‘Sixties cinema” recalls pivotal period

Bill Knight column for Mon., Tues. or Wed., August 27, 28 or 29, 2018

This week is the 50^th anniversary of the Democratic National Convention at Chicago where police, protestors and troops clashed in what the National Commission on the Causes and Prevention of Violence, headed by Illinois Gov. Dan Walker, later called a “police riot.”

Between two films that bookend Hollywood’s contrasting treatment of the ’60s – “Easy Rider” and “Joe,” starring Peter Fonda and Peter Boyle, respectively – are gems such as “Steal This Movie!” (with Vincent D’Onofrio as Abbie Hoffman, plus a fine soundtrack), “The Big Fix,” “Running on Empty,” Christopher Guest’s hilarious mockumentary “A Mighty Wind,” “Head (with a wild mix of the Monkees, Annette Funicello, Jack Nicholson, Frank Zappa, Victor Mature and Sonny Liston!), Zappa’s “200 Motels,” “Monterey Pop,” and “Medicine Ball Caravan.”

But here are a dozen movies offering a taste of those times.

“Alice’s Restaurant” (1969): Based on Arlo Guthrie’s rambling, 20-minute song, it stars Guthrie and James Broderick in a counter-culture slice of life: the military draft, marijuana use, communal living, etc. Arthur Penn directed.

“Between The Lines” (1977): Joan Micklin Silver directed this “dramedy” about the staff of an underground newspaper bought by a chain of more commercial publications. The cast is superb: Stephen Collins, Lindsay Crouse, Jeff Goldblum, John Heard, Marilu Henner, Bruno Kirby, Joe Morton, Michael J. Pollard, and Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes.

“Born on The 4th Of July” (1989): Tom Cruise is tremendous as real-life Vietnam veteran Ron Kovic in this movie about the anti-war movement and Vietnam Veterans Against the War. Directed by Oliver Stone, it co-stars Kyra Sedgwick.

“Conspiracy” The Trial of The Chicago 8” (1985): This docudrama based on transcripts from the infamous trial of radicals accused of conspiring against Democrats’ 1968 convention stars Peter Boyle, Robert Carradine Elliott Gould, Robert Loggia and Martin Sheen. Truth sometimes IS stranger than fiction.

“Malcolm X” (1992): Spike Lee’s biopic on Malcolm X stars Denzel Washington in a sweeping epic about the rise of a man, of African-American pride, of “Black Muslims,” and of a movement. It co-stars Angela Bassett and Lonette McKee.

“Medium Cool” (1969): This stars Robert Forster, Verna Bloom and Peter Bonerz in a tale about journalists trying to stay detached while embroiled in an emotional story -- here, the 1968 convention (where much of it was filmed -- during demonstrations).

“Panther” (1995): Mario Van Peebles directed this dramatization of the early days of the Black Panther Party and its struggle against police violence and racism. Starring Courtney B. Vance as Bobby Seale, the over-simplified film is sympathetic, but stresses armed conflict rather than Panther programs like health clinics and free breakfasts. It features Joe Don Baker and small roles by Dick Gregory and Chris Rock.

“Return of The Secaucus Seven” (1980): Writer/actor John Sayles’ directing debut is about friends who reunite 10 years after their arrest en route to a demonstration. The ex-radicals find the years to have matured some, and left others unchanged. (It shows that 1983’s “Big Chill” was very derivative.)

“The Revolutionary” (1970): Just after “Midnight Cowboy,” Jon Voight starred here as a college man drawn into the role of a political revolutionary. It co-stars Robert Duvall, plus Gene Barry and Harry Guardino.

“The Strawberry Statement” (1970): Bruce Davison stars as an uninvolved Columbia University student who gets caught up in campus dissent in the film based on James Simon Kunen’s book. Bob Balaban, Bud Cort and Kim Darby co-star.

“Wild in the Streets” (1968): An early film appearance by Peoria native Richard Pryor was as a black militant in this memorable, offbeat film, part political satire and part shameless youth exploitation, with a few good songs and an Oscar nomination (for editing). Pryor, still a young stand-up comic then, had a supporting role as Stanley X, a radical, guitarist, anthropologist (author of “The Aborigine Cookbook”). He’s part of the inner circle of Max Frost (Christopher Jones), a rock star who provokes a revolution by exploiting a liberal politician’s proposal to lower the vote to 18. Frost backs his idea – if it’s lowered to 14. Government is intimidated by mass civil disobedience, the voting age drops, and Frost becomes president. It co-stars Shelley Winters, Ed Begley and Hal Holbrook, with cameos by Dick Clark and lawyer Melvin Belli.

