Your Guide to Easter Brunch in the Lincoln-Way Area

This Easter, celebrate at one of the many local restaurants hosting a holiday brunch.

Easter is just around the corner and several local restaurants are hosting a holiday brunch.  Check out the list below for a round up of nearby Easter brunches being held March 31. Where: 40 Kansas St., Frankfort When: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Cost: Brunch is a la carte, with prices ranging from $7.99-14.99 per item. Highlights: Enjoy open-faced omelettes, frittatas and chicken parmesan. Francesca's is also offering a children's menu. Where: 10160 191st St., Mokena When: 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Cost: $15.95 per person from 9-10 a.m. only, $21.95 for adults after 10 a.m., $12.95 for children under 12 years, reservations required Highlights: This brunch includes London broil and shrimp scampi, along with several more traditional brunch items. The …

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Editor's Notebook

Francesca's Asks: What Local Musicians Should Perform on Our Patio?

The Italian restaurant in downtown Frankfort is asking customers to suggest some outdoor, musical entertainment. Tell us who you think should play Francesca's patio this summer, and Frankfort Patch editor Joe Vince will pass along the names.

It's an undeniable fact of the universe: If you're someone who's really into the kind of music you enjoy, someone who needs to be in charge of the stereo every time you're in the car, someone who just doesn't listen to the sounds commercial radio says are popular, then you're someone who's always had a desire—secret or otherwise—to be DJ. And if that sounds like you, then the small, informal survey question that the people at Francesca's Fortunato asked on their Facebook page is a dream come true: What local musicians would you be interested coming to see perform on our patio this summer?? That's right, Francesca's is giving its customers—or at least, anyone who follows the Italian restaurant's status updates—the opportunity to possibly …

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Board OKs Downtown Projects for State Grant

Using money from a $400,000 state grant, the village will create a new parking lot near Prairie Park and make improvements around Breidert Green.

After almost two weeks of gathering public comments, the Frankfort Village Board approved Monday four downtown improvement projects that will be funded by a $400,000 state grant. The village recently received a state Department of Commerce and Economic Development grant that could be used for capital improvements to Frankfort's downtown.  The improvements that the board passed included:  Enhancements to the stage area on Breidert Green were added to the original proposal after a recent public comments session, said Village Administrator Jerry Ducay. The estimated cost of those improvements is about $30,000, he added. Although the engineer estimates given by the village equal more than $400,000, the actual costs of these projects usually …

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Leftover Grant Money Could be Used on Breidert Green Stage

The village is exploring the possibility of making improvements to the Green's stage if there are remaining funds from a $400,000 state grant.

Remaining money from a state grant could end up going to improvements to the Breidert Green stage, said a village official Thursday.  Last week, the Frankfort Village Board looked over proposals for how to spend a recently received $400,000 state Department of Commerce and Economic Development grant. At a Department of Operations meeting Wednesday, the possibility of using any leftover grant funds on the Green's stage, said Village Planning Supervisor Zach Brown at Thursday's Plan Commission meeting. READ: What to Do With $400K? Village Board Looks at How to Spend Grant Money Here are the current proposals for the grant money:  Although the engineer estimates given by the village equal more than $400,000, Brown said the actual costs of …

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Editor's Notebook

Is the Village Using its Grant Money on the Right Downtown Improvements?

Frankfort officials have $400,000 thanks to a state grant, and they've laid out four projects. What do you think about those plans?

Last week, the Frankfort Village Board looked over proposals for how to spend a recently received $400,000 state Department of Commerce and Economic Development grant. Now the public gets its turn to weigh in on the planned downtown improvements at a meeting today at 6:30 p.m. at the village administrative offices. There also will be a public hearing at 6:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 17, at the Frankfort Police Staton before the board votes on approving what to do with grant money. Here's what's on the table:  So far public response has been reserved, to say the least. Most residents have appreciated simply being asked for their opinions, said Mayor Jim Holland, who has been talking to people about the improvements.   "It's not so much that (the …

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What to Do With $400K? Village Board Looks at How to Spend Grant Money

With four downtown improvement projects are under consideration, Frankfort officials will seek opinions from residents and downtown business owners before they decide how to use the grant.

It's a nice decision for the Village of Frankfort to have to make, figuring out how to spend $400,000. The Village Board reviewed plans Monday for how to spend a $400,000 state Department of Commerce and Economic Development grant on downtown improvements.  At a Committe of the Whole meeting, the board considered the four possible projects that the grant would fund: Village officials will be talking with residents and downtown business owners this week about the projects, and the public will be able to comment on the plans at a series of meetings, open houses and public hearings. The first opportunity will be at the Departmental Operations Committee meeting Oct. 12. Open houses to review the projects will be Oct. 14 and 17, and a public …

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Fall Fest: Storms Cut First Full Day Short

Late afternoon rain forces arts and crafts vendors to close early.

Arts and crafts vendors and the carnival at Frankfort Fall Festival were forced to pack up early Saturday as a series of rainstorms moved through the area.  Although the rain made for a wet afternoon, the event had a fairly standard opening day, said festival chairman Mark Giovanazzi. If anything, Saturday's early humid conditions were probably more of a deterrent for people than the downpour, he added. READ: A Fall Fest Schedule of What's Happening When "(Attendance) was slightly lighter because of the heat," Giovanazzi said. "Because of that, I think a lot of people are just shifting their shopping to Sunday and Monday when it's supposed to be nicer." Early in the day, many attendees took advantage of the shaded tents on Breidert Green, …

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