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'Happy Birthday Senator Rutherford' form please click here!
Geese
When I was leaving the Joliet Herald I
spotted this family of Geese waddling around the front lawn. I thought it
was neat to see the two older Geese with their babies in tow. They hissed a
little when the picture was taken, but I don’t think I was in any immediate
danger. Maybe I missed my calling as a nature photographer for the Discovery
Channel!
Mothers Day
I spent this Mothers Day with my family at
Fairview Haven visiting my Grandmother. We had most of the family there,
including my Mom, and my Sis, Debi, who are pictured with me and my
Grandmother above. We had a great time. Happy Mothers Day!
Debi
(Rutherford) Fornero
This letter is about a person
you already know. He is a Senator who is adventurous, energetic, caring, and
lives life to the fullest. He is my brother, Dan Rutherford. However, I
would like to tell you some things about Dan that many people don't know.
Dan will be having a birthday at
the end of May. I want to tell you about some of the amazing things he has
done so you will have a greater understanding of his personality. He
believes that 'you can do anything at all you want to if you set your mind
to it', and he has proven it.
Our mom and dad started a pizza
restaurant in the early1960’s. Having a small family business was a
challenge and the entire family had to pitch in. Dan was responsible for one
booth as the waiter; he was in third grade. In sixth grade he was tall
enough to reach into the pizza ovens and he started baking the pizzas. The
two of us would have to stand on wooden Coke crates to reach into the
commercial sink to do the dishes. We both worked at the Pizza Pan all
through grade and high school.
When Dan went to Illinois State
University, he lived in Walker Hall, right across the street from Avanti’s
Italian Restaurant. He worked at Avanti’s from his freshman year until he
graduated. During the summer months of college, he was a laborer for a road
building company.
Mom and Dad helped Dan by paying
his first semester tuition and books at ISU, but after that he paid his
entire way, and all with no student loans. I tell you that story because it
is the epitome of my brother. He works really hard, even as a young guy. He
multi-tasks and focuses on the goal.
Dan is a real adventurer. As a
young person, he enjoyed camping and fishing. In high school he was a
foreign exchange student to Barbados; after graduating from college, he
back-packed across Europe. In his mid twenties he took months to lead
camping safaris in Kenya.
Through friends in South America
he arranged to be dropped off in the jungles of Venezuela, to be met by
indigenous Indians and go by dugout wooden canoe down the Orinoco River to
the Amazon. Fishing in waters up to his chest while staying clear of the
piranha infested areas and keeping the sleeping bag far enough from the
river's edge at night, because one could see the crocodiles when a
flashlight was shone on the surface, were realities of the trip.
Dan learned to sail boats and
crewed for numerous Chicago to Mackinaw Island Yacht Races. He competed in
regattas off of Melbourne and sailed the southern coast of Australia.
Dan likes to live life to the
fullest, even in having a puppy. Years ago he learned that the Guinness Book
of World Records had listed the Shar Pei as one of the rarest dogs in the
world. The breed was from China and almost extinct because they were being
exterminated during the Mau Revolution. A man by the name of Matgo Law took
breeding stock into the New Territories and saved the species. When in Hong
Kong for business, my brother went into the New Territories, on the border
of China, met Matgo Law and brought a Shar Pei puppy home to our parents for
Christmas. Amazing!
Before his 30th
birthday, Dan spent three months camping across Africa. He started in
Algeria and went south through Niger, Chad, Cameroon, Central Africa
Republic, Zaire and Burundi. It took over two weeks to cross the Sahara
Desert and because of the war between Chad and Libya, one had to be wary of
poisoned wells. On at least two occasions, in the night, rebel soldiers with
machine guns confronted his campsite.
Dan says the jungles of Zaire
provided some of the best experiences and hiking into the Virunga Mountains,
where Dian Fossey had done her research, to observe the Silverback Mountain
gorillas is never to be forgotten. He stayed with pygmies, hunted with
poison tipped arrows in the rain forest and ate cooked monkey.
Having been on all the
continents of the world, but one, Dan said he had to figure out how to get
to Antarctica before his 40th birthday. With a lot of luck and a
few connections, he found himself in the Falkland Islands off of Argentina
meeting a Russian Icebreaker heading south. He spent three weeks with a
group of naturalists in Antarctica visiting research stations, even meeting
the man who discovered the ozone hole who was back in Antarctica doing
further studies. Dan spent part of Christmas floating on the tabular
iceberg, reached by helicopter, in Antarctic Sound!
After skydiving in college and
learning to fly in younger years, Dan decided to master scuba diving. He is
an Advanced Certified Diver, logging over 200 dives in the Caribbean,
Central America, Asia and Africa. Dan says the sharks in the ocean are
different than those that infest the waters of politics. He prefers the
ocean variety.
