Month: February 2023

Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity vision: 17-home site

By Al Benson Montgomery-based Fox Valley Habitat for Humanity plans a 17-home subdivision for West Side Aurora. Barbara Zegiel, Habitat funds development director, reviewed plans for Habitat’s Green Freedom project at Aurora Noon Lions Club meeting Thursday, Feb. 16 at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Aurora. Zegiel, who said she

State laws tackle tourism funding, prison reform

By Nika Schoonover Governor JB Pritzker Friday, Feb. 10 signed 15 bills into law, tackling policy areas from tourism to prison reform and making it easier for those previously convicted of felonies to legally change their names. The laws passed the General Assembly in their recently concluded lame duck legislative

Victor Martinez leads AARTA members in a group performance

Aurora retiree Victor Martinez handcrafts guitars from cigar boxes. While he has given away 30 to 40 guitars, he is starting to offer them for sale. He performed vocals in English and Spanish and instrumentals on guitar, harmonica and Native American-style flutes, at the February 7 luncheon meeting of Aurora

Aurora City Council receives safety technology funds

By Jason Crane The Aurora City Council received both a visit from congressman Bill Foster and $2,280,000 in Federal funding for the city of Aurora public safety technology project at the Tuesday, Feb. 14 City Council meeting. Congressman Foster said, “This funding will help provide holistic upgrades to the police

Montgomery history lesson for Diabetes Club of Fox Valley

By Russ George The Diabetes Club of Fox Valley (DCFV) enjoyed a history lesson from Jeanette and Denny Lee, the Village of Montgomery historians, at the Club’s February 9, membership meeting. Jeanette Lee spoke on the first European settler, Jacob Carpenter, who arrived in November 1832, from Ohio. Nicholas Gray

Author Jane Austin proper English woman, developed characters

“I declare after all there is no enjoyment like reading.” —Jane Austen The author Jane Austen was born December 16, 1775, in Steventon, Hampshire, England. Her father the Reverend George Austen was rector. Her elder sister, Cassandra, was her closest companion in a family of eight children. Her mother, Cassandra