Tri-Cities Digest
Batavia street closed: Shumway Avenue in downtown Batavia will be closed to traffic at Wilson Street today and Thursday for water main work. To access buildings on Shumway, take Water Street south from Wilson, then head east on First Street to Shumway.
Geneva gives art honors:
Eight awards of excellence worth $500 were presented for 2- and 3-D artwork at the Geneva Art Fair last weekend. Winners, their medium and home state for 2-D art were: Quincy Conwell, painting, Texas; James Lounsbury, oil, Michigan; John Schirmer, printmaking, Iowa; and Jeane Vogel, photography, Missouri. In 3-D, awards went to: Deborah Banyas and T.P. Speer, mixed media, Ohio; Rhonda Clearlock, ceramics, Illinois; Richard Ryan, glass, Illinois; and Mary Watson, jewelry, Illinois. Visitors also selected their favorite Emerging Artists. The People's Choice Awards, sponsored by the Geneva Cultural Arts Commission, were presented for the first time. The first-place winner of $250 was ceramic artist Hannah Grau Tortorella from Antioch. St. Charles native Chelsea Miller won the $150 second place prize for her jewelry, and the third-place award of $100 went to Elliot Purse of Downers Grove for his drawings in pastel, charcoal and oil.
Opera final performance:
The Elgin Opera Training Ensemble is holding its final summer performance and fundraising dinner Aug. 11 at the Elgin Community College Business Conference Center, 1700 Spartan Drive. The dinner starts at 5:30 p.m. followed at 7 by a staged performance. The group will perform a variety of scenes from "Don Giovanni," "Magic Flute," "Marriage of Figaro," "Hansel and Gretel" and more. The event costs $50. Half of the ticket price is tax-deductible. For reservations, contact Elgin OPERA at (847) 214-8340 or e-mail operaoffice@aol.com. The deadline for reservations is Friday.
Marmion craft show:
The deadline to register for Marmion Academy's Christmas Craft Show is Monday. The juried craft show, which drew 3,400 people last year , will run from Nov. 24 to 25 at the Aurora school. A 10-foot-by-10-foot space is $140, with electricity available for an additional fee. To be eligible for entry, some elements of the crafts must be homemade. To register, call (630) 897-6936 ext. 228 or visit www.marmion.org/alumni/alumevnt.html.
Senior health fairs:
Senior citizens are invited to attend health fairs next month. The events include vision and diabetes screenings and information on Medicare, Illinois Cares Rx and other programs. Representatives from the Citizens Utility Board will be available to review phone bills and provide suggestions about ways to save money. Admission is free and includes refreshments. The fairs are scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday at the Fox Valley Park District Prisco Center, 150 W. Illinois Ave., Aurora; and Aug. 8 at the Geneva Park District Community Center at Sunset Park, 710 Western Ave. Call (630) 264-2334.