Happy December, Week 3!
Winter arrives Monday!
When will it snow? Enjoy peaceful walks in Central Park, throughout the Naperville Historic District and the campus of North Central College and all along the Riverwalk, too, as the days grow shorter. The first day of winter, Mon., Dec. 21.
And venture to Downtown Naperville, a happening place chock full of reasons to window shop and go inside, too!
From the Main Street Promenade to Washington Corners and all points in between, find plenty of reasons to shop, have books signed, dine and be entertained by all the new development in the city’s central business district.
‘Tis the season to listen to the bell ringers from the Salvation Army as they add their holiday cheer to the sidewalks of downtown as well as many local shopping destinations such as Naperville Plaza, located at Washington and Gartner.
Plan for the upcoming holidays with novelty gifts, greeting cards and all the wrappings at Oswald’s Pharmacy where there’s a convenient U.S. Post Office location. In addition, Oswald’s owner Bill Anderson notes a the new Medical Equipment Showroom with all kinds of items to keep folks of all ages moving.
Salvation Army Angel Tree stands at the front of his store. The Angel Tree program helps provide local underprivileged kids with a holiday gift that they would never receive without the generosity of others. Simply select a tag or two and buy the requested present. Bring the gifts (unwrapped) to the store with the tag attached and the Salvation Army will pick up the gift, wrap it and make sure it gets to the child in time for Christmas.
Then head to Casey’s Foods where volunteer bell ringers from the Salvation Army are stationed at the spot where vintage gold coins are known to suddenly appear. Inside the independent grocery story you’ll find all the meats are a cut above all others and a gourmet deli offers delicious items ready to go.
And look for other independents displaying the bright red sign such as First Community Financial Bank where they recently celebrated their first $1 billion in assets!
CityGate Centre
When you head to the Hotel Arista at CityGate Centre or a new experience at Top Golf on Naperville’s northwest side, be mindful of the new traffic configuration at I-88 and Route 59 that may create a little confusion for first-time users. As always, drive with caution and observe the speed limit. The innovative diverging diamond interchange, now open, is expected to enhance traffic flow on and off I-88.
(The first diverging diamond interchange opened to traffic in the state of Illinois on I-57 at Marion on August 12, 2015. Diverging diamond interchanges are now operational in 18 states across the nation, with plans to construct them in six other states.)
Our community is blessed with generosity!
Meson Sabika
This month Meson Sabika is celebrating its 25th anniversary as the Spanish tapas restaurant in the old Willoway mansion.
All decked out for the holidays, historic Meson Sabika and the Pavilion at Meson Sabika, located at 1025 Aurora Ave., offer a variety of spaces for special seasonal parties and a fun time on New Year’s Eve.
Enjoy the sangria, white or red. Cheers!
Let it snow! Let it snow! Let it snow!
Thanks to all the City Services that keep the roads passable when it snows.
City Notes courtesy of the City of Naperville — Updated Dec. 16, 2015 — Photos by PN
COMMUNITY EVENTS
New thru December 16
CHICAGO WOLVES PLAYER VISIT. Chicago Wolves defenseman Scooter Vaughan will share with fans his journey to success as well as the determination and hard work it took to reach his goals during this program from4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16 at Naper Blvd. Library, 2035 S. Naper Blvd. One lucky audience member will even be chosen to try on the hockey gear, pads and all. For more information, visit www.naperville-lib.org.
New thru December 16
BUSINESS ROUNDTABLE. This SCORE Artists and Artisans Roundtable is an open, semi-structured discussion, wherein entrepreneurial minded artists and artisans collaborate and solve issues that hinder productivity and profitability. The program is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Wednesday, December 16, at Nichols Library’s NaperLaunch business center, 200 W. Jefferson Ave. For more information, visit www.naperville-lib.org.
New thru December 17
COLORING FOR RELAXATION. Relax and refresh by coloring printed designs with various coloring media, while chatting with other adults, enjoying a cup of tea and listening to music. The program will be from 3 to 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, December 17 at Naper Blvd. Library, 2035 S. Naper Blvd. For more information, visit www.naperville-lib.org.
