Latest / WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio / Talk-Line: Rock Falls Tourism Director Melinda Jones

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Talk-Line: Rock Falls Tourism Director Melinda Jones · WIXN AM 1460 - Shaw Local Radio

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  Speaker 1: And it's time for another informational edition of talk Line
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  Speaker 1: here at your source in the Sock Valley. It is
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  Speaker 1: time for us to touch base with our friends from
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  Speaker 1: Rock Falls Tourism. We do it throughout the year and
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  Speaker 1: we get the low down on news and information from
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  Speaker 1: Rock Falls Tourism courtesy of the director of Rock Falls Tourism,
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  Speaker 1: who is liable with this at the microphones. This morning,
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  Speaker 1: we are happy to meet and greet Melinda Jones, who's
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  Speaker 1: with us today here at w accent.
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  Speaker 2: How are you, good morning, I'm fine.
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  Speaker 1: It is nice to see you had a little bit
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  Speaker 1: of a train Okay, we were not going to get
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  Speaker 1: into that. We really going to get into that, but
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  Speaker 1: I know the traffic situation in and around our studios here.
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  Speaker 1: But Melinda just catching her breath getting into the studios today.
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  Speaker 1: But we're happy to have her on board with us
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  Speaker 1: to talk about Rock Falls Tourism because we've got an
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  Speaker 1: event coming up tomorrow. We're on the eve of a
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  Speaker 1: big event in Rock Falls. I wanted to skip back
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  Speaker 1: to a couple of events that happened during the summertime
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  Speaker 1: that you guys took part in very successful events over.
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  Speaker 2: We had very successful events with Sick the mag and
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  Speaker 2: then we had the eighties hairband that was there. Yeah,
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  Speaker 2: we've had a great summer.
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  Speaker 1: Eats and beats and beats. That's that's been very successful
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  Speaker 1: for you. Yes, and this is a you know kind
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  Speaker 1: of a it's it's not just a one time right,
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  Speaker 1: each and beats. You know, it's going to contain Yeah,
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  Speaker 1: So again again offering the summer and offering the outdoor
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  Speaker 1: activities at the riverfront. It's all that's what it's all about.
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  Speaker 2: It is yeah, ful area, Yeah, perfectly.
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  Speaker 1: And tomorrow is another prime example. Here we go again
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  Speaker 1: you guys are you guys the Rock Falls Tourism and
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  Speaker 1: participating organizations are putting together a wonderful activity tomorrow. Talk
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  Speaker 1: about this.
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  Speaker 2: So this is our art and the park sculpture walk
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  Speaker 2: and outdoor art gallery, and we will have new sculptures
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  Speaker 2: actually be in place today about nine o'clock. I gotta
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  Speaker 2: get down there and get that taken.
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  Speaker 1: Care of it, so use that, don't use that road back.
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  Speaker 2: So we have eight new sculptures coming, so they'll join
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  Speaker 2: the five that are permanently there. So at thirteen sculptures
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  Speaker 2: down the RBNW district area. So our artists other sculptures
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  Speaker 2: are coming from Maryland, Minnesota, Indiana, Illinois, Iowa. So we
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  Speaker 2: got a wide range of states that come in and
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  Speaker 2: really participate in this and they leave their sculptures there
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  Speaker 2: for one year. There on, we pay them a stipend
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  Speaker 2: to keep them there for one year, so in next
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  Speaker 2: August of twenty twenty six will change them out again.
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  Speaker 1: Now, how are these choices? May go through this a
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  Speaker 1: little bit deeper.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, So an artists will submit to sculptures and then
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  Speaker 2: we take it to our tourism committee and then they
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  Speaker 2: vote on the ones that they would like to have
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  Speaker 2: placed in the park. All they're given is a picture
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  Speaker 2: of the sculpture and their specifications and specifications is what
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  Speaker 2: it's made out of, how tall it is, we'll fit
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  Speaker 2: on our base, you know, stuff like that. So that's
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  Speaker 2: how they're chosen. So the top eight are the ones
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  Speaker 2: that are placed in the park.
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  Speaker 1: Nice and for this they get refunded.
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  Speaker 2: As you mentioned, they get a stipend. Yeah yeah, so
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  Speaker 2: and you know they're for sale. Once they're at our park,
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  Speaker 2: they are for sale. So everybody has one that they like,
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  Speaker 2: you can always call the tourism office and I'll get
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  Speaker 2: you in touch with that artist.
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  Speaker 1: All right, now it all begins.
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  Speaker 2: What time tomorrow, ten o'clock okay, yeah, all right.
