Friday, March 20, 2009

traffic expert tells a room full that parking is vital to stores survival, and you need meters downtown
Copyright Anthony Saluto Productions p.o box 3425 bloomington il. 61702 ph 309 824 9176 em gosaluto@bellsouth.net sites, http://www.strollthehill.blogspot.com/ , http://www.worldsbestphotos.blogspot.com/ coming soon, a new business edition.
By Anthony Saluto
boutiques are the future of downtown, parking is vital for there survival, you need meters and need to price them high enough so you have a 15% vacancy to make them work for customers. this told to a room full of elected officials and business people in a meeting atop state farm, by a traffic expert from fl, in conjunction with farr associates a few weeks ago.

read the story ...

www.bnstyle.blogspot.com

first and ten ... farmers market says so long until spring.

weekender pictorial .. by ... anthony saluto....... indoor farmers market downtown bloomington close up and personal!

a summer flower offered by farmers market exhibitor's, i picked up this on one of my many summer morning treks to coffee hound.

melissa ash, public relations for u.s. cellular coliseum is exhibiting the facility use features near the 50 yard line. i asked melissa how things are progressing for the coliseum. "i think the facility should be considered a major compliment to the twin cities overall quality of life, and nationally on a show by show basis we are tacking above average ticket sales" ash says.
melissaash@uscellularcolisuem.com

upcoming event posters on display showcase the promising entertainment options the twin cities has coming and many thousands will be glad they could partake. www.uscellularcoliseum.com should have plenty of information on upcoming events.

EXTRA EXTRA fun paul dunn goes where the people are to fill the gaps in home delivery for the the pantagraph

still more talent than we know what to do with

local jewelry designers take to market

summer craig, a state farm employee by day, a jewelry designer by otherwise. I'm starting to think a prerequisite in h.r. must be a desire to multi task. quite coincidentally i keep running into art and design people at events where when i ask if they have a day job, the answer is state farm. its great to know you really can have it both ways.

summer craig and her partner designer sister-in law kristie craig have been launching their jewelry line for abut 18 months. summer tells me they do mostly art shows, home shows, and has a home party system. www.bbellissimo.com what could be an interesting twist to the marketing endeavor is the very well known mark shale chain located in many major markets including mag mile in chicago is carrying their line. so accessorize in bn style. summer attended b.h.s. and isu.

decototive wreaths were a hot seller for trailside gardens. owners jeff and kim thomas wrap up a solid year of harvesting freshness for the twin cities. trailsdiegarden1@verizon.net

turkey cookies go by the sheet for those stocking up for thanksgiving, exhibted by kellys bakery.

a renee' samples chocalate covered sesame seeds along with communicating their wide ranges of products and services like catering. a renee' table trim, while in between greeting visitors to the booth, planning a layout for an upcoming catered event is underway.
did we mention paul dunn has a special subscription for anyone not currently subscribing to the pantagraph. free online vs. the centuries old tradition of a hard copy, times they are a changing. amazon announced a new reader wireless reader that will handle publications form newspapers to books and will utilize technology similar to cell phone connections, but with no fees or contracts. whether your into hard copy or soft copy the Internet gets better every day, i for one am thrilled to be around for the transition. after selling some 100 million magazines, papers, books, etc. its fascinating to monitor the magazine people adapt their content and features in various web presentations.

heads up on bloomington country club area car theft

thursday oct 25 late late or early early

auto theft ring hits b.c.c. area, 2 cars ransacked on northcrest, also on northcrest, e p martins Mercedes was stolen from in front of his home. which he later found and retrieved. reports indicate others were stolen around the bhs bcc area and at least 75 vandalism's.

be a stroll the hill sponsor

ads like this are currently $75 per month, and will appear on every post for the month. month to month, payable in advance. i have no numbers at the present time for traffic. you will have a hyperlink to your website. no contract. your best bet is to make a unique offer and test ads for response then keep doing those that work best. its one size fits all at the current time. e mailing your jpeg with instructions on a few lines of copy including your web address is all it takes.

