Evidence of Spring each year, and most specifically in April, is the full growth of the tulip flowers in Aurora's Phillips Park.
General special days are more prevalent at this time of the year, late April into May: April 22 each year is Earth Day, April 28 is Workers’ Memorial Day, May 1 has various designations to include International Workers Day and May Day. Actually, the calendar is full of special designated...
From the vault, revised (various dates): Ever since we hairless apes swung down from the trees and began to walk upright, we have disposed of our wastes wherever it was convenient (and healthy!) to do so. As the millennia passed and our populations increased, we had to dispose of ever...
By Ricky Rieckert As I enter the third week of writing, (It’s not a numbers game), I totally enjoy doing this writing. Another Aurora newspaper, stole my thunder on one topic. Seems, Aurora is in the process of covering up, what I was going to talk about, downtown sidewalks on...
It is personal, however, the reflection casts a much larger shadow. It has been difficult these most recent months for this reporter/writer/servant/person, to continually function. That is, to function with a clear mind, solid soul, and positive spirit. Somehow, the task has been completed. Help has been available, and help...
Did all of you readers of The Voice get a good look at the eclipse without going blind? Hopefully, you all had your eclipse shades on when you watched and didn’t try to drive anywhere while wearing them…as if you could. The only thing you can see through them is...
By Ricky Rieckert My condolences for the passing of Donna Crane. I know she’ll be missed by many, especially Carter Crane and Jason Crane. I sent an E-mail to Aurora mayor Richard Irvin, a couple of weeks ago, about bringing back, Main Street. No reply, yet. We haven’t had a...
News notes and thoughts: It should be fun, especially for train buffs and fans of rides. A gathering at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 13 will be at the Aurora Transportation Center, 233 N. Broadway in Aurora, sponsored by the Open Roads ABATE Chapter. The fun run into Chicago will leave...
Musings: •Is Joe Biden too old to be president? Yes. Is Donald Trump too old to be president? Again, yes. All politicians should be given the boot when they reach the age between 65 t0 70 years, depending upon when their current term ends. There comes a time when they...
By Ricky Rieckert Dear subscribers, restaurant, and/ or business readers, and all: On behalf of this great newspaper, I welcome you, with open arms and, among other things, pleasant reading of the history of the great city, Aurora. Here we go: Brothers Joseph and Samuel McCarty, ages 24 and 22,...
By Jenny Donohue Geoffrey Baer of Channel 11 fame came out to speak about the History of the Forest Preserves Thursday, April 4 at Mayslake, Peabody Estate which is part of the Forest Preserve of DuPage County. Received by a sold-out audience to attend the impeccably prepared event at the...
Thoughts of this world, another world, news in a larger sense, ordinary, extraordinary, and personal news, perhaps strictly personal, in which we find ourselves interconnected, if we allow such connections: •It is out of this world, or, it will be April 8 when in our four-county area we will see...
Railroads helped build the United States. There are various centers in northern Illinois for dedication to railroads, including Aurora. The history of Aurora and Burlington Railroad, 175 years, 1849-2024, an exhibit, will run through Saturday, Aug. 17 at the David L. Pierce Art & History Center, 20 East Downer Place...
Musings: •The John Birch Society is back in town! These zombies first crawled out of their graves in the 1960s, preaching what is now called “Christian nationalism.” They believe the time is right to crawl out again and add their two cents’ worth to what the Trumpites – particularly Ms...
Even in acknowledging that a newspaper does not have the capability of including every news item within its pages, when The Voice is completed each week, the editor understands worthy articles were left behind, not included. The reader may not measure articles that way and look at only what appears...
Holidays, salutes, special days, are a strong part of our world. Ordinary and humdrum occur, however, are by no means special. Necessary perhaps, forgettable. St. Patrick’s Day does not carry world-wide significance, however, offers a more social environment than truly religious. Yet, religion is a part of the day and...
Musings: The Republican Party continues to fall to pieces. A number of moderates in both the House of Representatives and the Senate have announced that they will not seek re-election come November. (Even that old mossback, Mitch McConnell is calling it quits. That should give you an idea of the...
Family First! When there is family first in any setting, with solid family foundation, the focus is solving problems when difficulties arise. It is basic solidarity. Brothers, wives, sisters, husbands, mothers, fathers form the family-first attitude. It does not touch every family, rather those with family-first attitudes. Some participants come...
Most of life, whether or not we acknowledge it, is a learning experience, good, bad, or, indifferent. How well we celebrate the joyous occasions, or, apply bad situations into improvement, are the challenges. Some of us never want to learn and grow, others of us seek to apply, learn, and...
Voting is a part of our democratic republic. Imperfect though it is, and as limited as is the public’s participation, it keeps us from being an autocratic society, the latter which diminishes public participation. We are a better society when we take advantage of our opportunities. Too many of our...
