Above / We always will remember our first glimpse of downtown Naperville (New Year’s Day 1993) from the parking lot at Main and Jackson along the Riverwalk, just steps from the Main Street Bridge over the DuPage River. During that late afternoon visit that kicked off a week of working with a Realtor to find a new home, all the twinkling white lights from the Grand Illumination brightened the landscape, shedding light on the remarkable can-do spirit in the community where our family would move two months later.
Downtown Naperville, the Riverwalk, North Central College, Naper Settlement, the DuPage Children’s Museum, Central Park and this entire community of destinations all the way south to Knoch Knolls Park attract residents and visitors to shop, dine, relax and entertain; though for now, a Governor’s Order has everyone observing a “Stay at Home” order through the end of May.
Thanks more than ever to everyone who chooses to support the local economy by ordering dinner for take out in the evening as well as gift certificates for future purchases. We’re looking forward to the return of the vibrancy, events and volunteerism that attracted us here in the first place. Be safe. Be prudent. Be healthy. —PN
Above / Main Street leads to the heart of downtown Naperville where Century Walk sculptures, murals and other outdoor art bring local history to life around every corner.
Many business owners and workers we know are developing and following a whole array of new best practices, eager to return to the jobs they enjoy to serve the community, step by step.
They’re also looking forward to special events they help sponsor that will take a “virtual” turn, displaying can-do spirit in support of the needs of nonprofits as well as the local economy.
In late April, another extension of “Stay at Home” through May 29 or May 30 was ordered by the Governor, opening up some opportunities to conduct business via phone and internet to be picked up curbside or just outside the door.
Nonetheless, folks have been forwarding cancellations and postponements.
Remember to support your local business community first
We admit, it’s difficult for this family-owned independent media outlet to keep up with so many changes and requests. Plus, sorting out the bogus offers mixed with legitimate news creates a challenge. We aim to earn our readers’ trust by presenting factual info and best practices. We aim to get back on the beat, mindful of the joys of freedom and the best practices that now must be followed.
Beware of opportunists, mischief and shenanigans on social media.
Stay tuned to local government
Be mindful that local school boards of education as well as the Naperville City Council (May 5, 2020), Naperville Park District Board of Commissioners and the Naperville Planning & Zoning Commission continue to meet. Though bodies of government who manage budgets are meeting remotely, watching local government in progress is as important as ever right here in your hometown.
Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce will host a “Conversation with NACC on Responsible Reopening” from 2-3PM on Tues., May 12.
Note a few cancellations
- The annual Memorial Day Parade and Observances in Central Park that usually accompany the day to pay tribute to all who have given the ultimate sacrifice to protect our nation have been canceled for 2020.
- The Naperville Woman’s Club has canceled its long-running Annual Naperville Fine Art and Artisans Fair at Naper Settlement, originally scheduled in late June 2020.
- The Riverwalk Foundation Annual Duck Race in August will take a break. Waddle the group do in its place? Stay tuned. Already Foundation members have been up at the quack of dawn in search of the next duck tale. Meanwhile, never feed crackers to quackers. Feeding crackers, bread and other human snacks can be deleterious to wildlife.
- Derby Party for Hesed House was canceled when the annual Run for the Roses on the second Saturday in May was postponed until September. In its place, event organizers have presented a challenge for all supporters via its “Pass the Hat for Hesed House” campaign, welcoming everyone to get in the race in support of the homeless shelter that provides for families at this time of great need.
- The Inaugural Naperville Salute, a hometown-focused Fourth of July celebration to recognize all veterans, first responders and frontline healthcare providers, will be postponed until July 3-4, 2021, due to public safety and logistic concerns from the COVID-19 epidemic. All major activities planned for Rotary Hill and Naperville Settlement are canceled for July 3-4, 2020. A fireworks display is still tentatively being planned for July 4 at a to-be-determined location.
- Naperville Municipal Band Summer Concerts in June & July. Leaders of the Naperville Municipal have announced, “It is with great sadness that we must recognize the toll that COVID-19 has taken on all public gatherings, including our Summer Concert Season in Naperville’s Central Park. As much as we love Naperville and playing music for our dedicated fans, and as heartbreaking as this decision is, health and safety must come first. We therefore must cancel all concerts and rehearsals in June and in July through July 16. At this time, we are leaving open the hope that a change in the public health situation could allow us all to gather again in Central Park later this summer.” Meanwhile, stay tuned to rebroadcasts of NMB classic concerts during June and July beginning at 7:30PM Thursdays, thanks to NCTV-17. Enjoy memorable music from the safety and comfort of your own home or yard.