New thru December 17
GENEALOGY DROP-IN HELP. A volunteer from Fox Valley Genealogical Society will be available to help any interested individuals who wish to get started on a genealogy project or to complete difficult genealogical research challenges. Drop-in sessions will be held on Thursday, December 17 from 12:30 to 2:30 p.m. at 95th Street Library, 3015 Cedar Glade Drive, and then again from 3 to 5 p.m. at Nichols Library, 200 W. Jefferson Ave. For more information, visit www.naperville-lib.org.
New thru December 17
3-D HOLIDAY ORNAMENTS FOR ADULTS. Learn how to design a three-dimensional snowflake using 3-D software as well as the process of printing it using the library’s 3-D printer during this program from 6:30 to 8 p.m.on Thursday, December 17 at 95th Street Library’s Idea Lab, 3015 Cedar Glade Drive. For more information, visit www.naperville-lib.org.
New thru December 18
AWESOME AIR RIBBON CUTTING. The DuPage Children’s Museum’s new exhibit, AWEsome AIR, will open on Friday, December 18 with an official ribbon cutting at 5:15 p.m. at the 301 N. Washington St. museum. Visitors can experience the re-imagined exhibit, and members can participate in special related activities from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. For more information about the opening of this exhibit, call (630) 637-8000 or visitwww.dupagechildrens.org.
New thru January 4
NAPERVILLE COMMUNITY GARDEN CLUB. Join the Naperville Community Garden Club on Monday, January 4 at 7 p.m. at Knox Presbyterian Church, 1105 Catalpa Lane, for a presentation on “Intensive Gardening for the Vegetable Gardener.” For more information, visit www.napervillecommunitygardeners.org.
Starts January 7; New thru January 14, 2016
PRESCHOOL INFORMATION NIGHT. Learn the answers to all of your questions about the Naperville Park District preschool program from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 7 at the Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center, 305 W. Jackson Ave. or from 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, January 14 at the Knoch Knolls Nature Center, 320 Knoch Knolls Road. For more information, visit www.napervilleparks.org.
Starts January 8; New thru January 9, 2016
BRIDAL SHOWCASE. Recently engaged and planning your special day? Enjoy one-on-one consultations with photographers, florists, DJs, musicians, bakers, caterers, ministers and more at the Bridal Showcase from 5:30 to 9 p.m. on Friday, January 8 and from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, January 9, at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St. For more information, visit www.napersettlement.org.
New thru January 10, 2016
HISTORY SPEAKS LECTURE SERIES: BETTE DAVIS. This witty, sharp portrayal by actress and historian Leslie Goddard reveals Bette Davis not only as a riveting personality, but as the ultimate star in the Golden Age of Hollywood. This presentation of the History Speaks Lecture Series will be held from 4 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, January 10 at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St. For more information, call (630) 420-6010 or visitwww.napersettlement.org.
New thru January 12, 2016
HELP SELECT PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT. Residents are invited to a Tuesday, January 12 open house to help the Naperville Park District select equipment for planned 2016 renovations to Walnut Ridge Park, 2304 Keim Drive. The meeting will be held from 5 to 6:30 p.m. at the Park District Planning and Development Office, 425 W. Jackson Ave. For more information, visit www.napervilleparks.org.
New thru January 13, 2016
SENIOR TASK FORCE 2016 SPEAKER SERIES. The Naperville Senior Task Force is hosting its first speaker series event of 2016 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday, January 13 in Meeting Room B of the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St. All are welcome to attend and learn more from Naperville Police Departments Crime Prevention Specialist Julie Smith on how to avoid falling victim to scams.
Starts January 7; New thru January 10, 2016
“THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR.” North Central College students present William Shakespeare’s “The Merry Wives of Windsor” at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, January 7 through Saturday, January 9 and at 2 p.m. on Saturday, January 9 and Sunday, January 10 at the Fine Arts Center, 171 E. Chicago Ave. For more information, call (630) 637-7469 or visit www.northcentralcollege.edu/showtix.
