Bradley University

Bradley reaches out to geriatric alums, books Leno for homecoming

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I received the following press release today from Bradley University:

Jay Leno will headline Bradley Homecoming

Peoria, IL (July 26, 2010) Late night television superstar Jay Leno will be the headline entertainer at Bradley University’s Homecoming on Saturday, October 16 in the university’s new on-campus arena. The arena will be dedicated during Homecoming.

“We are very excited to bring a recognized comedian and entertainer like Jay Leno to help dedicate our arena,” Bradley University President Joanne Glasser said. “Jay Leno will be a marvelous attraction for our alumni, our students and community members, helping make the 2010 Homecoming a special celebration.”

Leno became host of NBC’s The Tonight Show with Jay Leno in 1992, replacing the legendary Johnny Carson. Leno began his career in nightclubs, where he worked 300 nights a year before hitting it big as a frequent guest and then hosting The Tonight Show. Despite his television commitment, he continues to perform live a clubs and venues over 150 nights a year. He has appeared on television, acted in several films, wrote a number of books and is one of the most recognizable figures in the entertainment industry. A 2009 Harris Poll named the Emmy Award winning comedian America’s Favorite TV Personality.

Homecoming will kick-off on October 13 with the traditional lighting of the “B” atop Bradley Hall. Other activities over the four-day event include a tailgate party and bonfire, a Saturday soccer game against the University of Central Arkansas, “Midnight Madness” basketball practice for both the men’s and women’s teams, dedication ceremonies for the new arena, campus and arena tours, Late Night BU for students and alumni, an alumni luncheon, and much more.

The $50 million arena, opening this fall, is a 4500-seat venue that will host major campus activities as well as serve as home to Bradley athletics. The arena houses athletic offices, state-of-the-art practice, training/conditioning facilities, the athletics hall of fame and other features, along with serving as home court for both the women’s basketball and volleyball teams. The structure was built on the site of the historic Robertson Memorial Field House, a venue where the University hosted major concerts and athletic events for six decades. The arena is one of the capital improvements that are the focus of The Campaign for a Bradley Renaissance launched in April 2008 with a goal of $150 million.

Ticket information for Jay Leno’s appearance will be released when it becomes available.

Jay Leno? Bradley is obviously not trying to appeal to young people with that move. This is aimed directly at the aging baby boomers who just love Leno’s … “humor.” They’re the ones with the bucks, seeking immortality by getting their names on things like recreation centers. So, from a fundraising perspective, this is a good move on Bradley’s part.

Still, it’s too bad they couldn’t book a classier act for this event. Like a real comedian, for instance.

City of Peoria, Peoria County

County is better run than City? Not anymore.

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In Karen McDonald’s Sunday Journal Star article about the status of “uni-gov” negotiations between the City and County, she had a lengthy quote from Peoria County Treasurer Tripp O’Connor:

“We live within our means. The (city) lives how they want to live. We’ve done everything right,” O’Connor said.

He called the uni-gov concept a “bailout to save one government” that lacks a solid financial structure.

O’Connor said he’s only in favor if both city and county governments “start from scratch and design and build a government that can operate effectively in modern times.”

“I am not in favor of combining a well run organization with a poorly run organization. I am in favor of having a single cost-effective government structure that could operate financially responsibly and serve the citizens of Peoria County.”

I used to feel this way about Peoria County, but not anymore. Not since they made the same mistake as the City in backing a $6.6 million loan for Firefly, for which they’re now liable. Not since they decided to pursue non-core services like museums to the tune of $40 million. Not since they decided to break their word to the taxpayers and agree to build the proposed Peoria Riverfront Museum before all the money had been raised and collected, putting taxpayers at increased risk. Not since they decided to rebuild Belwood Nursing Home at a time when tax revenue is declining.

No, Peoria County is embarking on the same path that the City of Peoria has been on for a long time. They’ve decided they’re going to “live how they want to live,” to use O’Connor’s words. The days of fiscal conservatism at the County are over.

