A new governor, a new mayor, a new war, a new plan for Springfield city government — a lot of exciting things happened in 2003. Of course, a few old scandals hung on and will probably still be hanging on this time next year.
But we’re going to go out on a limb here and predict 2003 will be remembered
for its bovine scandals. There was Mongo, the Illinois State Fair junior grand
champion steer stripped of his title after testing positive for painkillers.
And there was that nameless, faceless, Holstein in Mabton, Washington, that
became America’s first confirmed case of mad cow disease, prompting more than
30 countries to ban U.S. beef imports and shutting down the livestock market.
Here are highlights of the year that was:
January
Good luck, guys: In recognition of his sweeping death-penalty reforms,
Governor George Ryan is nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. About the same
time, Tim Davlin — a Springfield businessman almost no one has heard of — announces
he is running for mayor against a slate of candidates that includes popular
TV personalities Tony Libri and Don Hickman. One of these two long shots will
pay off; the other will not.
Trials and tribulations: Ryan’s top aide, Scott Fawell, goes on trial
facing fraud and racketeering charges. Meanwhile, a group of black current and
former Springfield police officers files suit against the City of Springfield
claiming racial discrimination.
Update: On Jan. 14, Keith Harris, whose mug shot was featured on
Illinois Times’ Oct. 3, 2002 cover “The Wrong Man,” is exonerated by the
Illinois Prisoner Review Board. Aiding him in his appeal were University of Illinois
at Springfield students working for the Downstate Illinois Innocence Project.
February
Bad start, bad finish: On the first day of February, the Space Shuttle
Columbia returned from a successful mission only to disintegrate as it was re-entering
Earth’s atmosphere. All seven astronauts aboard were killed. The month ended
with the loss of TV’s Fred Rogers, who died of stomach cancer at the age of
74.
Local heroes: On Feb. 9, Springfield’s own 233rd Military Police Company,
a detachment of the Illinois National Guard, departs for Iraq.
Everything is relative: In honor of Heart Month, Norb Andy’s debuts
a healthy version of the popular horseshoe sandwich. Dubbed the “Prairie Shoe,”
this one weighs in at a mere 580 calories, instead of the usual 1,310. The secret?
The french fries aren’t fried, they’re baked. The new sandwich becomes so popular,
it accounts for about half of lunchtime horseshoe orders, according to a Norb
Andy staffer, in spite of the fact that it isn’t listed on the menu and it takes
up to a half hour to prepare.
But he got an A in charisma: On Feb. 19, State Journal-Register
political reporter Bernard Schoenberg reveals that mayoral candidate Tim Davlin
did not graduate from college as his official biography stated. Instead, Davlin
withdrew from a couple of courses and finished eight hours short. Davlin claims
he truly believed he had received his diploma. A week later, Springfield voters
give Davlin the benefit of the doubt in the form of 31 percent of the vote in
the citywide primary, second only to Libri.
In memorium: Smokey’s Den, the first gay bar in Illinois and a downtown
Springfield fixture, closes on Feb. 22.
Gentleman poet John Knoepfle honors Illinois Times by agreeing to
contribute one pithy poem per week, originally on our table of contents page,
now (thanks to our redesign) on page 4.
March
War: On the Ides of March, in a nationally televised speech, President
George W. Bush tells the American people why Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein must
be vanquished. “Intelligence gathered by this and other governments leaves no
doubt that the Iraq regime continues to possess and conceal some of the most
lethal weapons ever devised,” Bush says. Furthermore, he says, Saddam’s regime
“has a deep hatred of America and our friends and it has aided, trained and
harbored terrorists, including operatives of al-Qaida.”
Bush goes on to issue an ultimatum to Saddam Hussein and his sons: Leave Iraq
within 48 hours or expect “military conflict commenced at a time of our choosing.”
Two days later, U.S. troops invade Iraq.
Local heroes: On March 21, Ryan Beaupre, 30, of Bloomington, dies when
the helicopter he was flying crashes near the Iraqi border. On March 23, Jonathan
Gifford, 30, of Decatur, dies when his battalion is ambushed in An Nasiriyah.
