Category: People
Entertainment Artist Louis Mandylor
The Downtown Diner
The Downtown Diner
The Downtown Diner is a nostalgic restaurant located in downtown Granite City Illinois. Moreover, this place has an excellent location just down the road and near a local movie theater.
Furthermore, specific food items on the menu are familiar to citizens like me who attended Granite City School District 9. I personally acquired a taste for and looked forward to the square pizza when I was a kid. Moreover, I had no shame dipping it in ketchup. I like my fries with ketchup too.
Encouraging Creative Marketing Strategies
The Downtown Diner used a common social media marketing strategy to boost awareness of and engagement with their business, and at little cost to them. For instance, what they did was make a post offering citizens an opportunity to win a strawberry shortcake dessert just by liking and sharing their post. As an already experienced customer I was delighted to engage in their marketing strategy! The dessert was free, but I went as a paying customer.
I Liked And Shared This Post For A Chance To Win This Delicious Dessert.
And Won The Sweet Treat!
Cerise & Taylor Were The Waitresses Who Tended To Me Upon Entry. They Were Cheerful and Very Polite!
“Downtown Diner Is Open 24 Hours A Day, Seven Days A Week” – BND
About The Owner
Moreover, the dessert was free, but I still became a paying customer. Additionally, I did research and found interesting background information about the owner. Her name is Brenda Whitaker. I learned that before investing her savings back into the economy, she spent “fifteen years earning her keep as a coil operator” at one of the steel mills Granite City is most famously known for. – National Public Radio.
Her history displays a record of her hard working ethics in the biggest of businesses in Granite City, and her determination to ensure her hometown thrives is what cemented her future of running unique businesses for herself. There are so many neat places to visit in Granite City thanks to this lady!
Such businesses are, the Downtown Diner, Alfresco Production Company, Novel Ideas Bookstore and More, Garden Gate Tea Room, and The BoardGamery. Additionally, Brenda organizes The Melting Pot Market events.
Furthemore, the Melting Pot Market take place in Civic Park located on 20th and Delmar St., Granite City, IL 62040. Click here to view information about upcoming Melting Pot Market Events.
“The Melting Pot Market venue features arts and crafts, an assortment of collector’s items, locally grown fresh produce, baked goods, jams, jellies and other assorted food items. Moreover, kids activities, and family friendly vibes add to the festive atmosphere.”
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Classic Car Show
Smokin’ Hot Classic Car Show
The “Smokin’ Hot Classic Car Show” took place at O’Brien Tire & Service Center on Nameoki Road. Moreover, the event started at 4pm, and it was bustling with activity when I arrived at 4:30pm. More crowds were arriving when I made my departure. Are you a fan of classic car shows? Do you like looking at or flipping hot rides? If so, then you’ll want to attend car shows like this! Check out these fun things to do somewhere near you!
Furthermore, a lucky winner was notified of a time and place to pick up the grand prize. Moreover, see the custom electric golf cart in the images below. Additionally, if you missed this classic car event, you’ll want to plan ahead for the next automotive show nearby.
A Fundraising Raffle Benefited the Illinois Make-A-Wish program.
Furthermore, make a Wish Foundation enables the youth enduring hard times to experience making happy memories. It’s a worthy cause to donate to.
Local Author Mike Dixon Who Wrote “The Factory Of Dreams,” Happily Made An Appearance With A Handful Of His Show Cars, Including His Famous Stingray Corvette on the cover of his book..
Order Now!
Additionally, check out latest Classic Car listings on Ebay!
That Majestic Looking Machinery Was Just One of Many Hot Rod Rides on Display.
Someone is huge fan of Jurassic Park!
Moreover, classic cars like these are surprisingly affordable on Ebay!
Consider liking O’ Brien Tire & Service Center On Facebook, especially should you wish to attend their next event.
Finally, bookmark this article for updates about future automotive show listings. Furthermore, keyword search “car shows near me” or click here to see what classic car events and are happening near you!
This website is a partnered associate and contains affiliate links, which enable me to earn commissions from various partners. Full disclosure is available here. Partners include Ebay, Amazon, Google Adsense, and others.
