Entertainment Columns
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How much does a beer and a hot dog cost you at Wrigley Field or the Rate? I did the mathApr 10, 2025 10:45 am - It’s not breaking news, but nothing is cheap at a professional sporting event, let alone Wrigley Field, where the Cubs pack ’em in, rain or shine, snow or sun. Starting with tickets, a parent taking a family of four to a game — or one person drinking for four — can experience losses of “biblical” proportions in their bank account.
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How tariffs will impact your dining experienceApr 09, 2025 8:51 am - Just when the restaurant industry thought it had finally recovered from the repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is facing new headwinds in the form of the tariffs the Trump administration imposed on imports from other countries.
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Advice for restaurant owners right now: Refresh, rejuvenate, ask and investApr 02, 2025 10:04 am - The COVID pandemic is in the rearview mirror and I give restaurant owners a huge amount of credit for making it through what was the most difficult era for the hospitality industry in more than 50 years. However, it is time to look forward and set the course for success in the next decade.
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It was a lucky day for St. Charles when Ron Onesti strolled into townMar 07, 2025 5:30 am - Tri-Cities’ “Greatest Showman” Ron Onesti, owner of the Arcada Theatre in St. Charles, has been inducted into the virtual Rock Godz Hall of Fame.
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5 years since COVID: Here’s how the restaurant industry has changed for businesses, consumersMar 05, 2025 9:41 am - Consumers have seen a lot of changes in the restaurant industry since COVID hit five years ago.
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Stewards of local history: Preservation Partners seeks creative solutions to save historic structuresFeb 21, 2025 5:00 am - Education and creative solutions are needed when faced with the challenge of preserving historic structures, according to Preservation Partners of the Fox Valley, weighing in on the 1843 Judge Barry House in St. Charles and the blacksmith shop in Geneva.
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Witness to history: Reader shares memories of man who saw St. Charles bridge collapse in 1902Feb 14, 2025 6:00 am - A reader of Dave Heun’s column cared for a man who witnessed the 1902 St. Charles bridge collapse and shared stories about his life in St. Charles.
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2025 promises to be better year for restaurants and dinersFeb 05, 2025 9:36 am - The restaurant world was thrown into turmoil during COVID and then things got worse! Rapidly rising prices, food shortages, supply chain issues, severe lack of staff, lower sales, increased payroll — and all of that is just the tip of the COVID iceberg. However, after all this time the sun is beginning to shine.
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St. Charles’ eastern gateway to get major boost with Fox Haven SquareJan 24, 2025 4:00 am - St. Charles has hit a potential home run with new development plans for the city’s east side. Officials say the new retail and restaurants planned for Fox Haven Square could transform the area near the former Charlestowne Mall.
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Birding expert aims to make gull identification less intimidatingJan 22, 2025 7:36 am - Gull expert Amar Ayyash of Orland Park seeks to make gull identification less intimidating through his new guide covering North America's 36 species.