Uncategorized

Spammers with a sense of humor

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As I was checking my spam filter tonight to make sure there weren’t any real messages before emptying, I came across this one that made me laugh:

HELP! I’m currently being held prisoner by the Russian mafia … and being forced to post spam comments on blogs and forum! If you don’t approve this they will kill me…. They’re coming back now…. Please send help!

It’s nice to see spammers not taking themselves so seriously for a change. On the other hand, perhaps this is how the Russians are choosing to torture and humiliate their recently deported spies.

Public Services - General, Transportation

Tribune Poll: Suburbia puts public transit ahead of road expansion

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Here’s a positive sign that the tide is shifting in America toward more sustainable methods of transit. From the Chicago Tribune:

Reflecting the increasing strain of gridlocked traffic, a majority of Chicago-area residents think improving bus and train service is so important to the region that repairing and expanding expressways and toll roads should take a back seat, a Tribune/WGN poll shows.

Most suburbanites support investing more in mass transit than roads, sharing the long-held stance of a large majority of city residents, the poll found. Suburban residents also said they are driving less and taking more advantage of expanded suburban train and bus service in communities where the automobile has been king.

Drivers who said they would back spending more on mass transit cited the growing stress associated with congestion; high gasoline prices; and, to a lesser degree, the environmental and financial benefits of riding transit instead of inhaling belching emissions from cars.

City of Peoria

Water line break on Sheridan; Maywood flooded

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The folks on Maywood Avenue to the east of Sheridan have waterfront property tonight. There’s a break in a water line on Sheridan Road that is sending a heavy stream down both sides of Maywood, flooding driveways and front yards. Sheridan is closed from Maywood to Forrest Hill while crews work to fix the leak. Passersby can see the water bubbling up about a foot in the air like a fountain from the broken pavement.

Radio

WAZU simulcasting Cabool station

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There’s a new radio station on Peoria’s dial: WAZU 90.7 FM. Since I read about it in Steve Tarter’s column in the Journal Star, I’ve been checking it out regularly. It’s “a non-commercial station operated by Illinois Central College.” The format is community radio, which is described by Wikipedia as “a third model of radio broadcasting beyond commercial and public service.”

The station is just getting started, which is obvious from all the signal drops over the past few weeks (it’s gotten much more stable in the past week or so). Tarter quoted ICC President John Erwin as saying, “We’re in the beta stage working out all the engineering pieces.” During this “beta stage” they are also doing no original broadcasting, but instead simulcasting KZGM (KZ-88) out of Cabool, Missouri.

The programming is pretty diverse (in type and style, if not political viewpoint). Unlike commercial and public radio stations, community radio doesn’t limit itself to one musical format. Music on WAZU/KZGM runs the gamut from Bing Crosby (who has a whole one-hour show dedicated to him Saturday mornings), to rock ‘n roll of the 50s and 60s, to Trance Music and progressive music, to folk music, to local musicians.

There are also a number of local (for Cabool) music and talk programs; in fact, more local programming than anything we’ve seen around Peoria in decades. The talk programming is not just news, but also gardening, puzzles, schools, health, etc. The news programming is decidedly liberal; they make NPR sound like Fox News. National news shows include Pacifica Radio’s “Free Speech Radio News” and “Democracy Now.” The narrow political viewpoint is a concern to at least one listener who has contacted me, saying:

From the December 17, 2009, ICC Board of Trustees meeting minutes, page 3, “Dr. Robert Ehrich commented that he is concerned with political views, and Dr. Erwin responded that the commentator is restricted from giving political opinions.” […] So far, it’s the only thing that I’ve heard on WAZU FM. I’m curious if WAZU will program a wide variety of political viewpoints, or not.

I don’t know if this answers my reader’s question, but according to WAZU’s new website:

WAZU hosts, who are referred to as “programmers”, are to be accorded the maximum amount of editorial freedom possible. The only requirement is that they adhere to WAZU’s mission statement, all programming must be educational and non-commercial, must serve the cultural welfare of the community, and must contribute (or at the very least not be a detriment) to a lasting understanding between nations and between the individuals of all nations, races, creeds and colors.