Corvette: The Factory of Dreams
The Factory of Dreams is an Excellent Gift For Classic Car & Convertible Corvette Enthusiasts
Collectible Corvette book. For a number of years, the St. Louis Corvette factory defined a way of life for thousands of St. Louis area workers, including Granite City business owner, Mike Dixon of Dixon Heating & Cooling. Check out these Classic Vettes for sale!
In 1981, the assembly line at the St. Louis Corvette plant halted for good. “It was a combination of track on the floor, pushed hand carts and what workers called a ‘knife-edge’ conveyor.” ~ Vette Magazine.
The plant shut its doors and production moved south to Bowling Green, Kentucky, but the memories remain and Mike Dixon decided it was time to share his experience in the story. The Factory of Dreams is a rare product for Corvette collectible items collectors.
“On August 1, 1981, the St. Louis Corvette Assembly came to a final halt, and the last Corvette built there rolled out of the factory.” My dad was a lover of classic cars and loved perusing at car shows. If he were still on this earth,
I’d buy him this book as a gift from my heart because I know he’d enjoy reading it. Moreover, if you know someone in a Corvette Club interested in collectible Corvette items, then this book will be a great gift for them!
“There Are Really Two Stories Told In The Book.”
One is about the car. Moreover, it’s a peek into the life of an auto worker in the 1950s and ‘60s. This was a time when the industry was at its peak for its workers in St. Louis.
Furthermore, it shares an engineering triumph, by St. Louis and automotive engineers. It’s about the startup of the plant. However, it’s also about the history of the cars and the men who built them.” Melissa Meske ~ Advantage News
Dixon Now Has His Hands On Vettes as an Owner
Additionally, he has five of them and enjoys taking them to Classic Car Shows, including his 1972 red convertible corvette with its value being sentimental and not just material. In other words, Mike had a part in putting this one together when he worked at the factory. Are you looking to buy an old classic car?
“I did a VIN search, determining when and where it was built. From that, I know it is one that I dropped the body on. And it only took me 40 years to own it,” Dixon said, laughing.”
Did You Know That Channel 9 Actually Had Its Own Classical Convertible vette? Watch The Video Below and Listen To How That Deal Was Made…
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“The Corvette Emerged As Its Own Statement That A Machine Can Also Be Art.”
Published in October 2018, The Factory of Dreams: St. Louis Corvette Plant is a book for classic car enthusiasts & automobile history lovers. Moreover, online orders are available via Amazon. Furthermore, please post your review & give it a rating after you’ve read it. Thank you! Enjoy! Finally, want to know where to buy a classic car? Check out the hottest deals on Ebay.com!
This website is a partnered associate and earns commissions from sales. Full disclosure is found here.
Police Confrontations
In The Event of an Encounter with Police Perception Matters and So Do Manners
Encountering a symbol of authority can be anxiety inducing for most people; which makes handling police confrontations more difficult. Therefore, it’s a good thing to be perceptive. It means to be aware of our environment and the behavior of those in it, especially when handling police confrontations.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Department is located in Edwardsville Illinois. They created an educational video to serve as a tool for helping to reduce confrontation anxiety. If you’d rather skip past the lessons and see funny viral videos of police department lip sync challenges, then just keep scrolling down.
Maybe You Were Stopped By Police While in a Rush to Get to Work….
Maybe you’re trying to avoid severe weather, are running late for school, or just appear suspicious. For whatever reason you find yourself stopped by a cop, remain calm and try to be pleasant, even if you encounter an officer who isn’t.
View the video below to watch their lesson. It covers what to expect during a traffic stop in under four minutes. “This video is designed to reduce the stress and anxiety through information and knowledge. An informed community is a safer community.” – Lt. Kris Tharp.
Now Ponder This!
When we use our manners to behave respectfully towards others, we ideally expect them to return the gesture. Realistically, that doesn’t always happen. Police officers are a symbol of authority and looked to as an example. Not all set a good one though, and bad experiences can be disheartening for those of any viewpoint.