Other event planners for summer festivities say they’re on pause. Many now are waiting until May 30, 2020, to make final decisions of how an outdoor event might look with all the new best practices. Summer festival event planners are in “wait-and-see” mode.
But first… Continue to take precautions. Wash your hands often. Cover coughs and sneezes. Hold on to hugs for future giving. Be a good example for young ones who might be watching. Help them feel safe. Eat nourishing food. Drink plenty of liquids.
Wash your hands often, but don’t wash away common sense.
Stay home whenever possible. Take outdoor breaks in your yard. Exercise. It’s OK to take walks outside. Fresh air and sunshine are good for everybody. Practice 6’ social distancing. Beginning May 1, face masks are required inside public places. Be safe.
Note also that some businesses discourage the wearing of latex or nitrile gloves, considering they can contribute to cross contamination. Folks wearing gloves may be asked to sanitize them just as they may be asked to use a wipe on their hands. Alcohol sanitizer is not detrimental to latex or nitrile gloves.
Don’t be a Litter Bug!
Remember “Keep America Beautiful” campaigns? Times when folks helped to end littering, developed recycling plans and took pride to keep the landscape pretty? During recent weeks as folks have been staying home, trash has begun to grow along the parkways.
Thanks to everyone who keeps a trash bag inside the car. That way, used items can be saved for the trash instead of tossed out the car window. Note also that disposable gloves are NOT recyclable. They are garbage. In fact, they could be hazardous. Never dispose of disposable gloves in recycling bins.
Perhaps a pair of disposable gloves and a plastic shopping bag could come in handy to pick up and collect trash along the walk. You can also use a plastic bag to pick up stuff the way folks clean up after their dogs.
Keeping our neighborhoods neat and free from throw-away wrappers, cans, bottles and other items tossed toward the curb will help keep Naperville beautiful. Here’s hoping…
Note our shout outs…
Dean’s Fine Clothing for men and women posts a sign of the times for curbside pickup at 226 S. Main Street at Jackson Ave. Meanwhile shop small and independent with the purchase of a Dean’s gift card for future use at the family-owned shop that’s been around since 1959. And check out what’s new online for graduates, then Father’s Day, then any old day at www.deansclothing.com.
Shop local and small! Keep in mind every day that small businesses are the driving force of our economy. They employ your/our friends and neighbors.
Thanks! Thanks for supporting all local businesses whenever possible. Many offer online service and sales, too, as well as curbside pickup. Plus, many will deliver “no hands touched” to your door.
Kreger’s Brat & Sausage Haus, 605 N. Ellsworth St., is open 11-2PM Friday and Saturday with curbside service. Just give them a call for the specials at (630) 355-4418.
Again, thanks for becoming acquainted with your local business community that’s connected online.
Check out independent Naperville businesses at www.indieboundnaperville.org.
And check out members of the Naperville Area Chamber of Commerce at www.naperville.net.
Visit yesterday today!
Check out PN’s website via old photos & prior events
A handy “search” tool at www.positivelynaperville.com (upper right corner) leads to photo galleries of previous parades, concerts and other annual events as well as many hyper local hyperlinks that depict Naperville, a hometown for nearly 150,000 residents that abounds with generous faith, hope and charity.
Now… Things to do in May!
- Remember teachers and graduates! Give a gift card for future shopping, dining or entertaining.
- Always prepare in advance to dig safely. If planning to plant gardens or build a new patio or put up a fence, be sure to call JULIE before you dig at 8-1-1.
- DuPage Children’s Museum offers story times and other things to do for families with young children, too.
- Write down your thoughts. Start a journal. Naper Settlement encourages folks, all ages, to keep a journal of experiences and how to deal with these pandemic times. Compare notes. Read. Tell jokes. Make up riddles.
- Safe DuPage presents ‘Helping People during the Coronavirus Pandemic’ at 6PM Tues., May 12! Kevin Coyne will moderate an online discussion focused on helping individuals harmed by the COVID-19 virus. Panelists will include DuPage Circuit Court Judge Jim McCluskey, DuPage Circuit Court Judge Ann Celine Walsh, State Representative Grant Wehrli, and Shoaib Khadri of the Islamic Center of Naperville. The discussion will include issues residents are facing as a result of the COVID-19 virus, how courts are responding, and social programs available to help those in need.
- Thank you, Dine Naperville! Consider supporting your favorite eatery sometime every week during this Stay-at-Home period. Visit www.dinenaperville.com for ready to serve to-go orders via Dine Naperville. Thanks for tipping, too.
