What should be done about Pheasant Run?
Even without "Pate" Philip steering its course, as the former Illinois Senate president did so aptly in grabbing DuPage Airport from the Fox Valley Airport Authority more than 30 years ago, the folks operating the airport want more.
This time they are going after Pheasant Run. Mostly it seems to want to make sure the resort can't move forward on building residential buildings on what is now the golf course.
St. Charles, of course, is drawn into this eminent domain lawsuit because the resort carries a city address and pays taxes.
The city has a great history with Pheasant Run, dating back to when Col. Edward Baker was born on his family's farm in that exact area. And it appears resort owners want to modernize the place, which would be a good idea.
But if the city decides to cut its ties with the resort, and get a nice chunk of change from the airport to do it, there is an option that falls into the category of my "fantasy world" because it might be too good to be true.
St. Charles should let West Chicago claim Pheasant Run and instead push for a developer to build a bigger, better resort/conference center on the Charlestowne Mall property, with the retail already there staying in place, as well as the Cooper's Hawk restaurant believed to be coming next year.
Then you put together a business group that might be as aggressive as the St. Charles Arts Council and start booking the place.
OK, so it's a significant reach, and I know Geneva and the county had similar dreams for the former county jail location on Fabyan Parkway, but guess what? A few days after this fantasy dawned on me, some readers sent notes pretty much outlining the same concept. Great minds dream alike.
This Little Italy
St. Charles has come up with its own Little Italy of sorts, considering Romano Mercato Italiano has opened at the 210 Cedar St. location that once housed Isaaco, which has moved to the First Street Plaza.
Romano Mercato Italiano is more of a deli and catering business, with sandwiches that are getting rave reviews already.
Both Mercato and Isaaco are within a stone's throw of Za Za Trattoria on First Street, Francesca's by the River on Second Street and Nuova Italia Ristorante near St. Patrick Church in the spot most of us still recall as the Old Church Inn.
If you love Italian food, St. Charles is making a statement about it being the place to be. Surely, the Italian beef or the eggplant Parmesan sandwiches from Romano Mercato are on my radar.
Sign of spring
February makes us long for spring, so we'll grasp onto any sign that warmer weather is coming to complement the recent warm-up.
The skids of mulch bags are piling up at the Home Depot in Geneva already. That should mean something, right?
Their street name
Do the people who live along Charleston Drive in the Davis School neighborhood of St. Charles realize how much history they have along their street?
The name of St. Charles for the city didn't come along until 1839. Prior to that, it was Charleston, named so because the town's pioneer founders had a Charleston near their hometowns in Vermont.
State officials realized their state had two towns with the Charleston name and, presto, the city we know and love as St. Charles got a name that would stick.
This Charleston spot
Speaking of the name Charleston, the Charleston On The River restaurant at 1 W. Illinois St. has signs posted that it intends to open in March, and its website says March 12.
Diners should keep an eye on this one, as the site appears to be completely gutted, so a major renovation is taking place. It will be great to see a whole new layout there.
But can it open in a few weeks? Restaurants often can't hit their opening targets, and there looks to be plenty of work to do at this location.
dheun@sbcglobal.net