…like the fact that Forgotonia shares a connection (however small) with

• Norman Rockwell
• “ER”
• “90210,”
• and Jim Carrey.

XXMD book review on Norman Rockwell

XXMD [not sure what this name means--a bunch of really racy doctors who also like to read, maybe????] met at the Macomb Public Library March 30. Sally Sallee reviewed the book
“Norman Rockwell, My Adventures as an Illustrator” by Norman
Rockwell as told to Tom
Rockwell.
Rockwell said he
knew from the age of 6
that he wanted to be an
artist. When he was 16,
he started art school,
where he paid his own
tuition with money
earned from odd jobs
and scholarships.
He told of many hilarious
activities from his
school years. He scored
very low in art but
excelled in algebra.
As a monitor in art
school he helped choose
models for each week’s
classes.
One week the model
selected was a short, fat,
muscular young woman
who asked Norman during
her break if he could
do a double back flip.
When he said no, she
demonstrated and did
cartwheels, stood on her
head, etc.
Rockwell said,”It
shakes you up considerably
to see a nude
woman doing cartwheels.”
The woman was a circus
bareback rider doing
modeling in the off-season.
Rockwell said illustrations
were easier to do
because he didn’t have
to come up with ideas,
the author did that with
words and Rockwell just
had to put them into
pictures.
He illustrated Mark Twain’s “Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn”. In order to be authentic Rockwell traveled to Hannibal, Mo., where he made hundreds of sketches. He also drove around the countryside buying old clothes for his models to wear when he returned to his studio.
Rockwell’s secret
ambition was to do a
cover for “The Saturday
Evening Post”. He said
if you did a cover for the
Post you had arrived.
He did his first cover
before World War I. He
used many of the same
models over and over
but put them in different
clothes or turned them
so their faces couldn’t be
seen.
Rockwell and his first
wife divorced after 14
years. He met his second
wife in California where
he worked with Gary
Cooper and Ethyl
Barrymore. They had
three sons.
After her death he
married again. His third
wife was the group
leader for one of the
poetry groups Rockwell
attended. He had written
poetry when he was
a boy.
Rockwell said, “ The
story of my life is, really,
the story of my pictures
and how I made them.
Because, in one way or
another, everything I
have ever seen or done
has gone into my pictures.”
Sallee displayed a collection
of Rockwell’s
Post covers beginning
with 1916. Members told
about their favorite covers.

Also, in a write-up about the Macomb Community Theatre (MCT)’s 50-year anniversary:

The MCT stage has also seen several actors go on to successful careers. Former member, Ted Raymond, appeared in several movies including his roll as Spencer in the Jim Carey film “The Truman Show.”

[I checked imdb for his name, and while he is indeed listed on the "Truman Show" page, that's about all I found.]

Perhaps the most prolific professional actor to be involved with MCT is Mike Genovese who has appeared network television shows such as Cold Case, NYPD Blue, JAG, Babylon 5, Chicago Hope, Beverly Hills 90210, Star Trek Deep Space 9, L,A, Law, Quantum Leap, Family Matters and Dukes of Hazzard among many others. Genovese also had a recurring roll on ER in the late 1990′s as Officer Al Grabarsky.

SO. No “Waiting for Guffman” jokes about this MCT article allowed!

I’ve been meaning for quite awhile to post this obit, which I was absolutely blown away by.

I know it’s weird that, (as I mentioned in the previous post), I’m an obsessive obit-reader. On the surface it might seem morbid. But I just find every single person’s life story to be interesting, even if it’s just because of some small, seemingly insignificant fact. Like, let’s say, that the little old lady you saw at church every Sunday of your childhood was such a die-hard Cubs fan she once got to throw the pitch at a game. Stuff about people all around you that you never knew.

But this late Hancock Countian’s life story is truly dramatic. I wonder how many people around him, in his everyday life, knew this story:

(from the Journal-Pilot online archive)

Glen Pilkington

Tuesday, March 17, 2009 5:15 PM CDT

Sept. 2, 1914 – March 11, 2009

Glen Pilkington, 94, a longtime resident of Hamilton, died on Wednesday, March 11, 2009, at Montebello Healthcare Center in Hamilton.
[...family info here]
Glen graduated from Hamilton High School in 1932, playing football with two undefeated seasons. Following high school, he worked on the family farm and took odd jobs, helping to build the river road.