- Quigley’s Irish Pub! Quigley’s menu with Irish fare and delicious Angus burgers is ready to go! Located at 43 E. Jefferson, Quigley’s is now open for curbside pick up Tuesdays through Saturdays until 7:30PM. To place an order, call (630) 428-4774.
- Plan together and create a daily itinerary of “Things to Do.” Clear an area on a table and begin working a jigsaw puzzle.
- Play charades. Play “Celebrity Fish Bowl” (Fun game for four or more individuals. Find rules online.). Play board games.
- Read recipe books. Cook. Bake.
- Find a deck of cards. Practice shuffling. Play solitaire. Deal for gin, bridge, euchre, go-fish, poker. Just deal! And try to deal with it all.
- KidsMatter Zoom Event. More than ever, mental health education to address this uncharted challenges is so important. KidsMatter will bring this message to you in your home via Zoom beginning at 7PM on Wed., May 13. Zoom in via http://bit.ly/2VQ78SA.
- Carillon Concert Rings for Frontline Responders. Beginning at noon Wednesdays enjoy a concert series performed on the 72-bell carillon nestled in the 160-ft. tower. Folks strolling along the Riverwalk are encouraged to enjoy, keeping 6′ social distance.
- Memorial Day, May 25, is a time to pay tribute to all individuals and their families for giving the ultimate sacrifice while serving in the military to protect the freedoms of the United States of America.
Thanks for being patient. Help spread kindness. Be safe. Stay well.
Consider gift cards for springtime…
- Shop online or via phone… Make a Downtown business’s day! Buy a gift card from your favorite Downtown Naperville business now, and enjoy later! Call the business from which you wish to order gift cards and they will mail them directly to you (many have special gift card and product deals, too). Need a list of downtown businesses? Here you go… www.downtownnaperville.com.
- If Downtown Naperville is one of your favorite destinations, be mindful to support local merchants now and as often as you can. Many shops and restaurants are open for curbside pick up, mindful of best practices and 6′ distancing.
- Check out giving opportunities and needs at Loaves & Fishes Community Services at www.loaves-fishes.org. Thanks to all!
- Enjoy special treats from DeEtta’s Bakery, open during regular hours with breads, cakes and other delicious pastries! DeEtta’s is accepting credit cards only in order to maintain a safe environment. Limited number of customers are allowed in bakery at a time and things will look slightly different for distancing purposes. Located at 428 W. Fifth Ave., curbside service is available upon request when orders are placed over the phone. Simply call ahead, (630) 548-4078. (Now!)
- Meson Sabika continues take-out service with menu specials including wine, spirits and beer from 11AM to 7:30PM. Located at 1025 Aurora Avenue, Meson Sabika is offering its carry-out and delivery menus. Advance orders can be placed via www.mesonsabika.com or by calling (630) 983-3000 x2. Editor’s Hint: Consider ordering signature dishes such as garlic potato salad and bacon wrapped dates and let the folks at Meson Sabika help you with the daily specials and other delicious menu selections. (Order now by credit card! Ask how to leave a tip. They won’t ask you!)
- Write to a Joe or Jane”or draw a picture to send to U.S. military serving overseas. Doodle Bug Workshop seeks cards, postcards, letters, notes, drawings, and words of encouragement to send to service women and men deployed overseas. Simply MAIL to the Naperville American Legion Post 43, Attn: Doodle Bug, PO Box 4 Naperville, IL 60566. Local veterans will be sure your thoughts get into the right hands. Thank you, American Legion, for sending the idea our way.
- Writing letters and/or sending greeting cards or postcards to all who serve during times of challenge just might make everybody feel better. Perhaps create a family project also to send notes of appreciation to Naperville Firefighters at Naperville Fire Department, 1350 Aurora Avenue, Naperville, IL 60540; Naperville Police at Naperville Police Department, 1350 Aurora Avenue, Naperville, IL 60540; or to the team of health care providers at Edward Hospital, 801 S. Washington Street, Naperville, IL 60540.
- Research “Fair Maps” for Illinois. Check out the “Change Illinois” Fair Maps Amendment Fact Sheet at www.changeil.org. It’s a Census 2020 year, a time when change can be made when voters go to the polls on Nov. 3. (Due to the pandemic, the Illinois State Legislature was not in session to address this important issue.)
