Latest news with #Prop
Chicago Tribune
07-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Chicago Tribune
Scott Vehill, artistic force behind Prop Thtr, dies at 68
Scott Vehill was the co-founder and longtime artistic director of Chicago's Prop Thtr, a scrappy, experimental theater company that throughout its 44-year history has staged intense, intellectually challenging plays, often on shoestring budgets, and put an emphasis on new work. 'Scott made a lot of things happen,' said Stefan Brun, Prop's co-founder with Vehill in 1980 and the group's executive director. 'He was the vision guy, and somebody else would follow up. He had vision, he really cared about the people, and … he loved the stories.' Vehill, 68, died of complications from Parkinson's disease on June 5 at his Lincoln Park home, said his wife of 30 years, Kristen. Born in Detroit, Vehill grew up in the Southwest Side's Marquette Park neighborhood and later in north suburban Wildwood. After graduating from Warren Township High School in Gurnee, Vehill attended downstate Monmouth College before transferring to Columbia College Chicago. After producing student theater together at Columbia, Vehill and Brun founded Prop in a space that formerly housed a strip joint on an off-the-beaten-track stretch of North Lincoln Avenue. With a program of nontraditional performance, European and Beat Generation theater, Prop had to fight to survive and attract audiences, Brun said. 'We started it together, but he is the one who held it,' Brun said. 'Many other people came through, including (onetime managing director) Jonathan Lavan and (onetime artistic director) Olivia Lilley, but Scott was Prop. There was no ruling aesthetic — the show we were currently doing was who we were.' Vehill kept the theater company moving forward after Brun left Chicago in 1987 for Germany. Although his title was artistic director, he was a jack-of-all-trades, directing performances, co-authoring plays and, as Tribune theater critic Chris Jones wrote in 2000, finding ways 'to pay utility bills, keep the doors open at a variety of rented spaces and produce … forms of esoteric theater in dark garages with the minimum of financial resources.' Prop put up three to four productions a year. Some pushed the boundaries — a 1986 staging of 'Biker Macbeth,' an adaptation of the Shakespeare play, drew a stinging review from the Tribune — while others, such as the 1988 staging of Vehill's adaptation of William S. Burroughs' novel 'The Last Words of Dutch Schultz,' garnered critical praise. 'Everything about him was bigger than life,' said Charles Pike, a co-star of the Burroughs adaptation. 'Scott embraced chaos. He saw that sometimes things needed to be broken, and he did not hesitate to break them. He had a heart for the outcast, for the underdog. He was a sucker for a good Chicago story. And we both embraced Beat literature and wanted to make sure that future generations saw (Lawrence) Ferlinghetti, (Jack) Kerouac and Burroughs the way he saw them.' Vehill directed plays by Neil Gray Giuntoli, who also co-starred in Prop's staging of 'The Last Words of Dutch Schultz,' and Paul Peditto, who was part of the old Igloo theater group. Vehill collaborated often with Peditto, both at Igloo and also at Chicago's bygone Live Bait Theater, where in 1991, the duo staged 'BUK,' a drama inspired by the life and work of poet Charles Bukowski. Prop's hard-hitting, commercially successful and critically acclaimed 1994 stage adaptation of Nelson Algren's 'Never Come Morning' garnered nine awards at the annual Joseph Jefferson Citation Awards for productions operating without Actors' Equity contracts — still a record for a non-Equity production. Vehill subsequently tried, without success, to raise money to turn the novel into a film. In 1995, Vehill directed Prop's spoof of former President Ronald Reagan's life before politics, in a play titled 'Reagan: Dementia in Absentia — An Unauthorized Tribute.' Two years later, Vehill staged Peditto's '1,001 Afternoons in Chicago,' a play inspired by screenwriter Ben Hecht's daily columns from the early 1920s in the Chicago Daily News. In 2000, Vehill directed a play about countercultural writer Terry Southern. In 2004, he directed 'Struggling Truths,' a fable exploring the origins of Tibet's conflicts with China. 'It's like a Brechtian parable and the audience, who will be literally divided into two sections, must decide which is the truth about Tibet,' Vehill said of 'Struggling Truths.' 