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So many St. Paddy’s events
St. Patrick's Day isn't until Tuesday, March 17 — but local spots are getting the party started early.
The centerpiece is the annual St. Charles St. Patrick's Parade on Saturday, March 14, with an opening ceremony at 11AM, Irish dancers, bagpipers, a shamrock hunt, and the parade itself stepping off at 2PM down Main Street.
But the local festivities start Monday (3/9) and stretch on for days, featuring everything from corned beef cook-offs and paint nights to bar parties and Irish-themed family strolls in the park. I’ve chronicled every event I could find for this week in the roundup linked below.
Also: If you’re a fellow history nerd, you might appreciate these photos from St. Charles St. Patrick’s Day Parades back in the day.
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👓 Spring is coming — and your eyes deserve better than gas station sunglasses
If you've been squinting through last year's scratched lenses or grabbing random sunglasses off the clearance rack, now's a good time to fix that.
Fox Valley Ophthalmology is running a Sunglass Sale all month offering 20-70% off a wide selection of frames at their St. Charles location. And on March 17 from 1-6PM, they're hosting a special in-store event with Maui Jim and Zeal Optics, where a brand rep will be on hand to help you find the right fit, lens type, and frame for how you actually use your sunglasses.
Whether you're after polarized lenses for driving, something rugged for outdoor activities, or just a pair that looks good and lasts, this is the right place to get it done right — from the #1 eye care experts in the Tri-Cities.
☑️ Coffee concept: The St. Charles Plan Commission recommended approval for a 7 Brew Coffee drive-thru location at Prairie Centre, bringing the chain — which has a highly popular Naperville location — one step closer to a local presence.
☑️ Violent incident: A 23-year-old St. Charles man faces attempted murder and multiple felony charges after brandishing a knife and charging at officers who responded to a disturbance on East Main Street late Friday night.
☑️ District decisions: A St. Charles D303 community committee reviewing more than $400M in school facilities needs is heading into its final two meetings before delivering a report to the school board — and a referendum could follow.
☑️ Return of the wild: Kane County's Burlington Prairie Forest Preserve reopens May 1, giving the public its first chance to see the six bison that returned to local prairie land last December.
☑️ Race research: Here’s an overview of the Democratic Primary race between candidates aiming to challenge Republican incumbent Kane County clerk John "Jack" Cunningham — and here’s an overview on the GOP candidates duking it out to compete against incumbent Democrat Alexi Giannoulias for IL Secretary of State.
☑️ Batman-like gadget: The Kane County Sheriff's Office successfully deployed a new vehicle-stopping net device called the Grappler for the first time, ending a pursuit without a crash in a residential area. Watch video of the action.