portrait packages from $950 home or studio

head shots from $450 commercial $250/hour

http://www.worldsbestphotos.blogspot.com/

photography copyrighted, anthony saluto , usage and or prints, gosaluto@bellsouth.net
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advertising information: gosaluto@bellsouth.net
Copyright 2007 Anthony Saluto Productions P.O. Box 3425 Bloomington il. 61702
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BRAS BUSTING RECORDS

many venues call for one of these

on madison street across from the downtown bloomington garage

downtown business wardrobes niche market

local retailers are loading in the goods for holiday

BRAS BUSTING RECORDS

BY ANTHONY SALUTO

Bedtime Boutique’s sexy nature may feel threatening, but their sales prove otherwise. In the last year the lingerie store has increased its inventory by 30% which assisted in a 35% increase in sales. In addition to the expanding inventory, the actual store was remodeled and now features 3000 sq. ft. of floor space. Also, unlike many downtown businesses, private parking is available for the convenience of customers. Bedtime Boutique opened their doors in 1985 and continues to offer a wide variety of products including plus sizes and bras with 17 different cup sizes up to size 54L. While their customers may be a broad range of ages, the oldest customer is 95 years old and the youngest is 10 years old. In May 2005, Oprah Winfrey spoke on her talk show of many women wearing the wrong bra size. Oprah’s worldwide influence, and millions of viewers each day, prompted women to immediately purchase new bras after being fitted for the correct size. This inadvertent publicity helped Bedtime Boutique move from selling 20 bras a week to 20 bras a day.

editing Jeni Nussbaum
photography copyrighted, anthony saluto , usage and or prints, gosaluto@bellsouth.net
news tips, downtown trivia, gosaluto@bellsoth.net
advertising information: gosaluto@bellsouth.net
Copyright 2007 Anthony Saluto Productions P.O. Box 3425 Bloomington il. 61702
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tunes they are a changing

Kevin Larson, left, marc zion, center, vince donohue, right

stock up on some brew for a fun evening at the bob dylan concert

arena magic evenings pack the house

lined up for caps, t shirts, and anything dylan

Bob Dylan concert


BY ANTHONY SALUTO
The atmosphere was calm much of the time and when the harmonica kicked in, often the crowd took to cheer. I arrived by just after 7 and found a guy who had an extra ticket and bought it for $20. going over for a few shots with my camera I was told I could take my camera in by the guy at the front door. So about a half hour into it I then was asked to remove my camera. Which I did. Having tried to reach the promoter, jamusa for a press pass I was notified Dylan doesn’t allow photography.

There were many empty seats through out the arena, which is great too, you can spread out some or even relocate easily into an area you prefer. Not being a music expert I thought the sound was awesome. For the first time I didn’t have pounding ear drums for two hours after the concert like I did with Reo Speedwagon and a few others. It was so peaceful I almost nodded off in my chair at 10:30 and decided to take off before the stampede for the exits started.

After a long afternoon doing a photo shoot I'm ready for a sandwich. The pulled pork was top notch. I had it with a plastic bottle beer. i don’t like the plastic bottle beers, but see their practicality.

One thing I noticed sitting a few rows from the front on a far curved area in the layout. Many people were loosing their step next too my row of seats. It seemed to be very dark and though the usher was often shinning a light on the area in anticipation of repeat slips, many still did almost have serious falls in the dark. I felt like a spotter and was conscious of protecting myself from a faller at the same time.
I think some of black slip proofing was laid out different on the step most people were slipping on. So watch your step.

By the time I returned my camera to the studio and got some dinner, I was basically just seeing Dylan. The guys I photographed with the beer cases tell me some of them had seen 42 Dylan concerts. They were total fans. Offering some very highly recommended Dylan web sites for those that want to know everything Dylan. Try, www.boblinks.com , or www.expectingrain.com . If you had brain freeze and forgot to go, or otherwise were preoccupied, Dylan will be playing in Chicago for three nights. The Chicago Theatre will be hosting his act, whether tickets are available I haven’t heard. Looks like the November and December calendars are empty for performances, and I haven’t seen a schedule for 08. The Chicago Theatre looks like your last chance to be a live performance fan.