'Was it a people's revolution that got rid of a feudal regime or was it an embattled Buddhist theocracy threatened by a totalitarian state? Both sides will try to stir up an audience to back their cause.' In 2006, Vehill oversaw the staging of Prop's biggest hit ever, 'Hizzoner,' a critical and popular success featuring Giuntoli playing Mayor Richard J. Daley. In a 2006 review, Jones called it a 'thoroughly gripping … bio-drama' that was not to be missed 'for students of the old man and the city he maybe hurt and maybe saved.' The production of 'Hizzoner' was in keeping with Jones' 2002 assessment in the Tribune that Prop is a theater company that is 'proudly blue-collar' and 'cheerfully intellectual,' with 'hard-working and mature creative leaders.' In the late 1990s, Vehill helped found the National New Play Network, a consortium of theaters from around the country committed to showcasing new work. Prop became the Chicago hub of the network, whose rolling world premiere program simultaneously brings new productions to partner theaters across the U.S. More than a decade ago, illness caused Vehill to pull back from Prop, his wife said. For the past two years, about 20 or so friends gathered monthly at Vehill's home to bring the homebound Vehill art in the form of songs, readings and even visual artwork, in what were affectionately called 'Scotty Salons,' his wife said. 'Kristen told me that the therapeutic benefit lasted for several days afterward,' said Keith Fort, who chair's Prop's board and organized the salons. 'That's the healing power of art.' In addition to his wife, Vehill is survived by three sisters, Julie 'Gigi' Paddock, Trisha Peck and Jaime Freiler; and a brother, Raoul. A celebration of life will take place from 5 to 11 p.m. on Friday, July 18, at Facility Theatre, 1138 N. California Ave.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Yahoo
Suspect arrested for stealing package from Vallejo business
( — The Vallejo Police Department Patrol Division officers responded to a package theft at a business on Friday. According to VPD, the incident happened on the 1300 block of Lemon Street when the victim reported that a male suspect stole a package that had a value of $190 and fled the scene in a Kia Optima. VPD stated that officers were able to see the surveillance footage, which captured the suspect's face and their license plate. The video showed the suspect pausing for a while before they grabbed the package and drove away. After a while, an alert patrol officer saw the suspect vehicle traveling on Sonoma Boulevard, according to VPD. The officer pulled the vehicle over at a nearby parking lot, where the suspect was identified and arrested. Miranda V. Arizona: The Supreme Court case that made the Miranda Rights After running their background, records showed the suspect being on active probation for burglary, VPD said. The officers then conducted a probation search and found that he had what was suspected to be cocaine. VPD said, 'The day he decided to violate his probation terms was the day he got caught by Vallejo PD.' The suspect had his Miranda rights read and admitted to stealing the package, VPD said. Based on his prior convictions, the theft was charged as a felony under Prop. 36. VPD stated the stolen properties had been collected and entered into evidence, and the suspect was arrested and booked into the Solano County Jail on multiple charges, including felony theft, possession of a controlled substance, possession of burglary tools, and probation violations 'Vallejo PD remains committed to protecting our community and holding repeat offenders accountable,' said VPD. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Anson ISD parents share their thoughts on $17M school bond election
ANSON, Texas () – Over the past few months, signs supporting and opposing a $17 million school bond have appeared in the residential streets of Anson. For example, outside the home of Anson ISD parent Leticia Hernandez, there is a sign that says, 'Vote No on Prop B.' In contrast, the sign in front of the home of Anson ISD parents Jeremiah and Nicole McCurdy encourages voters to support both Propositions A and B. This situation raises the question: What is causing this divide among residents? 'I plan to vote yes for Prop A and no for Prop B…I'm a very firm believer of living within your means,' said Hernandez. 'It's going to benefit so much of our community, so many of our kids. It's just worth it, and we will be voting for A and B,' Nicole said. EXPLAINER: $17 million bond for Anson ISD: What it means for residents Proposition A requests $9.2 million to fund additions to elementary schools, renovations of district facilities, resurfacing of parking lots, and enhancements to the high school's Career Technical Education (CTE) classrooms. 'We're looking to grow our CNA program and hoping to start a cosmetology program, but we need some classrooms,' Anson ISD Superintendent Troy Hinds said. Hernandez and the McCurdys agree that Prop A's expanded educational opportunity and improved facilities will benefit Anson students. Approval of Proposition B would see $7.8 million used for the resurfacing of the track, installing turf on all three athletic fields, and constructing a new field house. It is here that Hernandez and other Anson residents find an issue. 