Rex's might be gone, but it will never be forgotten
Imagine a pork barbecue sandwich for 65 cents. Or a Deluxe hamburger for 75 cents. Or a basket of fried shrimp for 99 cents.
There was a time, some 50-plus years ago, when those tasty treats could be had for those modest sums.
And the place to do it was at Locke's Drive-In, where the recently closed Rex's Cork and Fork stands - because it was your classic "car hop" where high school kids hung out.
Joan Arteberry of St. Charles said she sent the story about Rex's passing into St. Charles history to some of her former classmates in a group called "Class of '56 Rolling Reunion."
"We have kept a round-robin going and some of us meet once a month at the west side Colonial," Arteberry said.
She passed along some names from the past, with one being Darlene (Sharna) Diem, who was the "hop" at the restaurant. Bob Locke was owner then and Darlene saved a menu from that era - so those prices mentioned earlier were straight from a copy of the Locke's Drive-In menu, years before Rex Morrison took over the restaurant.
I wasn't around these parts in the mid-1950s, but I've had plenty of meals at Rex's over the years. Two years ago at Rex's, I ran into Karen (Morrison) Comstock, who did her family and community proud by winning the Miss USA contest in 1974. She was outside, painting the building with her kids.
This place was a family affair from the get-go and a community icon that will forever keep smiles on the faces of people like those from the Class of 1956. The Hotel Baker almost closed on us forever at one time, so maybe someone will come along and save the Rex's site once this economy rebounds.
About this buzz: When someone asks, "What's the buzz?" you're inclined to think they are curious about a hot new trend or some interesting gossip or news.
The Geneva Community Forum set for 7 p.m. April 16 in the Geneva High School auditorium goes by that title - but it's about the latest developments in teen drug abuse, energy drink abuse, and the current laws regarding parents who host teen parties in which alcohol is present.
A community well-versed in these areas is a community that gives its young people a fighting chance to become productive adults.
Anyone interested in attending should contact Det. Shelley Frangella of the Geneva Police Department at (630) 463-3706.
Quite a burger: I've praised many great cheeseburgers over the years, and readers have also expressed joy about their favorites. Portillo's, Egg Harbor and Country House have cheeseburgers that earned accolades.
With so many local restaurants and pubs, I can still stumble across a new cheeseburger worthy of mention. River Lane Pub in Geneva falls into that category, as I tackled a cheeseburger there for the first time last week. This place makes one large and tasty cheeseburger.
D-Day dominates: Students at Washington Middle School in Aurora will spend all of their classes Thursday learning about D-Day and World War II - with visits from veterans and other experts.