“Woodstock” (1970). This high-energy account of the “three days of peace and music” in upstate New York in August of 1969 shows not just music, but some of the 500,000 people there, capturing some of the era’s feelings of hope and idealism, with Joan Baez; Joe Cocker; Country Joe & the Fish; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young; Jefferson Airplane; Santana; Sly and the Family Stone; the Who, etc.

Illinois farmers, consumers hurt by White House trade war

Bill Knight column for Thurs., Fri. or Sat., Aug. 23, 24 or 25, 2018

Farmers cope with droughts and floods, bugs and blights and more, but dealing with a global trade war based on President Trump getting miffed would be difficult. However, this month is the first anniversary of Trump’s trade war with other nations, friend and foe, so it’s not a “what-if” future concern; it’s happening.

“Trump’s trade war will cause irreparable damage to the farm sector,” commented Jim Goodman, president of the National Family Farm Coalition (NFFC).

Tariffs reduce prices paid for U.S. exports and raise prices on imports (which lets U.S. companies raise their own prices and remain competitive). That all means less money for producers and consumers.

Of course, tariffs and retaliations are affecting all sectors, from metals and motorcycles to beer and beans, but farming is especially vulnerable. Indeed, China’s response to Trump’s $34 billion in tariffs on Chinese goods has already lowered prices for soybeans 15 to 25 percent.

Illinois is China’s 3^rd biggest trading partner, the state is a top U.S. soybean producer, and much of Illinois’ soybeans are exported – often to China, a viable market for decades.

A sampling of downstate counties shows 2017’s acreage planted in soybeans and bushels harvested: Fulton County (120,000 acres; 7.1 million bushels), Henderson (60,800 acres; 3.7 million bushels), Henry (177,000 acres; 10.4 million bushels), Knox (130,500 acres; 8.2 million bushels), Livingston (287,000 acres; 16.8 million bushels), McDonough (121,500 acres; 7.8 million bushels), Mercer (108,000 acres; 6.4 million bushels), Peoria (87,300 acres; 5.5 million bushels), Tazewell (120,000 acres; 7.9 million bushels) and Warren (120,500 acres; 7.6 million bushels).

U.S. and Chinese officials may meet this week to negotiate an end to the dispute before November’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit, but with China’s additional $16 billion in tariffs on U.S. exports to take effect this week, and U.S. threats to add another 10 percent on $200 billion in Chinese products this fall, tensions remain.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture this month reported that forecasts for crops and yields are higher than expected, with the prediction for Illinois about 64 bushels per acre, up 6 from last year.

“Combined with the continuing trade issues, average prices for soybeans appear set to be in the lower end of the current USDA price range,” said University of Illinois agricultural economist Todd Hubbs. “Soybean exports will depend on continued growth in soybean imports to non-Chinese sources.”

Economists, politicians and businesspeople warned of negative effects, but Trump seemed determined to try to bully other countries.

“The U.S. has attempted to strong-arm its trading partners by imposing tariffs,” said economist Tori Whiting of the conservative Heritage Foundation think tank. “Using tariffs as a negotiating tactic does not work.”

Also doomed is the recently promised $12 billion emergency assistance, farm advocates say.

“It will be a drop in the bucket,” said NFFC’s Goodman, a Wisconsin organic farmer.

He said the $12 billion will land in three pots: unspecified payments to producers, purchases of some commodities for food banks, and funds for the private sector to develop new export markets.

“I suspect most of it will not find its way into the pockets of struggling farmers,” he continued. “After an unknown share to farmers and the working poor, it hands the rest to Big Agribusiness for export market development. Farmers are already forced to pay a [checkoff fee] on every animal or bushel we sell for product promotion and market development. This deal gives them another pound of flesh – from taxpayers.

“The whole plan ignores the full-blown farm crisis that has been quietly growing in the countryside for years, with virtually no recognition or corrective action from Washington,” he added. “We were bleeding long before Trump took to Twitter, but now they’re playing politics.”

Conservative icon and billionaire Charles Koch last month warned that Trump’s trade policies could cause a recession. Besides hurting ordinary people and area businesses through higher prices, it adds ongoing uncertainty to the economy and to state and local revenue projections.

