Happy Birthday, Pete!

Pete Vonachen, Peoria’s “Mr. Baseball,” celebrated his 86th birthday, Wednesday, August 31. Mayor Jim Ardis proclaimed that day “Pete Vonachen Day” in honor of Pete’s leadership and community service. Few people remember his many years on the city’s Liquor Commission and the Park District’s trustee board or his work as a Bradley University trustee.He was also a long-time member of the St. Francis Advisory Board. Everyone, well, almost everyone, knows of his leadership in developing one of the nation’s most modern and impressive minor league ballparks in Peoria.

Slowed by the loss of part of his left leg to diabetes, he still remains as one of the most energetic and dynamic individuals in the city. When the Peoria Chiefs are in town, Pete is at the park chatting with fans and handing out baseballs to bright-eyed youngsters just like the statue built in his honor. And that’s why Peoria’s hometown radio, WOAM, dedicated the day to Pete on August 31, beginning with his close friends on “Breakfast with Royce and Roger.”

SPORTS BATTLE

Peoria and central Illinois are fortunate to have some excellent sports reporters on television. I’ve traveled all over the U.S. and Canada and Peoria has always had some of the best in the business.

However, it seems professional sports has taken a back seat these days to covering high school events. All three TV stations are battling to gain an edge with high school football and I’m not sure why. Yes, I enjoy checking the scores on the local level, but this is still baseball season and despite Cub and now Cardinal woes, there are some exciting stories in the Major Leagues.

The other night Channel 31 had one line for the Cub game choosing to show only a home run by an Atlanta player before going to one more high school football team. Then WEEK had a half-hour about high school football leading with, of all teams, Galesburg. Hell, I think many who live in Silver Streak land watch TV out of Rock Island and Moline, so what was the point of Lee Hall starting his program with video of Galesburg?

And by the way, the Peoria Chiefs are still playing in downtown Peoria, but you wouldn’t know it sometimes.

SPEAKING OF THE CUBS

It finally happened. The Cubs fired General Manager Jim Hendry. Give the guy credit, he tried. Boy, did he try. The team has one of the highest payrolls in the Major Leagues as  Hendry wrote huge checks for players he mistakenly thought would become big time performers. Sadly, they crashed and burned like a Chinese bottle rocket. No sense naming the players. All we Cub fans know who they are. Hopefully, the new General Manager will back up the truck and drive them all down to Maxwell Street for public auction except for Starlin Castro, the only real bright spot on the team.

A couple of names have popped up as Hendry’s replacement, but it’s way too early to speculate on who will be chosen. Whoever comes in faces a monumental rebuilding job up and down the Cub organization. And it would be nice to see the Cubs spend time strengthening the quality of players they send to the Peoria Chiefs each year. Winning would certainly help the turnstyles. The Chiefs have one of the best minor league parks in the nation, excellent food, and exciting promotions, but fans enjoy supporting a winning team, something that hasn’t happened in years.

NO INVESTIGATION?

I was surprised there was no interest in investigating the failed maneuver of Peoria County Board member Brian Elsasser’s effort to derail the awarding of a bid to construct steel at the new Bel-Wood Nursing Home. The bidding process for the work had been completed, but Elsasser wanted the board to scuttle all of the bids so a company that reportedly employs one of his relatives could be considered. Fellow board member Phil Salzer, one of the more reserved board members, strongly objected. He pointed out that the company Elsasser was promoting didn’t even submit a bid during the process. Further, Elsasser wanted the board to change specifications for the bid, apparently to favor the company where his unidentified relative works. The board’s attorney pointed out that if such changes had been made, Elsasser might well have been charged with a felony. I wonder why no investigation was conducted to learn more about Elsasser’s motives. One thing is certain. His desire to seek higher office just went down the toilet.

BY COMPARISON

Isn’t it interesting to learn that Dunlap High school just installed expensive astro-turf on its football field and over in the Twin Cities, Normal West High School constructed a new and flashy scoreboard with electronic video. Meanwhile, District 150 closes Woodruff High School and starts changing principals like playing checkers. I don’t get it. No wonder people are fleeing to schools outside Peoria as home values sink like the Titanic.

NO CONTEST

Peoria Journal columnist Phil Luciano calls a potential state race between former State Senator George Shadid and tavern owner Pat Sullivan “riveting.” Yeah, about as riveting as watching the Chicago Cubs play Milwaukee. Sullivan, who has never held public office, would run third in the two man race. Sullivan is a nice guy, but no one can beat Shadid if he decides to run.

I doubt Aaron Shock could beat him. Besides, Democrats just finished gerrymandering state district lines. A Sullivan vs. Shadid race would be no contest. Anyone who believes otherwise needs to take a saliva test.

