When the final bell sounds at the end of the May 31 school day, expect hugs, kisses and maybe a few tears, as Geneva public schools say goodbye to an accumulated 500-plus years of experience. At Monday night's School Board meeting, principals at six Geneva schools plus Assistent Superintendent Craig Collins had a chance to say some kinds words about the folks who's served the district as teachers and support staff. Speaking purely on a personal note, Debra Scholle remains one of the favorites teachers of our youngest, Brenda Bevans was remarkable in her support of our oldest daughter—and of …

It's time to play Wednesday-morning quarterback and take a look at the various election results—for the sake of reasoned political analysis and just for the fun of it. Status Mostly Quo In the higher-profile April 9 elections—mayor, School Board, 1st Ward alderman, Library Board and Park Board—voters for the most part sent metaphorical Facebook likes to the incumbents. Burns topped McQuillan for mayor. Both incumbents plus a former School Board member won three of four seats on the School District 304 Board of Education. Library Board incumbents Esther Barclay-Steel and Steven Andersson were …

"I Voted." The sticker says it all, but never enough. Every time I vote I'm reminded of how lucky and grateful I am to live in Geneva, IL, in the United States of America, in the 21st century, stoked up on my large, $1 McCafe coffee and participating in what may well be—for all its faults—the greatest democracy in the history of planet Earth. That said, I want to make your voting in this local election as easy as possible, so here are a few Geneva-centric reminders and advice as you head to your polling places, based on my recent, personal experience. Read up before you vote. There are a lot …

Unfortunately for all of us, I shot video of the opening statements instead of the closing and Q&A portions of Thursday night's candidates forum hosted by the League of Women Voters at the Kane County Branch Court. I say "unfortunately," because the opening statements don't tell the whole story. By the end of the night, the distinctions between Geneva mayoral candidates Kevin Burns and Bob McQuillan could not have been more apparent. At issue is a fundamental philosophy about the role of local government—a theme that's carried, not only in the contest for mayor, but in the races for School …

Figuring out which candidates to vote for in a multi-candidate, multi-seat election is a little like ordering from the menu of an American Chinese restaurant: Sometimes you want some from Column A and some from Column B. This column is meant to help you select the entrees that appeal to your electoral palate. Take it for what it is, and ignore it if you wish. Looking for a candidate who has experience in the education field? Then you might consider grouping Jeffrey K. DiOrio, Robert L. Cabeen and Leslie N. Juby. Jeffrey is a math teacher with the Naperville School District; Robert has a …

The 2013 Geneva election campaign already is full of surprises, not the least of which is that Bob McQuillan—a guy some folks branded as a villain and a troublemaker—has a shot at becoming the next mayor of Geneva. There are a number of reasons McQuillan could win election on April 9, and some of them have to do with numbers. The hard truth is that very few of us vote in local elections—a couple thousand votes can win it—and any candidate with a good ground game has a chance. Wear out enough shoe leather, knock on enough doors, encourage enough folks to vote early, and you have a formula for …

Where's Don King when you need him? In a world where apathy is rampant, where too few pay attention to national politics, let alone the local, we need a boost of some sort—a promotion, a way to get folks to pay attention to Geneva-centric issues that arguably affect our lives more than who sits in the Oval Office or the governor's mansion.  If a boxing promoter can put together a "Thrilla in Manila" or a "Rumble in the Jungle," maybe what the March 20 candidates forum at Williamsburg Elementary School in Geneva needs is a name. The "War at Williamsburg" or "The Battle of Williamsburg"? "The …

About 24 years ago, when I was working as the managing editor of Press-Republican Newspapers, I was surprised to find a valentine in the mailbox at Fifth and Peyton. In it was a note from the little sister of a longtime high school friend—skillfully written, with just the right doses of flirtation and humor, and I was intrigued. So I screwed up my courage, called her, and we agreed to a date. We went to Ristorante Chianti for dinner and Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure afterward, but it was in between the two that Paula Mary Williams got the first hint of the destiny her valentine had set …

"Gone Fishing." Putting that shingle on the door sounds pretty darned nice right about now as the ice still clings to the sidewalks in sleepy, enchanting Geneva, IL. And it's exactly what lifelong Geneva businessman and cancer survivor Victor Erday III hopes to do once the liquidation sale is over at Erday's, the men's clothing store his grandfather founded almost 88 years ago. "I’ve actually been looking forward to this day," the store's co-owner said in a phone interview Monday. "We almost did this (liquidation) last year. All the brothers took a 50 percent pay cut just to keep it going, so…

I remember one of my more ambitious Valentine's Day efforts at Harrison Street School in the early '60s. I taped heart-shaped lolly pops to paper doilies and handed them out in those shoe boxes we used for the occasion back then. As I recall, the lollypops got rave reviews from classmates and a thumbs up from the teacher for originality. Candy was considered good in those days. Flash forward a half century and, surprise! Things have changed. Probably for the best. Geneva School District 304 is reminding parents and students this week that no candy should be attached to valentines this year. "…

I don’t think I could call up my first memory of Erday’s clothing store, because I’m willing to bet my inaugural visit came before conscious memory kicked in. Everyone in Geneva bought men’s clothes at the corner of Third and State in those days, so I imagine I was smuggled into the Erday building like luggage, my mom buying a Christmas gift with a baby Rick Nagel tucked under the arm or my dad trying on a suit, a toddler doppelganger clinging to his freshly-tailored pants cuff.  But my memories of shopping at Erday’s are many and pleasant. They mark more than a few highlights in my life, as …

Bernie Lincicome always said the sports page is the proxy for harder reality, "where the wars are only mock and success and failure matter only as long as it takes to turn off the scoreboard." But high school sports—at its very best—is more than mock battles or fleeting moments of glory on hardwood, cinders or artificial turf, and I think we saw a glimpse of that Saturday night in Geneva. Honored at halftime of the Geneva-Quincy basketball game were two extraordinary Geneva High School Athletic Hall of Fame inductees: state champion wrestler Ray Soto and the class of 1963 basketball team. The…