Since you ask . . .

A longtime reader writes:

Have all the bloggers in Carbondale gone on vacation or WHAT?! Everyday I check to see if you or Peter have posted anything new -- nada! I hope things are well, I know you are writing a Blook and that Peter was considering a move to Oregon or something granola like that. How's the king? I see he's going after that liquor commission again....

Well here's the skinny, Minnie: Peter the Great is moving in two weeks to his favorite college town in Oregon, where there are more people like him, and more opportunity to do great things.
In his latest post he tells us he's been summoned to serve jury duty for his last two weeks in town. He says he has two or three more posts in him before leaves, so look for them.

I'm planning a little going-away party for PG at Pinch Penny Pub next week. The Beer Philosopher will be there (He and Peter have never met! And maybe some other Bloggers and Bloggees will want to come slap Peter on the back (or in the face, if you're Sheila Simon, ha ha).

I spoke to Sheila, two-three weeks ago, outside of Tres, and she was planning a bicycle trip in Canada with her husband Perry, to mark the 20th anniversary of their marriage. She also received an "All Year 'Round" Trophy from Mayor Cole at Bike 2 Work Day in May, and will work with the "Spokes Folks" group to improve the bike lane situtation in The Dale. . . .

Roxanne Conley has stepped down from Main Street, a new Exec Direct is Meghan Cole (no relation to you-know-who) .

Roxanne has moved on from the position because she believes "change is good" and that this change simultaneously encourages growth within the organization. Mrs. Conley added, “Of course there will be a transition period and I encourage everyone downtown to be helpful during that time.” Mrs. Conley has not yet accepted another position, but will be actively searching for a suitable position soon.

Makes you wonder what the reason for her resignation. Certainly not dissatisfaction of the Board of Directors.

As for Ms. Cole, she

impressed the Main Street board with her enthusiastic attitude, strong skill set and valuable experience during their initial meetings. She comes into the job with a strong knowledge of downtown revitalization and improvement gained during a brief tenure with the downtown association in Decatur, Illinois.

Since Roxanne will be searching for a suitable position soon, the Main Street press release offers glowing testimonial to what a great job she did. (She'll probably have another position before my blook is published. ;-))

"King" Cole is doing his thing. On the political side, he took a lump from the School Board, which failed to act in time to sell a piece of land.... And his liquor commish request, and salary increase for the next term mayor are on the table at the next City Council meeting. On the personal side, besides his surprise date with the winner of the Marry the Mayor contest, I hear he's dated other women from that deal. Women who have contacted him directly.... He was seen last week having dinner with a beautiful grad student at a local restaurant. Probably one of his MySpace friends. And someone at The Hound told me of another, so . . . he may yet be married by the end of the year, as he resolved to do in January.

My own professional life is very busy, or bussy, lately. Having fun with the new blog, posting photos of customers and brief blurbs about them. Planning to revisit "The Great Bus Stop Debate." The City Council dropped the ball on June 19 by turning its back on the plight of so many people. Someone in the City should be doing more to address this problem than voting "No" to an imaginative and viable solution. At least Wissmann and Jack tried to do the right thing. But it turns out that Pohlmann, Haynes and McDaniel are anti-bus(iness) racists. Safety in that "bad neighborhood" was Pohlmann's main concern? Isn't that racist? The other two may not be racist, but just wrong, as will be shown in Graydog's Blog.

In the world of Creative Media, the sand painting by Vic DeGraff of the old Stage Company building is complete. And Larry Weatherford has found a way to make sand paper prints -- which Victor has touched up with actual brick from the building.... To be sold as a fund raiser for the Stage Company.

And work has begun for a new Between the Rivers compilation cd, this time Voices.

Let's see, what else? No Troy Hudson Basketball Tournament this year. I guess there was a fight or something at the last one, and he wanted to avoid liability. Something like that. His mom has opened a shoe store in the Campus Shopping Center.

Oh, and the other night I bumped into TJ Silas, former CCHS b'ball standout, turned rap producer/impresario. We talked about the benefit for the old Tuscan Lodge building currently on its last legs. He's currently producing a show at Eurma Hayes.

And, I hear that Bethany Krajelis has started work at the Southern Illinoisan. A fresh grad from the Public Affairs Reporting Master's Program in Springfield. Looks like another step in The Illusion's turn around.

The Newell House renewal continues. And owner Dan Terry is opening a new bar up the street where Herald Printing used to be, called Maxum's selling expensive, exotic drinks, in a sumptuous atmosphere. (Unlike the "sump pump" atmosphere at Greyhound. ha ha.)

Another real estate wiz, Tom Egert, sold the WDBX Community Thrift Store building to a plumbing or electrical outfit, I hear. He's buying the building next door to WDBX in order to expand the station.

The stores on Jackson St. are thriving: Longbranch, Global Gourmet, Arthur Agency, Town Square Market. Behind The Branch, Rosetta Books has merged with the Tropicana. The back of the store opens onto Washington St. across the street from where I spend mornings at The Hound, me and Charley chatting on the sidewalk in front of our storefronts, looking at the ugliness across the street. Tom Egert says he's gonna clean out the storage in back of the Tropic-etta to open it up for business. The Big Muddy Independent Media Center has possibilities, as well. Auntie's Wings? Another one just bit the dust there. I can't count how many failed restaurants have been at that location. I've spoken to some neighbors about closing the 200 Block of N. Washington Street for a STREET FAIR, so let's see what develops. .... Perhaps a WASHINGTON STREET BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT AND RAP FESTIVAL TO BENEFIT THE TUSCAN LODGE!

Blooking Central: blook-to-be

My blook has been noticed in Blooking Central: blook-to-be: Cheryl Hagedorn sez:

"I somehow have a feeling that Carbondale After Blog won't be winning any Blooker Prize. [I could be very wrong about that. Maybe they too would be bowled over by novelty. And if the writing on the CD held up ... .]"

She's probably right, but "if the writing on the CD held up . . ."

Held up? That's the final test of anything, the quality, which is all that matters in the end.

Prizes, Awards and Honors are nice, but the greatest reward is a trophy from Carbondale Trophy: "World's Greatest Blogger." . . . I think I'll have one made for myself. ;-)

Post Independence Day post

Not much time for blogging lately, busy with other things, like working on my blook, and Art Lovers projects, such as the sand painting of the old Stage Company (Bank of Carbondale) building.

And since the morning bus now leaves at 10:10 a.m. instead of 10:40, been opening the office at 9:30, instead of 10. So now, instead of sitting at this keyboard writing, I'm selling Greyhound tickets to St. Louis and beyond.

Poor me, going to work at 9:30.

But that's okay, I also plan to change the focus of this blog from local to national, supporting political causes like 9/11 re-investigation, and political candidates like Ron Paul, a friend of mine on MySpace -- a Libertarian in elephant's clothing.

Although some say Ron's foreign policy is naive, but he's raised more money than McCain, and stands for principles I value, such as peace and freedom.

On the Democratic side, there's Obama, Clinton, Edwards, and the dark horse, Gore. The Dream ticket: Clinton-Obama will be the final choice, I predict.

Republican dream ticket: Ron Paul and Brad Cole. . . . Yeah right. In my dreams.

And Cindy Sheehan could prove to be a nightmare for House Speaker Nancy P. Cindy says she'll run against Pelosi if the Speaker doesn't put impeachment back on the table in the next two weeks. You go girl! (and you, too, girl!)

Steven Haynes, Carolyn Plochmann, Jon Qualls, and James Joyce in the same title

Over the weekend, I listened to the City Council discussion of Item 6-5 (available on the City's web site) about the bus stop prop; and saved each Council member's comments separately for further analysis. Particularly interesting were the ill-informed comments made by two City Council members, Haynes and McDaniel. I'll publish each City Council member's contribution in Graydog's Blog later today.

Meanwhile, to get away from the computer on Saturday, I went to the local artisans shop and art gallery at Rend Lake, and took-in Carolyn Plochmann's amazing paintings -- on display this summer -- a field trip for Art Lovers Trading Company, and the Heartland Artland blog.

