February 5 President Bill Clinton signs the Family and Medical Leave Act. The law requires most employers of 50 or more workers to grant up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave for a family for medical emergency. – 1993. In what turns out to be a bad business decision, Circuit
By Ricky Rieckert Dear readers, This week, I’ll continue with Aurora’s churches and influential persons, with Sacred Heart Parish on Fulton Street, on the East Side. Sacred Heart of Jesus was the very first Catholic Church in Aurora, dedicated in 1848. The Parish began with German, Irish, and French immigrant
The St. Charles History Museum has announced that the Joseph P. Bartlett Farm in Campton Township has been officially accepted as the first verified Underground Railroad safehouse in Kane County. This designation is part of a broader effort to identify and nominate additional historic Underground Railroad sites across Northern Illinois.
January 29 Kansas is admitted to the Union as the 19th free state of the 34. – 1861. The U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame elects its first members in Cooperstown, New York: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Matthewson, and Walter Johnson. – 1936. January 30 During a funeral
By Ricky Rieckert Dear readers, This week, I’m writing about some of the mentors I’ve had in life. I have always had an ear for the old timers (older guys), when I grew up. Through these mentors I learned about the history of Aurora, running functions, and just getting involved
Did you know that you—yes, you—are not only essential to making history, but have the opportunity to be a part of it? This winter, Oswego’s Little White School Museum invites you to share your stories with us. Whether your family has lived in Oswego for generations or you just moved
January 22 The U.S. Supreme Court decriminalizes abortion by handing down its decision in the case of Roe v. Wade. Despite opponents’ characterization of the decision, it was not the first time that abortion became a legal procedure in the United States. For most of the country’s first 100 years,
By Ricky Rieckert Dear readers, This week, I want to start out by saying, a warm welcome to the New Year, 2026. What has Father Time done? It seems like the years just fly by, as we get older. This year, marks the 250th year of our great country of
January 15 The Pentagon, the second largest office building in the world, is dedicated just 16 months after groundbreaking. At times of peak employment 13,000 workers labored on the project – 1943. Ilse Koch, wife of the commandant of the Buchenwald concentration camp, is sentenced to life imprisonment in a
By Ricky Rieckert Dear readers, Hopefully everyone enjoyed the holidays with family while staying warm. In my last article about John F. Kennedy’s (JFK) visit to Aurora in 1960, I wanted to add something of importance. A fellow The Voice subscriber and lifelong friend of mine, Jim “Coach” Reiland, a
January 8 Crazy Horse and his warriors, outnumbered, low on ammunition, and forced to use outdated weapons to defend themselves, fight their final losing battle against the U.S. Cavalry in Montana. – 1877. The AFL Iron and Steel Organizing Committee ends the “Great Steel Strike.” Some 350,000 to 400,000 steelworkers
By Ricky Rieckert Dear readers, Happy New Year! This week, I’m going to recall a memorable event that happened in Downtown Aurora. October 25, 1960, John F. Kennedy (JFK) visited Aurora, during his presidential campaign. He spoke to a large crowd outside of the original City Hall about economic growth,
January 1 President Andrew Jackson achieves his goal of entirely paying off the United States’ national debt. It was the only time in U.S. history that the national debt stood at zero, and it precipitated one of the worst financial crises in American history. – 1835 Abraham Lincoln signs the
By Ricky Rieckert Dear readers, Seeing as this is Christmas week, I will just focus on one downtown building. This week, we’re down on Benton Street, at the historic Holbrook Mill, at 121 and / or 101 W. Benton Street. The Street that it faces, (W. Benton Street), was originally
December 25 During the American Revolution, patriot General George Washington crosses the Delaware River with 5,400 troops, to surprise a Hessian force that is celebrating Christmas at their Winter quarters in Trenton, N.J.. The crossing led to the first major victory for the new Americans. – 1776. Just after midnight
By Ricky Rieckert Dear readers, Hopefully, everyone is staying warm. This week, I’m going to add to Aurora’s downtown Main Street history. My dad would frequently use the phrase, Main and Broadway, in reference to something with a lot of people, action, or a happening place. In Aurora, downtown, from
December 18 The British ship Mayflower docks at modern-day Plymouth, Mass., and its passengers prepare to begin their new settlement, Plymouth Colony. – 1620. Japanese troops land in British crown colony Hong Kong, China. The Japanese troops are given the order “Take no prisoners” and a slaughter ensues. -1941. The
By Ricky Rieckert Dear readers, This week we’re focusing on Galena Boulevard, the street formerly known as Main Street in Aurora, stretched across what is now part of the downtown area, until the 1960s. East Main Street started east of Stolp Avenue (Island Avenue), heading east, until it turned into
December 11 In the aftermath of World War II, the General Assembly of the United Nations votes to establish the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF), an organization to help provide relief and support to children living in countries devastated by the war. – 1946. Ten days after an
By Ricky Rieckert Dear readers, This week, I’ll finish the meaningful lyrics of Old Days by the band Chicago: “Funny faces, Full of love and laughter. Funny places, Summer nights and streetcars. “Take me back, To a world gone by. Boyhood memories, Seem like yesterday. “Old days, in my mind