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  Speaker 1: Again that's when again kind of the gates open at
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  Speaker 1: the riverfront and again people are invited down free to
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  Speaker 1: walk through.
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  Speaker 2: And yeah, definitely yep. Free. And then there are also
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  Speaker 2: twenty five local and regional artists down there too, so
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  Speaker 2: we're selling anything from pottery to jewelry to woodworking. But
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  Speaker 2: we also added this year we have two new dem
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  Speaker 2: two demonstrations. I'll be going out. We have a glass
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  Speaker 2: blowing by Conair Glass and then we have sour dough
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  Speaker 2: demonstrations actually going to demonstrate how to make sour dough.
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  Speaker 2: And that's I made my self designed.
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  Speaker 1: That's really cool. Yeah, yeah, some unique and some unique offer.
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  Speaker 1: Then yeah, tomorrow again with your visit to the Rock
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  Speaker 1: Falls Riverfront, the RB and W area again in rock
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  Speaker 1: Fall is going to be active tomorrow. It is the
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  Speaker 1: Rock Falls to some art in the park, sculpture walk
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  Speaker 1: and art door outdoor art gallery. And again this takes
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  Speaker 1: place starting at ten with the again artists really center
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  Speaker 1: stage during that time, but throughout the day now you're
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  Speaker 1: going to intersperse with some other activities. Talk about that
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  Speaker 1: we've got music.
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  Speaker 2: Yes, yeah, we've got James Perrin, Jay Von and Pat Jones.
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  Speaker 2: And so throughout the day those three will be playing
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  Speaker 2: music up on the stage and so you'll have a
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  Speaker 2: little variety of different music, but all great artists and
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  Speaker 2: so we're excited to have them too. So from ten
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  Speaker 2: to four, y'all.
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  Speaker 1: Music, right, ten until four again, musicians will be on
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  Speaker 1: the stage at that again stage in the riverfront area,
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  Speaker 1: entertaining through this period and again us all free.
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  Speaker 2: This is all it's all free. Yeah.
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  Speaker 1: All you have to do is visit the rock Falls
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  Speaker 1: Riverfront tomorrow and take advantage not only of the free activities,
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  Speaker 1: you know, the neat sculptures and the works of art
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  Speaker 1: and some of those, as Melinda men will be there
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  Speaker 1: for a year, yes again in the riverfront. This is tradition.
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  Speaker 2: Yeah, this is this eighth year.
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  Speaker 1: Yeah, I was gonna say, this is kind of build
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  Speaker 1: a tradition down. You've had, you know, sculptures in the
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  Speaker 1: park that have remained there throughout the years.
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  Speaker 2: Again.
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  Speaker 1: Uh, and once the year is up, then do the
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  Speaker 1: artists come back or how does that? Hopefully they be sold? Yeah, yeah, exactly.
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  Speaker 2: Sometimes it doesn't happen Yeah, but they come back and
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  Speaker 2: get him. A lot of times they're going to be
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  Speaker 2: going somewhere else. So I've got some there coming in
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  Speaker 2: today and then he's got to put that up and
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  Speaker 2: then he's taken off because it's got sculptured install somewhere else.
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  Speaker 1: Okay, And it's really cool what you talked about earlier,
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  Speaker 1: Melinda is that we're getting a lot about a state
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  Speaker 1: of right Maryland.
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  Speaker 2: And we've had local too. We've had one that was
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  Speaker 2: from Sterling, actually a couple from Sterling, So I mean
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  Speaker 2: we take local ones too. Any submissions that do sculptures
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  Speaker 2: doesn't matter where they're from, Like I said, they don't
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  Speaker 2: the jury doesn't get to decide or doesn't get to
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  Speaker 2: see where they're from. They just get to see the
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  Speaker 2: picture in the specification.
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  Speaker 1: So why not right be biased? Right? Well, and and
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  Speaker 1: and that's this kind of you know, holds back on
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  Speaker 1: you know, just you know, the interest tomorrow with with
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  Speaker 1: them actually being there and actually having those sculptures there.
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  Speaker 1: You know that that's what makes it exciting for.
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  Speaker 2: Everybody because it transforms parking is something different from the
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  Speaker 2: year before.
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  Speaker 1: Food and refreshments, Yes.
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  Speaker 2: There is food, burritos and t and D Barbecue and
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  Speaker 2: Main Squeeze, Sweetbets Cotton Candy. So yeah, ok. Food.
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  Speaker 1: It is August the twelf It starts at ten o'clock tomorrow.
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  Speaker 1: This is Saturday morning again that all this gets underway
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  Speaker 1: and it runs through pretty much the entire day on Saturday.
