“Tea comforts the spirit, lightens the body and adds sparkle to the eyes.” —Shennong In Chinese medicine during the Tang and Song dynasties, the medicinal effects of tea were recommended for curing and preventing many ills. Tea was believed to dissolve fats and assist with digestion. Because of its antioxidant
By Anthony Stanford – Janet Stephens, Bonnie Bogden, and Becky Clark are leaders for the classic film and book discussion groups at the Aurora Public Library (APL) West Branch. Stephens, who leads the West Branch non-fiction group, 6:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month, has a love of
By Marissa Amoni – They could be Aurora’s power couple, but they don’t technically live in Aurora. Rebekah Axtell and Josh Schultz might reside a bit south of Aurora in Oswego, but their love for Aurora and its residents runs deep. Axtell and Schultz are currently working on a project
August 23 Four counties in western North Carolina declare their independence as the state of Franklin. The counties lay in what eventually would become Tennessee. – 1784. August 24 After centuries of being dormant, Mount Vesuvius erupts in southern Italy, to devastate the prosperous Roman cities of Pompeii and Herculaneum
Al Skyles, 94, in spite of Summer heat, uses an umbrella to shield the sun during Sunday’s Montgomery Fest parade. The World War II veteran was in the U.S. Navy and is a member of the VFW Post 7452 in Montgomery. See the video of the parade at facebook.com/thevoice.us. Jason
My Uncle Jim and Aunt Jo O’Brien and their six children lived in the Price Hill area of Cincinnati, Ohio. As a child my family visited them and all the children were taken to a municipal pool/playground area where we spent hours having fun. I remember both how hilly the
August 16 While salmon-fishing near the Klondike River in Canada’s Yukon Territory, George Carmack reportedly spots nuggets of gold in a creek bed. His lucky discovery sparks the last great gold rush in the American West. News of the gold strike spread fast and over the next two years, as
By John Montesano – The Fox Valley Veterans Breakfast Club has named Bob Mead the August Veteran of the Month. Charles Robert Mead was born April 30, 1940 and was raised in Oswego. At age eight, the family purchased a home in Oswego, the same house that Bob owns and
August 9 Twenty individuals, including at least nine firefighters, are killed in Boston’s worst fire. It consumes 65 downtown acres and 776 buildings in more than 12 hours. – 1872. A second atom bomb is dropped on Japan by the United States, at Nagasaki, resulting finally in Japan’s unconditional surrender.
Last of two parts Following up on the extraordinary life of Founding Father Benjamin Franklin, I wanted to learn about his common-law wife, Deborah Read Franklin. How did this woman interest him time and time again, even though separations kept them apart for many years at a time and once
Let’s make one thing perfectly clear. When it comes to relations between the United States and Russia, there aren’t any good guys present. Both countries have been at war, a cold war, to be sure, with each other since the end of World War I. Do you doubt me, dear
A shining example of Aurora’s industrial and artistic history is on display at the Governor’s Mansion in Springfield, thanks to the Aurora Historical Society (AHS). It is an ornate silverplate water pitcher made in 1892 and the public can see it while taking free tours of the mansion through the
August 2 Adolf Hitler becomes absolute dictator of Germany under the title of Fuhrer, or “Leader.” The German army took an oath of allegiance to its new commander-in-chief, and the last remnants of Germany’s democratic government were dismantled to make way for Hitler’s Third Reich. – 1934. At about 2
Progressive Baptist Church gospel singers in Aurora entertain Saturday in a free concert during the three-day 30-year anniversary of Reverend Robert Wesby’s death. See Carter Crane’s article here. Jason Crane/The Voice
The status of the old jail building in Yorkville remains in limbo, following the United City of Yorkville City Council meeting Tuesday. A discussion was held for more than an hour with groups holding opposing views, one in favor of keeping the building, renovating it, and using it for the
By Carter Crane – The three-day, 30-year, memorial celebration of Reverend Robert Wesby’s death was a success by all accounts. Reverend Wesby was the minister of Progressive Baptist Church in Aurora, a civil rights leader, and marched with Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. The three days included a banquet
Last week the Fox Valley Trolley Museum in South Elgin was vandalized by two minors and there was $110,000 in damage to eight cars. The museum has created a GoFundMe page, www.gofundme.com/fox-river-trolley-museum, for those who are willing or wish to make donations to help cover the costs of these repairs.
First of two parts The more I read about Benjamin Franklin, the more outstanding he becomes. How could one man have done so much? I stood at his gravesite in Philadelphia and paused to wonder, once again, how extraordinary he was. No one today compares to his astounding and accomplished
If I tell you to meet me on the third floor of The DLP, and you don’t ask for clarification, you probably are an Aurora downtown regular. For those less frequent downtown visitors, let me explain. We have some amazing hidden gems in downtown Aurora, and I quickly could rattle
Yorkville resident James Weilandt, 5, decorates his clay Norwegian troll model during a “How to be a Viking” camp July 16, 18, 20 at Yorkville Public Library. Montgomery and Norway, Ill. Sons of Norway fraternal benefit lodges sponsored the fourth annual camp. Library had Norwegian stories, crafts, games, music, and
