Here’s some new and old stuff (mostly old) that I haven’t commented on, but is worth mentioning:
- Adams Street Market bites the dust. It’s too bad this development didn’t live up to its hype. The owner of this store gave me a tour of it before it opened, and I thought it sounded like a good thing for the South Side which is grossly underserved for basic services like supermarkets. Regrettably, the service and food quality evidently went downhill fast, and now it’s closed. Bummer.
- The President is coming back to town, but apparently he isn’t going back to the Sterling Family Restaurant. Nope, it’s a private residence (which won’t be disclosed ahead of time for security reasons, natch), and it’s to help raise funds for Aaron Schock, Republican candidate for the 18th Congressional District seat being vacated by retiring Rep. Ray LaHood. Thank goodness Schock is getting some help — he only has $1.1 million in his war chest, poor guy. How will he ever compete with his challenger’s $280,000? If you’d like to go, tickets are $500. If you want your picture taken with the President, you’ll have to cough up a cool five grand. Hey, for $100, I’ll Photoshop you into a picture with the President and it will look just like you were there! Drop me an e-mail.
- The Heart of Illinois Fair opens Friday. I remember this being a much bigger deal when I was a kid. Have I lost interest because I’ve gotten older, or has it really just gotten less exciting overall?
- Diane Vespa reminds us that we could have had Paul Vallas giving us free consulting advice, but District 150 turned him away. So, while he’s improving test scores and lengthening days down in New Orleans, District 150 is shortening days and misusing Title I funds. Who needs him!
- Gatehouse Media, owner of the Journal Star and the Times-Observer, is losing money hand over fist, Billy Dennis informs us. This is bad news for Peoria. I hope they get the ship righted, or else sell off our newspapers to a company that will manage them better.
- The Chillicothe Police are endorsing Darin LaHood for State’s Attorney. LaHood also has the endorsements of the Peoria Police Union and the Peoria County Sheriff’s Union.
I was talking politics with a friend of mine. He asked me who I thought would win the State’s Attorney race. I said LaHood and he threw me a Blyleven-esque curve ball by saying he thought not only would Lyons win, but win by at least 10 points.
I don’t see it happening.
And in other news, the sky is blue, water is wet and the Pundit website is down.
Billy’s and about a dozen others.
“I don’t see it happening.”
Don’t underestimate the ‘caught and then released’ vote. Been a lot of em. I am sure they are grateful. Could give him an edge.
I swear blogpeoria goes down more often than a gay male hooker at a KOS convention.
Billy’s site developed a database error. Billy’s host contacted him. A database repair was performed and Billy’s site and a dozen others are back up and running.
And attendees at a Daily Kos convention are more likely to be openly gay, and attending with their partner. No, you will probably see more gay hookers at the GOP National Convention.
But thanks for the image, Vonster.
Mahkno and Mazr: Kevin Lyons can always count on plenty of support from the criminal defense attorneys. They absolutely love the guy. Seriously.
Don’t you have a bill to pay, Bill?
If I may change the subject for a moment….
I think the HOI Fair WAS a bigger deal back in the day. One summer I worked at a PPD Day Camp, and one day during the fair, the camp staff took the kiddies to the Fair (because the fair opened at 10 every day, they could do that). Sometime within the last 15 years or so, the decision was made to have the Fair only open on weekday evenings (poor attendance vs. expenses). Also, there used to be big name artists of all varieties (instead of local acts/tribute bands) — I can remember seeing REO Speedwagon there when I was in college, and for years Sunday Night was Contemporary Christian Music night. The concerts were free with admission to the park.
I also don’t remember it being quite as ridiculously expensive as it is nowadays. The last time we went as a family (3 paid admissions and an infant), I think we dropped close to $60, and I think we purchased a total of 6 ride tickets.
When you consider that you can go to either of the Six Flags for roughly a 3-hr drive and get in for under $30, I think it’s no wonder why the Fair has lost its charm and magic.