The shirt and cap concessions were packed before the concert and I opted for a t shirt and cap, that cost me $65. I figured I saved a few bucks on the ticket so having a few mementos of the occasion wouldn’t be a bad idea at all. Everyone seemed to love the concert and downtown bloomington was a lively and accommodating as can be.

Don and Connie Taylor enjoyed the concert up close. Don says, "we made direct eye contact through binoculars, and he almost waved at us." Connie adds, "making out the words on just a few, was the mumbling we've all grown to expect." Connie adds, "we love how Dylan keeps reinventing his own music". "Like Tangled up in Blue" adds Don.

photography copyrighted, anthony saluto , usage and or prints, gosaluto@bellsouth.net
news tips, downtown trivia, gosaluto@bellsoth.net
advertising information: gosaluto@bellsouth.net
Copyright 2007 Anthony Saluto Productions P.O. Box 3425 Bloomington il. 61702
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PLEASE CLICK OUR GOOGLE ADS
One of the reasons Google is already around the fourth most valuable company in the U.S. The Google ads around stroll the hills border are randomly placed there by Google. I would assume their computers are analyzing our content and placing the most appropriate available advertiser’s ads ever changing. With many thousands of click troughs, eventually commission checks are determined and mailed directly to the hosting site. Thank You Very Much!

DAN SLAGELL OF REMAX CHOICE

DAN SLAGELL HEADS UP REMAX CHOICE ... BILL BRADY IS FOCUSED ON GOV. IN 2010

Dan Slagell of Remax Choice, danslagell@realtorschoice.net

This house is on the market currently around 440k ... sweet family home

what mortgage crisis

By Anthony Saluto
Industry experts are monitoring 1 million homes headed for foreclosure. A great deal of which are tied into securities and are bought and sold by investors.
Dan Slagell, of Remax Choice has been realigning his duties. Dan will be assuming the running of the real-estate company as Bill Brady is solidly focused on running for governor in 2010. Dan has been a spark on the real-estate scene since leaving his banking career many years ago. http://www.realtorschoice.net/
Although the real estate game has become increasingly advanced, Dan is still a traditional business man working with what he knows well, simplicity.

For road trips Dan likes to check out the CDs at Circuit City and stock up on some new tunes for the drive. “I bought Bruce Springsteen’s new one, I bought Dave Matthews Band, and I bought Paul McCartney,” says Dan, and adding his selections are a good sign of his age.
When traveling, Dan often checks weather websites for destination conditions before packing. However, he is not dependant on the web for most resources. “I don’t use the internet a whole lot,” says Dan. Dan still reads the paper the old fashioned way foremost to internet options. He mostly uses the internet for directional reasons such as Mapquest.com.
Using Google some and with a few transactions with Amazon and eBay, Dan mostly uses the computer for real-estate related web sites and business matters such as e-mailing and keeping track of investments on various financial sites.
Dan graduated from the University of Illinois with a degree in Business Economics Agricultural.
Tony: Dan, what do you think of the Marriott project in uptown Normal?

Dan: What I know, or think I understand is that it is private money. Private money has a way of making things work better in general, historically, than public money. I think it’s going to be a good thing.

Tony: How is the so-called mortgage crisis affecting the average resident in the twin cities market with all this news on Countrywide and the likes?

Dan: It has very little effect so far. Countrywide has been in the national spotlight because they’re huge. They have scaled back on making marginal loans because of too many defaults. . If someone defaults here in Bloomington, and we’re getting people because of the overall scheme of things a bit more, not catastrophic or anything, but we’re getting more people to say I can’t make my mortgage, or I want to sell my house but I’m upside down…upside down for any kind of correction. And our correction has been very minimal…less than 10% marketwise from last year. Last year we had an increase, this year it will go down.

Tony: So we had little effect on our mortgages here?

Dan: If anyone has a problem we say call your lender and talk to them and see if you can get any kind of concession, being even to a point where we had a discussion or 2 about a short sale. Which just means you’re my banker, I’m your customer, I say I have a $212,000 mortgage and my place is worth 200 and by the time I get done selling, I’m going to have 185 for you. And the bank would say we would clear your mortgage if you get the 185 even though you owe me 212. That’s what’s happening in Florida and Las Vegas and Arizona.