Even in his early days of
politics, my brother did things most only dreamed. In the GOP Primary of
1980, Dan was a coordinator for Ronald Reagan’s campaign and one of his
tasks was to meet Nancy Reagan at the airport and drive her to various
events. He caught the eye of the Reagan National Campaign and was asked to
be the Executive Director of the state for the General Election. Not bad for
a 24 year old kid from Central Illinois.
Soon after the Reagan election,
Dan was offered a position on the Presidential Transition Team, which I am
told is a step to the White House Staff. Shortly thereafter, he received a
call from Governor Jim Thompson and was offered a position on his staff in
Springfield. I know this was a tough decision for Dan, but he chose to stay
in Illinois. He has never looked back on that decision. My guess is he would
not be in the State Senate now had he chosen the DC route.
Dan went into the private sector
where he is still an executive with an international company. He was elected
to the Illinois Senate after 10-years in the House of Representatives.
I have heard him reflect on what
is his proudest legislative accomplishment. It is not an issue to make
flashy, front page, news. It is how, after years of effort, the funding
formula for nursing homes was finally changed. He is a strong advocate for
the continuum of services for the elderly. Dan took a lead in this effort
long before Grandma went into the nursing home.
While in Vail in January, Dan
broke his jaw. To prove he does things to the maximum, he broke it in three
places! His jaw was wired shut for six weeks and you can imagine the emails
he got from friends and colleagues about that. He is fine now, talking up a
storm.
Planting trees has become a
passion for Dan. Over the years he has planted 13,000 trees and shrubs on
his property. He is also doing stream bank stabilization for better water
quality. He recycles at home, in his Capitol Office and his District Office.
These little known stories about
my brother show a man who has been exposed to the roughest elements of man
and nature and is still humble in his personal, professional and political
accomplishments.
Dan loves to learn and teach. He
takes his responsibility as a Senator seriously. He looks at issues with a
unique perspective and works hard at being in touch with his constituents. I
can’t figure out where he gets all the energy.
Debi (Rutherford) Fornero
Senator Rutherford’s Sister
Pontiac Correctional
Center Closure
The Blagojevich Administration has called
for the closure of the Pontiac Correctional Center. In an attempt to keep
the public current on happenings on the matter, I have created a log of
information on
www.DanRutherford.com . Please visit to get all the current
news on PCC.
Keep an eye out for Action Alerts. They will
give you an opportunity to get involved and help keep PCC from closing it
doors.
Honorary
Page
I
welcomed Troy Watson to the capitol as an honorary page for the day. Troy
is an eighth grader at Pontiac Christian School. He resides in Pontiac and
is the son of Dr. Doug and Lisa Watson.
Bayou Bash
I
recently had the opportunity to attend the "Bayou Bash" at the home of my
friend Brent Smith. Brent is a Precinct Committeeman in Prairie Grove, a
good supporter of mine, and a rock star in the party. Besides getting to try
alligator at the "Bash" I also got to take my picture with Brent and this
stuffed 12 footer!
Office hours
for Rep. Jim Watson
State Representative Jim Watson is currently serving our country in Iraq.
Earlier this month I did office hours at his district headquarters in
Jacksonville to help out while he completes his military service. It was
great to spend time in that part of the state and meet with some of Rep.
Watson's constituents. His district staff (pictured) really helped things
run smoothly.
Ron Gidwitz is a friend. He has been for many years. He ran for Governor
in 2006, was a GOP Ward Committeeman in Chicago and is a dramatically
successful businessman. The Illinois Republican Party recently honored Ron
at a Gala Dinner in Chicago.
Ron delivered a poignant and direct speech. I was pleased at his candor and
laud his tenacity. With permission, I am posting Ron Gidwitz's remarks.
Please read and absorb!
Comments by Ron Gidwitz:
Chairman McKenna,
members of the State Central Committee, Governor Barbour and friends, thank
you for the recognition and the honor of your best wishes this evening.
I, like many in the room
tonight, have been working for our party for a long time. When I was in
college, I walked precincts for John Chaffee during his first campaign for
Governor of Rhode Island. I have to confess, it wasn’t my interest in
politics that drove me; it was the rumor that there were good looking girls
working on his campaign. I might say that the rumor was unsubstantiated.
I should also probably underscore that I was single at the time.
I helped Richard Nixon
win Illinois in both ’68 & ‘72, cheered the ascent of Ronald Reagan, worked
with all of you in support of both Bushes during the last twenty years.
Through local, state and
federal efforts, I almost always felt the Republican candidate was the best
option being offered to the electorate. I put my own money where my mouth
was, worked as a ward committeeman in chicago, and raised money for
countless good people who were willing to put their names on the ballot.
And now, I look forward
to the chance to carry the banner for John McCain, a true American hero who
will be ready from Day One to be commander in chief.
Two years ago, I even
got off the sidelines and offered my services. It was a humbling
experience as well as an expensive lesson. But a lesson it was. Let
me for just a moment recount a couple of observations from that experience.
First, I got a chance to
meet and listen to thousands of Illinois citizens. I heard their concerns
about their party and their state…both of which have serious problems.