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  Speaker 1: It is the Rock Falls Tourism, Art in the Park,
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  Speaker 1: Sculpture Walk and outdoor art gallery again along the riverfront.
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  Speaker 1: Please make it a point to attend. It's I think
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  Speaker 1: it's gonna be great, and I'm sure you get a
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  Speaker 1: lot of interest, you know, from those wanting to purchase art,
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  Speaker 1: you know, and and a lot of vendors down there
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  Speaker 1: and and again with those sculptures. That that's what really
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  Speaker 1: makes it special. Does this on a Saturday?
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  Speaker 2: One?
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  Speaker 1: Dimensions? Some sponsors?
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  Speaker 2: Yes, so our sponsors for all of our events. Our diamond,
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  Speaker 2: Crystal and platinum are Johnston Oil Company, Stock Valley Bank, CGH,
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  Speaker 2: Rock Falls Medical Center, Holiday and Express and Suites w
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  Speaker 2: LT ninety four point three and White Rabbit Broadcasting, Arthur's Garden, Deli,
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  Speaker 2: Candle Light in Community, State Bank of Rock Falls, Lowcuer
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  Speaker 2: Heating and air Conditioning, Midwest Disposal Babling, Express Care Selmy's
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  Speaker 2: Greenhouse and Farm Markets, Strolling Commercial Roofing, Sterlling, Federal Bank,
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  Speaker 2: the Murder's Law Firm, Total Construction Services, and Unitedmental Buildings.
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  Speaker 2: So we thank them because without us we can yeah, I.
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  Speaker 1: Mean without their backing, obviously, you don't. You can't put
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  Speaker 1: on a lot of this stuff that you do put
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  Speaker 1: on throughout the entire y. And now this is just
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  Speaker 1: a you know, the tip of the iceberg once again
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  Speaker 1: that we talked to Melinda about because there's there's activities
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  Speaker 1: going on all over the Rock Falls area and Rock
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  Speaker 1: Falls Tourism, you know, joins in with putting on a
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  Speaker 1: lot of these events all through the year. As a
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  Speaker 1: matter of fact, that's what we're going to tail out
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  Speaker 1: with upcoming events on the calendar. You wanted to talk
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  Speaker 1: about a couple of those two so yeah.
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  Speaker 2: One of them coming up September twenty sixth is our
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  Speaker 2: Taco Throwdown Festival that was held last year Inaugro year,
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  Speaker 2: so this is our second year. We're excited to do that.
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  Speaker 2: So we'll have a taco eating contest. Registrations open, check
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  Speaker 2: out our Facebook page. It's whoever can eat the most
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  Speaker 2: tacos in ten minutes wins you went a trophy one
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  Speaker 2: hundred dollars you know on that one.
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  Speaker 1: I love tacos, but I'm just not sure how I
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  Speaker 1: could put a wait ten minutes.
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  Speaker 2: So Mendoza's tackles will be making those Oh wonder that good.
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  Speaker 2: And then we will have a taco Best Taco you'll
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  Speaker 2: public I'll get to vote on the best taco of
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  Speaker 2: all the taco trucks down there, whoever have featured tacos,
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  Speaker 2: so they'll win a trophy in cash. And then we
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  Speaker 2: have Zoa Wrestling. They'll be doing two shows there, five
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  Speaker 2: o'clock and seven pm, and those are free shows, so
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  Speaker 2: come down. They bring their ring down so you can
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  Speaker 2: see all the wrestling that they do. We have DJ Cabrillo.
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  Speaker 2: He's going to be DJ in that night, and I
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  Speaker 2: just found out we're gonna have some low riders down there.
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  Speaker 1: Really okay, So that's.
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  Speaker 2: A nice edition.
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  Speaker 1: Mark the on your calendar. That's September the twenty sixth
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  Speaker 1: is their Taco Throwdown festival again along the riverfront. Yes,
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  Speaker 1: and that's really pretty much the headquarters where Rockballs tourism based. No,
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  Speaker 1: it's because it's a natural. That's a natural, yea, And
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  Speaker 1: it should be you know, utilized, because it is a
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  Speaker 1: great place to present features like this and Rock Falls
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  Speaker 1: Tourism does that throughout the year. The Taco Throwdown Festival
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  Speaker 1: along the Riverfront again a contest now to get into
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  Speaker 1: that taco eating contest and stuff. I mean, do you
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  Speaker 1: have to contact you guys?
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  Speaker 2: So yeah, just contact us via telephone or Facebook page.
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  Speaker 1: You'll find information very good, very good. So we'll give
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  Speaker 1: you a phone number here. Shortly Melinda will share that
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  Speaker 1: with us right here on wixent. What else is coming up?