Good thru December 16
GINGERBREAD HOUSE DECORATING. Enjoy hot cocoa and festive holiday music while you decorate your own family gingerbread house on Wednesday, December 16 from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the Barn Recreation Center, 421 W. Martin Ave. For more information, call (630) 848-5000 or visit www.napervilleparks.org.
Good thru December 18
BOOK SALE. The library is hosting a 25-cent book sale at 95th Street Library, 3015 Cedar Glade Drive, through Friday, December 18. The sale includes books, CDs and DVDs. For more information, visit www.naperville-lib.org.
Good thru December 18
CHRISTMAS LUNCHEON FOR SENIORS. The Naperville Park District and the YMCA will again sponsor a free Christmas luncheon for seniors and families in need, on Friday, December 25 at 11:30 a.m. at the Chicago Marriott Naperville, 1801 N. Naper Blvd. Reservations can be made by contacting Polly Rhodes at (630) 527-6599 or prhodes@ymcachicago.org by Friday, December 18.
Good thru December 18
TEENS: RELAX AFTER FINALS. Enjoy the holiday classic “Jingle All the Way,” use MuVchat to text comments on the big screen and decorate cookies at this program for teens in 6th through 12th grades from 3 to 4:30 p.m.on Friday, December 18 at 95th Street Library, 3015 Cedar Glade Drive. For more information, visit www.naperville-lib.org.
Good thru December 18
FAMILY FUN FRIDAY NIGHTS. Head over to the DuPage Children’s Museum, 301 N. Washington St., this December for First Friday Studio Sensation by the Wheaton Starz Dance Troupe at 6 and 6:45 on Friday, December 18. For more information, visit www.dupagechildrens.org.
Good thru December 19
JINGLE BELL JAMBOREE. Enter a world of holiday magic at the Jingle Bell Jamboree from 3 to 9 p.m. on Saturday, December 19 at Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St. Enjoy live holiday music, decorate cookies, be dazzled by the Naper Lights displays and take in the Martin Mitchell Mansion decorated for the season. For more information, visit www.napersettlement.org.
Ongoing thru December 23
SANTA HOUSE ON THE RIVERWALK. Take a special holiday trip to visit Santa on the Naperville Riverwalk at Jackson Avenue and Webster Street through Wednesday, December 23. Santa House is open for visitors from 4 to 8 p.m. on weekdays and from noon to 6 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, call (630) 848-5000 or visit www.napervilleparks.org/santahouse.
Ongoing thru December 27
MILLENNIUM CARILLON WEEKLY RECITALS AND CONCERTS. Weekly recitals and concerts at the Millennium Carillon, 443 Aurora Ave., are held every Saturday at noon and Sunday at 3 p.m. through December. For more information, visit www.Naperville-Carillon.org.
Good thru December 28
GRANDPARENT/GRANDCHILD BINGO & PIZZA. Round up your grandchildren ages 6 and up and enjoy an afternoon of Bingo, pizza and prizes at the Alfred Rubin Riverwalk Community Center, 305 W. Jackson Ave., from noon to 1:30 p.m. on Monday, December 28. For more information or to register, call (630) 848-5000 or visit www.napervilleparks.org.
Good thru December 28
TEEN MOVIE. Teens can watch “The Scorch Trials” from 2 to 4 p.m. on Monday, December 28 at Nichols Library, 200 W. Jefferson Ave. For more information, visit www.naperville-lib.org.
Good thru December 31
BUBBLE BASH. The entire family can ring in the New Year at Bubble Bash 2015 from 9 a.m. to noon on Thursday, December 31 at DuPage Children’s Museum, 301 N. Washington St. Hear award-winning musicians The Boogers and enjoy an intergalactic adventure, refreshments, family photos and the “Countdown to Noon.” For more information, visit www.dupagechildrens.org.
Good thru December 31
DANCE INTO THE NEW YEAR. Kids can put on their dancing shoes for a rockin’ New Year’s Eve party from 11:15 a.m. to 12:05 p.m. on Thursday, December 31 at all three library locations. Participants will dance to favorite party tunes and make a craft that will be used for the noon countdown to ring in 2016. For more information, visit www.naperville-lib.org.