COST OF LIVING

Under the Obama administration there have been no raises for those receiving Social Security. However, those working for the President have received raises as much as 86%. Kevin Lewis, Director of African-American Media, received a jump in pay from $42,000 to $78,000 in one year. But here’s the best one. Matthew Vogel, get this, who’s Special Assistant to the President for Economic Policy, was granted a raise from $71,400 to $130,500. Due to the country’s great economic condition, he obviously earned such a raise. Funny, in the private sector, he would be fired for failing.

THIS ‘N THAT

In a recent telephone conversation with comedian Jonathan Winters he reminded me he plays the voice of Papa Smurf in the latest “Smurf” movie. In the previous movie, producers used him as the voice for Grandpa Smurf. He said, “They promoted me.”

Jonathan has sent me several of his strange, but colorful pencil sketches over the years.

They sell at art galleries for $1,000. I was approached by my good friend Matt George, Executive Director of the Cancer Center for Healthy Living, to donate one of the Winter’s drawings for a forthcoming fund-raising event.

I agreed, but first I wanted to let Jonathan know what I was doing. Jonathan said, “That’s kind of you, Roger, but don’t do it.” Instead, Winters said he would do a drawing for the fund-raiser since his wife Eileen died of breast cancer three years ago after a 20 year battle. And so he did. What a guy! Jonathan, by the way, was a recent guest by phone on “Breakfast with Royce and Roger.”

Another recent guest on our morning show was former NFL official Don Hakes. Don was a classmate of mine at Bradley. He spent 22 years in the NFL and officiated in three Super Bowls.

Some of the music played on WOAM include songs from the 60’s, such as the Vogue’s, a pop vocal group that had hits like “My Special Angel” and “Turn Around Look At Me.” The Vogues will be appearing in Morton Monday, November 21, as part of the Morton Fine Arts Fall/Winter Concert Series.

There are lots of fund-raising events this time of the year. One of those close to my heart is the “Walk for the Mind,” that will be held Saturday, September 24, starting at 9:00 a.m. at the Riverplex. Entry fee is $20.00 for adults and $10.00 for kids 10 and under. This is the 9th year for the walk which raises money to support the work of the American Brain Tumor Association. The walk is named after Mark Linder who died as a result of a brain tumor. My wife of 51 years has been struggling with the effects of a brain tumor since 2001.

Congratulations to Debbie Simon, Vice President of Nursing at Methodist Medical Center. She’s been appointed interim CEO after the departure of Michael Bryant. Though Bryant officially remains at Methodist until October, unofficially, he’s gone. He did return Tuesday, August 30, for a farewell reception in the hospital Cafeteria. Rumors persist in the medical community that Bryant’s departure was not as reported. No one knows the exact details except for Bryant and hospital officials. What is known is Bryant had his supporters and critics especially among physicians. One critic pointed out Methodist’s affiliation with the Iowa Health Systems was not approved until after the announcement of the Bryant departure.

I spent 25 years at Methodist serving under four different administrators/CEOs. Bryant knew more about marketing and public relations than all four of his predecessors put together. He also spent more money on marketing and advertising than all four together.

EDUCATION CONFLICTS

Local news has been filled with battles in the field of education. Despite the conflicts, there’s some humor. State Senator Dave Kohler showed up at Illini Bluffs in support of the teachers while opposing the school board’s demand for random drug testing of teachers. Then he offered to mediate the conflict.

That’s laughable. That’s like St. Louis manager Tony LaRussa offering to call balls and strikes in a game against the Cubs.

Meanwhile, Regional Education Superintendent Jerry Brookhart is still working his job without pay after a Judge ruled Governor Quinn was within his rights to halt payments to all of the state’s Regional Education Offices. A former District 150 Library Manager is smiling about that. She said Brookhart visited her library one year and noted her title saying, “Big title, little job.” About Brookhart, she said, “Big title. No pay.”

WHAT WAS THE POINT?

Brad McMillan is a nice guy who was very politically active at one time for Bob Michel and Ray LaHood. He wrote a lengthy letter to the Peoria Journal Star attacking Rush Limbaugh because the noted radio conservative has never been complimentary of Michel.

Of course, the left-leaning newspaper loves it when Republicans criticize each other so McMillan got plenty of ink. But what was McMillan’s point? Those of us who know Bob Michel have always admired, respected, and appreciated his leadership. Nothing Rush Limbaugh says about Bob will influence our opinion one way or another. Brad ought to know that, so I don’t understand why he wasted his time writing the unnecessary defense of Bob Michel letter.

BEST SMALL TOWNS

The September issue of “Money” magazine listed the 100 best small towns in America. Four Illinois towns made the list. They were Carol Stream, South Elgin, Glen Ellyn, and Oswego. Glen Ellyn ranked high for arts and leisure while the other three received high marks for home affordability.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“Sometimes our light goes out but is blown again into flame by an encounter with another human being. Each of us owes our deepest thanks to those who have rekindled this inner light.”

—Albert Schweitzer



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