'You put turf on the field, but we still have stands that need attention, and we still have concession stands that need attention. And this work that's been done that's not completely finished yet. That should be addressed before we do something that extravagant,' Hernandez said. She is also concerned about how the increased taxes might impact Ansonians' financial future, saying, 'I have two kids that will be out of school. They'll be investing in our community soon. We own two businesses, my husband and I, and we want to be able to pass that on to them and them to be able to thrive with that,' said Hernandez. On the pro-Prop B side, the McCurdys spoke not only as parents but also as district members: Jeremiah as the Operations Director and Nicole in the district curriculum. 'If you look over the lifespan of the turf fields. It's going to be just about a break-even point on cost, man-hours, watering the fields, maintaining them, and such,' said Jeremiah. 'Athletics is there not just for them to compete in, but for their bodies to be healthy; for their minds to be healthy… I don't want people to think that we, as a district, are not going to spend money on our academics because we do care about academics every single day. But we're also trying to create well-rounded individuals and well-rounded kids, and that involves that CTE portion, that athletic portion, and that academic portion,' Nicole added. Jeremiah concluded their interview with a call to action for all Anson ISD residents, no matter what view they hold, to get out and make their voices heard. Superintendent Hinds stated that the district is excited to see these opportunities brought to Anson Students, whether Prop B passes or not, similarly to Jeremiah, saying he hopes everyone will come out to vote in this election. Early voting is scheduled from Tuesday, April 22, through April 29. Don't forget that Election Day is on May 3. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
23-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
City officials say sewer rate protest letters must follow state guidelines
City officials are notifying Bakersfield residents that letters protesting a controversial proposal to increase sewer rate must follow certain requirements under state law. Residents are organizing against the proposal but some information circulating in online forums is incorrect, city officials said. They are warning that only protest letters with the appropriate information will be accepted. City officials said they've received a number of emails regarding the rate increase but that state law requires certain steps for official submissions. "It needs to have a wet signature," said Evette Roldan, the city's wastewater manager, referring to a handwritten signature. "You can't have a photocopy, can't email it in, can't be an electronic submission. That sort of thing," Roldan said. "Coming to the council meeting, just speaking at the council meeting doesn't count as a protest." Letters notifying residents of the proposed increase were sent out April 11 under a state law known as Proposition 218 that requires jurisdictions to notify constituents. Under Prop. 218, if a jurisdiction receives protest letters from more than 50% of the impacted residents, the increase can't be enacted. In order to qualify as an official protest, letters must include an original or "wet" signature, the property address, the property parcel number and the name of the property owner. Protests for multiple properties owned by a single person can be included in one letter, but they must include the address and parcel number of each property. Letters do not have to state a reason for the opposition. Address parcel numbers can be found using the Assessor Property Search function on the Kern County Record Assessor's office website at Because letters must be signed in-person by the property owner, letters must either be hand-delivered to the clerk's office or sent by mail. Emailed copies of protest letters, including photos of signed letters, are not acceptable, nor are electronic signatures. Letters may be submitted to the city clerk at Bakersfield City Council meetings. Any such letters must be submitted to the city clerk before the end of the public hearing scheduled for May 28. Bakersfield residents are looking at a more than 300% increase in their sewer rates, raising the annual fee for a single-family home from $239 to $950. The increase is needed to cover what the city says is as much as $600 million in emergency upgrades, including a new treatment plant to replace the city's aging