Good thru December 31
RINGIN’ IN THE NEW YEAR. Enjoy daytime family fun from noon to 5 p.m. in downtown Naperville on New Year’s Eve, Thursday, December 31. Festivities will lead up to an early evening countdown to ring in 2016 at 6 p.m. at the base of the Millennium Carillon, 443 Aurora Ave. For more information, visit www.downtownnaperville.com.
Ongoing thru December 31
NAPER LIGHTS. Stroll the grounds of Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., and experience a holiday lights celebration from 5 to 9 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays from Friday, November 27 through Thursday, December 31. For more information, visit www.napersettlement.org.
Good thru January 4, 2016
WELCOME COFFEE. Join the Naperville Newcomers and Neighbors Club for a welcome coffee on Monday, January 4 at 11 a.m. at the Celebration! Community Life Center, 919 S. Washington St. Children are welcome along with new and established residents looking to socialize and/or become involved in a wide variety of activities. For more information, visit www.napervillenewcomersandneighborsclub.com.
Ongoing thru January 31, 2016
WINTER FAMILY READ ALOUD. Register for the Naperville Public Library’s Winter Family Read Aloud beginning Tuesday, December 1 and receive a reading/activities log to record your family’s activities. Logs can be returned to any of Naperville’s three library branches for prizes. For more information, visit www.naperville-lib.org.
GENERAL INFORMATION
New thru January 6, 2016
SENIOR TASK FORCE VOLUNTEER NEWSLETTER EDITOR NEEDED. Naperville’s Senior Task Force is looking for a Naperville-based volunteer newsletter editor to help the group with its new newsletter “Our Voice.” The main qualification is a passion to help seniors connect with their community and the ability to commit adequate time (20 hours per month) to the project. Journalism experience or education, writing and communications skills and computer skills are a plus. Primary tasks include identifying topics, writing and editing articles and developing a newsletter content plan. For more information, visit www.naperville.il.us/seniortaskforce.aspx. To apply, emailseniortaskforce@naperville.il.us and a task force member will get back to you.
Good thru December 18
PARK DISTRICT WINTER PROGRAM GUIDE. The Naperville Park District Winter 2016 Program Guide was delivered to Naperville doorsteps between Thursday, December 3 and Monday, December 7. If you are a Naperville resident and do not receive yours, please call (630) 848-5000 through Monday, December 18 to request prompt redelivery.
Good thru December 25
CHRISTMAS OBSERVED. The Naperville Municipal Center and all other non-emergency City offices and buildings will be closed in observance of the Christmas Holiday on Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25.
Good thru January 1, 2016
LIBRARY CLOSINGS. Naperville Public Library’s three buildings will be closed all day Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25. The library also will close early at 5 p.m. on Thursday, December 31 and will remain closed Friday, January 1.
Good thru January 1, 2016
NEW YEAR’S OBSERVED. The Naperville Municipal Center and all other non-emergency City offices and buildings will be closed in observance of the New Year’s Holiday on Friday, January 1, 2016.
Good thru January 1, 2016
PARK DISTRICT HOLIDAY OPERATING SCHEDULE. Park District facilities will be closed at various times and days during the last two weeks of December due to the Christmas and New Year’s holidays. For more information, visit www.napervilleparks.org.
Good thru May 22, 2016
LIBRARY SUNDAY HOURS. Nichols and 95th Street libraries will be open from 1 to 9 p.m. every Sunday through May 22, 2016. Stop in to get last-minute projects, homework or reading time in before the week begins. Naper Blvd. Library will be open from 1 to 5 p.m. every Sunday. For more information, visit www.naperville-lib.org.
NAPER NOTIFY. Naper Notify provides emergency and quality-of-life information via phone call, text message, email or smart phone app. For more information and to sign up, visit www.napernotify.com.
SMART911. When you make an emergency call from a registered phone, Smart911 displays your profile on the 9-1-1 call taker’s screen. To register, visit www.naperville.il.us/smart911.aspx.
