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* Kurt Erickson’s column is his last in Illinois…
I gave thanks this week for being able to ply my trade in one of the most continually interesting buildings in Illinois.
Heading into the press offices carved in the Illinois Capitol these recent weeks, I’ve been recalling memorable moments that occurred during my tenure as a reporter covering state government and politics in Springfield.
Go read the whole thing. As we’ve discussed before, Kurt is moving to Missouri to report on that state’s capital.
* From Erickson’s Facebook page…
You know what to do…
posted by Rich Miller
Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:17 am
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Which is smarter, a cucumber or an Illinois statehouse reporter?(snark)
Comment by Arizona Bob Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:22 am
Kurt is a class act. The loss of his investigative chops and institutional knowledge will be huge for his readers and all who care what happens in the Statehouse. Maybe best of all Kurt’s attributes, though, is that the magnitude of his allergy to BS from pols is exceeded only by his good humor with the rest of us.
Comment by Reality Check Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:24 am
First McKinney, now Erickson. That talent pool of people who actually have a clue is getting awfully thin. We’ll miss you Kurt.
Comment by Chicago Cynic Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:27 am
I hear it is really nice in Jefferson City this time of year, right before the winter floods, the ice storms and the spring floods.
Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:31 am
This is the last time Madigan puts me on hold
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:35 am
“Lance gave me this special phone that’s supposed to be a direct line to the governor, but it seems to have a glitch.”
Comment by Rich Miller Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:38 am
Kurt displays his nomination for the Official State Veggie which didn’t win forcing him to relocate.
Comment by Give Me A Break Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:38 am
That’s fair - little premature to say I put them in a pickle. Just wait ’til I get my hands on some vinegar.
Comment by Snarks McGee Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:40 am
Illinois is in one big pickle,I’m out of here
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:40 am
I am trying to make a joke about being in a pickle, but I am having trouble with the setup. If someone could work with this, I would be much obliged.
Comment by Soccermom Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:40 am
One is ripe, the other is a Cucumber.
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:45 am
One more Illinois resident lost to a neighboring state. Cucumber for scale.
Comment by thechampaignlife Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:47 am
“No, I do this for medicinal purposes, not for fun. Honest”
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:48 am
I don’t want a pickle…….
Comment by Retired Firefighter Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:48 am
“If you hold it up just right, and you’re very quiet, you can hear that Mini Abe…you know, from the TV ads… spooky”
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:50 am
“It’s just a growth that looks like a cucumber…”
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:54 am
After getting his cauliflower ear repaired, the cucumber cheek was difficult to hide…
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:55 am
“So, this guy walks into bar with a pickle on his shoulder, and the pickle says….”
Comment by Colin O'Scopey Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:56 am
Quiet. I’m trying to scare a cat.
Comment by Austin Blvd Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 10:59 am
Maxwell Smart had a shoe phone. I got this. What’s your point?
Comment by zatoichi Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:01 am
“No! The other cucumber… “
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:01 am
“It’d be a lil ambitious to be a hanging earring, but it’s flattering… “
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:02 am
“one ringa dingy, two ringa dingy…”
Comment by downstate commissoner Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:05 am
My two cents. There are some problems in this valedictory column of a guy who has covered Illinois state government for so long.
First, expansion of state government programs are lauded while the state pension crisis is glossed over.
Second, Madigan’s role in creating this horrible mess is similarly glossed over, except to say that he is very good at keeping his party under control. Rauner has been there for 15 minutes and he gets the lions share of the blame.
Sadly, this is just more proof of the self congratulatory and clubby nature of the Chicago and Springfield press when the state would be better served by independence and the dogged pursuit of the truth by the media.
Best of luck in your future work!
Comment by In a Minute Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:05 am
“No answer on the cuke. While I’m waiting I think I’ll type my next column on the watermelon.”
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:06 am
“Very funny, Amanda. I nod off for a minute in the press room and I wake up to this. You better have a solvent for Super Glue.”
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:08 am
- In A Minute -
No one’s on your lawn.
“Caption?”
“It feels so cold, soothing even… “
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:10 am
Kurt Erickson listens back to an interview he recently recorded on his cleverly disguised IZucchini which comes with the extra feature of doubling as a garnish for Bloody Mary’s.