After that, I caught my first Miners' game, which was fun, although I left before the men of Marion beat Slippery Rock, 5-4. Either way, the crowd was a winner-- there was always something fun going on between innings. And with big screen, you don't miss a thing. Ticket prices range from $4 for lawn or picnic table seating to $8 for box seat. Beers are 4.50. Unfortunately, only Budweiser products are sold. And it's a little confusing with no less than 3 mascots roaming the grounds. Is AutoCredit Man an authorized 4th?

Besides the stadium, the three mascots, the players, and graphics by Carbondale's Arthur Agency, what most impressed me was the interview with Miners' pitcher Jon Qualls, who loves to read instead of watching television, to have a life beyond baseball. He was tackling Laurence Sterne and James Joyce, no less, with somewhat less success than he had against the Sliders of Slippery Rock that night, scattering 9 hits.

Before he gets called up to the majors, Jon should check out local James Joyce scholar and baseball writer, Dick Peterson, SIU professor emeritus -- who literally "wrote the book" on baseball writing.

And maybe Jon could start his own blog? Maybe the Southern Illinoisan or the Marion Daily can enlist his contribution.

Council throws request under the bus

With Mayor Cole abstaining, and only Councilman Lance Jack voting in favor, Item 6.5 on last night's General Business Agenda went down in flames -- 5-1 against -- after the owners of D's Quick Shop (a take-out fish place on the corner of Oak & Washington St.), complained about the downside to letting the bus to stop next door to their business.

Hugh Williams spoke ably in favor, but no one else (it's always easier to motivate people to come out against something than in favor).

The only shock was seeing Councilman Joel Fritzler's new look (above left) -- like a totally different person -- with new eyeglasses and no moustache.

And while the vote didn't surprise me, I was floored (or rather hopped up from the floor!) when I heard Councilman Wissmann propose requiring the office to be open two hours before and one hour after each bus arrived! But Councilman Jack, doing the math, pointed out that this would mean offices hours from 8:40 a.m. - midnight, 5 days a week! Something physically and financially unreasonable for a small business.

In the end (but is it?) the experience cost me about $250 (which I can write off). But at least I tried to do the right thing. (I wonder if the City could have found a way to work it out more effectively behind the scenes. )

To those who would gloat at this 'defeat', I must say -- I'm completely satisfied with the outcome, since I did my best, and the Council's decision will make my job easier, for the most part.

So there. ;-)

Between Hugh, me and Channel 3

I've decided to not attend the meeting tonight, but to delegate Hugh Williams to speak for me. I've known him since we ran for City Council in 2005. An old school attorney who can frequently be found at Longbranch. I am making this decision for personal reasons.

1. The Council has probably already made up its collective mind. And there will be a lot of "haters" in attendance, whose arguments I've already heard.
2. I emailed a 3 page PDF attachment with a brief history of Greyhound and a petition requesting that the Permit request be approved. But that ain't nothin'! The City has a 46 page PDF file, containing both a resolution to approve, and one to disapprove.
   
3. I am indifferent to the outcome. Although from a standpoint of customer service, it's the right thing to do, ticket sales will continue at the current location no matter where the bus ultimately makes its stop.
   
4. I can watch it on TV, on Cable 16 via MediaCom.
   

And speaking of TV, Channel 3's Jackie McPherson wants to do a preview interview at the ticket office later today, for the 6 o'clock news.

Venerable building gets facelift

They're finally removing the aluminum skin at the Newell House building. . . . The old "Bening Square" letters are being removed, and the windows will be replaced.

When the job is done, the building will be repainted.

The pigeons don't like it.

On the bus, or off the bus?

I was planning to hop on the bus, Gus - yesterday, for Denver - to bring my younger son back with me for a visit. Instead, I'm "off the bus" for reasons having nothing to do with the 20hr ride, or $128 round-trip ticket price.

So now, there's time to prepare an informative e-packet for the City Council members who will be meeting Tuesday night to decide the fate of "Operation 'Let The Bus Stop Here'."

And the title of this post refers to more than merely me not boarding schedule #4700 in front of Amtrak at 10:40 a.m. It hearkens back to novelist Ken Kesey, who coined the phrase. In the late 1960's he and a group of LSD-taking friends, calling themselves the Merry Pranksters drove a bus called "Furthur" (pictured here) cross-country from California to New York.

On that legendary journey, (marvelously recounted by Tom Wolfe') the phrase "you're either on the bus or off the bus" as a metaphor for group consciousness was popularized.

"The idea was to put individual differences aside and work as a group. . . an attuned group. Those who weren't attuned were seen as rocking the boat, disrupting the trip. These were the people who were considered 'off the bus.'

The metaphorical meaning of 'You are either on the bus or off the bus' is 'You are either attuned to the group consciousness or you are not attuned to the group consciousness.' . . ." (boldface added)

What is Carbondale's group consciousness? Is it fragmented? Can you be off one bus, but on another?

I hear a lot of people are "up in arms" against letting the bus stop at 215 N. Washington St., led by Margaret Nesbitt and her brother. "You don't know the power of Ms. Nesbitt," someone said. "She's lived in town a long time, and she has standing the community." Actually, I did hear what the owner of the fish shop on the corner of Washington and Oak St. had to say, standing before the Planning Commission. I was not impressed by her arguments. This is the same woman who opposed the construction of the building for WDBX, across the street years ago.

Quite a few others who support the move will not be in attendance (whereas the opposition will be out in force!) I think Jim Skinner, the blind blues singer will be in the house that night. . . . Maybe he will sing the blues to City Council about having to walk 6 blocks to report his missing bags.

Have a Happy Pappy's!

Date update

Yesterday, I heard from Barbara Ebert, star of the "Future Mrs. Cole(?)" video on YouTube -- a nice email message with some photos. Apparently she and Mayor Brad Cole (of Marry the Mayor fame) met for their "dream date" over the weekend, including meals at Harbaugh's and Tom's Place, where the photo below was snapped. What they did between meals, Barb didn't say; only that "he was a perfect gentleman and I truly enjoyed getting to meet him."

Wouldn't you know it? The man who's a self-professed perfectionist would be a perfect gentleman. But look more closely at the photo below of the two of them "acting silly" before dinner." Is a perfect gentleman ever silly?

What caption would go here? (click photo to enlarge) Barbara's saying something like "Are you going to be a perfect gentleman all night?!"

Was there a "Love Connection?" According to the future Mrs. Cole(?), they "do not have another meeting planned thus far, but . . . will keep in touch."

A third photo from the date is posted at the Marry the Mayor blog.

Cole's goals

Is it boring, with the students gone for break? You wouldn't know it from Brad Cole. The other day I spoke to him about my upcoming request for a special use permit for the Greyhound bus to stop at Washington St., and other matters of interest to us both. He listed as his chief goals for his next term, the following.

• an innovative improvement for the budget process.
• safety center at the former site of Lincoln Jr. High
• retirement neighborhood/community
• varsity theater development
  
• intermodal transportation center

The intermodal center touches a nerve close to home with ol' Graydog. But it's not gonna happen anytime soon. It took the City of Champaign 10 years to build its intermodal center. And Cole and the City Council think the new Police headquarters is more important, so it may take a few years to get the ball rolling on bus-train-cab headquarters.

Carbondale's most eligible bachelor (excluding Darby McGrann) didn't mention Barbara Ebert, "the future Mrs. Brad Cole," which struck me as a bit odd, since he is on record that his resolution for 2007 was to get married by the end of the year -- and here it is June, already, and he hasn't had a date yet! True, he had a short-lived affair with a married woman, but it ended rather abruptly on April 17.

The future Mrs. Cole's winning video essay is posted on YouTube. She's supposed to be in town this month, and Curt at Two Doves and Kara at Blue Star are looking forward to giving the future lovebirds first class treatment.