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  Speaker 2: We have a lumberjack shows. Now that's how that Selmi's
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  Speaker 2: not at the Riverfront, Okay, we partner with them. We
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  Speaker 2: have a lumberjack enterprises that come from Minnesota, real lumberjacks.
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  Speaker 2: They'll do three shows. We have Zali's wood carving and
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  Speaker 2: then we've added something new to that one. We're always
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  Speaker 2: trying to find something unique. So we are doing a
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  Speaker 2: women's skillet toss contest.
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  Speaker 1: Talk about this. You're going to have to fill me
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  Speaker 1: in on this one now.
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  Speaker 2: So we checked it out and it's really popular out east.
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  Speaker 2: But women will throw skillets. Cast iron skillet weighs about
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  Speaker 2: three pounds and you'll throw it down the center line, okay,
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  Speaker 2: and you might try to keep it as close as
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  Speaker 2: center line as you can. If it bounces off the
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  Speaker 2: center line, say two feet, you get that deducted from
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  Speaker 2: the thank you we will have. We actually have a
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  Speaker 2: trophy already purchased for the first one first place that
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  Speaker 2: throws the furthest so you'll get just one throw. And
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  Speaker 2: we have different age categories too, Okay, so we're really
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  Speaker 2: excited that when we put that on Facebook, everybody was like, wow,
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  Speaker 2: this is awesome. You have a target at the end
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  Speaker 2: that we can shoot for.
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  Speaker 1: So yeah, it's just but i'll tell you what, you know,
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  Speaker 1: an iron skillet is not anything you know that's easy toss.
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  Speaker 1: So again that's going to be the challenge for these contestants.
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  Speaker 1: And that's the new feature this year. Right, that's a
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  Speaker 1: new feature because this Lumberjack Show has been going on.
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  Speaker 2: This is our fifth year for the longest show, and
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  Speaker 2: it's always popular. We always try to throw in something
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  Speaker 2: because there's time in between each show. So they do
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  Speaker 2: their show is like eleven, one and three, so there's
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  Speaker 2: time in between. So's Alli wood carving. He'll be showing
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  Speaker 2: off as wood carving talent, and then we'll have this
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  Speaker 2: and then the kids get to actually do some lumberjack
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  Speaker 2: rolling of the log in the water. So we have
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  Speaker 2: ak it's called a kid's camp, so we've got that
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  Speaker 2: in between.
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  Speaker 1: So yeah, kind of a natural for Selmis too, because
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  Speaker 1: SOM's is, you know, a featured area of Rock Falls
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  Speaker 1: that you know, they've built that into a nice feature
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  Speaker 1: family area, the Selmis area again on on Dixon Avity
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  Speaker 1: right again, I'm thinking to the Rock Island Blacktop for Dixon.
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  Speaker 1: They just take that straight in and you're right there
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  Speaker 1: at Selmy's. So again that's October the fourth, that annual
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  Speaker 1: Lumberdack Lumberjack show at Semy's. But it is sponsored through
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  Speaker 1: Rock Falls Tourism. To get information on these events coming
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  Speaker 1: up on the calendar, how do you contact Rock Falls.
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  Speaker 2: On the visit rock Falls Facebook page. Very good, and
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  Speaker 2: then also our website at visit Rockfalls dot com and
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  Speaker 2: give us a call as eight one.
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  Speaker 1: We have that information too here at wixcent So if
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  Speaker 1: you need information on help to guide yourself to Rock
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  Speaker 1: Falls Tourism, we'll be happy to share that information with you.
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  Speaker 1: But Melinda joins us periodically to do just that right
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  Speaker 1: here on WI Accent. Good luck with the event tomorrow.
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  Speaker 1: It should be a nice It looks like it's gonna
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  Speaker 1: be a great day. Day, great day, and we hope
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  Speaker 1: let's take this day and bottle it and maned for
• 12:31
  Speaker 1: the September and October events. Let's bottle this day and
• 12:35
  Speaker 1: you know, move it to those days as well. So
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  Speaker 1: we have nice outdoor activities courtesy of Rock Falls Tourism,
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  Speaker 1: and Melinda Jones is here to tell us all about
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  Speaker 1: it today on WI Accent. We thank you so very
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  Speaker 1: much for your visit.
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  Speaker 2: Thank you for having me.
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  Speaker 1: Our director of Rock Falls Tourism, Melinda Jones has been
• 12:49
  Speaker 1: our guest today on w i xcent. Time to go
• 12:51
  Speaker 1: to press with Tim Lee at eight thirty