On March 24, Evan James, 21, of La Harpe, drowns while setting up a water filtration
system in Saddam Canal. On March 31, Brandon Rowe, 20, of Roscoe, is killed
by enemy artillery near Najaf.
X marks the former spot: In the wee hours of the morning of March 31,
City of Chicago construction crews drive backhoes onto the airstrip at Meigs
Field and begin busting the pavement into rubble. When they finish, the little
lakeside strip has a series of X’s gouged into it, rendering it utterly unusable,
which is exactly what Mayor Richard Daley had in mind. Daley said the closure
of the city-owned airfield was necessary to protect downtown Chicago from potential
terrorist attacks. A group called Friends of Meigs Field is now petitioning
to re-open the area as a park complete with nature walks, picnic areas, fishing,
scuba diving, a museum and yes, an operational airport.
Update: Whenever anybody loses weight, naysayers will weigh in with
the real question: yeah, but can he keep it off? Maintaining, after all, is the
true test of diet success. Glad to report our March 20 cover boys — radio talk
show hosts Jim Leach and Bob Murray — have not gained a single pound. Leach, in
fact, has lost another 50 and now weighs 197, down from a high of 360. Still attending
Weight Watchers, he plans to lose another 15 or 20 pounds. Murray, who lost 200
pounds on a liquid diet called Health Management Resources, just celebrated his
first full year of eating real food without gaining weight. These days, he’s a
trim 220, down from a high of 420.
One thing has changed: Though Leach is still news director and 3-6 p.m. host
at WMAY (AM 970), Murray has moved to WTAX (AM 1240) where he’s the morning
drive-time host. And returning to his roots, Murray is also hosting an oldies
show on WQQL (FM 101.9) on Saturdays from noon to 7 p.m. “I’m playing the Beach
boys, the Kinks, the Rolling Stones, Little Richard — just the greatest stuff,”
Murray says. And if the music moves him, he can now dance in the control room.
“Oh I danced at 420 pounds,” he says, “but the whole building moved with me.”
April
Political movers, shakers, and non-movers: On April 1, Davlin is elected
mayor. On the eve of his April 16 swearing-in, he names Letitia Dewith-Anderson
as his Chief of Staff, making her the highest ranking African-American in the
history of Springfield city government. Friends, relatives and longtime political
operatives round out the rest of his cabinet.
In state government, little Annie Blagojevich is born April 5, but her parents
say they still can’t decide whether to move to Springfield. As her father tells
the SJ-R, the Executive Mansion has “big staircases and a bunch of other
dynamics that we’re completely not used to.”
U.S. Sen. Peter Fitzgerald announces he won’t seek re-election but will instead
spend the remainder of his term making policy, such as legislation aimed at
tackling the “obesity epidemic.”
War: April 9, U.S. troops take Baghdad.
Local heroes: On April 4, Edward Smith, 38, native of Chicago, dies
of battle wounds in central Iraq. On April 7, Lincoln Hollinsaid, 27, of Malden,
is killed when the crane he’s driving is hit by a rocket-powered grenade.
Racism is a pigment of your imagination: On April15, Husch
& Eppenberger, the Peoria-based law firm hired by former mayor Karen Hasara
to investigate black police officers’ claims of racism, releases a tantalizing
summary of its investigation. Based on interviews with 42 white people and four
blacks, the defense firm concludes that black officers are actually treated
better than white officers at SPD. That same day, Chief John Harris submits
his resignation saying he’ll stay on until Davlin hires a new chief.
Meanwhile, Springfield Fire Department, which has an even lower percentage
of minority employees than SPD, hires 21 new firefighters who all happen to
be white males — no women, no racial minorities (not even the African-American
who was No. 3 on the list) and no military reservists.
Update: Patty Hoffman and Ron Kramer, subjects of an Illinois
Times cover story about singles finding love through Internet personal ads,
married April 26. Since then, they have bought and remodeled a new home. Though
this was the fifth marriage for both, they’re currently living happily ever after.
