* Today is Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair. I’ll be there around noon and let you know if anything interesting happens.
Our annual “Miller vs. the flacks” celebrity harness race should start around 2:15 at the Grandstand. This year’s participants include Steve Brown of the House Democrats, John Patterson of the Senate Democrats (who won last year in his first outing) and Mica Matsoff from the governor’s office. The House and Senate Republican spokespeople couldn’t make it this time around. Bummer.
* The featured speaker at the director’s lawn will be Montana Gov. Schweitzer…
Gov. Brian Schweitzer is off to speak at Governor’s Day at the Illinois State Fair on Wednesday, the latest in a series of out-of-state speeches, but he pooh-poohed a national magazine report that he’s gearing up to run for president in 2016.
U.S. News & World Report columnist Paul Bedard wrote an article last week headlined, “Buzz Building for Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer in 2016.”
The author compared Schweitzer, who “brought down the house” at the 2008 Democratic nominating convention, with Barack Obama, who did likewise at the 2004 convention, and Bill Clinton, who bored the audience in nominating Mike Dukakis in 1988.
Bedard said there is “lots of buzz that Schweitzer would be a natural presidential candidate in 2016.”
* Meanwhile, the horrific accident at the Indiana State Fair is on a lot of minds right now, including those of Illinois officials…
Illinois State Fair officials say they’ve double-checked safety procedures following a deadly stage collapse at the Indiana State Fair.
Illinois State Fair spokeswoman Amy Bliefnick says there’s a safety plan in place and it worked over the weekend.
State Police alerted fair officials of potential inclement weather Saturday, the same day of the collapse in Indiana. Within ten minutes, the fair was essentially shut down with officials using a public address system to tell fairgoers to get inside.
Also, Bliefnick says the roof on the main stage can be lowered in case of high winds.
More…
Saturday afternoon, for example, the rigging was lowered when the fair received a report that a storm was heading toward Springfield that had the potential for 60 mph winds.
Illinois State Police monitor the weather, and alert fair officials when a problem arises.
Fair officials also shut down the carnival and told people over the public address system to seek cover in a building.
“When we heard there was a potential for 60 mph winds, we didn’t take any chances. We closed everything down,” Bliefnick said.
* Indiana, meanwhile, is still unfortunately in a state of confusion and disarray…
Saturday night’s tragic stage collapse during a concert at the Indiana State Fair that killed five and injured dozens has become a Public Relations nightmare for the Indiana Department of Homeland Security.
Emerging issues include potential structural or design flaws in the stage, evacuation plans, and organizers response to storm warnings.
A major question that remains unanswered is was a pre-concert inspection performed? and if so by what agency? What agency, if any is responsible for the inspections remains unclear, and therefore not likely that any inspection took place.
Initially, Indiana State Fair spokesman Andy Klotz said the state fire marshal’s office was responsible for inspections, but recanted on Monday, saying he wasn’t sure whose job it is.
* And the recent craziness up in Wisconsin has focused Illinois on security…
llinois State Police says security and safety is a top priority at the 2011 Illinois State Fair.
ISP is the law enforcement agency in charge of security at the fair that began on Friday. The annual event draws thousands of residents and tourists each year but is expected to be even busier this year because of cooler temperatures.
“The State Fair is an Illinois tradition and nationally recognized event, and we want everyone to enjoy the performances and fairground festivities safely,” said ISP Director Hiram Grau.
More than 150 Illinois State Police troopers are assigned to the State Fair along with specialized medical and fire units to assist. In addition to the uniformed troopers at the fairgrounds, administrators say the carnival area is being monitored by surveillance cameras, along with non-uniformed officers
* No State Fair post would be complete without something about the state budget…
Of all of the traditions at the Illinois State Fair — the fried food, the politics, the heat and dust — few are prized as much as Tuesday night’s Blue Ribbon Sale of Champions.
The annual sale allows young people to show their champion livestock, after competitions earlier in the week in Springfield, and sell them for big bucks on a bigger stage.
But even the auction of top livestock by youngsters has been touched by Illinois dismal finances.