And speaking of dates, Les Winkeler compares the baseball Miners team and Fans to dating teenagers: "you just don't know how it's going to turn out."

And if it doesn't work out between Barb and Brad, "Handsome" Lance Jack, City Councilman and bon vivant, is still standing in the wings.

A trophy and a possibility

Looks like the server problem has been fixed, so I can keep this blog updated as the Shawnee Net news aggregator is streamlined, and the sources are updated. This morning I read an actual page at breakfast - about the Miners' third straight loss.

But good news about the Cleveland Cavaliers "rising up" to the next level of the NBA playoffs. I'm a big Cavs fan because sometimes I adopt a cavalier attitude about things like the proposed new Greyhound bus stop.

I've spoken to some key people at the station about the possibility of selling Greyhound tickets in the same building, including Mr. Thomas T. Pleasants, a conductor, who received his Bike 2 Work trophy belatedly this morning. I also spoke to other Amtrak employees over the weekend about the possibility of sharing space. Without going into details, the upshot is it ain't gonna happen anytime soon. Amtrak has other plans, it seems. However, the City may have some leverage to encourage an "intermodal" approach, like they have in Champaign and other cities.

Miners club Otters

Last night's home opener for the City of Marion's new minor league baseball team, the Southern Illinois Miners, was a big hit, judging from the coverage in the Southern Illinoisan, which has a nice slide show accompanied by (asynchronous) interviews of fans by Caleb Hale (nearly drowned out by the sound of wind). Good job by Patrick Laxson, although snapshots of the people being spoken to would have helped. Les Winkeler contributed two articles: one about the stadium (with audio) and one about the quality of the team. And Robert Crow covered the game itself, which the Miners won, 9-6. . . . Hardly a 'clubbing', but a tip of the cap to Tom "Cap" Miller for suggesting the phrase "Miners Club Otters" in yesterday's "morning news watch" on WJPF-AM -- as a tee-shirt (but rejected for polically correct reasons).

The Miners will play the Evansville Otters again tonight. Then tomorrow it's the River City Rascals.

Will the headline read: Miners Throw the Rascals Out?

News news

The Shawnee Net news aggregator is working again (without the Blogger RSS feeds, since they wouldn't work). But the latest version of Drupal has been installed (thanks to my man Peter, by his man, Mike) and I've been working on the "look and feel" during downtime at my Graydog gig.

Stop with the bus, already

Puzzled by some (unpublished) comments I've received from readers, on Friday I put a makeshift petition on the counter for Greyhound passengers to sign, if they want the bus to stop on N. Washington St. instead of S. Illinois Ave.

The first two signatories are students, but customers come from other towns besides Carbondale, and from many walks of life (not just 'bums', as one commenter put it). We'll see how many sign before the City Council meeting June 19. I should try to get an online petition going too.

It seems some commenters are merely trying to stir up trouble and be negative, so I will not "get into to it" with them, or with my old friend Eric Deutsch. I apologize for using an unpleasant term for Eric -- a term which I would not have used, if not for the alliteration, and quasi-accuracy. Both of us will have a chance to speak on June 19, along with anybody else who wants to put a stop to the new Stop -- or give it a go.

****
P.S. to "Mrs. Patrick Campbell": What you see in Eric, reflects yourself. I always kind of liked the guy (as a local character), before I learned of his behind-the-back tactics. I'm going to address his public claims (and those of others who spoke at the Planninc Commission hearing on May 5) in a new blog about my Greyhound experience, beginning with a draft of my upcoming City Council presentation next month.

Field of controversy

Two different opinions on the recent demoliton of the old Carbondale high school field buildings. Peter praises the Arbor District for getting it done, but Bob issues "the sharp point of [his] complaint lamenting that it took a stabbing to get the City's attention to matters that he complained about a year ago.

Motorcycling to work

Gotta hand it to Southern Illinoisan reporter Caleb Hale. In his report Carbondale Celebrates Bike to Work Day, he even scooped me on this:

"David More, a community organizer of the event, said he would have biked to work Thursday, but his bicycle was stolen a couple of days earlier. He admits he forgot to lock it up outside his Greyhound bus station along North Washington Street, but said he's fairly confident the police will be able to recover it."

I wasn't going to write about it. Prob'ly shouldn't have told CH, or should have been more clear, because I didn't mean to imply confidence the police would recover it (although they could) since I did not file a report.

So, not confidence, exactly, but hope! The guy who cleans the building knows people "on the street" and I'll be looking too. I've gotten a bike back before (the same one!), so it could happen again.

Meanwhile, I'll motorcycle to work, and look for a used two-wheeler at a yard sale, or thrift store.

Bike training

This morning (Bike to Work Day in many U.S. cities) I caught up with one of the Amtrak engineers who rides a bicycle to work every day to tell him that the City of Carbondale has a trophy "with his name on it" -- for a rider who bicycles to work every day not just Bike to Work Day -- Thomas T. Pleasants ("TT").

TT puts his bike on the train, so he can use it when he gets to Union Station.

He's been riding to work for 14 years!

p.s. I like this title so well, I use it (with a different photo and text) in the Bike 2 Work blog, too.

Spokes folks

The yellow jackets were out in force today, Bloggee. The co-founder of the Bike 2 Work Day event in Carbondale, Tom Riechman in the red listens to wife Mary Avery, Sheila Simon, and Stace England discuss the need for more bicycle lanes on city streets.

England won the trophy for long-distance ride to work, while the trophy for the organization with the most people bicyling to work went to the SIUC Microbiology Department for the second year in a row, inspired by Donna Mueller.

(Stace has a killer website of his own for his world famous music projects. He told me that the New York Times interviewed him this week for a story about Cairo in Sunday's edition.)

More details and a group photo are posted at the Bike 2 Work blog.

Inspired by my conversation with these local cycling luminaries, after snapping this photo, I obtained a domain name for the cause.

Walking the walk

Pounding the pavement today, peddling tomorrow's Bike 2 Work Day event at Town Square Pavilion (noon-1), I visited the Carbondale Chamber of Commerce and met office manager Lisa Cardinale, secretary, and Meredith Rhoads, the director, (pictured here) who seemed more than willing to participate in the event.

It didn't take much conversation with Meredith (about 3 minutes) before I pegged her as a "gets things done" type. When I offered to take her on a walking tour of Town Square -- stopping by local businesses for an impromptu 'meet and greet' -- she jumped at the chance, keeping up with my pavement-pounding, stride for stride. I know the business owners that she met were delighted to meet her, and she learned a few things about some businesses nearby her office.

The last I saw her, she was considering riding her bicycle all the way from her parent's home in West Frankfort (26 miles) in order to win the distance trophy, although she has an extremely early start tomorrow (at the Chamber office at 6'ish) to meet the current crop of Leadership trainees for a field trip to the Leadership Conference sponsored by the Southern Illinoisan at JALC.

Maybe her entire group will bicyle over after their event a Logan.

And speaking of bicyling to work -- Another avid bicycler last night. One of the engineers for Amtrak, who rides to the station every morning he's in town, and hauls his bike to Chicago to have it there, as well. He leaves the motel at 6 tomorrow. I think I may try to meet him for a photo in the morning and quick interview, if I can get up that early. ;-)

Pushing Bike 2 Work Day

Been so bussy lately I forgot to give a plug to Bike 2 Work Day coming up this Thursday in Carbondale (Friday in most other cities.) As in the past, music will be provided by Darby McGrann and lunch prepared by a local restaurant; this year the Newell House, plus some fruit and drinks.

Bike 2 Work Day is a great excuse to get your own bicycle out of moth-balls and enjoy a morning ride. But even if you can not bike to work, the lunch is open to everyone who bicyles to the Town Square Pavilion between 12 -1 p.m.

Trophies will be awarded by Mayor Brad Cole to the organization that has the most people ride to work, as well as to the individual who rides the farthest. Plus one or two surprise awards!

So be there on "The Square" on Thursday if you can.

Happy pedaling.

