Just a bit crazy 4 U!

I just learned that Governor Quinn told the State Journal-Register editorial board yesterday that the Dana-Thomas House will reopen within the current fiscal year . . . which would be sometime before June 30.

We need to keep pressure on our legislative leaders to ensure that Governor makes this happen. Contact our legislative leaders and encourage them to approve supplemental funding for historic sites.

Speaker of the House – Michael Madigan
mmadigan@hds.ilga.gov

President of the Senate – John Cullerton
cullerton@senatedem.state.il.us

E-mail addresses are no longer listed on the General Assembly website. I believe that our e-mail campaign may be responsible. However, office addresses, phone numbers and fax numbers are still posted. I encourage you to write letters and phone in addition to e-mailing.

We are getting closer to reopening our Dana-Thomas House. Don’t give up!

Blessed Sacrament School had some great basketball teams this year with the 7th grade girls winning state and now the 8th grade boys winning state. Here are highlights from the Class 8-1A State Championship basketball game from the IESA website:

Royal Prairieview Ogden Starters: 2, 5, 10, 11, 25. Springfield Blessed Sacrament Starters: 00, 10, 15, 23, 45. Springfield Blessed Sacrament went on a 6-0 run late in the first quarter to gofrom a 6-5 lead to a 12-5 lead on a pair of jumpers in the paint from Logan Larson and a baseline jumper from John Witsman. A rebound basket by Louis Acklin for Royal Prairieview Ogden with 3:20 to go in the second quarter cut his team’s deficit to 17-12. A layup from John Witsman and a layup from David Smith pushed the Blessed Sacrament lead to 21-12 with less than a minute to go in the half.Royal Prairieview Ogden came out in the third quarter launching three-pointers from all spots around the court and used three from Louis Acklin and one from Aaron Woller to pull to within 29-28 with 1:28 to go in the third quarter. After a spin move layup by Blessed Sacrament’s Logan Larson for a 31-28 lead, Royal Prairieview Ogden took the lead at the end of the quarter, 32-31, on a jumper by Bryce Stewart with 0:00 on the clock. But the Royal Prairieview Ogden offense stalled and Blessed Sacrament went on a 10-0 run to build a 41-32 lead that broke the game wide open. David Smith put on a layup show in the spurt, hitting three with two coming on perfect lob passes from Dominic Vespa. Smith also canned a pair off free throws for a 45-33 lead with less than a minute to play. Royal Prairieview Ogden scored only three points in the fourth quarter after lighting up the scoreboard for 18 in the third period. Blessed Sacrament’s Logan Larson was a bulldog under the basket and made five field goals from under the basket in the second half and ended with 16 points as did David Smith, who scored six in the first half and also 10 in the second half. Louis Acklin led Royal Prairieview Ogden with 14 points, 12 coming on three-pointers.

http://www.sundaysun.co.uk/news/north-east-news/2009/01/25/sting-superfan-collection-set-for-museum-display-79310-22770957/

Since I am such a big fan of Sting and find other Sting fans so interesting, I’ve recently started a Sting Fan Profile page on my website. You’ll find interesting Sting fans profiles here (including mine):

http://www.stingfield.com/stingfanprofiles

I’m copying the “superfan” article and photo here courtesy of “The Sunday Sun”:

Sting superfan collection set for museum display
Jan 25 2009 by Joanne Butcher, Sunday Sun

EVERY breath June Cook takes is dedicated to pop star Sting.

For 30 years, June — the Wallsend-born singer’s number one fan — has collected anything and everything connected with her idol, and is now the proud owner of memorabilia worth hundreds of pounds.

The 40-year-old, of Murton, County Durham, is lending part of her treasured collection to the Discovery Museum in Newcastle for a new exhibition documenting the North East’s music scene from the 1940s to the present day.

Her enormous collection includes albums, films, books, magazine clippings and even a scarf Sting threw into the crowd while on stage in Gateshead in 1982.

“The scarf was given to me by Sting himself,” said June. “Well, I had a better grip than the girl next to me!”

June, who works with young people as a prevention case manager for Gateshead Council, has been a fan since she was just 11 years old and first saw the Police on Top of the Pops.

She said: “I loved their music, and thought the lead singer wasn’t bad looking either.”

Her uncle bought her a subscription to The Police fan club and she never looked back . . . she’s still a member today.

As a teenager, June plastered her walls and even her ceiling with posters of the band.

These days, she has only a few favourite photos on display, the rest are kept under the stairs in her “Sting cupboard”.

However, even this lifelong fan has a few gripes. She said: “I’ve loved every album except for Songs from the Labyrinth. That just makes my toes curl! I thought Sting had lost the plot.”

June first saw The Police live at Newcastle City Hall in 1979.

Since then, she has been to more than 50 live shows, everywhere from huge arena tours in Madison Square Gardens in New York to a tiny gig for just 150 people recorded for Simon Mayo’s radio show.

She recalled: “I was sat next to Sting’s brother during the recording, but I didn’t speak to him. When Sting’s in the room I don’t pay much attention to anyone else.” June has met the man himself six times but, even though he is her idol, she knows how to put him in his place.

She explained: “Once, when I met him he asked me if he could have my scarf, but I said it wasn’t for sale . . . it was a special Alan Shearer scarf. He has enough money to buy his own.”

June saw the recent Police reunion tour six times. She said: “Even the roadies recognise me. At one of the gigs, one of the crew members shouted out, ‘Are you here again?’.

“I see the same faces at gigs all the time,” she said. “And some of the fans are even worse than me.”

June’s top five Sting and Police hits . .

1 Message in a Bottle — The Police. “First single I bought.”

2 Voices Inside My Head — The Police. “I especially love the live version.”

3 Fields of Gold — Sting. “This is a timeless classic.”

4 All this Time — Sting. “Another classic Sting song.”

5 Every Breath You Take — The Police. “That one has to be there, doesn’t it?”