With that headline, readers will probably think I’m going to talk about the presidential debates, Republican and Democrat. Not so. I’m referring to those local and area office holders who’ve been on television and in the newspaper talking about helping minority businesses in Peoria. Take it from me, it’s nothing but bull.

We sold the Peoria Barber College to southside businessman Melvin Murry in August, 2014. The state immediately closed the school and refused his efforts to reopen. Melvin is a successful black businessman who was granted a loan by South Side Bank within days. That wasn’t good enough for the state. They wanted to know, said Murry, where he got the money. Frustrated, Murry had to hire an attorney for his battle to open the school as former students left along with an excellent customer base in that part of the city. Despite numerous appeals to the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation, a Chicago based employee refused to grant a license even after two hearings in the Windy City, not our capital, Springfield. Meanwhile, I called local legislators and city council woman Denise Moore for help. None helped. Absolutely none. The only elected official who helped was Mayor Jim Ardis. He wrote a letter on behalf of Melvin, but the hearing officer in Chicago allegedly would not accept it, claiming Mayor Ardis did not write it. When told, Ardis called the woman who challenged the Mayor, asking, “How do you know so much about the Peoria Barber College?” Talk about ridiculous. To Melvin’s credit, he persevered and the college was able to reopen one year later, with no thanks to legislators who love to talk about helping minorities. In this case, they did nothing.

COMING AROUND AGAIN

Carly Simon sings the song, “Coming Around Again,” and we’re doing it! “We” are “Breakfast with Roger and Friends.”

Since December, 2015, we’ve been heard on world wide Internet radio, 6-9 a.m., Monday through Friday. It now appears we’ll soon return mornings on WAZU-FM, 90.7 while continuing to broadcast from the radio facilities of PeoriaLife.com. What a great combination as we have listeners all over the country and now reaching again our local friends on the FM frequency. Stay tuned!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BOB MICHEL

Peoria native and former World War II veteran and House minority leader, Bob Michel, will turn 93 on Wednesday, March 2. Michel served 38 years in Congress, 14 of those as House Republican leader. In 1994, Michel received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, from President Clinton. President Reagan had previously presented Michel with the Citizen’s Medal, the nation’s second highest presidential award. A combat infantryman, the Bradley graduate was wounded by German machine gun fire and awarded two Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart and four battle stars. We understand he’s experiencing some health challenges making it even more important to send Happy Birthday wishes to one of Peoria’s great Americans!

WILL HE DO IT?

New Bradley University president Gary Roberts graduated from the school in 1970. He earned a law degree from Stanford University and has an apparent love for sports as well as experience in sports law. With that in mind, many are hopeful he’ll do the right thing for Bradley University and for former basketball All American, Gene “Squeaky” Melchiorre. Melchiorre was the #1 selection for the NBA draft in 1951 after leading the Braves to championship games in the NIT and NCAA in 1950. They lost both title games to CCNY. Bradley has denied retiring “Squeaky’s” jersey because of his involvement in shaving points in games during the 1950 season.

Other college teams that year involved in shaving points included CCNY, Manhattan, Long Island, and even Kentucky. Famed Kentucky basketball coach Adolph Rupp, refused to recruit black players, yet the school’s basketball arena is named after him. Former Wildcat star Alex Groza, one of several players accused of shaving points, is in the school’s Hall of Fame along with other players. Are Bradley ethics and principles higher than Kentucky or any of the other schools previously mentioned? I don’t think so. Three of the leading Melchiorre cheerleaders, former Mayor Jim Maloof, former All American Bob Carney, and Pete Vonachen, are gone. But, several others remain; people like Joe Stowell, Ron Ferguson, Harry Whitaker, and Aaron Preece.

Let’s hope they get together with a few others and meet with President Roberts to try again to honor “Squeaky” for putting Bradley on the nation’s sports map in 1950,   after Bradley’s Famous Five did it earlier.

HOORAY FOR GOVERNOR RAUNER!

After years of neglect by previous Illinois governors, Gov. Bruce Rauner has recruited a group of people to raise money to renovate the state executive mansion in Springfield. No state or taxpayer money is being used to restore the home used as living quarters for governors and their families since 1855. It’s the third oldest executive mansion in the country. The first to reside in the mansion was Joel A. Matteson, a Joliet Democrat, who was elected in 1852. The first and only complete history of the executive mansion was published in 2002. R. Dan Monroe, Ph.D., was commissioned by Gov. George Ryan to write the history which was titled, “At Home With Illinois Governors.” Copies of the book disappeared when Chicago’s Rod Blagojevich was elected governor. Dan Monroe, by the way, is our son. He’s chairman of the history department at Millikin University.

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“The time is always right to do what is right.” —Martin Luther King, Jr.