“The conservative Koch network is promising to punish politicians in either party who support the tariffs,” reported Steve Peoples in the Chicago Sun-Times.

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner’s office and a few members of the state’s Republican Congressional delegation have expressed some worry, but their response has been too quiet, ineffective or deferential to the White House.

Those who claim to represent regular Americans should demand an end to his harmful tantrum.

Community rallies for local radio

Bill Knight column for Mon., Tues. or Wed., August 20, 21 or 22, 2018

Western Illinois is sometimes called Forgottonia because of government’s lack of attention, but the rural area’s main radio station is getting attention – moving from “walking dead” to “running live.”

The station, Hancock County’s WCAZ-AM 990, fell silent Dec. 31 after the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) cancelled its license following a decade of an unpaid $3,500 fine stemming from its owner, Ralla Broadcasting, failing to renew its license on time. Now, a local station could go back on the air as soon as this week – and it may regain its original call letters, if the FCC agrees.

The FCC reports that Hancock County Broadcasting, LLC is buying Macomb’s “NewsTalk” WYEC-AM 1510 and “Positive” 93.1 FM from Virden Broadcasting Corp. for $75,000 and a time brokerage agreement.

The Radio Resuscitation has been a months-long community effort.

“When the radio station went off the air, I immediately received several phone calls from concerned citizens,” says Jim Nightingale, mayor of Carthage, the county seat where WCAZ was based. “They wanted to know how we could get our radio station back and how they could help.”

Days after the shutdown, area residents started meeting.

“We almost had to start from scratch,” said veteran broadcaster Mike Seaver, a Carthage native. “It took a lot of work, brainstorming and phone calls.”

With help from the Hancock County Economic Development Corp., which awarded the effort a $500 grant, the group wrote a business plan and retained consultant John Scheper of Scheper Communications in St. Louis to facilitate the process of re-starting a local station.

“Our story is unique in the respect that WCAZ was part of the fabric of Hancock County,” says Amy Graham, the director of Carthage Community Development (who as a child was featured on the station via commercials for her father’s insurance agency).

Seaver, 73, started his long broadcasting career at WCAZ while in high school, and will be the initial president until the limited-liability corporation can hire a general manager.

“I just want to help us get to that stage,” he says.

Although Seaver’s worked at larger markets, such as Cincinnati, Peoria and Quincy, where he lives in retirement, Seaver loves smaller markets – an appreciation he learned from the late Jerry Nutt, who owned and operated WCAZ for decades.

“Jerry was a genius,” he says. “He was dedicated to small-market radio. He had success because of localism. He gave up instant money to serve the community, and people supported the station – and it was profitable in the long term.”

Launched in May of 1922 by the Quincy Herald-Whig newspaper and businessman Robert Compton, the station soon was bought and run by Carthage College, a church-supported liberal-arts school in Carthage until relocating to Wisconsin in 1964. One of the first radio stations in Illinois, it also was one of the first to broadcast a college football game live, during the 1922-23 season, months after the first, by KDKA in Pittsburgh.

Compton bought it back from the college in 1930, and it was taken over by his daughter Betty and her husband Jerry in 1950.

“For years, residents relied on the radio station to be their lifeline to their communities, their schools and their neighbors,” Graham says. “When it went off the air, it was like losing a family member. I think the lesson to other small-town challenges is that if it's worth fighting for, you pull out all the stops.”

All eight investors in the company are from Hancock County – with a population of 18,020 (60^th out of Illinois’ 102 counties). Two key participants and Carthage high school alums are Phil Alexander, who’ll be vice president and acting sales manager, and Steve Harrell, project manager. Hopefully, the group will resume using the broadcast tower on the north side of U.S. Route 136 west of Carthage, so the signal will still blanket the area. Certainly, the station broadcasting on 1510 AM and 91.3 FM will feature farm news and market updates, area obituaries and birthdays, church services and interviews with folks from local organizations, school-lunch menus, public-service announcements, “classic country” music, and local sports – a popular hallmark of its programming for years.

“The new station will continue to be a part of the daily routine for people living and working in the area by providing news, weather, sports and agricultural information to the citizens of Hancock County,” said Seaver.

“My philosophy, like Jerry and, hopefully, the listeners, is that we’re in it for the long haul,” he adds. “We’re not expecting to get rich on it.”