The state still pays the youngsters, mostly middle- and high-schoolers from small towns statewide, state fair premiums for winning their respective shows. Prizes range from $25 to about $1,000. Winners of those competitions make it to the Sale of Champions.
The youngsters are paid thousands more from the Sale of Champions. They money is donated by people and companies in the spirit of charity and in support of agriculture.
That support from private donors is, in part, making up for dwindling support from the state.
Illinois’ 4-H Club chapters and Illinois’ FFA chapters, the largest groups for young people who are involved in agriculture, will get 20 percent of the money raised at the Sale of Champions. Those dollars will fill some of the void left by the state budget cuts both groups have absorbed.
The final 2012 state budget trimmed $1.7 million from the budget for 4-H and FFA lost about $150,000. The money raised from the Sale of Champions will not make up the difference, but will help support the programs. The 2011 Sale of Champions raised a total of $128,675 Tuesday.
* And, as I told you yesterday, unions are staging a protest today…
Several hundred state workers are planning to picket outside the state fair gates today.
Illinois AFL-CIO president Michael Carrigan says they want Governor Quinn to make good on negotiated pay raises.
He says it’s not just about the money, it’s about protecting the integrity of union contracts.
Carrigan says Quinn’s move to freeze union pay raises undermines worker rights.
* But enough about tragedies and security and money and such. The State Fair is about fun. Here’s a roundup…
* Big dreams come true for J’ville teen at Illinois State Fair
* Veteran band leader heads back to Illinois State Fair
* Top steer sets record at Sale of Champions
* Ervin Miller picks up three harness racing wins
* Great weather, big concert draw throngs to state fair
* Vose named Illinoisan of Day at state fair
* Wil Bingman wins state 4-H scholarship
* Broken bikes may be donated at Illinois State Fair
* Simon encourages top scholars at fair
* Illinois governor OKs 2 new farmers’ market laws
- Retired Non-Union Guy - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 10:58 am:
In my opinion the ISP is a bit over the top, paranoia wise, at the fair. My (now adult) son is a bit of police junkie, having been a member & officer of ISP district 9 Explorer post and also attending all the Sangamon Co. youth programs. The other night he was snapping some pics of state squads & their plates at the fair with his cell phone. Two troopers stopped him and asked / ordered him to delete the pics, saying they didn’t want the plates captured.
- downstate hack - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 10:59 am:
Our annual “Miller vs. the flacks” celebrity harness race should start around 2:15 at the Grandstand.
Rich, while you are at Governor’s Day talk to the Governor to amend the gaming bill to allow us to bet on your race vs. the flacks. Should raise enough to subsidize the fair each year.
- Stooges - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 11:04 am:
I’m not usually cynical about this type of thing, but the record dollars has me wondering, how long before there is some type of scandal associated with the competition for the title of Grand Champion in the livestock shows? Pretty big money for first place, not so much for he others.
- Aldyth - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 11:19 am:
Give the governor a “Harumph” for the rest of us.
- Cincinnatus - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 11:46 am:
I am surprise the Governor himself does not participate in Rich’s race since he is obviously acquainted with the south end of a northbound horse.
- Not in the know - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 12:52 pm:
Retired non-union guy……come on, really? Two Troopers overreacted and the entire ISP is over the top and parinoid? Blanket statments like that are unfair and show your lack of knowledge of how many good ISP Troopers are out there. On behalf of the ISP I apologize for those two.
- Gregor - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 1:48 pm:
I have to know… where the heck is Gene Trimble and his Clown Band this year at the fair? Didn’t see them at the parade or the ribbon cutting. Like them or hate them, they have been a fair staple for over 25 years at least.. Have not seen the once yet this year, but nobody seems to know what’s up? I hope Gene is okay, he is getting pretty old. Seems weird not to see those clowns on the grounds. Of course, on a day like today, they would maybe blend in too much, but still…
- Thoughts... - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 2:39 pm:
Not in the know, if you’re apologizing for them, then it’s more than just those two. Surveillence is great everywhere, except for the ISP and all other law enforcement agencies. In fact, in this state I believe it’s a felony. What are all the cops hiding? Why can’t I videotape a traffic stop happening in front of my house, in public, in broad view? That’s a problem. It needs to be addressed
- Avy - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 2:40 pm:
2nd place this year, not bad, hopefully you’ll get back in the winner’s circle next year
- John A Logan - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 2:42 pm:
I have said it over and over again. The state has zero business putting on state fairs in Springfield or DuQuoin. The state should not be in the entertainment business. I can get a hot dog and a soda at the grocery store.