Tony: So the banks are entering a lets make a deal phase?

Dan: If your bank is no longer in existence, there is no one to deal with. That is the problem. The federal government can’t solve the immediate problem. People get their mortgages from all over, you could have a mortgage that was done and then sold to someone else.

Tony: What percentages of mortgages are sold online?

Dan: Hopefully, none. You can get mortgages from most any place in the past. I would say that your standard lending originators are hurting because there isn’t as much volume. So a lot of people are out looking for new jobs. Some people are brokering mortgages out of their house, the problem is they get to the closing and there’s no money; that is not a good thing. So I try to encourage people not to use that kind of business, because that kind of operation is like a shadow in my opinion.

Tony: So using your local banker in face to face meetings is the best way to shop for a mortgage in these conditions?

Dan: Everything’s negotiable. If online can give you a better rate there is usually a reason for that. We can negotiate with the local guys and local lenders and get you just about as good a rate and we know there’s going to be money at the closing. Because you do want to close on this or we wouldn’t be sitting here.

Tony: Do you see that changing?

Dan: I would say that it has an effect indirectly on people in Bloomington-Normal because we are such an economic universe that we live in. The only direct impact that we have…I read somewhere that over 200 financial institutions have closed, shut down. Some of those weren’t the huge names, but recognizable names.

Tony: What kinds of problems are happening with new construction?

Dan: They are priced too high. And supply and demand as you well know is a factor in pricing. We have just less the 50 home builders and most of them are in trouble. Some of them are in very deep problems, but not all of them. Nationally there is a crisis problem; locally it is not a crisis. New construction is down 37% in the last 2 years.

Tony: Would you include subcontractors in the plight locally?

Dan: If builders are down, then subcontractors are down as well. Most subcontractors can go out and do some remodeling work. They can adapt by becoming a little more diverse.

Tony: In quality new construction, what are homes costing on a price per square foot basis?

Dan: It is so diverse with finishing and lot costs it is really hard to peg that number. It is a moving target, but it is coming down. $150 and even less would be a figure. If you have a ton of money and you want to hire all the best guys in town the price could go to $185 per square foot. Right now pre-owned homes have an advantage because they are already landscaped, have drapes, etc. Existing homes are selling better than new construction.

Tony: where is some of the most expensive land in the twin cities?

Dan: Veterans Parkway is what we call the ‘lake front’. Basically you’re talking $20 - $25 per square foot land on Veterans. There was a big push for an auto mall. They needed 6 out of the 8 or 9 to move into it, but they couldn’t get 6th one to go in on the deal. If that would have happened there would have been a lot more Veterans property on the market.

After graduating from U of I, Dan went into management for Stokley-Van Camp, which along with beans, processed many other vegetables, but mostly sweet corn, peas, lima beans, and kidney beans. With 3 years under his belt at Stokley-Van Camp, he joined Busey Bank in Urbana, IL, specializing in asset management within the trust department primarily focusing on farming. Dan then bought and flipped a bank in Heyworth within a two year period. At the time, he was on the same golf team with Dave Weaver in an event that could be a career-changing experience. “I got to know Dave and he said what are you doing and I said nothing and he said why don’t you come work for me, because I had a brokers license from the banking days,” Dan explains. From there, Dan was running things within 3 years. Dan can be reached via danslagell@realtorschoice.net

editing, jeni nussbaum

photography copyrighted, anthony saluto , usage and or prints, gosaluto@bellsouth.net
news tips, downtown trivia, gosaluto@bellsoth.net
advertising information: gosaluto@bellsouth.net
Copyright 2007 Anthony Saluto Productions P.O. Box 3425 Bloomington il. 61702
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PLEASE CLICK OUR GOOGLE ADS
One of the reasons Google is already around the fourth most valuable company in the U.S. The Google ads around stroll the hills border are randomly placed there by Google. I would assume their computers are analyzing our content and placing the most appropriate available advertiser’s ads ever changing. With many thousands of click troughs, eventually commission checks are determined and mailed directly to the hosting site. Thank You Very Much!

anthony saluto productions re-launches trivia tees

each bag has 115 tees .. each with trivia questions and answers, printed directly on them. in promotion quantity branding is available on one side.

http://www.golfteetrivia.com/ debuts in 6 million catalogs

I dusted off an old friend this summer. Golf tee trivia, a product I had sold to 10 thousand stores 20 years ago. Over the past few years I started to scout for a new package concept. Deciding on the burlap bag sample with a few friends as a focus group.