He enlisted in the U.S. Army on Dec. 12, 1939. In 1940, he was transferred to Nichols Field in the Philippines as a member of the 19th Air Base Squadron. After spending time doing reconnaissance work in Bataan, Pilkington was sent to Formosa, where he worked as a gardener and barracks cook. Shortly thereafter, he was put on a detail going to Clark Field, where a large number of B-17 aircraft were stationed. Following a bombing raid, he was taken captive at the surrender of Clark Field. As a prisoner of war, he spent time there building an airfield until he was transferred to Japan, crowded into the hull of a ship with many POWs without food or water. He then worked in Japan on freight detail in the Kobe region and later to Lake Biwa, where he planted rice and built a dike. At the end of the war, Glen returned to the Philippines and to the United States.

Glen earned the Purple Heart Medal, 1st and 2nd Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster, American Defense Service Ribbon with Bronze Star in lieu of Clasp Victory Medal, Asiatic Pacific Theater Ribbon with one Bronze Battle Star, Philippine Defense Ribbon with one Bronze Battle Star and seven Overseas Service Bars with two Service Stripes.

When Glen returned to Hamilton, he worked construction for a few years before owning and operating Sinclair Gas Station in Hamilton. He worked for many years for Hamilton schools in maintenance, retiring in 1989. He built the house that he lived in with his son, Rick, until shortly before his death.

He and his wife shared over 50 years together.

He was one of the founders of the Hamilton V.F.W., had served as president and helped design the new V.F.W building. He was a founding member of the Hamilton Little League program and the Deer Run Golf Course in Hamilton. In 2005, Glen was named Grand Marshall of the Bicentennial Celebration. He enjoyed playing golf, walking his dog, Suzie, and photography.

HCJP 3/18/09

I know that this is a sad, sad commentary on my life, but: I am obsessed with reading obituaries from my hometown paper. And not just of the people I know—I even pore over the obits of strangers.

But check out the story of this guy, who grew up in Hancock County, and you might see why I find this weekly exercise so fascinating:
(from last week’s Journal-Pilot)

Rolland Hardy
Friday, April 3, 2009 2:57 PM CDT

May 2, 1920 – March 25, 2009
Rolland L. Hardy, 88, of Wisner, Neb., formerly of Carthage, died on Wednesday, March 25, 2009, in Wisner.
He was born in Hancock County on May 2, 1920, near Bentley, a son of Bryan and Gladys (Timberlake) Hardy.
[....]
Rolland graduated from LaHarpe High School as valedictorian in 1938. He began college at Western Illinois University. In 1941 his National Guard unit was activated, and he spent 19 months in the Pacific Theater as a First Lieutenant of rocket artillery. After World War II Rolland remained in the Army Reserve, retiring in 1971 as a Lieutenant Colonel in the Corps of Engineers.

He worked as an engineer for the U.S. Geological Survey 1947-1955, and private consulting engineer from 1955 to 1958. During 1958-59 he served in the Bureau of Public Roads where he helped in the original design of the interstate highway system during the Eisenhower administration. During 1959-61 he worked in Africa for the U.S. State Department’s Agency for International Development as geodetic advisor to the director of the Sudan Survey Department. After leaving Africa he moved to Germany where he earned his doktor der ingenieurwissenschaften (Ph. D. in Engineering) degree from Universitat Karlesruhe in 1963.
In 1963 he returned to the United States where he worked for the Defense Intelligence Agency and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Washington, D.C. There he worked on projects involving cold-war satellite photography, the first lunar-orbiting satellites, and the first attempts at lunar landings.
In 1967 he moved to Iowa State University as professor of civil engineering and head of the Survey Engineering Program, where he remained until retiring in 1988. During his tenure at Iowa State he served for extended periods as senior scientist in geodesy for the National Research Council, consultant to the American Council on Education, and was awarded an endowed research chair at the Naval Postgraduate School.
During his 50-year career in engineering he invented and patented three automatic-levelling surveying instruments and self-indexing theodolites. His greatest scientific contribution was in the area of mathematical geophysics where he is known as the father of multiquadratic equations. These equations have become important tools for cutting-edge scientists studying areas as diverse as black-hole gravitation, ocean currents, data-mining, and computational nanotechnology.
Rolland enjoyed playing the harmonica, accordion, and keyboard. He was also a fan of country western music and visiting Civil War battlegrounds.
[full obit at online Journal-Pilot....]

And while I’m on the subject of interesting people from Forgotonia, here’s another update (from the PJ Star) on the American Indian from Hancock County–who knew?–taking his religious-freedom complaint about the smoking bill to the higher courts.