Blook 'im, Dano

The winner of the 3rd annual Blooker Prize was won by Colby Buzzell for best "blook" of 2007 (a book inspired by his blog): My War: Killing Time in Iraq.

One of the judges says Buzzell's blook

". . . tells the reader what it's like to be a grunt fighting in the Sunni Triangle with more power and authority than the best embedded reporter in the world could manage. My War has been a cult hit in America . . . and it would never have been written if blogging had not been invented."

I can think of several things that would not have happened if it weren't for this blog, and it ain't done yet! (despite Peter the Grate's ingratiating push off the board! ;-)) My plan is to wait until after the City Council meeting, so we can have some closure about the bus stop plan. Then after that, I'll publish weekly updates of how my own blook is coming along, and maybe do some marketing, as Colby does.

But this is Carbondale, not Iraq, or Washington D.C. so my gems and good news may not reach as wide an audience as I would like to make the effort and cost of publishing worthwhile. I'm thinking about turning it into a Ph.D. dissertation, if I can find some qualified and civic-minded interdisciplinary faculty members. (Jon Bean? Terry Clark? Who else? The School of Journalism seems far out of touch with blogs. To my knowledge there are no blogs emanating from SIUC).

Truly, this town is blog-tarded as it is in certain other quality of life issues (not one first-class Italian Restaurant!?). Peter G puzzles over the fact that when he leaves town this summer, that I will be the only local blogger actively commenting on the local scene. Of course, other local bloggers have been going strong for years, like Tom and Shawn to name two. But without the relentless localness I've tried to give this blog.

Even so, I want my blook to have broad readership, outside the narrow confines of the city limits, especially since traditional publishers are scouring blogs for the first bestselling blook.

Caleb stops by; Dave can't stop

Got through my second week at Greyhound, making strides toward turning "the little station that could" into "the best little bus stop in Southern Illinois, south of Effingham," with the help of Richard here, who custom-made a ticket counter inside, and hung the sign above the door.

Caleb Hale, the new C'dale beat reporter for the Southern Illinoisan, stopped by with photographer Chuck Novara to ask questions and snap photos for a story in Friday's paper that begins:

"When David More says he wants to put a Greyhound bus stop at 215 N. Washington St., what he really means is he wants to revitalize that area of Carbondale.

Isn't that great! Caleb knows what I really mean! That makes him a "New Journalist!" -- going beyond the traditional who, what, and where journalistic questions, with techniques of fiction, such as investing motives behind stated words or deeds.

'This right here is the future of downtown Carbondale,' More said, standing on the sidewalk in front of the gray building he hopes will serve as the city's next stop for bus passengers."

But Caleb got it right (except for the color of the building - which is light brown, not gray; and the counter Richard made), definitely capturing the spirit of the endeavor: revitalizing the 200 block of North Washington St.

It's going to be challenging, though, because not all neighboring property owners share my vision.

I heard on the street (literally) that one of them -- Eric Deutsch (Doitch) -- was stirring people up to speak against my application for Special Use Permit at the Planning Commission hearing on May 5.

Deutsch is an old hippie real estate speculator and property manager of low rent properties. He's also a partner in a Murphysboro internet provider. I used to call him "the Sandanhista Businessman" in the past because of his outlandish attire, but after learning of his backstabbing, I think douche (as in douche-bag) might be a better name for him.

Eric is the man behind the curtain of the Big Muddy Independent Media Center which up until a few months ago claimed to offer an alternative "to the mind-numbing propaganda of big news corporations" (quoting the BMIMC MySpace page, but the link to the main site has been dead for months.)

What Eric didn't mention in his testimony to the Planning Commission is the fact that up until mid-April of this year, Greyhound tickets were actually being sold at the BMIMC. When I took over, I made the decision to move across the street for sound business reasons that I explained to Eric's friend Aur Beck. So D-bag's objections smack of sour grapes.

Another local property owner who spoke against the proposal, Tom Egert, remains one of my local heroes. I've known him since before Longbranch Coffee House was a used clothing store! Tom also is responsible for starting public radio station WDBX , and Tropicana Vintage (behind Longbranch, but with a Washington Street entrance). He's done a lot for the community. I rarely disagree with Tom, so his suggestion that a restroom facility would be useful is well taken.

Same thing with architect Gale White, who sent a letter to the Planning Commission requesting that when the bus arrives, the ticket office be open. I need to speak to him about that, and explain some realities he may be unaware of, such as my need for sleep.

But to address the main concerns of the objectors, I've decided to lease the back of the building (where the bar stools and tables and chairs still set out) so travelers can wait, and maybe buy a cup of coffee or a sandwich.

Link to Caleb Hale's article

Finals

SIU's begin this week, but the NBA's don't start until June 7. I'm not sure when my final post to this blog will be. Perhaps today.

Since my recent milestone birthday, and the sudden passing of my friend Jim, I look at everything I do as preparation for my own future finals. No time like the present.

I've posted updates to Bike 2 Work Day, Marry the Mayor, and On The Square in their respective blogs. Bytelife also has been bobbing along (like a cork), thanks to Scott and the rest. Tom wrote a good post about the need for a place to "collect and enjoy" a nice day downtown.

When I do stop publishing this Dispatch, those will blogs will continue, along with Heartland Artland, Waiting for Colbert, and 9/11=.81.

Meanwhile, plans are afoot for a bus stop 'soup and sandwich' shop that the Carbondale Planning Commission will love, if they enjoy sandwiches like the one Steve Hirschberg made. The City Council hearing has been pushed back to June 19.

Maybe the Shawnee Net RSS feeds will finally be fixed and fully functional by then.

The future Mrs. Cole?

People wonder, now that the election is over, doesn't Cole have time to focus on his resolution to get married by the end of the year? Last I heard, a young woman from Nashville selected by the Marry the Mayor committee was coming to Carbondale to visit the Law School soon. Her name is Barbara, and she sent a funny and savvy video essay on why she'd like to marry Brad. I'll try to get it uploaded later today.

Of course, this blog will keep you posted with developments. So far, Blue Star Lines has offered to chauffeur the couple around town, as Two Doves chases after them, paparazzi-style.

Bus stop stopped?

Should the Greyhound Bus be allowed to pick up and drop off passengers at 215 N. Washington St? Carbondale City Planners think so, but the Planning Commission thinks not.

The Planning Commission is comprised of 10 people*, including Councilman Fritzler who sat at the end. Chairman Navreet Kang conducted the meeting and City Planners Rob Keehn and Angie Shimkus (no relation) were there to present information and answer questions. Also on the Commission a familiar face, Rhett Barke, who ran for City Council the same year as me, and will probably run again.

Three people spoke against, and three expressed concerns. Of the three who spoke against, two didn't make sense: Mrs. Nesbitt and her brother. In fact, the opposite of what they anticipate would happen.

Another very vocal opponent was "Dr. M. Stall", who seemed a bit het up about the whole thing. She should have just spoken to me, and I could have allayed her fears or cured her ignorance. But her whole approach was negative. She hasn't read The Secret, obviously. Like me and Rhett B., Ms. Stall ran unsuccessfully for City Council a few years ago.

The planning commission didn't do a good job of involving people in interaction. The structure is spelled out step by step in front of the Chairman. The whole thing with the microphone and big table.

The other comments came from three men whose business savvy and real estate acumen I respect: Gale White, Tom Egert, and Eric Deutsch, each of whom owns property across the street from the proposed location. Tom and Eric spoke in person, while Gale submitted a letter. I didn't hear what they said as being against, but offering constructive advice.

One concern was shelter for passengers, and facilities for when the bus arrives. One possibility would be to have a restaurant in the back. There is plenty of space, since it used to be a bar, and there are still tables and chairs and public bathrooms. So it's possible.

I plan to postpone the June 5 hearing at City Council until June 19, during which time I can try to speak to Mrs. Nesbitt, the fried fish queen, and perhaps with the estimable Dr. M. Stalls -- after addressing the concerns raised by Gale, Tom and Eric.

