Lifestyle Columns
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Condo board member cannot give voting proxy, but can attend meetings virtuallyJul 30, 2025 2:23 pm - I am on the board of my condominium association and I cannot attend some board meetings in-person due to my work schedule. Can I give my proxy to another board member to vote on my behalf on association matters?
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Why having a grocery store on Batavia’s east side is so importantJul 30, 2025 12:39 pm - As Berkeley Finer Foods closes, to be replaced by Cinco de Mayo Market on Batavia’s east side, Dave Heun looks at the history of grocery stores in the Tri-Cities.
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Paying for college without sabotaging retirementJul 30, 2025 9:07 am - Many families get sticker shock when they realize what putting their kids through college might cost over four years.
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How to properly fertilize and prune containers and beds for healthier plantsJul 29, 2025 11:47 am - Chicago Botanic Garden’s Tim Johnson shares tips for maintaining perennial and annual garden beds, including weeding, pruning, staking, and fertilizing.
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The President’s Cabinet: Our nation’s State Department — a brief historyJul 28, 2025 11:01 am - Author and retired educator Bruce Simmons’s guest column details the history of the President’s Cabinet and the duties of each position. In his third column, he shares the history of the State Department.
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Community association proposes buyer fee changesJul 23, 2025 1:15 pm - A community association wants to change its declaration to establish a buyer/new member fee based on a percentage of the gross selling price, in addition to an existing seller resale fee.
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Island adventures: Former mayor recalls childhood escapades on Fox RiverJul 23, 2025 10:41 am - Former St. Charles Mayor Fred Norris shares memories of a small island in the Fox River, once used by workers at a nearby piano factory for picnics and by local kids for play and fort-building.
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Fewer ingredients makes a simple broccoli salad even easierJul 23, 2025 5:30 am - In 2018, Don Mauer shared his favorite broccoli salad recipe. It included 11 ingredients and several steps, such as blanching the broccoli as well as cooking and chopping bacon before it’s added to the salad. This version trims it down to seven ingredients. Bonus: No stove required.
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Sculpture exhibit now year-round at Mount St. Mary Park in St. CharlesJul 18, 2025 3:00 am - The Sculpture in the Park exhibit at Mount St. Mary Park in St. Charles has transitioned to a year-round display, featuring new and permanent sculptures each year.
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12 hours of running: Man completes 54-mile Des Plaines River Trail in a single pushJul 16, 2025 2:50 pm - Scott Drews spent last summer chasing a personal challenge. After months of training, he ran the entire 54.5-mile Des Plaines River Trail — start to finish — in a single day.