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Latest B-N accreditation point
In Bloomington, legendary along East Grove Street is Schooners, the pub that, among other eats, is famous for what it hails the "best buffalo wings in town."
Now there’s perhaps an even bigger bragging point.
Selling out recently the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts downtown, as part of a 50-city tour, was iconic '70s rock band Three Dog Night.
Among its contractual stipulations was an $800 catering fee — ideally, the band asked, to feature wings, the band's favorite backstage chow-down item.
"They were given heaping helpings of Schooners wings," says Katherine Murphy, the city's communications manager.
People are also reading…
And a Three Dog review of their Night in B-N?
"They said they try wings in every town they play,” says Murphy, “and Schooners now is on their list as one of the best!"
April Best Name Club
— Harlan "Pop" Bottles.
Now 99 years old, from LeRoy and a World War II veteran, “Pop” recently was featured in the national American Legion magazine for his 79 years of service to Post 79 of the American Legion in LeRoy. That's after a "Pop Bottles Day" in LeRoy in February.
Pop says his patriotism and servitude to country is simply following the footsteps of his father, a veteran of World War I.
His dad’s name: Cary Bottles.
Most optimistic view yet
From an entry in "Flying Horse" — the weekly section in this newspaper authored by grade-school children — that this past week celebrated Earth Day:
"The only way the Earth can die is by the sun exploding, but that won't happen until like 4 billion years, so we are fine."
Saddest latest exodus
Every day, communities quietly lose a “character” and "local legend," and Bloomington-Normal did the other day again, too.
Don Raycraft passed.
A collector deluxe (his life was a veritable museum of gathered antiques and amazing collections) who 35 years ago also recognized Bloomington-Normal as a crossroads for such.
That’s when he and wife, Carol, in 1988 launched the “3rd Sunday Market.”
In the beginning, to publicize their “market” and skirt expense, they Xeroxed flyers.
Today, it's so popular it draws visitors from across the Midwest on third Sundays, the “anti-Amazon,” as son Mike Raycraft calls it, “because you can find things at 3rd Sunday you can’t find on Amazon.”
Don Raycraft also was an Illinois State University grad, lover of this area’s heritage, author of several books, an educator, a McLean County school administrator and former principal, the definition of an eccentric and a bit of a rascal, too.
Example: 80 years ago, Bloomington had a street — Moulton Street — that during the World War II era became famous/infamous as a “Red Light District,” frequented by airmen from nearby Chanute Air Force base. It was so well-known that after the war, Bloomington quickly “eradicated” the district and changed Moulton Street’s name to MacArthur Avenue, to “fully wash away” its memory.
Don Raycraft?
Among his historical collectibles, amused by the street's "erasure," he found an old Moulton Street sign.
So, "just for fun," he planted it in the front yard of his B-N home and amusingly told friends, complete with a smirk, "if mailing me, please use my Moulton Street address.”
Don Raycraft, grand keeper of antiques, artifacts and where we’ve been, was only 81.
More Fun Places To Visit, If Only For Their Names
(As offered by the readers)
— Nothing, Arizona
— Fearnot, Pennsylvania
— Slaughter, Louisiana
— Nameless, Texas
Latest way to overcome an ‘uh-oh’
As John Eckley puts it, of the photo he snapped here, “In case you don't want to fix your truck after involved in a fender bender ...”
Most fun send-back
Once upon a time (say, before 1985), almost all high school tracks were of cinder.
Remember those?
Then came “all-weather” tracks, an advance that left some schools behind.
"For years, I was told we couldn’t host a track meet because of our facilities," says Kyle Daubs, coach of nearly a decade at Lowpoint-Washburn-Roanoke-Benson, because of its cinder track.
But now?
How about a track meet BECAUSE of that?
After nearly 50 years of NOT having a "local" meet, there will be one at Roanoke-Benson High School on May 4. It will be hosting the first-ever "Cinder Classic," a "nontraditional track meet" with co-ed relays and a few other "fun" events on its cinder track. Fieldcrest (Minonk) and Peru St. Bede highs will join.
The district, with a forward-thinking school board, is making strides and updating facilities. But for now, while making due with what is, it’s having fun and making a bit of 50-year history besides.
Latest example of the new times
In this newspaper recently: a story of a Clinton 4-H Club that won cooking awards. All were boys. Also recently, a story of how many FFA (Future Farmers of America) members are now girls, including Zoey McCartney, from Tri-Valley High in Downs, the school's first female FFA section president.
Yes, how the world is changing...
Got an item for Lite? Send to: bflick@pantagraph.com, or the Bill Flick page on Facebook.
Our April board of contributors: Kerry Kidwell, Heyworth; Kyle Daubs, Roanoke; Erik Janssen, Gilbert, Arizona; Nancy Wolter, Dave Mulvaney, Roger Hughes, Bill Fecht, Normal; John Eckley, Lee Templeton and Carla Jordan, Bloomington.