With the help of 2 of my assistants over the summer we tracked down numerous old customers, internet e-tailers, a few giant chains, and some media outlets. Then we sent out some fresh samples of the new package.

A large mail-order house is featuring the new package in six million catalogs this holiday. I have no idea how many they can sell.


I would welcome any local retailers that would like to stock the product, please contact me at, gosaluto@bellsouth.net


photography copyrighted, anthony saluto , usage and or prints, gosaluto@bellsouth.net
news tips, downtown trivia, gosaluto@bellsoth.net
advertising information: gosaluto@bellsouth.net
Copyright 2007 Anthony Saluto Productions P.O. Box 3425 Bloomington il. 61702
Subscribe to this blog at the bottom.


PLEASE CLICK OUR GOOGLE ADS
One of the reasons Google is already around the fourth most valuable company in the U.S. The Google ads around stroll the hills border are randomly placed there by Google. I would assume their computers are analyzing our content and placing the most appropriate available advertiser’s ads ever changing. With many thousands of click troughs, eventually commission checks are determined and mailed directly to the hosting site. Thank You Very Much!

uptown normal by air / schnucks open / a day at the airport

uptown normal reinvents itself

click the photo to enlarge

uptown normal under renovation

veterans parkway looking north from washington st., looks smooth over the noon hour
in fields around bloomington fall colors are transforming our environment.
schnucks in north normal is open for business and the development continues on other out buildings. photographed monday on a beautiful day with an 18 mph wind. the project was completed by brinkmann constructors based out st. louis

a day at the airport

huey helicopter draws crowds

mold used to cast chuck yagers bronze statue

a4 sky hawk fighter jet on display at prairie aviation museum

Bloomington F15 STRIKE EAGLE IN 08 IS IN THE WORKS


John Ohler (Restoration Project Manager) and Frank Thompson (Curator) had a smash success this past weekend on a gorgeous day.

A Pancake and Sausage Kickoff Breakfast, preceded by ads and a media blitz, pulled in 1000 eager new and seasoned aviation fans. EAA Young Eagles (experimental aircraft association) flew 100 young aviators ages 8 to 17 in a variety of planes on Saturday Sept. 22 at the event held by Prairie Aviation Museum.

The first annual Day at the Airport event featured open cockpit day, an event often repeated throughout the year. Go to http://www.prairieaviationmuseum.org/ to view hours, event schedules, pricing, and more for the museum located on E. Empire near Image Air.

“We had a steady stream of people all day and the helicopter rides at $20 a head was busy all day as well” said Thompson. The Huey Helicopter, on site with open cockpit, is always a big attraction. The A4 Sky Hawk fighter jet, showcased by pilots David Wilson and Chuck Spreitsma was one of the day’s busiest attractions.


Charles Lindbergh, a man famous for his fearless dedication to aviation, during a storm in November of 1926, bailed out of his plane before a crash near Covell, IL. Artifacts of that plane are on display within the museum.

Due to residential developments around the airport, high speed jet teams no longer fit the safety criteria for the area. The air show, featuring displays such as the Blue Angels, can now be enjoyed in the Peoria area. The air show moved to Peoria in 2002.