Rob K. says I can push the City Council hearing back for one meeting, but more than than that, and I have to reapply for a permit (and pay another 200) again. In addition, the City is charging a fairly reasonable rate of $50 per month to lease 2 spaces.

Today, Richard Carpenter built a counter. I want to have the office spiffy by next week. Currently, the office is in bivouac mode, with dial-up connection and hand-written tickets, but some friends and neighbors have stopped by to give support for my venture on "the Levee." Even Sheikh Din gave his approval as he was leaving (not by Greyhound) for a conference in Austin with a priestly guy named Thomas Keating.

We all agree (even Thomas Keating, if I asked him, I am sure) that that 215 N. Washington is not the perfect location. Inside the Amtrak station would be best. But until there's an intermodal center in town, this location will do nicely. If I do decide to take it to City Council on June 19, I'll try to bring some friends along, to give the viewers on Channel 16 a show. ;-)

*The list on the City of Carbondale website lists John H. Baker (Chair), Navreet Kang (First Vice Chair), Carolin Harvey (Second Vice Chair), Michael Brazley, Lee Fronabarger, Gayle Klam, Rhett Barke, Katherine Hall, Janet Lilly, Joel Fritzler (Ex-Officio)

May B it

It's going to be fun attempting to transform the 200 block of N. Washington St. into a happening place. A man can dream. To dream, perchance to nap each afternoon.

I might be able to accomplish all of these in my office down the street, on the second floor of the Newell House building (Suite 2B, opened only a couple weeks before Greyhound barked up my tree). From what I hear, the Newell House building is going to get a facelift. (Bening Square to you old-timers, but the original name was Newell Hotel, I think). Dan Terry (who owns the building) also bought the former Herald Printing building and has been renovating it for events and art shows. It would be cool if he could put apartments above the restaurant.

I decided to add the bus gig to my plate because Marshall McLuhan included transportation as media, and the business is steady, so eventually my investment will pay off.

By end of the month, I'll hire someone else to do the day-to-day business, so I can focus on selling local art, finishing my blook and developing one or two additional projects, the most immediate being Bike 2 Work Day, coming up on May 17.

By the end of the month, I'll stop publishing to this blog, too.

Levee levity

I heard from an SI reporter today about story on the Greyhound venture, which I appreciate. But the office is far from ready for a close-up. Only a few hardy travelers have found their way there. The sign isn't even up yet. The regional manager has promised to bring a new sign, but he has left me hanging for two days without a ticket printer or high-speed internet. Oy. Leave the driving to them.

Standing on the sidewalk outside the office, looking across North Washington (known for years as "The Levee") I can see a lot of possibility, because it's so blighted. It's like landing on Baltic Avenue in Monopoly. What can be done except for paint?

Charley Greer has done a great job refurbishing the old Cadillac Lounge bar into a Urban boutique, with some pretty nice stuff. The rest of the block may follow suit.

WDBX is trying to expand, and I hear that Jessica of Rosetta Books is moving across the street, into the Tropicana space behind Longbranch, which has both front and back entrances, including one on Washington. And the former home of the Big Muddy Independent Media Center may also find a new tenant, if the bus stops there.

extra murals

Since Peter the Great is moving this summer, I want to get busy making Carbondale a better place before he leaves. I was hoping he'd like the mural incentive idea, but, judging from the lack of comments, no one did, although murals have transformed and beautified other cities -- and downtown Carbondale needs help, not only economically (Mr. Colebychev tear out those parking meters!) but aesthetically.

I had a chance to ask Mayor Cole about the possibility of a mural incentive yesterday, but he just said that it would be expensive. He also said that City Council recently authorized a 50 foot mural on the east side of the tracks at the Amtrak station at the last Council meeting. Excuse me, but that will benefit train travelers more than city dwellers. Why not spread those thousands around to 30 murals instead of one?

Or is it possible -- and desirable to have both?

Speaking of desirable, I read The Secret while I was in Portland's Powell's Books last week. Do you know The Secret? Is it possible for an entire town to use it?

Bus Stop or Bust

The local Greyhound ticket office will be up and running Monday at its new location next to Urban 2 on 215 N. Washington St. The phone was installed yesterday.

If the City Council approves my request for a Special Use Permit, the bus will begin stopping there by late May. Until then, it will continue to pick-up and drop-off passengers in front of Amtrak.

Yesterday, I paid the city fee for Special Use Permit was $207, including $70 to the Southern Illinoisan to publish a legal notice, and $111 to the U.S. Post Office for certified notifications to 24 area businesses and property owners within 250 feet. (Still unsure why the Carbondale Times wouldn't have been just as effective and cheaper for the legal notice, but hey, I'm happy to contribute to The Illusion's expansion.)

Good news is City staff approves the request, although one vocal local has already expressed opposition. (I think I know who.) The Planning Commission meeting is Wednesday, May 2 at 7:30 p.m. Item PC 07-11 is the only hearing on the agenda published on the City web site. It will be televised on Cable 16, so set your tivos.

After that hearing, the request will come up before the City Council -- on May 15, the same night Mayor Cole and the other winners in the recent election are sworn-in for their respective terms of office.

'round the bend' or wall to wall?

Judging from the comments to Peter's post about me going "round the bend" on the Varsity Theater by calling for a beautify or demolish ultimatum to Kerasotes, many people care about the fate of the venerable venue.

As I explained in a comment to Peter's post -- I was joking, giving an aesthetic twist to the ultimatum given to the Bank of Carbondale for safety purposes. Demolition is extreme for just being ugly.

Yet there might be some value in having an incentive program to beautify ugly walls. It's much cheaper to paint a mural than to build a building. The mural could be an image of the shops that used to be there before Kerasotes put in the other theater and walled off the front.

Other walls and storefronts in the City could choose their own images. A cheap artistic way to improve the look of the cityscape.

Carbondale Main Street arranges for building facade improvement grants, why not mural grants?

Theater ticket price

Looks like veteran SIU-beat reporter, Caleb Hale is on the City beat now. Good choice by someone at the Southern, since Caleb knows the city-- and the university -- pretty well. Yet his recent Varsity Theater update leaves one important question unanswered:

"The Varsity is for sale, though the asking price is unknown. Calls to Kerasotes representatives, based in Chicago, were not returned Tuesday."

Doesn't anyone in the City know how much Kerasotes is asking for the property? Doesn't the City Manager know? the Mayor? Kevin, the business development guy? Carbondale Main Street?

I guess the price is moot, since there is no clearly stated public plan for anything to be done with the Varsity. What can be done? Paint a mural on the wall?

The city should issue a mural incentive. Beautify your building or tear it down. Like what the City sent to the Bank of Carbondale regarding the old Stage Company building: repair or demolish.... Except to warn: beautify or demolish.

to market, to market

This morning I went to the Saturday Market in downtown Portland to buy stuff for Art Lovers - but not before being lured by Peter to the Carbondale Main Street online auction at Ebay. It's a hoot that Peter is thinking about bidding on the right to be the first one to wear the Pig Out mascot suit. If he wins, he'll be following in some great footsteps, er, uh, hoof steps. I'll try to snap a photo of his snout inside the snout, like former City business development staffer, Jeremy Hayes a few years ago.

Peter can shill with the best of them! "One of the best non-profits in town, . . ." he says,

"Main Street has been the best economic development group in Carbondale for the last 5 years. They have a limited focus of helping our downtown area, no messing around with anything else.

A good cause and good people. Help keep our downtown business core strong and bid on something you need. Now is the time to get that Holiday Shopping down early."

So I bid on something.

I wish I could bid on Peter giving the old Gregorianalysis to Carbondale Main Street. On a cost-benefit basis. (I can't wait til he gets to Pig Out!)

Here's an idea -- Why not have Pig Out at the Town Square Pavilion and parking lot this year! And in the parking lots across the street. That area of town needs more boosting than the 710 parking lot businesses.

Have free parking and make it a party.

Bone or stoned?