As a Party we are
getting older and our ability to attract younger people to our ranks is
hampered by a lack of an articulated vision and our unwillingness to level
with voters about the problems we face.
We have this seemingly
never-ending debate on who’s a good Republican and who’s not. Well folks, if
we continue this behavior we’ll soon have our meetings down the hall in the
cloakroom.
We have to pick
ourselves up off the floor…or up from the basement or out of the doghouse or
whatever metaphor you wish to use…and start winning elections again.
With the loss in the
14th Congressional District ten days ago, we’ve now lost two former
stronghold Republican congressional seats, two gubernatorial elections and a
US senate race that drew snickers from all over the country. And Governor
Barbour, that is just since 2002.
Our state and its
economy are at best stuck in neutral. And in many parts of the state,
the economic structure is jammed in reverse.
Great portions of Cook
County are shell shocked by the movement of jobs to other parts of the
state, or worse yet…lured out of the state by neighbors who blatantly
advertise for them in Illinois publications because our response is
impotent.
Our suburbs--while
glistening with growth in some portions of the area--are straining to stay
ahead of the growth-related problems of crime, traffic congestion and
quality of education.
Many of our downstate
communities remain just a shell of what used to be vibrant rural towns and
cities. And what are our citizens hearing from our own ranks?
Judging from the results
of recent elections, not what they need to hear. As a Party, are we
offering a coherent alternative to the discordant pieties of our friends on
the other side of the aisle? As a Party are we seeking new blood to help
restore our ranks to majority status? Do new citizens from foreign shores
find our policies attractive or even feel welcome at a meeting like this?
Are we making the case
that the current tax and regulatory structure is killing job growth? Do
business owners and decision-makers on where capital investment might be
placed hear a real alternative to arguably the worst governor in
America? Is there a hue and cry that Rod Blagojevich is doing the same thing
to us that Eliot Spitzer did…but WE’RE the ones paying?
Are we making a case for
structural tax reform to pull our state out of its current $3 billion hole?
Do we have voices in Springfield willing to say NO to more spending, or do
they just cave in from fear of electoral retribution?
Are we making a case for
a process to reform our capital priorities? Our transportation system may be
on the verge of collapse and it takes two former congressmen to come forward
to start the dialogue toward fixing this problem.
All too often our voters
hear nothing but the same old tired solutions. I know, I spouted some of
them during my own candidacy. It’s easy; it’s expedient; and it’s wrong.
I stand here tonight and
challenge all of you to do one thing. Demand--and I mean demand--a
new breed of problem solvers, ones with the courage to give answers to hard
questions, to insist on answers wedded to principle, but grounded in the
reality of a populace that want solutions.
Ladies & gentlemen…our
Party in this state has lost its way. We whisper that to each other over
lunch with our friends…we shake our heads when we read how fellow
Republicans cave to political correctness at the expense of their political
souls…and we simply can’t understand how things got so bad.
Well, tonight I ask you
to help change this grand old party, if not now---when. If not us-----who?
We can do this…we MUST do this. Or we have no right to call ourselves
Republicans.
Dan Fans
Janie Grimes (left) and Lisa Stephens, two recently elected Kaskaskia
College Foundation Trustees, at a fundraiser for John Cavaletto at the
winery in Aviston. Janie and Lisa are both great friends of mine, true Dan
Fans!
Not a Landscape Specialist
Late last month I injured my finger doing some work in my yard. I ended up
with a nasty gash and 8 stitches in my finger. Needless to say I will not be
taking up a new career as a landscaping specialist! Check out the
April Diary
to read the full story.
Pontiac Bonneville
The Bonneville started off the month of May with 292,500 miles on it. I
still have had no issues with it other than regular oil changes. The
mechanic who changes the oil told me that the car was in perfect working
order. Got to love that fresh oil and ethanol!
I was in Jacksonville earlier this month doing office hours for Rep. Jim
Watson who is serving in Iraq. Filled up the Bonneville with gas for $3.59 a
gallon.
Sock Pinning
My assistant,
George, and I were packing up our hotel rooms getting ready to leave
Springfield when he noticed that I had safety pins hooked to the handle of
my garment bag. He asked what I was saving them for. When I replied "To pin
my socks" he looked at me like I was speaking gibberish. I explained that
when I put my dirty socks in the wash I pin them together so they do not get
separated and lost.
I thought sock
pinning was something pretty common. George had never even heard of it
before. These youngsters today!
Events
this year
I wanted to give you advance notice so you can plan to attend one or all of
our Dan Rutherford Campaign Committee events this year. Here are the events
that the dates and times are finalized for.
June 12, 2008 - St.
Patrick's in the Summer
June 17, 2008 - DuPage County Fundraiser at Carlucci's
in Downers Grove
June 20, 2008 - Arlington
International for a Day at the Races
July 15, 2008 -
Networking Party at
Harry Caray's in Chicago
October 13, 2008-Annual
Chicken Dinner at the
Pontiac Elk's Country Club
