre Company— Underplayed: The Margo Jones Theater Project Oct. 12–Nov. 4 Elgin Art Showcase 164 Division Street, downtown Elgin. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 3pm. Check the website for exact performance dates and times. A month long theatrical event presenting three plays in rotating repertory, written and directed by women, using theater-in-the-round techniques practiced by Margo Jones, who was an American stage director/producer best known for launching the American regional theater movement in Dallas, Texas, in 1947. This project celebrates women’s plays and the innovations they have created along with recognizing a pioneer who has been largely forgotten.
Theater
Steel Beam Theater—The Weir
Paramount Theater—The Wizard of Oz Nov. 14–Jan. 6 You may have been to Oz before, but never like this. Get whisked away with Dorothy and Toto to the wonderful world of Oz, a fantastical place full of munchkins, a cowardly lion, a tin man with no heart, a living scarecrow and…(gulp) a wicked witch.
Go: Steel Beam Theatre: 630-587-8521, steelbeamtheatre.com Janus Theatre Company: 847-363-3573, janusplays.com Paramount Theatre: 630-896-6666, paramountaurora.com
October/November 2018
KaneNeighbors.com 29
Last Look Share a book and have a chat with Mark Twain at the Batavia Public Library. Created by Utah sculptor Gary Lee Price as the first in a series celebrating the “Great Contributors” to the arts, the sculpture was donated to the library by the Dennis J. Swanson family in honor of Miriam H. Johnson, Batavia’s librarian 1939–1973.
Three favorite sculptures As the beautiful fall weather unfolds, take a walk and enjoy the many works of public art in the TriCities
“Prairie Girl,” by Geneva sculptor L.K. Johnson was donated to Peck Farm Park by Geneva resident Rod and Donna Mebane in honor of his daughter Emma who passed away at the age of 19. The sculpture was formally dedicated in October, 2016. Visit “Portals” at Mt. St. Mary Park in St. Charles. Part of the permanent “Sculpture in the Park” exhibit, the painted, coated steel sculpture is by Evanston artist Victor Nelson. His career in architecture has been the inspiration for much of his work: geometric, contemporary, abstract.
Go: Mark Twain: garyleeprice.com Prairie Girl: lkjohnsonstudio.com Portals: sculpture.org/portfolio/sculptorPage
30 KaneNeighbors.com
TriCities Magazine