Joy to Naperville! Joyful signs throughout the city proclaim the joyous season of giving from one subdivision to the next. Enjoy brightly lighted front and side yards that twinkle while everybody’s quickly preparing for Santa’s big day with less time than usual between Thanksgiving and Christmas Eve.
Yet, the reason for the season reigns true where faithful spirit shines throughout the community. And though this publication has said it many times many ways, there’s always unity in community.
Certainly everyone onboard a Naperville Trolley for one of its annual Holiday Light Tours will experience the enjoyment of linking the community altogether N.E.W.S. and throughout the Grand Illumination in downtown Naperville. For more info about public tours or private bookings for up to 30 individuals, simply visit napervilletrolley.com.
The Beach, a Riverwalk and Moser Tower
Imagined in the 1900s to commemorate milestones for 1931, 1981 and 2000, Centennial Beach, the Riverwalk and the Moser Tower with its 72-bell Millennium Carillon sometimes have been referred to as “Naperville’s three gifts to itself.” Certainly since the year 2000, the City and the Naperville Park District have devoted time and major dollars to keep those three local icons safe and maintained.
As the community ages, so go its sidewalks in well-established neighborhoods (aka “subdivisions”) throughout our city. Beginning this month, this publication is set on its heels to raise awareness while aiming for local tax revenues to better support repairs and ongoing maintenance for the safety of everyone who regularly uses city sidewalks for daily exercise. Leveling sidewalk squares to eliminate trip hazards will help prevent slip falls, trips to the ER, sprained wrists, broken bones, and blaming oneself for not paying attention to what’s underfoot when wanting to look up at all that surrounds us.
For nearly two years, we’ve been concerned about the aging condition of local sidewalks that were, quite frankly, one of our attractions to this community nearly 35 years ago. During a recent conversation with Bill Novack, Director of Transportation, Engineering and Development, our thoughts were welcomed, and quite by coincidence, concerns about deteriorating sidewalks had been on his mind, too.
PN Square Scoop
Moving right along… If you use your email and frequent social media, consider signing up of PN’s Square Scoop, a used-to-be once-daily communique that now aims to respect your time by being less frequent. Needing to pivot here and there, the Square Scoop keeps readers apprised of events and other information that arrives in between issues of this monthly publication in print. Though sometimes stories online end up in print, PN typically has an abundance of fresh content for our monthly publication.
One thing we know. We are communicators and photographers more than journalists. That’s why we prefer to preview what’s ahead rather than review what’s already happened. That said, our online photo galleries tell stories better than our words. Find those galleries online after parades, Naperville Municipal Band concerts and special events such as the Noon Lions Club Turkey Trot.
We regularly attend City Council meetings and we’re passionate about the Naperville Riverwalk. We not-so-regularly attend school board and park district meetings, but we watch them streaming online. Right now we’re having conversations with the City of Naperville and the Senior Task Force to plan the nonpartisan City Council Forum in February in time for the Consolidated Election on April 1, 2025.
Happy Holidays
For now, it’s time for the holidays when many of us try to slow down, mindful of the best gifts we ever got. Thanks to Tim, songs of the season again are featured on our December cover. Personally, I enjoy boldly singing the one-liners from the top of the tree to the bottom more than a few times. Note that we added another line made famous by Bing Crosby in White Christmas that seems perfectly fitting for the New Year… Count your blessings instead of sheep.
Thanks for reading… Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!
– Stephanie Penick
PN Publisher