“We are really very happy celebrating our first Christmas being married and in
our new home,” they wrote recently. Ron has even given up his cats.
May
War: On May 1, in a pageant that surely looked better in the planning
than in hindsight, President Bush — wearing a nifty flight suit — makes a spectacular
landing on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln, then delivers a speech
announcing the end of major combat operations in Iraq — all in front of a flag-like
banner with the words “Mission Accomplished.” Before the speech, some 137 American
soldiers had died in Iraq. Since the speech, another 339 Americans have been
killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and the White House has said it had nothing
to do with the big banner.
Local heroes: May 12, Jakub Kowalik, 21, of Schaumburg, dies while
handling live ordnance. May 13, Nicholas Kleiboeker, 19, of Odin, dies when
a munitions bunker explodes. May 19, Tim Ryan, 30, of Aurora, dies when his
helicopter crashes.
Cone stold sober: On May 1, Sangamon County Sheriff Neil Williamson
calls all the local media (well, everybody but Illinois Times) to confess
news that surely would have leaked anyway — that he had crashed his car into
a stoplight pole the previous evening and yes, he had imbibed five alcoholic
drinks but no, he was not drunk. In fact, he was so sober that SPD officers
did not even ask him any questions about alcohol or administer any sort of test.
Wrung out: All Taco Bell stores in Springfield close.
Anti-climactic: On May 6, Springfield City Council releases the full
90-page report of Husch & Eppenberger’s inquiry into the treatment of black
SPD officers, focusing on the case of Renatta Frazier, a black rookie cop featured
in scores of SJ-R articles saying she had failed to prevent the rape
of a white officer’s daughter. Frazier had quit her job and fled the state with
her family, returning only after an Illinois Times investigation cleared
her name by discovering that the rape had occurred before she had dispatched
to the scene. The Husch & Eppenberger report lists numerous SPD officials
who knew the truth and could have corrected the erroneous media reports, but
never did.
June
Local heroes: On June 13, Andrew Pokomy, 30, of Naperville, dies when
his armored personnel carrier throws a track and rolls over in Al Asad. On June
26, Cory Hubbell, 20, of Urbana, dies in Kuwait due to respiratory problems.
House cleaning: As the Jayson Blair plagiarism scandal drags into its
second month, two top editors leave New York Times. Here in Springfield,
after various police scandals drag into the umpteenth month, Chief John Harris
leaves SPD.
True blue: On June 26, in a move that delights the rank and file, Don
Kliment, longtime leader of the patrolmen’s union, is appointed police chief.
Make mine a venti mocha latte macchiato, half-caf, no fat, dry, please: Starbucks arrives in downtown Springfield, courtesy of the Hilton hotel. May
indicate the beginning of civilization.
Update: You either applauded Stephen Brady or despised him. The
Illinois Times cover on June 19 featured Petersburg pizza man Brady and
his quest to rid the Catholic church of sexually abusive priests. Brady and his
organization, the Roman Catholic Faithful, are responsible for the resignations
of least six priests and two bishops who belonged to dioceses across the country.
The group recently received a $10,000 donation from The Do Right Foundation, a
conservative Christian organization based in California, to expand its work. Brady’s
done just that, waging war with Cardinal Roger Mahoney in Los Angeles. Brady is
accusing Mahoney of being particularly protective of abusive priests and advancing
a “liberal” agenda.
Closer to home, Brady continues to go after retired Springfield Bishop Dan
Ryan, who’s been accused of sexually abusing another priest as well as male
teenage prostitutes. The Springfield Diocese has blasted Brady for his attacks
against the popular servant. But last month, the Diocese released a statement
outlining “43 credible allegations” of sexual abuse by 14 local priests, including
those made against Ryan. “I feel completely vindicated,” Brady says. “The diocese
owes me and my organization an apology.”
July
War: On July 7, the White House admits that Bush’s State of the Union
statement that Iraq had tried to buy uranium was based on flawed intelligence.