Comment by John A Logan Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:14 am
“I’m only getting two bars. I wonder if the Speaker would let me use his apple?”
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:15 am
“Lemme ask my ‘Magic Cucumber’ for the answer… “
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:17 am
“Q-Tip? Oh, I thought you said CUKE-tip!”
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:17 am
Borrowing a page from his mentor, Maxwell Smart, Agent Erickson displays his once secret Cuka-Phone…
Comment by Commonsense in Illinois Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:18 am
No snark here - I am not good at it anyway and will gladly defer to the experts.
Seriously, Kurt is an excellent reporter and he will be missed - I always catch him on the Southern site. My radio station of choice is KMOX ( until Rush comes on for 3 hours ) and obviously hear a lot of what is going on in Missouri politics. Should make for an interesting change. The personalities and dynamics are different, but there are some serious issues to be covered.
Comment by illini Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:19 am
Another example of Mr. Erickson operating in the extreme.
Comment by Speaker Madigan Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:20 am
Kurt signs up for Cucumber Phone Service (it really exists!):
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Cucumber-Telephone-Service/107192869341461
Comment by Anon221 Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:23 am
Madigan and the central Illinois garden vegetables he controls…
Comment by Team Sleep Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:27 am
“No, your eyes are still closer to line than cucumber… try the avocado… “
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:27 am
Weird Al suddenly remembers that he forgot to parody “Banana Phone” and then remembers how hard it is to rhyme nonsense with “cucumber”.
Comment by Team Sleep Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:28 am
Come in Agent 99. My footwear has changed over the years.
Comment by A guy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:31 am
Somebody referred to Rauner as a “kook” . . . I thought they said “CUKE”.
Comment by East Central Illinois Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:33 am
“Kirk! It’s the eggplant that’s ringing… Answer the eggplant”
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:34 am
“Kurt” - stupid phone… Mine, not that cucumber, but I digress…
“Caption?”
“Nah. It’s funny, but if you compare a cucumber on your cheek to Kaergard’s beard, the beard is funnier. Try a potato.”
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:37 am
In Illinois, rank and file legislators are referred to as “mushrooms”.
Missouri has a whole different legislator-vegetable nomenclature to get used to.
Comment by Dance Band on the Titanic Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:38 am
“Miller, it’s for you. Some guy named Corleone. Says he’s calling on a zucchini.”
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:48 am
“Ok… Now… ‘Simon Says’ put a potato on your other cheek… “
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:58 am
“This was my first suggestion to Leonard Nimoy when he told me he got the part of Spock. I still think it would have been cooler than those pointed ears.”
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 11:59 am
You just press it against your head like this for 15 minutes and voila no more hangover.
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 12:01 pm
“When the holes in my ear lobes heal up, I’ll be able to wear one of these on each side.”
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 12:02 pm
“No, I can’t hear the ocean, but I CAN hear tiny little screams every time Goldberg mentions his Ninja blender.”
Comment by Streator Curmudgeon Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 12:14 pm
“Political reporters like Leif Erikson are leavin’ the state of Illinois in droves,” Governor Rauner said. “They’re headin’ to states like Mizzourah where right to work is poised to become law.”
Comment by Mittuns Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 12:27 pm
“I think it’s upside down… There… that’s better”
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 12:34 pm
Based upon some of the “interesting developments” this year concerning Missouri Legislature, and potential Red State reactions to the U of M situation, Kurt is heading to a “target rich environment” …
Comment by Anyone Remember Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 12:47 pm
There’s a line from Animal House at the grocery store that comes to mind, but Rich might ban me.
Comment by Tommydanger Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 12:55 pm
Practicing for the show me state
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 1:15 pm
The good thing about the Lee Enterprises wellness program is it’s portable, as Kurt demonstrates in this photo.
Comment by Michelle Flaherty Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 2:15 pm
Hey, shoot me a fax on my pumpkin.
Comment by A guy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 2:35 pm
I relish my time here
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 5:24 pm
Growing Illinois without the turnaround agenda
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 5:43 pm
Mr. Erickson,
I always enjoyed your work and the statehouse press corps will be one great reporter light with you moving on to Missouri.
Best wishes,
OW
Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 5:55 pm
Goldberg got me a Missouri compromise I couldn’t refuse
Comment by Anonymous Monday, Nov 30, 15 @ 6:12 pm