It isn't always sunny in Portland, but it is today. And I have plans to meet an old friend at Powell's Books, "the largest independent used and new bookstore in the world." But first I want to make a final comment on the recent Mayoral race: I called it.

Moving on.

I've changed my mind about Colbert supporting Simon in the election. His saying that Simon would be "nicer" is hardly an endorsement. The image of Cole with Colbert prevailed over the out-of-context message on the screen.

Now, with Cole Mayor for another four years, I can keep trying to get Carbondale mentioned favorably on the Colbert show with the new "Waiting for Colbert" blog. Any C'dale and Colbert fans are welcome to contribute. It's mainly about Colbert (he loves the attention).

Stephen has recently been named the greatest living American, so it won't be easy to get him to throw us wee folk in Salukiville a bone. It may require naming a bridge after him, or changing the name of Carbondale to "Colbert" -- but he may settle for having Sheila Simon's birthday declared "Stephen Colbert Day" since Brad posed with him while Sheila op-posed.

Alternatively, if Stephen stiffs us, he could be stoned in effigy, like his namesake, the proto-martyr.

A little Sack time

Well, I made it to Portland in one piece, and had a great night's sleep on my daughter's couch last night, so I can couch my words better this morning. No sofastry from me today -- unlike that megalomaniacal Peter the Grate, who continues to whip up a souffle from the broken eggs of the past election, and then orders huevos rancheros in a Back Room meeting.

I'm miffed at Peter 'cause he virtually stole my girl -- the best darn Carbondale-beat reporter the Southern Illinoisan has had since, uh, Linda Rush -- in a photo-op at Brad Cole's victory party. Now compare Peter's photo with mine, snapped (but not published) at her Going Away party last summer. Where does she look happier? I especially like the kid in the back give "The Heiress" donkey ears. ;-)

I always appreciated Nicole Sack's "walk the talk" approach as a reporter -- like the time at Bike 2 Work Day two years ago, when she road her bike to Murphysboro in order to ride along with an SIU employee back to Carbondale for her story in The Southern -- about 14 miles before breakfast!

Now she's out in Southern California, working for another newspaper in the Lee chain. As photogenic and prose-agenic as she is, she should become a television reporter. More pay. More fun?

One good term deserves another

In your face, Colbert! Perhaps Simon would have been nicer, but that wasn't what 2,201 Carbondale voters were looking for in a Mayor, so Cole won!

Sheila did make a nice concession phone call to Brad before he proclaimed victory to his supporters at the Copper Dragon.

I didn't have much time to speak to him, since he was surrounded by well-wishers and media most of the time. But he posed for a photo with Peter the Great and me, looking forward to great progress in next four years.

I hope Sheila will continue to be a part of it. Will you, Bloggee?

The way I see it, some eggs were broken during Cole's first term. Now it's time to make an omelette.

Waiting for Colbert, the blog

Watching tonight's Colbert Report on DVR again in search of an endorsement (back-hand, back-slapping, or half-baked) for his virtual friend Brad Cole. He seems to be sticking to his earlier lukewarm endorsement of Simon, joining Bob Pauls who chooses Simon for environmental reasons; while the DE reversed its previous choice of Sheila to endorse Cole this time -- but for the wrong reasons. I've seen the TV ads and listened to (and recorded) yesterday morning's separate radio interviews of Brad Cole and Sheila Simon by Tom "Cap" Miller (who never got around to asking what Brad meant in his ads about Sheila "playing with" the property tax). I recorded each 9 minute interview but haven't had time to re-listen or excerpt shorter clips.

Looking forward to life after the election; no matter who wins, it will be a breath of fresh air, with warmer weather and Bike 2 Work Day rolling around in May (date, tba) -- and other fun things -- such as another new blog inspired by this one. ;-)

Stop in the name of biz

I've inherited the Greyhound Bus ticket agency in Carbondale, since I knew the guy who was running it, and I used to work for Greyhound when it was located in the space adjacent to the Bike Surgeon, and the bus stopped in front of Amtrak.

For the past year or two, the station has been located on Washington Street, one block north of Tres Hombres, inside the Big Muddy Independent Media Center -- but the bus still stops in front of Amtrak.

Starting April 30, the ticket office will be located across the street from the BMIC, sharing the "Urban Wear" building (where the Cadillac Lounge used to be).

To better serve the customers, I'd like the bus to stop there -- which requires a "special use permit" from the City. Last week, I submitted an application, including a narrative behind the request:

The history of Greyhound bus stations and stops has been checkered, moving from spot to spot over the years. For a while it was on "the Island" where the Indian restaurant is, then it was in the Yellow Cab building, and for awhile adjacent to the Bike Surgeon, where the bus stopped across the street.

Most recently it hopped from 201 N. Washington (where Town Square Market is) to the Big Muddy Independent Media Center location.

And beginning April 30 -- and for a long, long time -- across the street from the BMIC at 215 N. Washington St. adjacent to "Urban Wear" boutique.

But the bus still stops in front of Amtrak, several blocks away, which has resulted in unwanted interactions between confused travelers and annoyed, but helpful, merchants.

The previous agent never bothered to file the necessary paperwork to move the bus stop, but doing so will help revitalize the Town Square district by bringing more people to the area. Greyhound passengers come from all walks of life, and from many distant towns. Often they will dine or shop at local stores if time permits.

Currently, Greyhound stops three times a day in Carbondale. Morning (10:40 a.m.) early evening, 8:55 p.m., and late evening 10:55 p.m.

Typically, each stop is 5-10 minutes.

Only two (possibly 3) parking spaces on the street would be temporarily occupied for no more than one-half hour total per day.

Special use permits require that a legal notice in the Southern Illinoisan (why not the Carbondale Times?) and expensive snail mail to properties within 250 feet. Plus the city filing fee.

The planning commission will consider this request on May 2. Two weeks later the City Council will vote on it on May 15. This is the same day the victors in tomorrow's election will be sworn-in.

Whoever is voted to Council will probably support this win-win-win proposal.

I could go on about the bus biz, but this is a good place to stop.

The Reporter Report

It's no illusion, Bloggee. New Southern Illinoisan editor Gary Metro introduced himself the other day, telling us about past jobs, and search for a new home with his wife, Debbie:

"Newspaper people like to be near the office. You never know when news will break[,] and I wanted to be close to the folks I met in the newsroom during my exploratory visits.

We found just the right spot and I've been on the job for a few weeks, full time in the Carbondale office for the last week. . . . "

Putting 2 and 2 together, it sounds like Gary and Debbie may be living in a renovated section of SI building, itself! Last month, the publisher wrote "Once its second-phase renovation is completed in late September, the Southern Illinoisan will have 1.1 acres under roof. In all, the construction project over the past two years will total $7.1 million. . . . "

Along with the construction crew, Mr. Metro can be heard in action in the editorial board meeting asking Mayor Brad Cole and Councilwoman Sheila Simon questions like "how do you see Carbondale in 3, 5 and 10 years?"

Mr. Metro was joined by managing editor Karen Binder, niche publications editor Steve Binder, and reporter Caleb Hale. (Moderated by publisher Dennis DeRossett).

You can hear Gary's question and the entire interview on-line at The Southern. A 10 minute download, and a little over an hour to listen to. Recommended, if you haven't made up your mind. It demonstrates Brad's utter competence (again). Sheila had made a dig about Cole's big car, so "somebody" asked what model of car each of them drove. Their answers reveal in a nutshell the different styles of the two: Cole in command, Simon shucksin'. (hear the clip.)

Supposedly there's gonna be a "meet the new editor" party at The Southern. Or maybe they had it and I wasn't invited. I wonder if Gary will still be here in 3, 5, or 10 years. I wonder if he'll be editor of 'the Illusion' longer than Katie Couric is anchor of CBS Evening News. The Southern's had a lot of turnover lately. Reporter Andrea Hahn, the cops and courts reporter, has left The Southern on April 5 for a great job with SIUC. In the past eight months they have lost: Ralph Loos, James Bennett, Nicole Sack, Jason Lee, Marleen Shepard, Kristen Cates, Paul Klee, and Perry County reporter, Christi Mathis.