POWER OUTAGES. If you are experiencing a power outage, please report it 24 hours a day, seven days a week to Naperville City Dispatch by calling (630) 420-6187.
HOUSEHOLD HAZARDOUS WASTE FACILITY. Household Hazardous Waste may be safely disposed of at the new drop-off facility located at 156 Fort Hill Drive. For more information, visit www.naperville.il.us/hhw.aspx.
HOLIDAY GARBAGE COLLECTION. When residential garbage collection falls on New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Fourth of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas, pickup will resume one day later for the remainder of the week.
NAPERVILLE SEARCH AND RESCUE TEAM. The Naperville Search and Rescue Team helps locate persons who are missing and in distress. They also may assist with evidence recovery and help out at local festivals, such as Ribfest and Last Fling. For more information, contact Judy Cittadino at beyondthefinish@yahoo.com.
“CLUNKER” VEHICLE DONATIONS. The Naperville Fire Department is seeking donations of used and otherwise “clunker” vehicles. To donate, contact Ruthi Sommers at (630) 305-5900.
MUNICIPAL VOLUNTEER PROGRAM. The City of Naperville has shifts for its front desk reception volunteer position. If you are interested, contact bradleyj@naperville.il.us to obtain an application.
ONLINE LIBRARY NEWSLETTER. Patrons can subscribe to the Naperville Public Library’s monthly newsletter to receive up-to-date library news by visiting http://bit.ly/nplnewsletter.
RECYCLE MY FRIDGE. Illinois Municipal Electric Agency (IMEA) customers can recycle secondary refrigerators and receive a prepaid card. For more information, visit www.RecycleMyFridge.org.
FIRST AID AND CPR/AED TRAINING. The City is offering first aid, CPR and AED certification classes for residents and businesses. For more information, visit www.naperville.il.us/cpraed.aspx.
FINANCE DEPARTMENT HOURS. The Finance Department is open Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
MUNICIPAL MEETING SCHEDULE
Please note that all meeting locations listed below are rooms in the Naperville Municipal Center, 400 S. Eagle St., unless otherwise indicated.
Planning and Zoning Commission: Wednesday, December 16, 7 p.m., Council Chambers
Board of Fire and Police Commissioners: Tuesday, December 22, 4 p.m., Mayor’s Conference Room
Any individual with a disability requesting a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in a public meeting should contact the Communications Department at least 48 hours in advance of the scheduled meeting. The Communications Department can be reached in person at 400 S. Eagle Street, Naperville, IL, via telephone at (630) 420-6707 or (630) 305-5205 (TDD) or via e-mail at info@naperville.il.us. Every effort will be made to allow for meeting participation.
And there’s more on this website…
Charity Golf Season has hanged up the clubs for the season. To plan for next year, find listings at Charity Golf to note when golf events typically are held.
Links to regular meeting schedule for other municipal governing bodies…
Also check out PN’s Events Calendar for other events as well as to help plan next week and upcoming weekends. On the navigation bar atop the Events Calendar, find calendars specific to Runs & Walks, Charity Golf (Updated!), Festivals & Traditions over the course of the year as well as this month’s Book Events hosted by Anderson’s, North Central College Performing Arts and happenings at Naper Settlement.
Read all about it!
For a view of PN’S Latest N.E.W.S. in between issues, CLICK HERE.
Thanks for supporting the arts—culinary, performing and fine!
Enjoy Naperville’s changing scene and watch for the image of the Grinch hiding out in many local businesses until Dec. 29.
Search for the Grinch with family and friends, find him 12 times and let your heart grow three sizes during the holidays. Pick up a list of participating businesses at Anderson’s Bookshop, 123 W. Jefferson Ave.
Then return to Anderson’s for the Grinch wrap-up party at 10AM Tues., Dec. 29. Listen to stories. Win prizes!
No matter what your hometown, thanks for supporting your local business community. And, of course, you’re always welcome to shop and dine in Naperville!
Celebrate safely! Happy Holidays!