- Up North - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 6:07 pm:
Kudos to the alert troopers that stopped and questioned someone taking pictures of their equipment. That is how terrorists get caught. I’m not saying the kids a terrorist but lets not bash them becaise they did their job.
- Retired Non-Union Guy - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 8:11 pm:
Not in the know … I know lots of good ISP troopers, officers and management, plus a number of city and county level law enforcement. I just cited those two as an example of what I encountered the other day.
- Newsclown - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 9:07 pm:
Roe Conn and guest Matt Murphy kinda mugged the state fair on his radio show this afternoon. Beat up on the fair pretty good, but some of their assertions were just plain wrong or ignorant. I like Roe, but the unfair fair bashing torqued me off. I wish they’d bring the show down here for a day and find out what it’s really all about.
- wishbone - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 9:55 pm:
“Kudos to the alert troopers that stopped and questioned someone taking pictures of their equipment. That is how terrorists get caught.”
You are joking right? You have to be joking. No maybe you really believe this.
- wordslinger - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 10:11 pm:
–The state has zero business putting on state fairs in Springfield or DuQuoin.–
C’mon, man. State fairs are traditions all over the country since the crust cooled. By your logic, we shouldn’t have fireworks on the Fourth of July.
Having said that, I think the fair could hustle more corporate sponsorship. Here’s the current list:
http://www.agr.state.il.us/isf/sponsor/
Where’s McDonald’s, Walgreens, John Deere, Corn Products and other Illinois bigfoots? How about Navistar, Ford and Motorola with their state handouts? How about a soft drink sponsor, for crying out loud?
- Newsclown - Wednesday, Aug 17, 11 @ 11:06 pm:
These people ragging on the fair, with the excuse that the money should all go towards more entitlements… I wonder how they live at home. Do they just sit on an old crate in the dark until it is time to sleep, wake up, go to a job, go home and sit on the crate again? There is no satisfying these people who hate to see anybody besides them have fun or a free moment that’s not “productive”. I would say having the fair IS productive, and a public good. That’s why it is enacted by statute. Like entitlements. We’re entitled to have a state fair.
- Precinct Captain - Thursday, Aug 18, 11 @ 5:12 am:
Schweitzer would be a natural POTUS/VPOTUS candidate in 2016. Popular and successful governor of a state. He isn’t afraid to use a little color to get things done and make his points (see his veto branding iron). He may even make a good Ag Sec if Vilsack leaves in 2013 and Obama is re-elected.
- Not in the know - Thursday, Aug 18, 11 @ 5:34 am:
Thoughts….you can video police here in Illinois, you just can’t use audio (3rd party consent) without permission since it violates our eavesdropping laws. Don’t blame the police, blame your legislators. “Good Cop, how a cop should behave”, check it out on Youtube on how our ISP interact with the public on a daily basis.
- Secret Square - Thursday, Aug 18, 11 @ 9:21 am:
“These people ragging on the fair, with the excuse that the money should all go towards more entitlements…”
I don’t think most of the people “ragging on the fair” want the money to “all go towards more entitlements”. Most of the complainers, I suspect, are fiscal conservatives who believe the state can afford neither the fair NOR any “entitlements” (assuming “entitlements” refers to benefits such as Medicaid and unemployment insurance).
I don’t believe the fair should be canceled or entirely privatized a la Texas but I do think it wouldn’t hurt to charge a little more for admission — say, $7 as opposed to the current $5 — plus get some more corporate sponsors as Word suggests.
Or maybe offer the option of a higher all-inclusive daily admission fee that would include the day’s grandstand show or unlimited carnival rides?