Caleb Hale is hanging tough. Asking tough questions in the editorial board interview.

Said publisher DeRossett "Construction is ongoing; periodically odd noises."

Like this blog.

Colbert Watch, Day 4

It seems like my persistence in trying to get comedy news pundit Stephen Colbert to weigh-in on the Carbondale mayoral race paid off -- although not how I expected.

On Wednesday night's show, Stephen gave a lukewarm endorsement to Mayor Brad Cole's opponent. Did you see it? The context was a subtextual message about the Simon on American Idol, but the message was clear and uncannily true: Simon would be nicer.

But despite this seeming setback, Cole has been cleaning-up in local newspaper support -- with yesterday's Southern Illinoisan endorsement and Chris Wissmann's surprising Nightlife editorial exposing his Council colleague's false claims about our Mayor. And a few weeks ago, The Murpysboro American endorsed Cole as well. I guess the DE is sticking with Sheila, since Pepper Holder is out of the running.

But now we can add Stephen Colbert's dubious endorsement to the Simon's column. That she'll, uh, be "nicer." But is that sufficient reason to make her Mayor? Not according to another pundit, Great Marmaduke's Ghost, who wrote weeks ago:

"People say Sheila Simon is 'nicer' than Brad Cole. So what? It is not the business of government to make people feel good about themselves. It is the job of city government to foster economic development, provide for the public safety, build and maintain infrastructure and to pick up garbage. Every thing else is secondary -- and Cole tops Simon on all of these basics."

Stephen's Thursday show contained no comment or support for his friend Brad, today.

Hey Colbert! I spoke to Cole yesterday about issuing a Mayoral proclamation making Sheila Simon's birthday (whenever it is) "Stephen Colbert Day" but he just laughed. Maybe if you gave your friend Brad a little encouragement? A shout-out from on high, where the Eagle flies. (You have until Monday to rectify this situation. You're on notice.)

Colbert Watch, Day 3

Waiting for Colbert, I downloaded the audio file of the candidates interview with the newspaper's editorial board. At 60 megs, took about ten minues.... Halle Berry is speaking with Jon Stewart on Colbert's lead-in, The Daily Show.

Okay, that character Colbert is bored with the presidential race, but is following the Great Turtle Race because one of the turtles is named after him. He's so vain, he probably thinks this blog's about him. But I think I'll start another blog for that.

While I'm at it, take the "New" out of Carbondaley Dispatch....Not much was accomplished by migrating the address from the original to where it is now. However, Bytelife is inching along and Bob, Scott, Jim and I are posting to it. Most of the others just chipped in once. It's hard to give much attention to more than one blog at a time, as I well know.

I think that Cole was wise to seek Colbert's support. Colbert showed the magic he worked in a review of the Saginaw Spirit, after it adopted Stephen Cobeagle the Eagle as its mascot. The character Colbert is an ego-maniac, who has an uncanny way of getting publicity: balls to the wall chutzpah. If it's true, as a commenter says, that the Mayor will be doing television advertising. He should use the photo in an ad on local Comedy Central, except I think the Colbert Nation owns the copyright. (I better check the Colbert Nation terms again)

Probably the only way for Cole to get on Colbert's show now, is for Brad to propose changing the name of the City to "Colbert" (town suffixes like -dale, -ton, -burg don't work with the French pronunciation of the name, so simply "Colbert, Illinois"). Crazy idea, maybe. But it really would call attention to the city in a positive way. (The name "Carbon"dale is lackluster). There already is a town called Colbert, Georgia, though I'm not sure if it is pronounced as French. I don't think so. Since this part of the world has a strong French influence (ask President Poshard), the French pronunciation is natural. We could add another Sister City in France.

Stephen's guest tonight is Vali Nasr the author of The Shia Revival. Great interview. I've never seen Stephen buckle before. He admitted that the war in Iraq was a mistake if it means he has to learn the difference between two branches of Islam.

How about you, Bloggee? Do you know the difference between Shia and Sunni? Stephen didn't, and doesn't want to.

Do you know the difference between Cole and Simon? Cole is like an overachieving brother; Sheila, a sensible mother.

Surprise! I think Colbert actually does weigh-in (albeit lightly) in "The Word" segment. Or is it coincidence? I captured a screenshot of the evidence.

I don't know who the Southern will endorse, but for Colbert's endorsement, Uncle Brad may have to up the ante -- at the very least, create a quick proclamation making Sheila Simon's birthday "Stephen Colbert Day."

p.s. to anonymous out-of-towner: re: deer hunting on campus.
in the old days someone like H.B. Koplowitz would make a funny cartoon on that theme. ;-)

Colbert Watch, Day 2

Still no word from the great man, by whom I mean not our local great man, whose words are boundless, but that Comedy Central character Stephen Colbert, to whom I recently sent a photo of Mayor Brad Cole with him pointing at each other.

Tuesday's show featured more 'over the top' segments and between-the-lines commentaries by Colbert -- including a searing guitar solo by the Hungarian Ambassador to the U.S.

But no Cole.

Brad did get some ink in a local daily, though: two letters in the Southern Illinoisan in support of his candidacy for re-election. I like the first letter (by local business leader Trace Brown) better -- urging voters to put partisan politics aside, and vote for Cole:

Brad Cole puts in more than 60 hours a week as mayor for $9,000 per year, of which he donates a large portion to community charities. If we have someone willing to do this, while doing an outstanding job, then why we want to make the mayor position a part-time job again?

Brown is a partner in the company that built Houlihans and the Holiday Inn at Reed Station Road.

The other letter by local Hall of Famer Marvin Kleinau, former host of Scholastic Hi-Q on WSIU. Marvin argues, why fire a guy who's worked hard and done a great job.

Replacing Brad with Sheila would be like viewers voting Stephen Colbert off his show and replacing him with Tracey Ullman. (ouch).

Colbert Watch, Day 1

No email today from Stephen Colbert, or from the Colbert Nation webmaster. On his first day back on the job after vacation, he had the liberal editor Katrina VanDersomething of The Nation. Before her, in a pre-interview with someone called No Impact Man -- two liberals whom he treated well, so Sheila really had nothing to fear.

There are still five new shows before the election, so it's possible that Mayor Cole will make the show. Maybe I should go ahead and do an "unauthorized" photoshop of Sheila with Colbert. Something very proper. On a bicycle perhaps.

If you've never seen Colbert's show, check out his Comedy Central site.

Meanwhile Peter the Great questions on Sheila's latest campaign tactic: accusing Cole of traveling (and he doesn't even play basketball!) and I've tried to address the issue in the comments to Travelin' Man. (Conclusion: the charge doesn't deserve the mileage it's getting in the media.)

I've managed to put together a list of things Cole accomplished as a City Councilman, before he was Mayor! No need to compare. Comparisons are odious. But when you add these to his goals and accomplishments so far as Mayor, the list is quite impressive. He didn't wait for someone else to make things happen. If it seemed worth doing, he went for it -- and usually succeeded.

I understand that his opponent disagrees with some of the things he went for (although she may have voted for them at the time). It's all about style. Brad's a decision maker. He gathers information, then he acts. Next, I'll list things he got done as Mayor. And then a list of things he'd like to finish, or get started, including an intermodal transportation center.

Mayor rhymes with Colbert (Col-bear). Colbert begins with "C" . . . Maybe Cole could promise to put forward to City Council a plan to change Carbondale's name to "Colbertdale" . . . That way the "C's" on the baseball hats wouldn't have to be changed.

What else is new?

Easter is my favorite Christian holiday; Xma$ can't hold a candle to it, imo. Instead of ka-ching, it's all about renewal and the things of Spring. As a pre-teen, I'd walk the boardwalk in Atlantic City (before the Casinos) to stroll the pier with peers, wearing a suit from Robert Hall, which surprisingly is still in business, although I won't be wearing a suit to Bald Knob Cross today.

