Morton is Interesting

Don't know if you saw it but in Wednesday's edition of the Morton Times News there was an article comparing Peoria and Morton. The article seemed to indicate that Peoria was more interesting than Morton.

Former Morton Times News editor, DeWayne Bartels, took the position that Peoria was more interesting. Current editor, Nathan Domenighini, felt that Morton was more interesting. The article was satire in nature, but I feel a need to reply.

Dewayne, it appears as if your definition of interesting includes criminal. You equate stabbings, shootings, burglary and death threats with being interesting.

I prefer a more conventional definition...... interesting (adj) arousing or holding the attention.

Most Mortonites would prefer my definition. So would most Peorians. An interesting person is one who has a story to tell. A story that captivates the listener. A story that most people would want to hear. Waving a gun or wielding a knife does not make you interesting. You may have captivated those around you but they don't want to witness the end of the story. They would rather be somewhere else!

Let me list some of the interesting people I know here in Morton.

1) The 2008 graduate from Morton High who has went on to Eureka College where she was named Freshman Student of the Year. Since her first year at Eureka she has been to England, Russia and Tokyo. A lot of knowledge and experience for someone not yet twenty.

2) The gentle man who served in Would War Two in the Navy. He was aboard the USS Liscomb Bay in November of 1943. On November 24th she was hit by two enemy torpedoes. The Liscomb bay went down in 23 minutes taking more than 600 men with her. only 217 men survived the attack. You want to hear about heroic efforts? Listen to this man.

3) Speaking of WWII, there is a local banker who has been a member of Morton's American Legion Post for almost 65 years. Plenty of history to be discovered in his story.

4) Three out of the last five years a Morton grad has been awarded an appointment to the Military Academy at West Point. These young men have stories to tell and they haven't even seen Combat. I pray they never will.

5) Peoria has many concerts this is true BUT the producer of many of them lives in Morton. I am sure he has stories to tell of his encounters with many performers.

6) I consider myself interesting and apparently so do you as I have appeared on the pages of the Peoria Times Observer as well as the Morton Times many times.

I lived in Peoria for 35 years. I was born and raised on the South Side. I continued to work in Peoria until I was 55. The last 15 years I worked downtown where I rubbed elbows with many of Peoria's movers and shakers. I know them and they know me. I have lived in Morton for over two decades now. I have become friends with many of Morton's movers and shakers. They are just as interesting as Peoria's. In some ways even more interesting!

True Mayor Durflinger would never propose that Morton become a test ground for concealed carry. But then who would have thought he would propose and get approved liquor sales at grocery stores?

Dewayne,I invite you to come back to Morton. Let me introduce you to some of our interesting citizens. After which you can take Nathan and me back to Peoria and show us the interesting people of Peoria. Like Willie York who is probably Peoria's most interesting person. Perhaps you will want to go down to the neighborhood where I grew up. It is now one of the highest crime areas in the city. Does that spark your interest?

In all seriousness, I will take Morton and her interesting citizens over Peoria any day!!!