Two weeks later, U.S. troops kill Saddam Hussein’s sons, Odai and Qusai Hussein,
in a firefight near Tikrit.
National hero: Bob Hope dies July 27.
Best for Amy: Gov. Rod Blagojevich tells the SJ-R his family
will live in Chicago in order to provide their then-6-year-old daughter Amy
with a “normal and healthy life.” If they moved to Springfield, the governor
says, Amy might learn to expect special treatment and grow up to be a “spoiled
princess.”
Charting a new course: On his 100th day in office, Mayor Tim Davlin
announces his reorganization plan for city government. Immediately, attention
focuses on two proposed changes: The creation of an office of “public infrastructure,”
combining City Water, Light and Power and the department of public works into
a mega-agency to be controlled by Todd Renfrow, and the elimination of the job
Chief of Staff, the position held by Letitia Dewith-Anderson, who would, under
the new plan, become “assistant to the mayor.” Davlin would soon back off both
ideas.
August
War: On Aug. 19, demonstrating the old “all’s fair” adage, a suicide
bomber targets the UN’s Baghdad headquarters and kills 23.
Local heroes: On Aug. 8, Brandon Ramsey, 21, of Calumet City, dies
in Iraq when his vehicle rolls over. Also on Aug. 8, Matthew Bush, 20, of East
Alton, dies in his sleep after suffering symptoms of exhaustion.
Fallout: On Aug. 1, about 100 people turn out for a special meeting
called by Unity for Our Community in response to Mayor Tim Davlin’s apparent
demotion of Letitia Dewith-Anderson. Days later, flanked by Unity leader Mike
Williams and Dewith-Anderson, Davlin holds a series of individual meetings with
reporters to explain another revision to Dewith-Anderson’s title and to his
reorganization chart, making her “executive assistant to the mayor” with access
to all city departments.
Mongo Wrongo: Scandal rocks Illinois State Fair when Mongo, the junior
grand champion steer exhibited by 14-year-old Whitney Gray of Gilman, is disqualified
due to Mongo’s use of a pain reliever called Banamine. The Gray family says
they told officials about the medicine after they couldn’t get a copy of the
official rulebook. Months later, they will file a lawsuit against Fair officials.
September
War: On Sept. 9, the Pentagon announces that National Guard and Army
Reserve troops may spend up to a year in Iraq.
Local heroes: On Sept. 2, Christopher Sisson, 20, of North Riverside
dies when his helicopter crashes taking off for an assault mission in Iraq.
On Sept. 9, Ryan Carlock, 25, of Macomb, died of injuries suffered when his
fuel truck was attacked just outside Baghdad.
Misjudgment: On Sept. 16, the City of Springfield finally makes an
offer to former SPD officer Renatta Frazier, only instead of making a settlement
offer, it makes an Offer of Judgment — a gnarly construction with all sorts
of complicated strings attached. No matter, the amount (we hear) was lower than
even the most casual talk radio fan could imagine.
Not so fast: On Sept. 30, City Council postpones vote on Davlin’s reorganization
plan, even though he abandoned the key concept of merging utilities and public
works into a mammoth agency to be headed by his pal Todd Renfrow.
Cheap fleece: Bringing Springfield up to par with our more cosmopolitan
neighbor Decatur, Old Navy finally opens a store here on Sept. 30.
October
War: On Oct. 11, Gannett News Service discovers that upbeat letters
sent to newspapers across the country, ostensibly written by U.S. soldiers,
are actually form letters. On Oct. 22, Washington Post reporter Dana
Milbank reveals the Pentagon has banned all media photos of body bags or flag-draped
coffins containing U.S. soldiers.
Total Recall: On Oct. 7, California voters recall Gov. Gray Davis,
and elect actor Arnold Schwarzenegger.
Maybe Ryan got runner-up? On Oct. 10, the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded
to Iranian lawyer, judge, writer and activist Shirin Ebadi, not, alas, former
Illinois Governor George Ryan (see December).