Town Square should have an old-fashioned "Easter Parade" at the Pavilion, closing-off traffic on Jackson and Washington Sts. Maybe not on Easter Sunday, but another suitable Spring day. It would be fun. Maybe the Square could be beautified in the meantime. The Pavilion is so plain. A piece of statuary or artisitic sculpture would be nice.

To help bring these ideas to the public, a small group of Town Square merchants is launching the Town Square Marketing Association, headquarted at 201 E. Main St., Suite 2B. The TSMA will work with the Historic Town Square Coalition and Carbondale Main Street to give the area more identity (like the "Arbor District"). Other ideas will be presented in the On the Square Online blog later this month.

What else is new? Did you know the author of Carbondale After Dark is coming to town later this month? I'll be out of town, unfortunately, but the other local media will be there, with interviews and photos, I hope. His visit is in connection with the republication of his "self-proclaimed cult classic" -- the book that inspired the title for my blook. Somewhere I have a copy of the first edition of the book, and some copies of his magazine Non Sequitur. I knew H.B. years ago. Not well; he didn't like me.

So what else is new? ;-)

The blog portal site has been plagued by RSS feed problems with Blogger. (Won't go into the details here, but will there.) But there is nothing new about encountering problems during a creative process. And often the solutions mean a new opportunity or challenge: one thing leads to the another.

What else is new? I recently met with Ruby Jung about publishing the collected essays of her husband, and my good friend, the late waterman and hill-traveller himself. We hope to have in print before the end of the year.

Meanwhile, I've decided to put all my creative eggs into one multi-media basket: a company called Creative Media, which touts the motto: "We've taken the creativity out of our name, and passed it on to you." ;-) -- with an office in the Bening (Newell House) building.

What will CM offer? Print publishing of books and art; Music and video production, too. Plus advertising, PR, and software consulting. An Open House and Going Away Party for one of the Art Lovers' artists is planned for next Friday night (April 13) from 6-9 p.m.

What else is new? The Jung at Heart Celebration for April 28 is shaping up with some big time performers. It seems ol' Uncle Jim knew some people, who knew some people. Details are being finalized by SIU Marketing maven Terry Clark.

After that, for me, the next big public event for me is Bike 2 Work Day in May, which both Mayor Brad Cole and Mayor-hopeful Sheila Simon have agreed to participate in, handing out trophies to those who ride farthest and the business that has the most riders. "From a bicycling standpoint, if Sheila's mayor, more people will participate, since she's the darling of the Carbondale Bicycle Club, but Brad made the decision to launch the event in the first place," said a steering committee spokes-man.

I love puns and neologisms. What else is new?

Travellin' Man

I wonder how many readers still have not decided who to vote for. Among the Bytelife bloggers, Peter's mind is made up in favor of Mayor Cole, for sure. But Jim Syler seems to be against him for using the flag in advertising. Last I heard, Bob Pauls was also undecided. Some may vote for Sheila because she had tea with them, and makes them feel their voice is heard. Cole isn't much a schmoozer, but does appear to enjoy traveling to distant lands on official business, such as going to Shimla, India to present a quilt and reestablish a dormant Sister City relationship. (Couldn't it have been Fed-Ex'd?) It appears that Cole got on the Sister Cities board as a result of his initiative. He also traveled to another Sister City in Japan, although I can not find an official press release for that trip. It might be interesting to post the entire list that Sheila waved accusingly to the debate audience last week, so readers can decide if Cole's travel itinerary was wasteful, or if the mayor was just doing his job.

I myself will be traveling to Oregon the day after the April 17 election - to investigate possibilities for grown-up bloggers in Corvallis. ;-) , and purchase art at the Portland Art Market for Art Lovers.

Must be back by April 28 to attend the Jung at Heart Celebration at Big Boys Q, organized by Prof. Terry Clark (Cayenne Boyd is flying in from Santa Cruz to perform) to raise $ to help pay for Jim's medical bills.

Mayor seeks 'bump'; Councilwoman passes

Over in his busy 'biz' blog, local hero Peter the Great wonders, does it matter who wins the Mayor's race, but I don't have to wonder, I know what will happen if local heroine Sheila Simon is elected: playing it safe, going on 'worst case scenarios', and stalling progress.

I base my conclusion on her decision to decline the photo-op opportunity extended to her (and all Americans) by the nation's hottest pundit (a photoshop photo-op?). But Simon, whose father was a Democrate U.S. Senator from Illinois, is choosing to go the route recommended by Democrat U.S. Rep. Rahm Emanuel: stay away from Stephen Colbert.

As she explained by email:

"I think Brad and I would be in the same boat -- and on the edge, if I can mix metaphors! So many of the people and places that are on his show are really ridiculed. I don't think we can guarantee that either candidate or the town would come out ahead."

I pitched the idea to both Mayor Cole and Councilwoman Simon that being on the show would be good for our City, but Sheila doesn't 'get it'.

Everybody's talking about how Oooh, SIU needs more students . . . Oooh, the City needs to get its story out . . . Oooh, spend millions on advertising . . . .Well, what better way to get the word out that Carbondale is "a hip place to be on the square" than by having its two candidates for Mayor appear (via telephone) on America's hippest and smartest new television news program -- one that reaches millions of young and young-at-heart viewers with its trademarked brand of "truthiness."

I sprung the idea on Cole when I saw him at a local business, and to his credit (imo) he played along -- by posing for the quick snapshot you see here. He knew enough about The Colbert Report (Col-bear Rep-OR) to trust that both he and Carbondale would get a "Colbert Bump" by a minute or two with the man American loves to love.

Sheila would have benefited, too, but she passed.

PHOTO CAPTION:
Television News Commentator STEPHEN COLBERT, D.F.A. recently took time out at the end of his Comedy Central show to offer a photo opportunity to the viewing public -- an opportunity seized by Carbondale, Illinois, Mayor BRAD COLE, M.L.S, who thiinks that appearing with the influential pundit could boost his campaign for re-election against his opponent, the daughter of a famous Senator.

Grin and Colbert it

At the conclusion of last Thursday night's debate, Sheila Simon held up a folder containing evidence that Mayor Brad Cole requested $30,000 for travel reimbursement during his term of Mayor. It was no secret that Cole spent City money when he traveled to India and Japan, and probably Washington DC, and other places. I haven't seen Sheila's evidence, but right off I say, so what? What's wrong with the Mayor rekindling contact with the City's Sister Cities? Or traveling to DC to make contacts for money for a state of the art new police station?

Sheila waved the folder as evidence that Brad spends money 'like a teenager'. I wonder which travel expenses Sheila wouldn't allow. Without having all the facts, it seems that money spent traveling to distant lands is good for Carbondale in the 'spread the word' sense, putting it 'on the map'. Like being on Stephen Colbert's Colbert Report.



Mayor Cole agreed to strike a pose for the unusual photo op I told you about. To be fair, I personally contacted Councilman Simon about playing along. I hope to send both hers and Cole's photoshopped photos to Stephen for his consideration, asking him to weigh-in on the election, giving all of Carbondale the "Colbert Bump."

Last I heard, Sheila's thinking it over, probably discussing it with trusted advisers. I hope she isn't influenced by Rep. Rahm Emanuel's warning to freshman Democrats not to appear on Colbert's 'Better Know a District' series, because this situation is entirely different. A one-minute telephone conference call, I imagine with Cole and Simon on separate lines would do the trick. Stephen will play it for laughs, of course. I think the travel or credenza issue would be good topics, or the thrifty mom vs. spendthrift son, but Colbert's research staff would decide how to frame it.

Having Carbondale featured on a show hosted by one of the most influential Americans in the U.S., who reaches millions of young viewers would be a good thing, 'priceless' even. If Sheila passes on the opportunity, I'll send in Cole's by itself. There is a chance that Stephen will ignore it, but I think it's worth a try -- for good ol' Carbondale.