Author: Fox Valley Magazine

The Kane County Sheriff’s Office issued the following press release related to the passing of KCSO’s K9 Arko: “It is with a heavy heart that we announce the passing of Kane County Sheriff’s Office German Shepherd K9 Arko, who retired on March 1, 2024. K9 Arko, who proudly served the office since September 30, 2016, passed peacefully, surrounded by his K9 handler, Lt. Wilgosiewicz, and other members of the K9 community. “K9 Arko was born on October 18, 2014, and imported from Hungary. K9 Arko served as an Explosive Detection K9 and was certified in obedience and handler protection. K9…

St. Patrick’s Day is nearly upon us, and for those who are of Irish descent or just fancy themsleves part o’ the clan, celebrating in a traditional Irish pub is the way to go. Enjoy traditional Irish Music, corned beef and cabbage, pints of Guinness and great craic. (For the uninitiated, “craic” is a commonly used term in Irish slang often used to describe a lively, fun social atmosphere.) Here are four Fox Valley venues that will have you pining for the olde sod in no time. Ballydoyle Irish Pub & RestaurantLocated in downtown Aurora, Ballydoyle Irish Pub & Restaurant…

An unusual number of fraud cases involving cryptocurrency reported since the end of February has prompted Naperville police to issue a warning. The message is straightforward: beware of people you’ve never met in person asking for money or personal information. Four cases totally nearly $750,000 in losses have been reported since February 29 and are not believed to be related to one another. Typically, Naperville’s financial crimes unit sees only two or three fraud cases involving cryptocurrency each month. “It’s unnerving to think about how convincing these scammers can be. They really play on people’s emotions, whether that’s love or…

Sandra Costa, a resident of Sugar Grove, has been crowned Mrs. Illinois International. Costa will now represent Illinois at the Mrs. International 2024 competition in Kingsport, Tenn., from July 26-27, 2024. Beyond the excitement and glamour, Costa’s journey to the Mrs. International stage has been fueled by a profound commitment to family values, community service, and raising awareness about domestic violence. In her year-long tenure as Mrs. Illinois International, Costa will collaborate with the WINGS Program, a Chicagoland-based nonprofit dedicated to providing housing, integrated services, education, and advocacy to end domestic violence (www.wingsprogram.com). As a survivor of domestic abuse herself,…

Three actors. One dead guy. All 37 plays in 97 minutes. Playhouse 38 presents “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)” from March 15-17 in Geneva. An all-female trio performers on meth (ok, they’re not on meth…they just seem to be) fly through all of Shakespeare’s plays in a 97-minute free-for-all that will leave you howling. “An irreverent, fast-paced romp through the Bard’s plays that is not to be missed!” Tickets are $15 in advance, $20 day-of. The show is directed by Christopher Corrigan and stars Nicole Borowski, Cynthia Martz, and Nickolena Sellen. Playhouse 38 is located at 321 Stevens…

New Orleans. The heat is sweltering, the liquor flows, and the secrets are thick as humidity. Pull up a chair and join the high-stakes game of cards. To your left is Stella Kowalski, married, loves her husband and will do anything for him. On your right is Stanley Kowalski, hard drinking, hard playing and hard fists that get used a lot. Across from you is Blanche DuBois, vulnerable, alone and ready to break. Tennessee Williams’ Pultizer Prize-winning masterpiece A Streetcar Named Desire confronts us with the tenuous relationship between reality and illusion, hope and despair and the brutal battle for…

BrightSide Theatre in Naperville presents its production of Ira Levin’s Deathtrap, the longest-running comedic thriller in Broadway history, and the fifth-longest-running Broadway play of all time. A playwright and his much younger former student each attempt to kill the other, so that one of them can claim sole authorship of the mystery play on which they’ve been collaborating. The humor and the many plot twists devised by Levin, author of the thrillers Rosemary’s Baby, The Boys From Brazil, and The Stepford Wives, have kept Broadway audiences laughing and on the edge of their seats for over four years. It was…

The Venue in Aurora will host a St. Patrick’s Day celebration and benefit featuring The Irish Mystics on Saturday, March 16. Dave Glynn, a veteran Irish singer songwriter and guitarist, heads up The Irish Mystics. The former leader of the Empty Can Band also goes by his full name, David Sean Glynn, for the special occasion. Band members include Rich Van Ham on harmonica, James “Chevy” Chevalier on bass, Wes Carr on fiddle and mandolin, and Mark Van Ham on drums. The Irish Mystics formed during the pandemic to raise funds for The Venue when the music room offered livestreamed…

It’s The Office week at The Comedy Vault in Batavia as David Koechner, known for his roles in The Office and Anchorman, and the ever-popular “The Office Trivia With Todd Packer” take the stage. The Office Trivia with Todd PackerMarch 14 What’s up my trivia nerds? Test your knowledge of The Office with the Pack-Man himself, David Koechner. Teams will compete for prizes – while also hearing behind-the-scenes stories from David about playing the hit show’s favorite obnoxious paper salesman (and Michael’s bff), Todd Packer. https://www.comedyvaultbatavia.com/shows/225777 David KoechnerMarch 15 – March 16 David Koechner, known for his roles in “The…

BG Hospitality Group, the owner of fine restaurants throughout the Fox Valley and Western Suburbs including Gia Mia, Livia, moto imoto and Fire+Wine, opened its third Ella’s Italian Pub in downtown Western Springs this weeked. The new venue, which serves creative Italian pub-style street food offerings along with an extensive wine list, is located at 4471 Lawn Avenue in Western Springs. (Photo credits Kevin Ketchum)