🍺 Lucky Joe’s now open in Batavia

A popular local gathering place has been resurrected, much to the community’s delight.

In a social media post published on Monday, Lucky Joe’s (formerly Gammon Coach House) announced that it has opened — with local food Truck Fernando’s Street Kitchen on site to serve dinner Monday and Wednesday of this week.

This post shows footage of the revamped outdoor patio and renovated indoor bar area.

The plan was always to close and rebrand under the same ownership. Originally slated to open in late spring, the timeline was evidently delayed a bit — but that didn’t stop the brewpub from teasing the opening in a series of social posts over the last several weeks.

Worth mentioning:

• The patio will remain dog-friendly

• They plan to serve food once the kitchen staff is fully trained. Follow their social channels for updates.

• View their up-to-date beer menu (which includes Maine Lunch — perhaps my all-time favorite beer)

• The establishment has previously stated that it will honor all Gammon Coach House gift certificates upon reopening

• Stroll down memory lane with this 2011 article announcing the original Gammon Coach House grand opening

Fernando’s will be at Lucky Joe’s this Saturday (8/17) from 4-8PM serving dinner as well.

📰 News to use

☑️ Detour alert: The Route 31 underpass in Geneva reopens tomorrow (8/16) — but the Third Street railroad crossing will close for six weeks starting Monday (8/19). Western Avenue at Fabyan Parkway will close for five weeks starting Monday as well.

☑️ Puffball power: Veteran TCC subscribers may recall reading that Illinois was considering designating the “giant puffball mushroom” as an official state symbol. That’s now been signed into law.

☑️ Cosmic mysteries: Scientists at Fermilab in Batavia are one step closer to understanding supernovae and black holes after recording a milestone observation with its DUNE prototype particle detector.

☑️ Stopped in its tracks: Geneva City Council denied the controversial Verizon cell tower project on Randall Road.

☑️ Mosquito control: Both Geneva and St. Charles conducted mosquito spraying operations after one of the insects tested positive for West Nile in Geneva.

☑️ Financial flexibility: Thanks to a new Illinois law, parents can now roll unused money from college savings accounts (Bright Start and Bright Directions) into a Roth IRA.

🏘️ In the community

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☑️ Aurora borealis sightings: Several people in the Tri-Cities area shared photos of the Northern Lights, which were visible on Sunday night.

☑️ Civic preparedness: The St. Charles Public Library is hosting a voter registration drive on Saturday (8/17) for local residents age 18 and older.

☑️ Summer refresher: Geneva’s Persinger Recreation Center will be closed to visitors from August 19-23 (the gym will be closed for three weeks) for deep cleaning and maintenance.

🔒 Local pigskin: The Kane County Chronicle digs into five juicy storylines that will affect the upcoming high school football season.

☑️ Special delivery: Kane County recently sent a permanent Vote by Mail application to all registered voters (along with other election information).

☑️ Outdoor art: The Geneva Public Library celebrated the addition of a new interactive garden kaleidoscope sculpture to the courtyard area on its north side. See photos here.

🎸 Live music

If my sources are correct, Matt Keen is playing a Friday night show at Pollyanna, returning to Pollyanna on Saturday afternoon for a solo performance, then packing up and heading to Sidecar Supper Club for a night show in Batavia.

Dude is a worker (and crazy talented).

Aside from that, here’s the weekend lineup of live music performances at all the usual venues.

_{LOCAL SPONSOR SPOTLIGHT}

🍁 Sharpen your style with curated fall finds

Autumn’s arrival is still a few weeks away, but the enchanting spirit of fall is already alive and well at The Little Traveler. Now’s the time to head to Geneva’s original specialty shop to discover its carefully curated collection of one-of-a-kind seasonal items.

💥 Need a knife sharpened? Drop your cutlery off at The Little Traveler during August to have it sharpened by a repair expert.

🏬 Local biz

☑️️ New beginning: Chianti’s in Geneva has reopened in its new location. See its hours and pictures of the new space.

☑️️ Heartwarming program: St. Charles-based McNally's Heating and Cooling will provide free home comfort systems to families in need as part of the Lennox Feel the Love initiative.

☑️️ Dance party: A Step Above Dance Academy in Batavia is reopening on Saturday (8/17) with a big, family-friendly celebration — complete with a bounce house and food/drink from local vendors.

🗓️ Events & things to do

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☑️ Elburn Days | Fri 8/16 - Sun 8/18 | Lions Park, Elburn | A proper summer festival with carnival rides, live entertainment, bingo, food vendors and a beer garden.

🎟️ 2024 Annual Car Show | Sat 8/17, 9AM-3PM | Batavia VFW | See classic cars while enjoying food, drinks, raffles and more.

☑️ Rummage Sale | Sat 8/17, 9AM - Sun 8/18, 5PM | Lola Hair Salon, Geneva | This going-out-of-business sale will feature furniture, decor, office supplies and more.

🎟️ The Vikings are Coming! | Sat 8/17, 10AM-3:45PM | Good Templar Park, Geneva | See the hand-built, 78-foot Norwegian Viking ship and hear its historic story.

🎟️ Blueberry Fest & Corn Boil | Sat 8/17 & Sun/8/18, 10AM-6PM | Windy Acres Farm, Geneva | Farm-fresh food, a beer garden, live music and kids’ activities galore.

☑️ Prairie Fest 2024 | Sat 8/17, 11AM-3PM | Historic Corron Farm, Campton Hills | Head out for wagon rides, farm tours, live music, BBQ and all kinds of family activities.

☑️ Pup Passport Adoption Event | Sat 8/17, 11AM-3PM | Downtown Geneva | Meet adorable adoptables from Anderson Humane while shopping at local businesses.

🎟️ Geneva Winery Wine & Beer Festival | Sat 8/17, 1-10PM | Downtown Batavia | A full day of fine wine, local beer, live music and good times on the scenic Batavia riverfront.

☑️ Boardstock | Sun 8/18, 1-4PM | Batavia Boardwalk Shops | Design your own trucker hat, enjoy live music and more.

🌖 Weather snapshot

🌩️ Today: High 80F | Low 68F | Dark n’ stormy

🌥️ Friday: High 81F | Low 61F | Cloudy + humid

🌥️ Saturday: High 76F | Low 62F | Breezy, some sun

🌤️ Sunday: High 81F | Low 61F | Beautiful

📖 Thanks for reading

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