Downers Grove Issue July-Aug 2024
Charitable Giving: DuPage County’s predicted wealth transfer has huge implications
By Dave McGowan The 2020 Illinois Transfer of Wealth Study reveals an astonishing trend: DuPage County residents are transferring more wealth than ever before, and this unique moment won’t last forever. We’re now in the final five years before we reach the peak at the end of 2028. Back in 2005, only 6% of DuPage…
Read MoreDraft Day OK for J.J.
Naz star ready to start NFL career with Vikings By Jeff Vorva While many members of Nazareth Nation gathered in the Stadium in McCook for a J.J. McCarthy watch party on the night of the NFL Draft, they were nervous and anxiously awaiting to find out where their hero would go and to what team.…
Read MoreA Fair to Remember
It’s 70 years for DuPage County Fairground’s signature celebration By Maureen Callahan For more than a century and a half, the DuPage County Fair has drawn tens of thousands of Illinois residents for old-fashioned family fun. July 25-28th marks the 70th anniversary of the event being hosted at the DuPage County Fairgrounds in Wheaton. The…
Read MoreThe Perfect Taste of Summer
A hot summer day, time by the pool or beach, or an evening at home means you need something to sip on. Try out one of these drink recipes for the summertime. By Mia Jones The Salty Dog Cocktail A zesty and refreshing summer drink Ingredients: 1 ½ ounces of gin or vodka 3 ounces…
Read MoreA Page Out of History: Downers Grove’s Baseball History
BY MAUREEN CALLAHAN I PHOTOS COURTESY OF DOWNERS GROVE MUSEUM Baseball. It’s the American game. Not only is it the country’s earliest seriously organized sport (there were cricket leagues before it), but, as Civil War and baseball historian Bruce Allardice points out, the game helped heal a fractured country after a war. The Downers Grove…
Read MoreNazareth Academy Roadrunners return with hopes of defending their repeat state titles
By Anna Hughes It takes a lot to make a great baseball player: determination, grit, talent, and commitment. The Nazareth Academy varsity team has lots of those. They’re the back-to-back IHSA 3A state champions (2022 and 2023). With two trophies in just two years, they’re a force to be reckoned with. Led to victory by…
Read MoreSummer is right around the corner, and we’ve rounded up the best events of the summer including live music, fresh food, and family fun.
Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Paramount Theatre April 24-June 16 paramountaurora.com Enjoy an evening at one of Chicagoland’s most highly esteemed theatres for their production of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical. This Tony and Grammy-award-winning show tells the true story of King’s rise to fame, starting from her days dreaming of stardom in Brooklyn. Set…
Read MoreA Downers Grove North alumna who has appeared twice on Jeopardy! Who is Erin Portman?
By Maureen Callahan l Photos courtesy of Jeopardy! Downers Grove North alumna and Plainfield High School teacher Erin Portman has a lot of curiosity about life. Portman knows at least a little about a lot of topics. She recently put her acquired knowledge to good use, playing a game that focuses on inklings of vast…
Read MoreA local 24-year-old’s expertise in typewriters led to a thriving business and book
By Valerie Hardy Lucas Dul is a self-described simple person with a passion for complex machinery – specifically typewriters. Dul’s interest in typewriters may come as a surprise, however, given that he is only 24 years old. Though a digital native, Dul loves “all things analog.” The lifelong Downers Grove resident first became aware of…
Read MoreTop Shelf: Pasta Pappone makes for a delicious dinnertime… anytime
By Valerie Hardy Though neither is Italian, Jon and Mary Beth Mulholland created a lucrative pasta business lauded for its products’ authenticity, efficiency, and – most importantly – taste. The Naperville couple headquartered their gourmet-flavored pasta business in Downers Grove, but over the past few years, the brand has made a name for itself nationwide.…
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