Mayor’s Row………..by Ned Mitchell

             Newspaper editors have the dubious task of taking written stories and pictures and making them fit on a newspaper page.  They do that in order to make some sense of what is important and what is not in the hopes that the finished product will be eye appealing and easy to read.  They have to mix news, sports, community events and advertising every day in an effort to please readers.  Guys like me contribute to newspapers, some paid, some not.  I am not paid for my contributions and perhaps that speaks for itself.         

            The editor that I work with has wisely asked that I shorten this weekly column so that it will fit the editorial page and also be compact enough that people will read the entire thing.  So here it is, time for confession and I do confess to being long winded and oft times boring.  It is a fact that I am well aware of and even as I write today I have several topics in mind that I just can’t seem to shake.  I do have the tendency to ramble on, both in conversation and the written word.  One other thing, due to reader request I will in the near future get a more up to date photo for this column.  Some readers claim the picture being used does not really look like me, and no, it is not my high school yearbook picture.  The picture being used is from 1999 and I admit, it is a little out of date.  The new photo will be of me in casual attire, the real me.  Those that know me know that I only wear a suit when someone gets married, dies, or for some really special occasion.  Otherwise I am in casual dress but I am comfortable!

            If I had been a betting man I could have cleaned up on my prediction that the reformer/unreformer Governor would not show his face for the Du Quoin State Fair opening night.  My further prediction is that if he does come to Du Quoin he will almost hide from everyone, especially the press.  While his staff has said the Governor must be in northern Illinois tending to flooded communities, the fact is the man simply cannot come down here and be visible.  With all due respect to the office, this guy is a major goof ball and one that democrats all over this state are embarrassed to call one of their own. 

            Although I did not attend the parade some political observers in the know did and reported to me that folks were imported in from all over the state to march in the Governor’s group.  There were directors and deputy directors from Effingham, Decatur, Springfield and all parts in between gathered and shipped in to make it look like the Governor has this huge fan club.  I guarantee you that all of them either are on the Governor’s payroll, or are dying to get there.  Did I mention the political hacks?   Prison employees from Pinckneyville and Big Muddy were there because they had to be to show support to the cause.

            Comptroller Dan Hynes, Attorney General Lisa Madigan, and Treasurer Alexi Giannoulis were also in the parade and again I can assure you they were all there jockeying for position in the 2010 statewide elections.  If you think they came down here because they just like us folks; think again.  These three democrats really are good dedicated public servants who do their jobs on a daily basis but I can’t seem to get past the political reality of the fact that we don’t see much of them until another election is looming on the horizon. One thing about it, throw these three in with Speaker Madigan, the reformer/unreformer Governor and President Emil Jones and they make up the circular firing squad the democrats in this state have put together.  Talk about the gang that could not shoot straight and that will describe this cluster that continues to embarrass all the hard working democrat folks in this state.

            Sesser came out rather well though in the Governor’s budget cuts.  In talking to another Mayor friend of mine last week I proudly boasted that Sesser survived the Governor’s budget ax.  My counterpart was jealous and inquired as to how I had pulled that off.  Simple, I said, he did not give us anything in the first place so I am not nearly as disappointed as you are!  The main reason I have such bitter feelings toward this Governor is the fact that he just out and out lied to us here in Sesser a few years back and I have had no use for the guy since that day.  He has done the same thing all over this state but I can have peace of mind in knowing that I have voted for him only one time in my life and if I could get that one back I would take it.  The guy is a dismal joke and a failure for the people of this state.  Hopefully we will be wiser the next time around!

            While the fair was kicking off we had a great weekend here in Sesser highlighted by the Pyramid Players production of “Bus Stop”.  We had good crowds at the historic Opera House Theater and folks enjoyed the production.  The performers did an outstanding job on this classic and it was truly a professional production.  We were extremely proud to host this event in our effort to showcase what Sesser has to offer.  Special thanks to Tom Herman who directed and performed in this show and to all who participated!

            We have several events coming up at the historic Opera House.  Our own Opera House Company has an ambitious schedule set up for the next few months.  In November they will be doing the musical “el Grande de Coca-Cola”.  Following that in February they will do Neil Simon’s classic “Barefoot in the Park” play and then in May they will do another Gilbert and Sullivan musical “Ruddigore”.

            September the 22^nd will find a concert of classical music being performed by a group originating out of Herrin.  On December 10th we will have the Southern Illinois Concert Band in a Christmas concert.  We will also have a performance in December by the Community Choir and also by our Sesser-Valier chorus.  December promises to be a busy month at the Opera House as we continue to put this historic building to good use in providing family entertainment for the area.  We hope to see you in attendance!

            Ruth Ann King has been in a St. Louis hospital for further medical procedures.  Melinda Kelly is home from Mayo Clinic for tests and Gordon Nowland is home after having a pace maker installed.  A card, phone call or visit would be appreciated by these folks!

            There, I did it! I kept this column to around 1200 words and I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I did writing it!  Telling it like it is, that is what I like to do! 

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