Video from auction of Rod Blagojevich’s stored items at Boyer-Rosene Moving and Storage Thursday.

Almost 100 bidders came out for an auction at Boyer-Rosene Moving and Storage for a chance to bid for pictures, personal files, statues and other items formerly owned by former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Some of the items included Elvis Presley memorabilia. The auction was held today after Friends of Blagojevich, which had been renting the space since 2002, failed to pay an outstanding storage bill, and failed to reply to attempts to collect payment by the moving and storage company Bekins Boyer-Rosene.

The bidders laughed when an award plaque for ‘Political Leadership’ was put up for bidding. It went for $120. The crowd also laughed when the auctioneer announced that a set of law books were next — “highlighted, but I think he highlighted with black,” said the auctioneer.

A life-sized statue of Elvis Presley, which went for $20,500, was the top prize at the auction. Otherwise, items were hauled out of seven 7′x7′x5′ wooden crates. One crate was auctioned off in total, with contents unknown starting at $1200 — the bidding actually went down.

All of the money proceeds raised are being donated to Children’s Memorial Hospital.

Some of the finest in summer fun is the Arlington Heights Fire Department neighborhood water fights at Recreation Park, July 5, 2010.

It’s time for the The Cardinal annual reminder of things to do before summer is over. We are losing about two minutes of daylight per day at this time of year. By the end of August we’ll be losing three minutes per day. There’s always Florida vacations.

For a list of summer items TO DO on The Cardinal, check End of Summer: 100 Things to Do Before Summer Is Over in Chicago.

Or become a fan of The Cardinal’s A Gazillion Things To Do Before Summer’s Over, The Master ‘To Do’ List on facebook.

Governor Pat Quinn speaking as he signed a bill into law that will keep bicyclists safer on Illinois roads by making it illegal for automobile drivers to crowd bikers.

Illinois Governor Pat Quinn signed legislation into law that are designed to better protect bicyclists in the State of Illinois.

Governor Quinn sign the legislation today at Campbell Street Bicycle Shop, 13 West Campbell Street in downtown Arlington Heights. And then became part of parade detail for the Arlington Heights July 5th Parade for Independence Day.

SB 2951 – Bicycle Safety
Provides that a person driving a motor vehicle shall not, in a reckless manner, drive the motor vehicle unnecessarily close to, toward, or near a “bicyclist, pedestrian, or a person riding a horse or driving an animal drawn vehicle” (rather than just a “bicyclist” as provided by the introduced bill, as amended). Changes the penalty for a crowding a bicyclist from a Class 4 felony to a Class 3 felony.

According to League of Illinois Bicyclists executive director Ed Barsotti the bills “will help both motorists and bicyclists do their parts in sharing our roadways safely.”

According to the group one bill will establish new penalties for motorists that drive recklessly or unnecessarily close to bicyclists.

The second piece of legislation (SB 2798) will create “Share the Road” Illinois licenses plates. The money from the license plates will fund education campaigns.

See also …
bikelib.org

Illinois Municipal League
SB 2951 Bicycle Safety

Campbell Street Bicycle Shop Facebook

Soldiers in a past Fourth of July parade in Arlington Heights.

What is the parade route for the Arlington Heights Independence Day Parade?
Go to StreetsofArlington.com/july4parade (yes, it’s really the 5th) for information on the 5th of July Parade Route, including staging area, direction and the starting and ending points of the parade. The parade steps off at 10:00 a.m. Monday, July 5, 2010 at Highland and Oakton Avenue, heads east on Oakton, heads south on Dunton Avenue, turns east on Miner Street and ends at Recreation Park (500 East Miner Street).

What’s the weather forecast for the 5th of July Parade?
The best website for Arlington Heights weather is Arlingtoncards.com/weather
The page includes a dropdown menu with a 6-frame progressive NEXRAD weather image and a single frame radar image. There is also a link to street-level radar in the header of Arlingtoncards.com/weather …

The Arlington Heights Fifth of July Parade is a long parade (it steps off at 10:00 a.m.), so if you want to know what temperature is forecast for 10:00 a.m compared to 12:00 noon, check the hourly forecast in the dropdown menu in the header of Arlingtoncards.com/weather.

Jesse White tumbler — a common, but extraordinary, unit in the Arlington Hts. Independence Day parade.

Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White keeps a close eye on tumblers.

Where is the review stand for the Fifth of July parade in Arlington Heights?
The review stand for the Arlington Heights is on Dunton Avenue, just South of Euclid Avenue in front of the Arlington Heights Memorial Library.

Wheeling High School Marching Band at the Independence Day Parade in Arlington Heights.

LAST 15 in RED WIDGET for twitter.com/earlyreport (from The Cardinal — Arlingtoncardinal.com) …

LAST 30 TWEETS from twitter.com/earlyreport (from The Cardinal — Arlingtoncardinal.com)

Alyssa Milano At Larry King’s Telethon In Hollywood, California U.S.A.

Larry King’s celebrity telethon Monday night to benefit relief efforts in the oil spill disaster in the region of the Gulf of Mexico brought in $1.8 million for the United Way, the National Wildlife Federation, and the Nature Conservancy.

King, who celebrates 53 years in broadcasting this year, described a sense of urgency in getting help to the Gulf of Mexico, a region under extreme duress since the oil rig explosion on April 20.

“I understand bureaucracy and that some things take time, but when you’re out of work, you don’t need help tomorrow, you need help today,” he said in a press release. “We’re going to raise all we can to help the people and also the wildlife that need it now.”
– Larry King

Larry King and celebrities gathered at the CNN Building in Los Angeles while CNN broadcast the two-hour telethon special “Disaster in the Gulf: How You Can Help.”

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