The Bloomington museum features many interesting exhibits such as the mold used to cast Chuck Yagers bronze bust statue. This is great way to introduce your children to aviation’ exciting history and spark their interest in becoming future aviation enthusiasts. Group tours are welcome. Visit their website for details.

business update .. waller scoops up cvs building

ward waller tells me his company has acquired the cvs pharmacy building on the other side of the alley just south of the ensenberger condo project. " the cvs is in on a long lease" waller says.

the ensenberger renovation includes two retail spaces flanking the grand entrance. as far as the space on the left, with acquisition of the cvs building the wallers now have control of the alley use. "lawyers have been asking about the space but with control of the alley, we could put in a drive up window for a possible drive through operation." ward explains. "we wouldn't want an office in what should be a retail space." waller says. the wallers are planning on moving their sales center into the retail space on the right hand side of the grand entry, in the near future.

photography copyrighted, anthony saluto , usage and or prints, gosaluto@bellsouth.net
editing, Maggie Saluto Borkholder
news tips, downtown trivia, gosaluto@bellsoth.net
advertising information: gosaluto@bellsouth.net
Copyright 2007 Anthony Saluto Productions P.O. Box 3425 Bloomington il. 61702
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forward links to all your contacts, thanks

PLEASE CLICK OUR GOOGLE ADS
One of the reasons Google is already around the fourth most valuable company in the U.S. The Google ads around stroll the hills border are randomly placed there by Google. I would assume their computers are analyzing our content and placing the most appropriate available advertiser’s ads ever changing. With many thousands of click troughs, eventually commission checks are determined and mailed directly to the hosting site. Thank You Very Much!

drink wine in moderation, but invest nonstop

Investment Insights For The Weekend

By Anthony Saluto

There is a new stock fund, called the vice fund, which specializes in companies, like tobacco, alcohol, based out of Dallas they are investing in so called sin stocks. When asked about such an investment vehicle, Doug Rosenbaum of Conquest Financial services at 121 n. main st. downtown Bloomington, il. Doug says, “Those companies are always going to make money, year after year, long term they will do well”. Doug went on to explain he has noticed some of the beer stocks are doing less than expected, because wine stocks have been growing so much with baby boomers drinking more and more wine. The baby boomers age brackets have long dictated trends.

Tony: Doug we are all poking around the internet in all our various areas of interests, what sites do you like from an investor point of view?

Doug: I like yahoo, usa today, Morningstar, they are all great linkage to all sorts of great information.

Tony: so the majors are covering the situation as well as most.

Doug absolutely, there is one more called www.ishares.com , they have fantastic ways to research and stay abreast.

Tony: what other websites do you like, Doug.

Doug: I also like www.nfl.com ,

As mentioned in a previous article Doug has a long had a second career as an NFL referee in games all around the country.

photography copyrighted, anthony saluto , usage and or prints, gosaluto@bellsouth.net
news tips, downtown trivia, gosaluto@bellsoth.net
advertising information: gosaluto@bellsouth.net
Copyright 2007 Anthony Saluto Productions P.O. Box 3425 Bloomington il. 61702
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gallery walk just got longer ...

rotating artist showings coming

above slightly used gone ..1 day
this new set will fill the room at under $1500

http://www.cityconsignments.com/ has them coming state wide !


When you’re walking down Main Street and you come to a shop with the most inviting furniture in town displayed quaintly in the window, you’ve made it to City Consignments. It’s a really nice store and we’re not the only ones who think so. Since May when they began updating their inventory listing weekly online, their website has had 25,000 visits. Add that to their newest undertaking, a wall share where they will use wall space to promote local artists, and you’ve got local charm mixed with brand name, quality furniture and accessories.

The Lazy Boy couch (pictured) sold in one day for under five hundred dollars. Up next? Available Friday will be a brand new set couch and love seat with matching chair and ottoman.

So, stop in and try comfortable living on for size. Owners Thom Delforge Mary Munson, and their staff will greet you in style.

attorney don hammer has record golf round of 82

attorney don hammer, of hayes hammer attorney firm, has achieved some leisure time success on the golf course. don recorded his personal best round of golf. shooting an 82 at prairie vista golf course this week. don has been practicing law in all areas for many years at the corner of center and washington st. when asked what area of law he likes to keep on the front burner going forward, " don says, mediation is one area that i always want to stay focused on.

Loft alert

2 lofts will be available soon

213 e front st lots of exposed brick , Townhouse They go fast, @750 mo.

315 e front st
Soon.