Remember This For Handling Yourself During Police Confrontations….
When we abase each other we make unpleasant memories that cause discord and separation, which then leads to issues further contributing to a social crisis. The truth is that it’s important to consider how we interact with others.
How To Handle Police Encounters
Whether online or off, as a civilian or officer, our actions invoke a reaction from others. Developing and improving our social skills is vital for human survival, especially when handling police confrontations.
It’s possible as individuals for us to reach our highest levels of potential no matter our titles or hindrances. Social media is an excellent tool for getting practice. Practice is what makes the master.
Civil Rights Apply to All
Those who choose to partake in uncivil or lawless behavior risk harm or death the same as the lawful called upon to restrain them. There is no law anywhere in the world against self control, but those living by weapons risk dying by weapons.
Not All People Deserve the Condemnation
They’ve Endured
There are bad apples in every tree. It doesn’t mean the branches are bad or that the roots are dead. It’s important to remember that we’re all human beings. Most of us care to right the wrongs that are done. Don’t cut down the whole tree over the rotten produce, otherwise we miss out on the good fruit!
That’s why many humans enlist as officers and put their lives at risk in the first place. Productive members of society seek to labor according to our abilities in order to be enabled to provide for our families. The Police are people too.
It’s stated by definition that police officers aren’t civil servants, and that they’re lower ranked as public servants, yet it’s their job to respond first and intervene in all uncivil situations. They are meant as keepers of the peace for the betterment of the public, and they wear badges as symbols of authority, so I beg to differ about their importance.
When Police Fail to Set The Example
Civilians should think to set the example of respect by being the first to show it. We don’t need to be paid by the public to be civil or to live up to civil standards. Civility is necessary for any civilization to thrive. You may be surprised to discover how behavior is reciprocated.
Maybe you won’t. Even if you’ve been robbed, gaslighted, defamed, falsely accused, charged, jailed, maced, and beaten for having the audacity to regard your rights despite others violating them, don’t take it out on the next officer you see.
Guilt By Association
Furthermore, I’m not going to deny the negativity, it’s controversial, and I’ve had unpleasant experiences myself. Additionally, I’m well aware how predators will disguise themselves as protectors in an effort to gain easy access to prey. However, all predators in nature eventually wind up exposing themselves by their behaviors as individuals.
Moreover, my aim here is to point out the positive in an effort to make the most of what I’ve learned from my personal experiences with law enforcement officers. Don’t be afraid to go to jail! View it as another opportunity to speak with someone who may better understand you and your predicament.
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The World is Riddled With News of Those Who Abuse Their Position of Trust & Power of Authority.
Predators deliberately seek out positions of trust and power of authority because it’s how they gain easy access to prey, but just like not all animals eat meat, not all people are predators.
Support Law Enforcement
We have to remember and remind ourselves that not all are guilty over those who are, regardless of our individual experiences with any bad apples that manage to infiltrate any association. If there’s any position we are all associated with first, it’s being human.
We all make mistakes. We all start out inexperienced and share the desire to succeed, as well as to celebrate our successes.
Police Lip Sync Challenge
When I saw the “Lip Sync Challenge” videos by departments all over the nation become viral sensations, I witnessed more than something fun and entertaining for people to watch.
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Additionally, I saw a psychological tool for progress that triggered more than just my sense of respect for police officers. Not all of them are deliberately out to harm others.
Many have lost their lives genuinely trying to protect civil society. Furthermore, they have to deal with the mental and emotional repercussions of witnessing evil beings partake in horrible activities, and not all criminals are remorseful.
The most evil remain proud of causing destruction and death. Police officers have to train their minds to handle their emotions, and not just their own physical responses.
Moreover, I see it from an empowering point of view. For instance, lip sync challenge videos display our ability to relate, unite, and stand with each other as equals. Furthermore, they serve as reminders for our own and other nations through entertainment, that even though we’ve made mistakes our bonds can still be strengthened.
America is a melting pot of a nation, made up of cultures as various as the colors of the spectrum. We live in an era of worldwide virtual connection and our social structures are ever changing.
