Heritage Center board, Onesti put on nice show for St. Charles

A tough economy and the Bears game might have had a hand in keeping the crowd down a bit for St. Charles' 175th anniversary party at the Arcada Theater last Sunday, but those who did attend had a great time.

Members of the St. Charles Heritage Center board worked hard to plan the party and Ron Onesti and his staff at the Arcada Theater and his dinner club dazzled with the "Say Goodnight Gracie" vaudeville show, and the accompanying five-course meal at Onesti Dinner Club.

Mayor Don DeWitte delivered accolades about the restoration of the Arcada, citing it as an important part of the city's history.

Earlier in the day, DeWitte, city administrator Brian Townsend and Alderman Betsy Penny gathered at the History Museum for a photo with a model of the city's birthday cake and a banner proclaiming the celebration.

Charlie Brown of the Heritage Center was given credit for organizing the work effort in creating the "birthday cake" for the photo. A real birthday cake, donated by Italian bakery IL Giardino del Dolce was in the lobby of the theater for attendees to enjoy.

Thanks should go out to the Heritage Center board and staff, as well as Onesti, who came forward with some great ideas to make this event memorable.

A full dance roster: Lots of hard work and hustling by the Geneva Dancing with the Stars committee has landed the sixth and final team for the Feb. 6 event at Eagle Brook Country Club.

Matt and Kim Lennert, owners of Moveable Feast in Geneva for the past 10 years, have agreed to take the floor to raise funds for the arts commission and schools.

As participants last year, my wife and I can tell you it's a blast. Feeling unsure about it? You'll be amazed at what practicing can do to alleviate nerves. Dance steps are tricky to remember, so take notes on what you are learning.

And the gentlemen? Practice hard. You'll be the one leading your partner through your routine.

That hit a nerve: It would take something dramatic - like explaining a surefire method to win the lottery - to get the amount of positive feedback I received in the past week.

I struck a nerve after calling out some political misfits for defacing pictures of our president while railing about his health care plans - on a busy street corner during Geneva's Festival of the Vine.

Some readers were so angry about that display, they said they wanted to confront these knuckleheads right on the street.

Having spent time in editorial boardrooms with folks who have leanings way to the right or way to the left, you find out fairly quickly they don't know what "compromise" means and they never allow common sense to dictate any of their actions. They are rarely interested in what you think or say.

Anyone who would have confronted these folks and demand they stop defacing a photo of our president in front of all of the nearby kids probably would have started a shouting match. That would have been nothing but another bad example for youngsters.