DuPage County Briefs

Chronicle Media Staff

 

A military World War I helmet is one of many artifacts that will be displayed in “1917: Catalyst for the Modern Era,” at the DuPage County Historical Museum in September. The exhibit is sponsored in part with a $2,500 grant from the DuPage Foundation.

COUNTY

 

Early primary election voting starts Jan. 19

 

Voters can cast ballots for the upcoming consolidated primary election starting Jan. 19. Early voting will be held at the DuPage County Election Commission Office, 421 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton. The primary election date is Feb. 28.

Only DuPage County registered voters residing in Wayne Township, Winfield Township, Naperville Township and the city of Aurora are eligible to vote in this election.

The Election Commission office will be open 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturdays, Jan. 21-Feb. 11 and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays, Feb. 18-25; and 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Sundays, Feb. 19-26.

 

 

DuPage County History museum grant to fund new exhibit

 

The grant will allow the museum to present “1917: Catalyst for the Modern Era,” a new exhibit commemorating the year’s cultural changes.

A new exhibit commemorating the year’s cultural changes that brought American society from the Victorian Era into modern times will open later this year, thanks to a grant from the DuPage Foundation.

The DuPage County Historical Museum will present 1917: Catalyst for the Modern Era,

with a $2,500 grant from the foundation’s Snodgrass Family Fund. The exhibit will discuss daily living, technology, women’s roles, World War I, medicine, disease, entertainment, Prohibition and more. Some of the artifacts from World War I will include complete doughboy uniforms and a Pickelhaube Helmet, the famous German spiked helmet.

The grant helps cover costs such as a souvenir catalog highlighting the photos and stories of certain artifacts and an outdoor mural designed by local artist Rick Napier, which will welcome guests to the exhibit and may include images of soldiers, cutting-edge technology and a Prohibitionist. By 1917, Wheaton was already climbing on the Prohibition bandwagon.

The exhibit will examine changes in gender roles, too, as women were trying to be more independent, which can be seen in the clothing styles they chose and the decision by many to start careers.

Scheduled to run Sept. 23, 2017 through July 30, 2018, the exhibit will also provide period programming, including World War I-themed music and a painting and wine event.

Along with the exhibit-specific grant, the DuPage Foundation awarded an unrestricted grant of $1,000 toward the Museum’s operating expenses from its History DuPage Fund.

To learn more about the DuPage County Historical Museum’s mission to preserve the county’s history, visit dupagemuseum.org. For more information about the foundation, visit dupagefoundation.org.

 

 

NAPERVILLE

 

Restaurant Week serves up special menus

At least a dozen Naperville restaurants will be in the spotlight during the city’s fourth annual Restaurant Week. From Jan. 27 to Feb. 9, Restaurant Week will showcase restaurants, ranging from fast casual to fine dining. Each venue will provide either a prix fixe menu at an appetizing price, or discounts on featured menu choices. So far, here are the participating downtown restaurants:

 

  • Bangkok Village – Prix fixe dinner, $19; 20 percent off dinner menu 2-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday
  • Catch 35 – Prix fixe lunch, $22; prix fixe dinner, $33
  • Delirio – Prix fixe dinner, $44; $55 with wine or beer pairing; daily Mezcal flight, $12
  • Empire Burgers & Brew – The signature Jane Burger accompanied by a burger cigar (certified angus beef and pimento cheese spring roll drizzled with honey, chili garlic aioli and green onions) and three mini donuts; lunch price, $10 and dinner price, $12
  • Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House – Prix fixe dinner, $42
  • Jimmy’s Grill – 20 percent off all food items
  • Le Chocolat du Bouchard – 10 percent off two entrees and free dessert
  • Pizzeria Neo – Prix fixe dinner, $25
  • Plank Bar & Kitchen – 10 percent off any breakfast or dinner menu Items
  • Potter’s Place – 20 percent off dine-in meals
  • Sullivan’s Steakhouse – Prix fixe dinner, $35

 

 

WHEATON

 

Tea shop to serve up its goods online only

Changing consumer buying habits are forcing major retailers to revamp how they do business, and similar conditions are forcing the owners of a local business to do the same. Glen Ellyn residents Bob and Sarine Crotteau, who own Serene Teaz, 221 W. Front St., Wheaton, are planning to close their brick-and-mortar store Feb. 11, and switch to online sales.

The shop has been in downtown Wheaton for more than 12 years. The store started out on Hale Street before moving to its current location. Food traffic has declined, forcing the decision to close the store and revamp its website.

Serene Teaz is known for its wide variety of teas. The store sells about 120 teas, including many hand-blended teas.

 

Garden will promote memory of Baby Hope

 

The new year will bring a new garden to carry on the memory of an infant killed last year.

Hope’s Garden will give criminal offenders who are sentenced to the Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program the opportunity to plant vegetables and maintain the garden, which is a joint effort of the DuPage County Sheriff’s Office and Winfield Township Highway Commissioner John Dusza. The Sheriff’s Office will donate all produce grown in the garden to area food pantries, providing fresh, healthy food for community residents in need. Work in the garden is scheduled to begin in spring 2017.

Authorities continue to investigate the case of an infant girl found dead in August 2016 near a private drive off of Plamondon Road near Wheaton. The Sheriff’s Office is still trying to locate the parents of the abandoned baby, whom authorities named Baby Hope.