We can be conservative by holding on to the good and liberal by changing the bad. In other words, hold on to what works, and change what doesn’t. That’s how we find middle ground.
The best way to get along with someone who is different than us, or whom we disagree with, is to point out and focus on our likenesses before settling our differences. Handling police confrontations is a necessary life skill for everyone.
Below is a list of Lip Sync Challenge videos by various Police Departments
Wouldn’t it be neat to see more police departments all over the world represent themselves as keepers of the peace by accepting the challenge? I’ve certainly found it entertaining and educational.
Some tactics maybe unorthodox, but also extremely useful, especially when it’s a sense of moral duty that unites our communities. Click here and add your State to the search bar to see if your department has participated, and if you don’t see your local police department involved, then be the first to encourage them to participate.
All lives do matter, even those wearing the badges! Tune into a live police scanner online, listen, and you’ll learn more about what law enforcement has to deal with, as well understand how they’re only human too.
Leroy Police Department
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Norfolk Virginia Police Department
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Granite City Police Department (GCPD)
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Should you wish to study how to become a police officer, apply to police academies first for training, because the job openings are endless.
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David Winters: An Iconic Figure
David Winters: An Entertainment Icon
This multi-talented entertainment powerhouse developed and utilized amazing skills throughout the course of his life. David was born on April 5, 1939 and participated in over 200 television series, television specials, and motion pictures as a writer, dancer, actor, choreographer, producer, and director before passing away on April 23, 2019.
View David’s Media Reel.
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David won three awards for the film “Dancin’ It’s On,” that night.
The awards David is holding in the image below were for Best Director, Best Music Score, and Best Editing. They were presented to him by the Wide Screen Film & Music Video Festival in March of 2015.
Watch The Awards Show Below. David Wins Best Editing At About Forty One Minutes In, And The Best Director About An Hour And Eleven Minutes In.
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Watch The Trailer Of “Dancin’ It’s On” Below
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Did you like that trailer? Click Here To Buy The Movie!
David Released His Autobiography In June of 2018.
Tough Guys Do Dance, went straight to the top of the best sellers list on Amazon with five star reviews. David’s face will remain a familiar one to the entertainment industry for times to come, with his behind-the-scenes stories and life events. Being “associated with some of the biggest names in show business, such as Ann -Margret, Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Barbra Streisand, and Michael Jackson,” makes this an interesting read for those interested in a new piece of history across a variety of genres. – Times Square Chronicles
Click Here Or On The Image To Get Your Copy Of His Book.
His Work In Broadway Shows And Hollywood Films Is Legendary!
West Side Story was where David found his stardom. He inspired millions of boys and men alike to embrace the art of dance and truly showed them that “tough guys do dance!” If you’re a student of dancing or an aspiring actor, producer, or director, then you want to study the work of David Winters. David’s first Directing job was on “THE MONKEES” TV series.
David Winters serves as an inspiration for all generations across a variety of genres. “He choreographed the 1976 remake of A Star Is Born with Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson, as well as the TV movie Star Wars Holiday Special. In 1981, he choreographed and served as creative consultant for the TV special Diana, starring Diana Ross, Quincy Jones and Michael Jackson.” – Best Classic Bands
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You Can Click Here To Join This Group If You Wish To Converse With Other Fans and Friends Of David’s.
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David Kept Himself Busy. Be Like David And Make Your Lifetime Just As Full Of Achievements!
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For More Information About The Achievements of David Winters Click Here
Regards From His Fellow Celebrities:
“So sorry to hear about the passing of the great choreographer/dancer #DavidWinters.
Not only did he direct a couple of episodes of the Monkees but he staged/directed our very first concert show.
He also became a good friend.
We mourn the loss of another great talent.” pic.twitter.com/MpWG8U8FDX— Micky Dolenz (@TheMickyDolenz1) April 24, 2019
Rest In Peace David Winters.https://t.co/p2GHYg8qdl pic.twitter.com/fNDXkdh0QG
— Alice Cooper (@alicecooper) April 25, 2019
David Winters Obituary
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