I haven’t been to the State Fair since around 1983 — has anyone been there in recent years? Does it seem to be weathering better or about the same as the HOI fair?
Martha,
The State Fair is still going strong. Not as great as it used to be but still by far the best fair around. I’d recommend not going on Republican or Democrat Day — as you’ll just have to deal with a large group of backslappers …. but it’s a great time.
Not to sound like a contratrian, but other than rides for the kiddies what does appeal does a fair have to an urban area such as Peoria? I can understand the interest in more rural areas steeped in agriculture. Guess I’m revealing that I’ve only been to the HOI fair twice in 42 years and those were back in my younger days. Unless there are going to be police present I have to wonder how rowdy a bunch of “toughs” are going to be this year.
Vonnie: Actually, no. Hosting bills are paid. As I stated.
I went to the HOI fair for the first time last year. Not so great. It reminded me of the Arizona State Fair in Phoenix-expensive, but far less gangbangers. I wonder how the staffs’ tattoo to teeth ratio stacks up against AZ? Maybe there will be more people at the HOI fair because traveling is pricey…I’d rather see a good movie though.
Just going by what the notice said earlier about an unpaid invoice.
selling pictures with the President for 5 grand sounds too much like renting the Lincoln Bedroom to me. The taxpayers should get a cut of that sort of stuff.
Hey Bill, your site is down again. Must be Comcast farking with you, eh?
I am only voting for Schock because he is a white guy.
I am supporting D. LaHood. How can you go wrong with a LaHood?
Now shut-up and pass the bourbon!
CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN! CUBS WIN!!!
“Mahkno and Mazr: Kevin Lyons can always count on plenty of support from the criminal defense attorneys. They absolutely love the guy. Seriously.
Left by Billy Dennis on July 11th, 2008”
Wow, did you take a poll? Did you even ask a single one? Where in the crap did you get that idea or your ‘info’? Seriously.
Grandma: They don’t need to ask, if it appears on this blog or any other by the same few commenters, then it must be true. Who needs facts? /end sarcasm
Not to get off topic, but has anyone else noticed how LAME the J-Star editorial section has become? All of the posted comments have become so wishy-washy it is beyond ridiculous!!!!!! Sure there were always the idiots who posted loads of garbage, but for every such posting there were always several hard-hitting comments!
J-Star [and several people who post on this site], probably think they have done a great job ‘cleaning up’! As if doing away with any form of anonymity sorts out the trash! LOOOOOSSSEEERRRSS.
Yeah, Em, I guess he didn’t understand that Mahkno meant the ‘catch and release’ vote as being citizens who never even saw a criminal defense attorney because they were never prosecuted. So let’s twist the thought and come up with something TOTALLY crazy! Geesh. Boggles me mind, it does!
So, G.A., who is Kevin voting for? Just curious.
Why don’t you ask Kevin?
As for me . . . I’ll never tell. Both Kevin and Darin are friends of mine, and I need to play them off each other for my vote. 🙂
But Bill, seriously . . . you shouldn’t lump all defense attorneys together on issues like this. For instance, another friend of mine (and supporter of your site), John Vespa, might be surprised to learn that, by virtue of being a defense attorney, he will now be supporting a Democrat. 🙂
OK, mea culpa. Not all defense attorneys. Just a bunch of them. Seems to me a really good S.A. would have defense attorneys mumbling under their breathm much like a judge who hands out stiff sentences.
Have ta be honest, Bill. They got ya on this one. I read this thread to John and he thought you were full of sh**. How would you know who defense attorney’s are supporting?
Why ask Kevin? I am an Assistant PD as well. I only care about my vote. And no, defense attorneys do not mutter under their breath based on a particular S.A. nor judges who ‘hands out stiff sentences.’ You should job shadow a PD or defense attorney one day just to see what their day actually entails. It’s about protected one’s constitutional rights, not just getting ‘creeps’ off. But I suppose you know already everything. 🙂
Grandma’s Attic: “But I suppose you know already everything.”
Well, I try. 😉