The effort by a Hancock County American Indian to amend the state’s 15-month-old smoking ban has cleared a hurdle in the Illinois Legislature.
On Wednesday, senators voted 53-0-1 in favor of an amendment allowing smoking indoors when it’s part of a religious ceremony, ritual or activity.
State Sen. Dale Risinger, R-Peoria, voted present on the measure.
The bill will now be considered by the Illinois House.
The amendment was introduced in February by Sen. John Sullivan, D-Rushville, who was initially approached by American Indian Larry Cooper of Hamilton.
Since passage of the smoking ban, Cooper and other American Indians who want to use smoke indoors for tribal ceremonies have been told those portions must be done outside because of the state’s new ban. Some smoke in the ceremonies include burning prairie grasses or the use of ceremonial pipes.
The proposed amendment protects the rights of American Indians to practice any recognized religious ceremony, ritual or activity that is in accordance with the federal American Indian Religious Freedom Act.
“It is important that any legislation passed by the General Assembly does not infringe upon basic religious freedoms,” Sullivan said. “The intent of this legislation is to ensure that the smoking ban passed last session does not negatively affect the religious rights of American Indian citizens protected under the First Amendment.”
Last month, Cooper testified in support of the amendment at a Senate committee.
On Thursday, Cooper said the wording of the passed amendment isn’t exactly what had been discussed because a reference to recognized ceremonies leaves out the word “native,” but he said he’s been assured that will be corrected in the House.
Cooper said he supports the amendment, “as long as it goes statewide and everyone understands it.
“It’s not exactly the way it was agreed upon, but as long as it’s clear that we do have that right, we’ll go along with it.”
Sullivan has said that if all of the necessary approvals are garnered, the amendment could become part of the act by May.

from the Peoria Journal-Star yesterday and today:

Al-Marri indicted on terrorism-related charges; Justice Department seeks dismissal of complaint he filed

By ANDY KRAVETz

Al-Marri may be tried in Peoria

Nearly six years after he was whisked away after being named an enemy combatant, it appears Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri will come back to the land of Lincoln.

Local federal prosecutors couldn’t comment but news reports from the Washington Post and The Associated Press cited confidential sources that said al-Marri’s case would likely return to Illinois and possibly Peoria, where previous charges were dropped in 2003.

One of the people familiar with the al-Marri case said prosecutors plan to charge him with providing material support to terrorists, a charge similar to what he would have faced if tried by a military tribunal.

Sharon Paul, a spokeswoman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Springfield, said she could not comment on the matter. Justice Department spokesman Dean Boyd declined to comment on the plans for al-Marri.

The move comes just weeks before President Barack Obama’s administration had to file papers in al-Marri’s case pending before the U.S. Supreme Court outlining their position on whether the Qatar national could be held as an enemy combatant indefinitely.

Obama had ordered the Justice Department to review the case and give him a report on his options. The president has never made clear his stance on the matter and government lawyers have a few more weeks to file their final briefs in the Supreme Court case.

At issue is the constitutional question of how much power the president has during wartime and whether the government can hold a person without charges and without a trial.

It was unclear Thursday if the anticipated move would render moot the case before the high court. Jonathan Hafetz, one of al-Marri’s lawyers, said he would oppose such a move, saying the Supreme Court must rule on the legal quandary.

Hafetz called the potential transfer of custody an “important first step,” but one that must be accompanied by a parallel action in Washington, D.C., which could possibly set limits on the power of the executive branch in wartime.

The attorney, with the American Civil Liberties Union, said he had spoken to al-Marri this week and that his client was doing well, despite nearly six years in solitary confinement. His overriding desire, Hafetz said, was to have his case heard in court and then to return to his family in Qatar.

Al-Marri was arrested in December 2001 as a material witness for a New York-based grand jury investigating the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Within weeks, he was charged first in New York and then in Peoria’s federal court with credit card fraud and lying to the FBI.

Those charges were dropped in June 2003, when former President George W. Bush declared him an “enemy combatant” and whisked him away to a naval brig in South Carolina, where he has been held since.

Government officials have said al-Marri came to Peoria under the guise of getting his master’s degree at Bradley University, but his intent was to lead a second wave of attacks against America.

I mentioned awhile back that President Obama is reviewing the case of the “Peoria-area” suspected terrorist, and his decision could be a landmark legal case.

But how foolish I now feel, now that I was reminded that this dude had actually lived and worked in MACOMB! (Check out this timeline that the Washington Post put together in 2007.)

