It’s hard to believe. Pete Vonachen is gone. Just a few days before his passing we were having coffee and donuts together at the Buehler Home. Pete was his usual charming and witty self, occasionally complaining about his sore bottom,…
Straight Talk
Royce’s Park?
by Roger Monroe • • 0 Comments
There’s a move to rename the park on the near northside of Peoria after our friend, Royce Elliott. Morton Square Park was a favorite “playground” for Royce and his many friends. They played football and some softball on the square…
Of Royce and Jonathan
by Roger Monroe • • 0 Comments
LOSING MY FRIEND JONATHAN WINTERS It was a stunning loss, especially the way I learned it. I was driving home listening to the news on WOAM when the reporter announced Jonathan Winters had died. I couldn’t believe it. We had…
Straight Talk for April
by Roger Monroe • • 0 Comments
STUNNING! The recent announcement that Proctor Hospital had sold all of its Prompt Care offices to OSF St. Francis Medical Center was a stunning surprise, especially to officials at Methodist Medical Center, past and present. Truth is, historically, Methodist and…
Straight Talk for March
by Roger Monroe • • 0 Comments
Harry Caray was considered by many as the greatest play-by-play announcer in the history of baseball. Fans of Mel Allen of the Yankees and Vin Scully of the Dodgers would disagree, but to those of us in the mid-west, Caray…
Straight Talk: Jim Maloof left his mark
by Roger Monroe • • 0 Comments
Much has been written and spoken about Jim Maloof. And rightfully so. He touched thousands of lives, including mine. I’ve had the good fortune to know Jim for over 43 years. The friendship really began to blossom in November of…
Much ado about … nothing
by Roger Monroe • • 0 Comments
The office building of our main WiredTree support offices will be undergoing fire safety system upgrades and the main power to our building is going to be shut off to undergo this planned maintenance. As a result, our support offices…
Straight Talk for December 2012
by Roger Monroe • • 0 Comments
POST ELECTION NOTES Congratulations to the winners and losers in last month’s elections. The losers deserve special praise because it’s not easy to spend money, work hard, and wind up losing. No one enjoys losing. I congratulate you for trying.…
November Straight Talk
by Community Word Staff • • 0 Comments
COMING SOON! R & R!! Believe it or not, “Breakfast with Royce and Roger” is returning to WOAM. After extensive discussions with owner Larry Nelson, an agreement has been reached for the two friends, make that three friends, to once…
Chiefs welcome Cards
by Roger Monroe • • 0 Comments
The old saying, “When you’re handed a lemon, make lemonade,” sure applies to the Peoria Chiefs. After Chicago Cub management unceremoniously dropped the Peoria Chiefs as one of their minor league teams, it took Chief officials two days to turn a…