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Valparaiso opera house hosts WGN Radio (review)


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Posted by chicagomedia.org on June 07, 2008 at 17:09:21:

The "Voice of Chicago" came to Valparaiso for its first Indiana visit Friday.

At the Memorial Opera House, fans of Chicago WGN 720 Talk/Radio streamed into the building to watch "The John Williams Show" broadcast live from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.

"John is my favorite," Diana Doxey said. "I'm really pleased they're here."

Radio personality Williams provided some humor to the audience, asking whether his pronunciation of "Valpa-rise-o" was correct and whether the city was Chicago "Cubs country."

"Clap your hands if you're a Cubs fan," he said. "Leave if you're a Sox fan."

The station's Hometown Voices Tour, now in its third year, made its Indiana debut Friday with the visit to Valparaiso.

Part of the series includes selecting "Hometown Heroes." Laura and Mark Blaylock, of Valparaiso Lions Club, were chosen for their charitable work in providing eye exams and glasses to Mexico's remote villages.

Mayor Jon Costas was the first guest on the show.

"It's a great opportunity for the city to share its heart and its people," Costas said.

Other guests included Valparaiso University men's basketball assistant coach Bryce Drew and Jay Weinberg, a musician who gained recent publicity for protesting soaring gas prices on top of a gas station.

Williams gave high marks to the city's Opportunity Enterprises popcorn, which beat Garrett, Chicago's famed gourmet popcorn shop, and the Valpo Velvet Shoppe ice cream bars.

Putting a show on at the Memorial Opera House, 104 Indiana Ave., was "the best show we've done," Williams said. And being able to see the faces of his Northwest Indiana listeners is "invaluable" to him and his staff.

Bob Westfall of the Valparaiso Noon Kiwanis brought peanuts for Williams and his colleagues and got a plug in about the June 13-14 Peanut Day event, which collects money for community organizations.

Westfall, a longtime WGN radio listener, has also gone to several other WGN show events.

"It's about time for someone from Illinois to (visit) and say something nice about Indiana instead of always putting us down," Westfall joked.

(Post-Tribune)


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