Plant 2 on Planz Road, originally built in 1958. The city council voted to send Prop. 218 notices after long deliberation at their March 26 meeting. The vote was split 3-2 with two members absent. If the city does not receive the requisite number of Prop. 218 protest letters, the proposed increase will still have to pass a vote of the city council. "Right now, it's basically out to vote in the public," Roldan said of the protest process. "If we receive 50% official, majority protests, it basically takes it away from the council. People (will) have spoken and they voted it down," Roldan said. "Absent the majority, it's a council vote." Angered by such a large increase so suddenly, several residents have expressed further frustration that instructions for submitting an official protest aren't clearer. "It doesn't say anything about whether it has to be handwritten or typed or whatnot. And the other thing is, it doesn't have a link to how to find your parcel number," said Johnny Olaguez, a resident who's trying to organize opposition to the increase. An unsuccessful candidate for the Ward 6 council seat last year, Olaguez posted a flier to social media calling on residents to attend the council's Wednesday meeting to give public comment on the increase. Olaguez said he plans to be there with pens and a stack of template letters to help people fill out their protests. "To have me jump through all these hoops to have to oppose this. I'm very knowledgeable and I know computers," Olaguez said. "But when you talk about, you know, grandma who's 80 years old living on fixed income. If you're going to have to go down to Kern County get her parcel number, write a letter, sign it, drop it off. That just seems like a little bit too much work."
Axios
31-03-2025
- Automotive
- Axios
State Route 30 aims to relieve traffic congestion for booming West Valley
If you commute to and from the southwest Valley, the Phoenix area's next major freeway should make your drive a bit easier, though it'll be a while before it's a reality. The big picture: The West Valley is in the midst of a massive population boom and has some of the fastest-growing cities in the U.S. State Route 30 will be the Valley's next new freeway. The Tres Rios Freeway, as SR 30 will also be known, will eventually run 29 miles south of Interstate 10, from the Durango Curve on Interstate 17 south of downtown Phoenix to State Route 85 in Buckeye. It aims to serve as a reliever for I-10. Why it matters: Rush-hour traffic on I-10 west of downtown Phoenix is often a bumper-to-bumper mess, which makes commuting a daunting prospect. That segment of I-10 is the most congested freeway in the region, critical for both commuters and commerce between the Valley and California, said John Bullen, assistant executive director for the Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG). Zoom in: SR 30 will have three segments: East — Durango Curve to Loop 202 Center — Loop 202 to Loop 303 West — Loop 303 to State Route 85 State of play: The first segment of SR 30 to go under construction will be the center, which MAG views as the most important of the three. Bullen told Axios the first stretch to be built will run from the Durango Curve to around 97th Avenue. Construction on that portion is expected to begin around early 2027, and will take two to three years. The full center segment could take as long as a decade to complete. Reality check: The full SR 30 project is likely to last at least 20 years, possibly longer, Bullen said. There's no timeline for construction of the eastern and western segments and the Arizona Department of Transportation is still acquiring some of the needed rights-of-way. Meanwhile, construction on the extension of Loop 303 south of I-10 will begin this summer and is expected to take three years, Bullen said. SR 30 will eventually link up with the extended Loop 303. By the numbers: Much of the funding for SR 30 will come from Proposition 479, the transportation sales tax extension that Maricopa County voters approved last November. The 20-year half-cent sales tax will fund 331 miles of new freeways and highways, in addition to 1,000 miles of new or improved arterial lane miles. It will also pay for nearly 12 new miles of light rail and over 28 miles of new bus service. MAG expects the projects funded by Prop. 479 to reduce the average afternoon commute by one-third and reduce congestion by 51,000 hours on critical freight corridors daily. What they're saying: "With Prop. 479 passing last year, now we're starting to talk about that State Route 30 and that being the I-10 reliever. That is critically important, not just to Buckeye and Goodyear and Avondale and Tolleson and Phoenix, but for commerce coming in and out of metro Phoenix," Buckeye Mayor Eric Orsborn told Axios recently.