- The Boxes Etc. Naperville in Cress Creek Square Shopping Center is ready to serve! Need hand sanitizer? Looking for gifts to send in special care packages? Find a variety of greeting cards and gifts ready to mail in store, too. Located at 790 Royal St. George, the independently-owned mail center is open during regular business hours, considered an essential business listed under the U.S. Department of Transportation.
- Support Naperville Helps! / Donate to the cause! Send lunch to healthcare providers & first responders. Thanks to everyone for your support! (This week & so on…)
- North Central College Fine & Performing Arts events in May have been canceled or rescheduled. An informative video with comments from North Central College President Troy Hammond addresses the response to the COVID-19 outbreak from Naperville’s college in the heart of the city. Congratulations, graduates!
- Remember! Park trails are open. Use the trails. Yet, playgrounds, sport courts and active park amenities for contact sports are closed by order of the State of Illinois. Use parks and trails for walking or taking in fresh air along with spring signs in nature. Enjoy the beauty and freedom of nature every day! Practice social distancing. Social distancing means 6 feet or more between individuals and not congregating or playing contact sports. Sports teams need time to play in spring and summer. Here’s hoping programs open soon. Play safely.
- DuPage County Health Department Suggests: Be prepared for any emergency, any time! In case you have to go to the hospital, consider creating an emergency contact list including family friends, neighbors, carpool drivers, healthcare providers, teachers, employers, the local public health department, and other community resources. Download a free template from FEMA here: www.fema.gov/media-library/assets/documents/133447
- While staying at home, perhaps you’ve uncovered keepsakes that would be better framed by Colbert Custom Framing & Art Printing for safe display. For details, call (630) 717-1448 or email service@colbertcf.com. Note: Colbert Custom Framing & Art Printing is currently operating under altered hours, offering curbside pick up for orders. Stephanie Corbert Randall and the team at Colbert Custom Framing look forward to working with you! (During business hours)
- Quigley’s Irish Pub in now re-opened for curbside pick-up Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 3-7PM as well as Friday & Saturday noon-7PM. Check the menu online, now with new family meals. Be prepared for bright changes when EDAQ (Every Day at Quigley’s) regulars return when local pubs again open later this spring. Hope! Hope! Sláinte! Thanks for calling (630) 428-4774. Beer and wine also available to go.
- And did you know? To save folks from a trip to the market, Quigley’s also has available for purchase with curbside pickup paper towels ($2) and toilet paper ($1.50) by individual roll, bleach ($4.50), sugar (4 lbs. $5), 100-count boxes Nitrile powder-free gloves ($8) and ketchup packets ($3). Simply add to orders to-go. (Tues. through Sat.)
Observe public health advice.
Wiggle your fingers & toes. Be safe. Be well.
- “Y on the Go” online offers classes and activities provided by YMCA of Metro Chicago. (From now on) Also note that all YMCA of Metro Chicago locations will be closed to its members through April 30. In addition, some of its local Ys have been converted into emergency shelters to house hundreds of displaced and homeless individuals. (Around the Clock)
- Donate / support needs at Edward-Elmhurst Health for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). (Now!)
- Naper Nuts & Sweets in downtown Naperville is available for curbside pickup from 10-5PM, Monday through Friday. FREE home delivery in Naperville. Phone orders only at (630) 355-5330. (During business hours)
- Naperville Park District Introduces NaperParks2You – a Webpage with Activities and Resources for Staying at Home… To help kids and adults stay busy and active while sheltering at home. (Around the Clock)
- Hugo’s Frog Bar & Fish House in Naperville continues current delivery + carry-out menu, and now has a new addition: family-style meals to feed four. To order, simply call (630) 548-3764. (During business hours)
- Dine Naperville features restaurants to whet every appetite. Whether tastes from around the world, farm to table or seafood to steaks, the Naperville restaurant community offers all the delicious menus.
Here’s hoping PN’s calendar of traditional events will go live soon…
Though the NMB Spring Concert was canceled, followed by cancellation of June and most of July concerts for now, band fans are hopeful the summer concert season will be as upbeat and memorable as usual when the big stage door goes up at 7:30PM Thursdays in Central Park, possibly in late July. Stay tuned for details about opening night. As Conductor Ron Keller says, “Music is for life!”
Thanks for reading PN Posts on “Latest News.” Please consider that all special fundraising events are canceled until further notice. Note unmet needs of local nonprofits continue every day. Thanks for donating when you can. Every donation helps somebody.
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We admit we have a huge bias toward good news and positive thoughts. More than ever, we appreciate everyone who contributes to our monthly publication, following our focus to bring our community together while we’re 6 feet apart.
Deal with facts!
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