Redbird management 454 4888

wollrab hits brick jackpot in new rehab space.

the wollrab masterpiece is a work in progress, the space at the corner of main and monroe st. downtown bloomington is fred wollrabs latest rehab project. wollrab has a knack of seeing past the new and uncovering the old. once stripping the walls clean, wollrab hits the downtown jackpot of floor to ceiling brick walls. and the tin ceiling yet one more glimpse to the past that one lucky tenant will cherish merchandising around. the process which wollrab has repeated time and time again in rehabbing downtown bloomington should take another 45 days or so. at this moment the space is still available. redbird management leases freds spaces, they can be reached at the normal office at 454 4888

news tips ... gosaluto@bellsouth.net

contributors .. maggie saluto borkholder writing, editing

photography ... anthony saluto , image usage and or prints gosaluto@bellsouth.net


coming soon , take a peek at what bed time boutique thinks may be one its hottest Halloween costumes this year is.

under the dome

Jeff Woodard, in studio

McLean County Museum of History

a building with purpose .. a man with a vision





Jeff Woodard is the Director of Marketing and Public Affairs at the McLean County Museum of History. He took a few minutes out of his busy schedule to talk with us about upcoming exhibits underway this season and the many changes happening right in the heart of downtown.

Tony Saluto interviews Jeff Woodward:

Tony: Woody, how’s traffic?

Woody: Steady. We had 755 people during the Festival of India in one
day.

Tony: That’s great. What shows do you have coming up in the
future?

Woody: The Vietnam exhibit is coming up January 28, 2008.

Tony: How long do you work on that kind of exhibit.

Woody: Oh, many of our major exhibits are eighteen months in the
planning stage.

Tony: Is anything of particular interest?

Woody: We have a soap carving that was made by a transient that is
so detailed, it is really something.

Tony: What’s going on now?

Woody: Blacks started to settle in McLean County as early as the
1840s. (up next is) Presence, Pride, and Passions: It is a
history of African Americans in McLean County dating back to
the mid 1800’s. We have also extended the Depression
exhibit, Journey Through The Great Depression.


He urges people to view the calendar for details on shows.


Also, bestselling author Jim Loewen will be speaking September 13th at 10 am, about his book, Sundown Towns. The book explores towns, many that are in Illinois, that don’t accept African Americans.


To learn more about times and dates you can visit the Museum’s web site at http://www.mchistory.org/. Look for the events calendar.

Children are free and adults are $5.

Hours: Monday 10am-5pm
Tuesday 10am-9pm
Wednesday-Saturday 10am-5pm
Sundays September-May 1pm-5pm



To reach Jeff Woodard directly via e-mail: marketing@mchistory.org


Parking update... Incognito interview with a downtown food service employee

Tony, where do you park?

Server, the parking deck is free for 4 hours. If I don’t work longer than 4 hours I park there. If I work longer I run and move my car from one block to the other. Otherwise in the garage on center, I would get a $25 ticket if my car stays over 4 hours.

Tony, can you park further out?

Server, I can park 3 blocks east of main st. for free on the street.

Tony, what about co-workers?

Server, they pretty much do the same thing. Some live downtown so it isn’t a problem for them to walk. Some also ride their bikes so they don’t have to deal with parking. Some get dropped off so they don’t the move the car hassle or pay for parking.





..........................................................................................................................................................

based on my available parking space counts from one end of downtown to the other i continue to see a surplus of parking, with a few bottle necks here and there. miamis coconut grove had recently installed parking vending units one per block that accepted credit cards as well as money and disbursed a receipt that the parker then placed on their dash. there are lots of solution options, as well as accepting it as good enough. ward waller is heading up a parking committee to further explore causes and effects of downtown bloomington urban parking. meters, sounds worse than a 4 letter word, and could make the average person cringe. but they may serve as deterrent in aiding in preventing parking space abuse. as long as meters were much more costly than our garages, so that the incentive to park and walk is there to choose.

photography & interviews, anthony saluto ... image usage and or prints, gosaluto@bellsouth.net
writing, editing, maggie saluto borkholder

news tips .. gosaluto@bellsouth.net