Child’s play: On Oct. 20, after an emergency hearing, Federal District
Judge Joe Billy McDade in Peoria issued a 23-page order denying Caterpillar’s
request to block the release of the Disney video, George of the Jungle 2.
Caterpillar, whose bulldozers are driven by bad guys in the movie, had claimed
the movie tarnished the company’s reputation. McDade, however, ruled that no
consumer would make a decision on whether or not to purchase heavy equipment
based on a children’s video. Furthermore, the judge ruled that “the bulldozers
in the movie are operated by humans and are merely inanimate implements . .
. .”
Gee, thanks: At its Oct. 21 meeting, City Council approves Davlin’s
reorganization plan — or rather, what’s left of it.
October surprise: A monument to Sangamon County soldiers who died in
World War I is installed on Bob Vose Corner by an anonymous benefactor.
Pass heard round the world: In the closing minutes of an Oct. 25 game
against Cahokia, Southeast High School football coach makes a deal with Cahokia
coach: We’ll let you make a touchdown so we can get the ball back, so our quarterback
can throw a pass and set a district record. Later, when quarterback Nate Haasis
finds out about the deal, he writes a letter to CS8 officials asking that the
record be nullified. This gesture grabs the attention of the media — ABC’s World
News Tonight names Haasis “Person of the Week”; Sports Illustrated’s
Phil Taylor suggests “Sportsman of the Year.”
November
War: President Bush surprises U.S. troops in Iraq by flying in to join
them for Thanksgiving dinner. It’s later revealed that the beautiful turkey
Bush was seen holding in TV footage was nothing more than a photo prop.
Local heroes: On Nov. 2, Brian Slavenas, 30, of Genoa, dies when his
helicopter crashes near Fallujah. On Nov. 15, William Dusenbery, 30, of Fairview
Heights, and John Sullivan, 26, of Countryside, die when two helicopters crash
mid-air in Mosul. On Nov. 20, Scott Tyrrell, 21, of Sterling, dies from injuries
sustained when an ammunition station he was guarding caught fire near Tikrit.
Epistle of Paul: On Nov. 1, in what turns out to be one of his final
public appearances, former U.S. Senator Paul Simon delivers a speech titled
“God’s Children . . . How Can We All Live Together?” at Springfield’s First
Presbyterian Church.
Prince of Pop busted: Michael Jackson is arrested Nov. 20 and charged
with multiple counts of lewd behavior with a child.
December
War: On Dec. 13, U.S. troops capture Saddam Hussein hiding in a hole.
He offers no resistance.
Death be not proud: Out of the numerous odes to Paul Simon, Illinois
Times contributor Rich Miller may have said it best. In describing why Illinoisans
elected the Democratic senator, Miller writes: “It wasn’t about sound bites,
or good hair, or the latest wedge issue. It was, instead, about the pride in
knowing that they were sending one of their state’s very best citizens to Washington,
D.C.” Simon dies Dec. 9 of complications following heart bypass surgery at St.
John’s Hospital in Springfield.
The other shoe drops: In a closed-door executive session on Dec. 16,
Springfield City Council learns that Renatta Frazier’s lawyer has found evidence
suggesting that in its haste to tarnish Frazier, SPD botched the rape investigation,
mishandling DNA evidence and allowing the real perpetrator to go free.
Didn’t need a crystal ball: Surprising no one, federal prosecutors
hand down a 91-page, 22-count indictment charging former Governor George Ryan
with racketeering. Ryan pleads not guilty.
We knew you would, too: In announcing her departure from WICS-TV, Channel
20, reporter Rebecca Rausch is quoted in Bernard Schoenberg’s SJ-R column
on Dec. 21 saying she has accepted a job as Downstate spokesperson for Gov.
Rod Blagojevich, a gig that will earn the 28-year-old $65,000 per year. “I’m
really ecstatic,” she gushes. “I always knew that I would eventually cross over
into the public relations side.”
Staff writer Pete Sherman contributed to this story.
This article appears in Dec 25-31, 2003.
