By Al Benson Batavia Public Library’s popular monthly noontime book-review program, Books Between Bites, announces its 34th season. It will begin Thursday, Sept. 15, at the Library, 10 S. Batavia Avenue in Batavia, from noon to 1 p.m. The public is invited. Admission and parking are free. Programs are presented
Death and taxes are inevitable. Birth and joy are essential components in life. In this space the objective is to diminish personal positions and offer clarity to bigger elements, bigger than self. Recent family focus prevailed through the death of an older sister, the second of two older sisters to
First of three parts The following article by Nate Berg was published in FastCompany, magazine and online journal. “Doctor Bruce Leff is a hospital skeptic. A practicing geriatrician who’s been on the faculty at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine for 25 years, Leff argues that hospitals don’t have
Whether Mayor Richard Irvin’s run for the statehouse put Aurora on the map, a question asked by some, seems irrelevant on the heels of his third-place finish in the Illinois GOP primary. Admittedly, it was a tough loss for Irvin, the city’s first African American mayor. And it’s fair to
Politics is a term and function that started many centuries ago, a Greek term and influence at the start of our Western Culture. Politics persists today. A quality assessment depends upon interests. Politics will be with us as long as governments exist with potential changes and predominant factions. Problems develop
Last of two parts First part is available at thevoice.us/mail-in-voting-not-a-new-method-of-casting-ballots. Mail-in voting has become a popular topic for the upcoming election. Taryn Simons who wrote, “Laments from Quarantine” and “The Streets of New Orleans Under Quarantine:” “A deluge of absentee-ballot requests may, paradoxically, put pressure on traditional polling places. In
Musings: • Have you ever had the experience of talking to, or trying to talk to, a salesperson on the telephone, dear reader? Sure, you have. We all have at one time or another and, more likely, more than once. Too many of these persons do not speak the Queen’s
We live in vital times in many ways and they are not to be underestimated. Learning to get along with others in difficult settings and find commonality is society’s goal. We can prevail in that quest, even when there are significant sidetracks, determined detours, and organized obstacles. It is true,
Heavyweight hall of fame boxer, Fres Oquendo and international award-winning author, Dr. Robert Renteria of North Aurora, revealed a plan to launch a new youth development center in Chicago, their publicist announced recently. Dr. Renteria, spokesman for From the Barrio Foundation, and Fres Oquendo, founder of Fres Oquendo Boxing Academy
We depend on politics to keep the country running, avoid built-in conflicts within differences of opinions, and provide an avenue for discussion. Included, we are subject to negativity. It is too easy for candidates to be negative, see the glass half-filled, and, thereby offer a sense they have solutions. On
Last of three parts The second part is available at thevoice.us/teaching-native-american-history-various-drastically Native American history education can vary. Dave Constantin’s article in the magazine, “Teaching Tolerance” offers a good method to utilize. “To connect the dots between past and present and give students a sense of history as a living, breathing,
A severe shortage of teachers has hit crisis levels. School superintendents say their teachers are underpaid, overworked, and exhausted. A recent survey showed that almost half of teachers are seriously considering leaving the profession, while fewer young people are entering the field. A drop in the education experience hurts the
This week, you can enjoy reading about Steve Westerlund and his experiences while serving with the United States Air Force (USAF). He enlisted in the USAF in 1968 and completed an assignment in Iran in March 1971. He spent a year-and-a-half at McClellan AFB. He was married to Sherry on
You’re an old-timer in Aurora if you: Were a member of the Tom-a-Hawk Club. Ate a meal at Barefoot Charlie’s (the best steaks in town!). Drag-raced on North Lake Street. Know that there was a West Aurora North High School. Drank a soda at Shaffer’s Pharmacy. Shot a few billiards
There is always more than one way to achieve the desired results. Many methods will lead to discussions and arguments on how to achieve fulfillment. Discussions and arguments will prevail on what the desired results should hold as goals. Consider the climate today on gun violence, what to do to
Second of three parts First part available at at thevoice.us/history-in-american-schools-needs-help-on-native-americans Part two examines historical clarity from an article in the magazine, ‘Teaching Tolerance’ by Dave Constantin. Part one last week identified the lack of current common historical understanding. Although there are 567 federally-recognized tribes in the United States, Native American
By now, unless you’ve been living in a cave or Washington, D.C., you’ve come to realize that climate change is real. It happens every few thousand years due to the Earth’s wobble on its axis. That’s just life in the big city and there’s nothing Earthlings can do about it.
Where has the time gone? Summer is poised to ease into a new month, August. The Summer is fading fast and many items are left undone. The statement above could be a repeat of last year at this time and of many previous years. Notable: • Tuesday, Aug. 2 will
First of three parts The following interesting article makes me agree that we do need to rewrite history. The United States is often referred to as the melting pot of the world, but not for our black culture. Because of the result of unfair treatment. We have protests all over
I love it when Aurora is on the cutting edge of something great. A few weeks ago I met Norma Peterson at the Farmers Market in Aurora. She is the sister-in-law of the infamous Drew Peterson and has devoted her life to helping those who are victims of domestic abuse.
