* Illinois Department of Agriculture Director Jerry Costello was on Tom Miller’s radio show yesterday and talked up ongoing events at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds, which is booked solid almost every weekend until mid-November…
Costello: So, there’s a lot going on, and we’re just extremely, extremely excited to get back into some sense of normalcy.
And saying that, I do have to give a plug here. I ask anybody, obviously getting vaccinated is a personal decision, but the more people that are vaccinated in the state and the more people in Southern Illinois, the more likelihood that all of these events are going to look more like they used to than maybe what people are expecting right now. So really, from a personal aspect, I’m just hoping that as many people as possible are getting vaccinated.
Miller: You were one of the first people to say ‘We’re doing this’ while everybody else was still kind of huddled up and sucking their thumbs, you were saying, ‘No, we’re going to get back out and we’re gonna get this thing going.’ You were one of the first.
Costello: You know, Tom, a lot, in my opinion, has to do with a positive mental attitude. And if we get things going in the right direction, and we’re talking to people about what we need to do to make things happen… And look, the fairgrounds is a huge place. Car Craft Street Machine Nationals for instance. There’s no reason we can’t spread it out a little more and have it be a safe environment, but still get people outside and bring them to Du Quoin. I mean, these are situations where you could have 45-50,000 people over a three-day period of time. That is a huge economic boost to Southern Illinois, not just Du Quoin, but to Marion, to Carbondale. I mean, the whole area, Christopher. These are major, major events that just bring a ton of revenue into southern Illinois.
Please, go get your shots. And wear a mask indoors and when in crowds to protect others who may not be able to get their shots (people with cancer, for instance, or kids) or haven’t yet been fully vaxed. Hopefully, we can all have a fun summer and I can go see Jamey Johnson at the Du Quoin State Fair.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 3:14 pm:
Agree that a positive attitude is helpful but the Stockdale Paradox comes into play here.
“You must never confuse faith that you will prevail in the end — which you can never afford to lose — with the discipline to confront the most brutal facts of your current reality, whatever they might be.”
Abbington IL own Adm James Stockdale
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Stockdale
- Keyrock - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 3:31 pm:
I was going to answer the King for A Day question yesterday with “abolish the Du Quoin State Fair,” but I decided not to because I didn’t want to get permanently banned.
- Lurker - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 3:52 pm:
Nice sentiment but we do need to eliminate at least one State Fair. My preference is both until the state has no debt.
- Ducky LaMoore - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 4:16 pm:
OneMan, who am I and why am I here? Anyway, a positive attitude is a good start. But it is kind of like “thoughts and prayers.” If your positive attitude isn’t married to an action, it really doesn’t mean much for anybody but yourself. Encourage everyone you can to get vaccinated and to do their duty to protect other people. This thing ends when the holdouts, who want to pretend this isn’t happening, say it ends.
- OneMan - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 4:20 pm:
Ducky, I would suggest you read the Admrial’s Wikipedia entry. I would argue that he shouldn’t be judged for 10 minutes during a debate.
Also I guess I am confused about the point you are trying to make.
I guess the point I failed to make why having a positive attitude is nice, you need to accept the reality you are in and obviously, part of that is using all of tools at your disposal including getting vaccinated.
- EssentialStateEmployeeFromChatham - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 5:53 pm:
Honestly, I hope I’m wrong but I can’t see how we will be at Phase 5 and be ready to have a State Fair, let alone two, this summer. Either way, after this pandemic I don’t ever want to go to any big-crowd event again, including concerts, ballgames (except if it was high school) or State Fairs. Plus it would also save a little change in the wallet.
- Cool Papa Bell - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 5:58 pm:
Dollars spent on the state fair are well spent.
To the IDOA and “thoughts and prayers” vs “action”.
The agency has been pretty good at getting it’s work done during the pandemic. Its regulatory actions have moved virtual and been well received by the fert/chem industry. The Illinois Products Expo ran very well in a virtual format and even the state fair farmers market was excellent last year.
The IDOA can only do so much on the vaccination front and outside of still giving COVID shots during the fair I’m not sure what else the Director is really supposed to do.
- Waffle Fries - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 7:02 pm:
Heck, go down a day earlier for JJ Grey & Mofro - they jam.
- Motambe - Wednesday, Apr 21, 21 @ 9:59 pm:
I appreciate Jerry’s positive attitude. And as Ag Director it is his job to push for activities that recognize and spotlight agriculture’s contributions in Illinois. In light of the doom and gloom opinions about summer events and opening up the state, I have no problem with another state official urging residents to get vaccinated as a means to a somewhat return to normalcy end.