Good News Sunday: Dear Donuts in St. Charles aims to be late-night hangout with Asian-style treats

This is Good News Sunday, a compilation of some of the more upbeat and inspiring stories published recently by the Daily Herald:

Dear Donuts opened a few weeks ago on Randall Road in St. Charles, and managers (and sisters) Sue Park and Sophie Kim have already established the location as a place for people to enjoy coffee, tea and Korean brioche doughnuts.

"We always baked as a hobby, and right now in Korea these cream doughnuts are really popular," said Park. "I have seen them on the West Coast, and they are popping up on the East Coast, but you don't see much like these brioche doughnuts around here unless you go to Chicago."

Some of the flavors they offer include vanilla, choco crunch, lemon meringue, ube cream and strawberry milk cream.

Park was born in South Korea, but came to Geneva with her family when she was 10 years old.

"In growing up here, we noticed there wasn't a place to purchase Asian products or desserts," she said. "You would have to travel to Glenview or the Schaumburg area."

The sisters are hoping to make Dear Donuts, which also offers bubble tea and Korean corn dogs, a popular late-night hangout for Asian-style treats.

For the full story, click here.

Eagle Scout's project honors veterans whose cremated remains were never claimed

Cooper Merrinette wanted to leave a lasting impression to cap his quest to become an Eagle Scout.

When his father, Jeff, read a story about unclaimed cremated remains of military veterans at funeral homes around the country, the Downers Grove South High School junior found the perfect project.

"We need to honor these men who sacrificed so much by fighting for the freedom of our country," Merrinette said. "I feel that's part of my duty as a Scout, to pay reverence to them."

Cooper, 16, spent the last several months organizing a memorial ceremony for seven veterans whose cremated remains have been stored for decades, unclaimed by relatives, at the Knollcrest-Steuerle Chapel in Villa Park.

The remains were later expected to be driven to Abraham Lincoln National Cemetery in Ellwood, where they will be interred with full military honors.

"This has been really well done. I'm really proud of (Cooper)," Villa Park Village President Nick Cuzzone said. "These seven people, I think it's a reminder to us that we need to honor them for what they did for our country."

For the full story, click here.

Wheeling library's maker-in-residence program lets patrons help create public art

If you've ever marveled at a painting, a sculpture or another artistic creation and wondered how artists do what they do, head to the Indian Trails Public Library any Tuesday or Thursday afternoon through mid-July.

There, in the first-floor space known as the Launch Pad, you'll find sculptor Anastasia Sitnikov working on a piece that eventually will be prominently displayed at the library.

Sitnikov, a Buffalo Grove resident and an Indian Trails cardholder, is the first maker-in-residence at the library, 355 Schoenbeck Road. She was chosen from among seven applicants to create art in public - and with the public's assistance. Acrylic objects created by library patrons in the Launch Pad will be incorporated into Sitnikov's sculpture.

"I like the challenge (of sculpting)," said Sitnikov, who now teaches art at Harper and other colleges.

Pending library board approval, the piece will be displayed on a second-floor wall near the entrance to the Muriel Lischett Reading Room.

For the full story, click here.

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