I’m looking forward to hearing what kind of local programming will be produced here in Peoria. So far, I’ve found community radio to be a welcome addition to Peoria’s radio dial, offering something completely different from existing radio stations. The Cabool hosts are interesting and entertaining; hopefully Peoria hosts will be also.

In other radio news, Peoria Pundit is reporting that four local FM stations have changed ownership recently.

City Council, City of Peoria

Firefly bankruptcy may cost taxpayers “only” $2.5 million

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I received this press release from the City of Peoria this afternoon:

Peoria, Illinois, (July 23, 2010) – We have placed on the City Council Agenda for July 27, 2010, a request for approval to satisfy the City/County obligation to PNC Bank by jointly paying $500,000 to the Firefly Bankruptcy Estate and jointly paying $2 Million to PNC Bank. We believe that this course of action will result in considerable savings to the taxpayers of the City and County of Peoria.

We would like to point out that the $500,000 settlement with the Bankruptcy Estate remains subject to approval from the Bankruptcy Court. The proposed agreement with PNC Bank and a third-party buyer also remains contingent to sensitive negotiations which are on-going. We are optimistic that those negotiations will be successful and that the Firefly matter may be resolved quickly, and that the City and County will have to pay substantially less than the $6.6 Million that had been at risk.

So, we’ll be losing $2.5 million instead of $6.6 million. I have mixed feelings. On the one hand, yes, I’m glad our losses appear to have been greatly mitigated. But on the other hand, we’re losing $2.5 million! I wonder what the City will do to make up their $1.25 million share of the loss….

Still no word from David Leitch.

City Council, City of Peoria, Comcast, Television

City to temporarily extend Comcast franchise agreement … again

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Comcast’s 20-year cable franchise agreement with the City of Peoria expired in April 2006. Since then, that franchise agreement has been extended temporarily numerous times while the City and Comcast have been negotiating a new agreement. Tuesday, the council will consider a request to extend it once again — this time until November 30, 2010. The reason is so we can see what kind of agreement Comcast makes with other communities in Illinois (Rockford, Champaign, and Urbana). City staff believes this will somehow be advantageous to Peoria.

Meanwhile, Comcast has jettisoned oversight and execution of public access (technically known as “PEG”) programming, off-loading it to the City, which has in turn outsourced it to a third-party organization. Comcast has also closed their local customer service center. And Comcast can, at any time, get a franchise agreement from the State of Illinois, thanks to legislation pushed through by AT&T.

Comcast, thanks to the complicity of the State, has the City over a barrel. So, all these extensions appear to be only delaying the inevitable: a franchise agreement on Comcast’s terms. It’s hard to see what good these temporary extensions are doing.

City of Peoria, General News

Fresh Market plans to open August 25

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The new Fresh Market grocery store in Westlake Shopping Center recently told the City’s Liquor Commission that they intent to open August 25. The store will be 23,000 square feet, with 500 to 800 feet (approx. 2-4%) dedicated to liquor sales. There will be no requirement that they hire an off-duty police officer to act as a security guard from 2:30 to closing, like the liquor commission and City Council requires for south side grocery stores. Surprisingly, this question did come up at the commission meeting: “Liquor Investigator Jordan stated [the security guard was required on the south side] because of neighborhood group requests and there had been no such requests with this [Fresh Market] application.”

City Council, City of Peoria, Elections

City to comply with HB3785

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You may recall that the State passed HB3785, which says political signs can be displayed on residential property at any time. The law takes effect January 1, 2011, but the City of Peoria will be bringing it sign ordinance into compliance this coming Tuesday. The text amendment leaves intact size restrictions for all political signs, as well as the requirement they be removed from public property and commercial property within seven days after an election. Residential properties are excepted from the post-election removal requirement.