Aurora Pancake House owner, Jesus Arceo, helps customer
Jesus Arceo, owner of the Aurora Pancake House, left, poses for a photo after helping customer Abraham Lopez into the car.
Good times: Aurora Arts to park districts to The Venue
Just in time! The easing of restrictions for resistance to COVID-19 virus is welcome news for the vast majority of us. It’s about time, of course. Nonetheless, caution is created because letting down our guard with the confidence we have encountered, an impenetrable bubble can be a recipe for problems.
Return of events, festivals, continue varied assessments
We are on our way to thinking of loosening rigid restrictions forced by COVID-19. With vaccines prevalent, optimism building, and organizations planning events, there is an increase in events through this year. Items this week in The Voice reflect such energy and planning. We have a few items to consider
Vignettes offer glimpses of returns to the classrooms
The following article, with four vignettes regarding back to school comments, was published in the March 9 issue of The New York Times with an update April 3 on children’s return to school. The article was written by Ellen Almer Durston, Dan Levin, and Juliana Kim. • “Credit…Lucy Hewett for
Revealing time: Men of company, builder of Titanic
“Terrible as an army with banners the legions of labourthe builder of ships tramp thro’ the winter eve.” —Richard Williams It was a blustery Belfast, Northern Ireland December morning, 1979, when I had appointments with the workers at the Harland & Wolff shipping yards. My friend and driver, Jim, had
Clear and concise No. 2: Wordsmith wandering, don’t you know
Clear and concise No. 2: For a long time, a rule in English-language usage dictated that ending a sentence with a preposition was incorrect. For a long time, that rule was routinely violated. The Chas often has been guilty of this violation. For example, one might be heard saying “Who
A truthful political discourse essential to democracy
Politics and power go hand in hand and form the essence of how society functions. Assigning a judgment is arbitrary. It can be used for good results, or for bad results, and, of course, to an essential degree, is in the eye of the beholder. Nonetheless, politics and power, essentially
Paris in May helps make life grand, enchanting
It is May. Time to stroll the streets of Paris. Isn’t life grand? Let us begin on the oldest street in Paris, the rue Nicolas Flamel in Le Marais. Following little lanes and cobbled roads, we walk the large and luxurious boulevards of the Right Bank, or down the secret
Remembrance of Ruby’s introductions to entertainment
We’ve just celebrated that special day when we take time out to thank and honor all our mothers. I’m going out on a limb here in assuming that we’ve all had mothers, except for a few members of Congress. I’ve written about my own mother, Ruby, in the past, but
State economy hit confirmed
By Peter Hancock The Illinois economy shrank by four percent in 2020 as the COVID-19 pandemic wreaked havoc on many of its sectors, although there were signs of a recovery taking place late in the year. Those preliminary numbers, released last week by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of
Nearly half of state’s working moms lost jobs, work fewer hours amid pandemic
By Grace Barbic New research shows pandemic-related child care burdens have magnified economic inequalities for women in the workforce in Illinois. That research was included in The Child Care Crisis in Illinois: A Survey of Working Mothers During the COVID-19 Pandemic, conducted by the Project for Middle Class Renewal at
Salutes to and help for veterans begin their formulation
The veterans and community members in St. Charles had clear weather Tuesday, even if a bit chilly, to offer congratulations to World War II veteran Bob Pennington on his 96th birthday. He served the country during World War II in Italy in the infantry. The celebration was planned for noon
Continuing unity: Deported parents, children in the U.S.
Migrants separated from their children will be allowed into the United States. A handful of parents from Mexico and Central America who were deported under the Donald Trump administration’s family separation policy will be reunited this week with their children. Miriam Jordan, The New York Times writes: “Four parents from
A romantic affair in Pisa, Italy, in the beginning
We search their eyes for all the secrets they can’t give us. The truth of ourselves. Their love affair began as they always do with moonlight and roses. Steven had noticed her earlier at the Pasticceria Salza’s Tea Room on the via Borgo Stretto 46 street in Pisa, Italy. She
Mexican culture: Love, happiness
Cinco de Mayo, May 5, is a celebration of Mexican heritage and culture. Here are two relevant comments: • Nicole Fuentes, author, life coach, professor at Universidad de Monterrey, Mexico:“Mexicans are overachievers in the production of happiness. The Mexican recipe to happiness includes a large dose of social contact. Lots
Civil society starts with understanding, true recognition
Special days are both revealing and a part of most societies around the world. There are greater attributes to mothers than simply giving birth. Common themes include nurturing, monitoring, caring, supporting, providing leadership, and offering an abundance of love, in what ever form it may take. Where would we be
Pockets fill the day in various ways, historically
“When one has much to put in them, the day has a hundred pockets.” — Friedrich Nietzsche It is always good to have clothing with pockets in them, isn’t it? I love pockets! Wearing a blazer offers two pockets and a place to put keys, lipstick, Vitamin C, a small
Memories of possible jury duty, including laughter
A couple issues back, a concerned reader wrote in to give a voice to her opinion on the obligation the elderly have to serve jury duty, and the hardship involved in traveling, spending a day waiting to be selected, to be on a jury, or sent home. I can sympathize
One step at a time guides society, including The Venue
Well past one year of COVID-19 restrictions and limitations, society’s reach is opening up somewhat, only natural given the confidence in vaccines this year, and the desire to move about more freely. The range of believers in restrictions to the non-believers remains steady, and convictions often can be tested. The
Dr. Robert Renteria: Humble start to youth empowering
We met on a frigid snow-filled February morning at the library. Dr. Robert Renteria was born October 13, 1960 in a barrio of Los Angeles, Calif.. It was a difficult childhood with drugs and gangs, an absent father, and abuse. He ran away from that environment and lived on the