Thanks to the Macomb Eagle, I now know the scoop:

Obama requests review for Macomb resident, enemy combatant
1/30/2009

By NATHAN WOODSIDE

Eagle Managing Editor

A former Macomb resident, held as an al-Qaida sleeper agent, could soon be given a trial or sent home after President Barack Obama asked the U.S. Justice Department to review his case.

Ali Saleh Kahlah al-Marri has been held in solitary confinement for over five years as an enemy combatant in South Carolina’s Hanahan Naval Brig. The government said al-Marri had ties to the 9-11 terrorist attacks, prompting former President George W. Bush to order al-Marri imprisoned without formal charges [perhaps one of the few smart things he ever did? Or: yet another racial profiling incident? Discuss].

Obama requested the review to determine whether or not al-Marri has the right to sue the government for his freedom. His case is scheduled to be heard by the U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 20 but the review could put a stay on that proceeding.

Al-Marri, a Qatar nationalist, worked as a computer science instructor at Spoon River College, Macomb, in the late 1980′s.

In the 1990′s, he ran a fraudulent business, AAA Carpet, while living in the Time Out motel on North Lafayette Street.[No way!!!!!]

Reports show al-Marri flew to New York from Peoria just prior to Sept. 11.

After the terror attacks, al-Marri attempted to enroll in WIU’s English program but was turned away when he refused to sign his name.[OMG this gets even crazier!!!! This is where I work! This is where I am a grad student in English!!!]

University advisors also reported other strange patterns in his behavior.

Al-Marri was originally arrested on credit fraud charges after he set up fake bank accounts in Macomb, Peoria and Manhattan, NY. While awaiting trial for those charges, he was detained as an enemy combatant.

The handling of Al-Marri’s case could define the rights of those classified as enemy combatants.

In 2007, a South Carolina appellate court ruled al-Marri must either be charged, declared a material witness or freed. The Bush administration snuffed the court’s findings and al-Marri remained jailed without being

charged.

Last summer an appellate court ruled the government could hold al-Marri but he had the right to challenge his imprisonment.

“That ruling transgresses black-letter principles of statutory construction, flouts Congress’s intent, and raises grave constitutional questions unnecessarily,” al-Marri’s attorney wrote. “It deviates dangerously from this nation’s most cherished constitutional principles and traditions. It must be reversed.”

Obama has described al-Marri as a “dangerous individual.”

Where do Forgotonia folks like to (or wish they could) eat, shop, and explore?

This week we hear from one of my lifelong friends, Kimberly Kelly, who was born in Forgotonia.

When she was growing up in Carthage, her family owned the Kelly Co. store on the west side of the Carthage square.

Though she moved to Florida after high school and has lived in Portland, OR and Scottsdale, AZ, since then, I have the good fortune of seeing her every summer and Christmas when she returns home to work for and visit with her family in McDonough and Hancock counties.

Kim is a friendly, never-meet-a-stranger kind of gal who manages to make me laugh in nearly every sentence that comes out of her mouth.

Married to Michael Burch, and proud owner of a French bulldog, Mabel, (who you might see Kim walking around the Macomb square when she’s home–and who was an honorary “bridesmaid” in Kim’s Macomb wedding), Kim offers a unique perspective on what it’s like to live somewhere else and still stay up-to-date on what it’s like “back home.”

Name: Kim Kelly
Age: 31
Hometown: Carthage, IL and Macomb, IL
Current city of residence: Scottsdale, AZ
Occupation/ employer: Account VP 21st Century Global Corp, Inc.
Forgotonia resident for ___18 years

1) I ended up in Forgotonia because: Family. (Kim was born and raised in the area, where her parents, brother, grandparents, and aunts and uncles still reside.)

2) Favorite food item for sale in Forgotonia: Pork Tenderloin, Chicken Lips, Brooks Catsup

3) Favorite touris spot/place to take visitors in Forgotonia: Going to Keokuk to see the Eagles at the lock and dam, Macomb Heritage Days, the spillway [at Carthage Lake] and the Nauvoo Grape Festival.

4) Favorite spring or summer event/moment/memory in Forgotonia: Cruising route 136, road tripping, getting hit by a runaway tire off a horse trailer on the way to school.

5) Favorite fall or winter event/moment/memory in Forgotonia: cheering at footballs games, NOT!

6) Favorite place to eat in Forgotonia: Larry A’s Pizza [in Macomb]

7) Favorite place to shop in Forgotonia: Bliss [botique on Macomb square]

8) Favorite place to spend a Saturday in Forgotonia: Parents’ house

9) Place(s) I’d like to spend more time in/visit more often in Forgotonia: Elms Nursing Home [to visit Grandma]

10) Forgotonia in general (or) my specific town needs needs: Organic grocery store

11) Forgotonia in general (or) my specific town needs less: consignment shops

12) Best bargain for your buck in Forgotonia: Dollar General

13) Best bragging point about/ landmark/place to take visitors in Forgotonia: Carthage court house.

14) Places I like to think I discovered in Forgotonia: The back field which my grandma called “the holler” in Colchester, IL the land has been in my family since the late 1800’s. We would play war and build forts back there all summer. My grandma told us to be careful cause there are coal mines back there, unfortunately we never found one, believe me we sure did look!

15) Radio station playing most often in my car when in Forgotonia: whatever the one Mike Gillett’s on [Modern Rock 95.9 WNLF]

16) Most dependable/ favorite media outlet in Forgotonia: none

17) Restaurant, business or trend I’d like to see start in Forgotonia: Culvers

18) Best place to buy a beverage in Forgotonia: Chicken lips [Chick's on the Macomb Square]

19) I saw a good concert/ underrated live performance of some kind / notable moment in regional or national history in Forgotonia and it was: David Kroll at LaHarpe Fair, Motley Crue and Type O Negative in Quincy, IL

20) One thing I miss/ would miss since leaving / if I left Forgotonia would be: No traffic, fresh air, one finger wavers.

A. “President Barack Obama has asked his Justice Department to review the case of a former West Peorian accused of being a sleeper agent for al Qaida.”

Maybe you might already be following the case of the Peoria-based suspected terrorist. But in case you missed it last week, there was a pretty big development in terms of what might happen now that Obama is in office.

If I’m understanding it correctly, the news reports say that what Obama eventually decides [about how to handle this guy] could affect the way other possible-terrorists / average citizens-turned-suspects who just happen to be of Middle Eastern descent [but also happen to be doing some weird things with credit cards] are treated, in terms of whether or not they should continue to be held in custody.

Read the full story from the Peoria Journal-Star ["President has asked Justice Department to review al-Marri's case, The Associated Press has learned "] here.

• We were picked to host a “Neighborhood Ball”! How cool! See “WIU selected to host a Neighborhood Ball for live Webcast” here.
• People from the area are attending, including a Western master’s grad and employee who I think is playing an instrument there today.
• John Podesta, Knox College graduate and highly involved trustee, has been a transition team honcho.

You can read about the Grys family finally getting watching their episode (the house was built last fall) and see a small photo gallery here:
–

Hundreds gather to watch as home ‘Makeover’ revealed

By Stephanie Gomes
Journal Star
Posted Jan 11, 2009 @ 11:14 PM

PEORIA —Hundreds of eyes glued to three large screens as the much anticipated episode of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” featuring the Grys family of Pekin aired Sunday evening in a Peoria Civic Center Exhibition Hall.

“It’s amazing to see all the people,” said mother Jean Grys. “We are so overwhelmed. You just don’t think something like this is going to happen to you.”

It had been a long journey for the seven-member Grys family, who for the last three months have kept details of their elaborate home makeover a secret.

(I meant to post this last week! Darn it! I almost missed the show myself, and I’m sure lots of people watched the Golden Globes instead. But hopefully some of you have Tivo? )

As I mentioned previously, I was once scolded by a cast member of “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” because of the fact that I poked fun at the show in one of my columns for the Register-Mail.

I get tired of the crying week after week and the endless plugging of Sears.

But now I’m all excited to see the show this upcoming Sunday [actually aired last night, Jan. 11].

For my job, I recently had the chance to interview the father of this week’s family (from Pekin, Ill.)

Steve Grys, who with his wife has served as a foster parent to more than 250 kids for more than two decades, is a Western alum from 1979. (I did a short profile on him and his family being chosen for the show in the most recent edition of the WIU alumni newspaper.)

Steve seemed like a really nice guy on the phone, and as I heard about his involvement as a foster father, I was amazed–and I started to find myself feeling a new appreciation of the show for helping people who have been so incredibly giving.

I definitely got the warm-fuzzies learning about how “Home Edition” helped the couple’s adopted foster son, Jake, who is at the heart of the story. He has brittle bone disease and dwarfism, and, before the home makeover, couldn’t do anything without the Grys’s help, from going to the bathroom to getting a drink of water to sleeping in a bed on his own. Steve told me that, on average, Jake breaks one bone per week.

Now, I must say, I don’t think I’m done making fun of the show entirely.

But in my temporary reprieve, I will give props to the show for designing a house that could help save the life of a darling eight-year-old-boy.