Kankakee Public Library Podcasts

The 2015 City of Kankakee Black History Celebration of Education welcomed keynote speaker Roger Powell Jr. Mr. Powell was a standout University of Illinois basketball player and is currently assistant men's basketball coach at Valparaiso University.

Cryptozoologist Terry Fisk talks about the many Illinois reports of strange creature sightings, some of non-native animals such as kangaroos and lions, others of supernatural beings such as phantoms and vampires. Fisk will share illustrations, case histories, and eyewitness accounts while speaking about cases that he has personally investigated.

A town hall meeting was held to discuss the proposed changing of Kankakee County to an executive form of government. This program is sponsored by the Kankakee County chapter of the NAACP.

Kankakee County Board Chairman Mike Bossert and County Board Member Andy Wheeler hosted this informational town meeting concerning the proposed public safety sales tax increase to be on the November 4, 2014 ballet. Bossert and Wheeler took questions from the audience about the potential impact of passing or not passing the tax increase referendum. Representatives of the probation and sheriff's department also participated. A short information video was shown.

Peterson-Maass explores ten genealogical concepts that are essential to success in many genealogical endeavors. She discusses the importance of knowing and using accredited research and process methods. Valuable tips are given.

Historian Jim Gibbons takes listeners through the first of two of the most catastrophic wars in history, World War I, which started on July 28, 1914. Gibbons highlights significant events that thrust the United States into this unwanted war.

Author David J. Hogan celebrates 75 years of The Wizard of Oz by discussing his book "The Wizard of Oz FAQ: All That's Left to Know About Life According to OZ." Explore everything there is to know about the 1939 musical fantasy that has become a classic of American cinema. Hogan talks about the production and meaning of the timeless movie.

The City of Kankakee sponsored a nuisance ordinance information meeting on Thursday, July 3, 2014. The panel included Cliff Cross, Kankakee City Planner and Code Official; Larry Regnier, Chief of the Kankakee Police Department; and L. Patrick Power, Kankakee Assistant City Attorney. Mike O'Brien of HomeStar Bank hosted the program. Topics included a detailed explanation of the city's nuisance ordinance, when to call the police and issues surrounding the abandoned properties in Kankakee. Documents distributed at the event are available in PDF format at the bottom of this page

At the 2014 Black History Celebration of Education, the City of Kankakee celebrated the life and work of former McDonald's CMO Willam Lamar. As a business and marketing strategist and public motivator, Lamar helped introduce Americans to Premium Chicken Sandwiches, McGriddles, Snack Wraps, and the Dollar Menu. He helped increase McDonald's market share in the US and spearheaded the "I'm Lovin' It" advertising campaign.

Susan Fox's new book Little Women of Baghlan focuses on the journals of Jo Carter during her time in Afghanistan. Taking place in 1968 as the Peace Corps attempted to found a nursing hospital for girls in Kabul, this book opens a window into a long-lost age of the once-developing nation. Sponsored by the Friends of the Kankakee Public Library.

As a mother of children with Asperger's, the wife of a husband with Asperger's, and an adult who has been diagnosed with Asperger's herself, O'Toole speaks with a unique perspective on the condition. She has been lauded as an authority on Asperger's Syndrome children, earning such distinctions as the 2012 Temple Grandin Award. Her books focus on ways to understand Asperger's Syndrome children and foster their growth in society. This event is sponsored by Kankakee Valley Autism.

"The Affordable Healthcare Act Forum" was sponsored by the Office of Representative Robin Kelley and the Kankakee Public Library. Featured speakers are Illinois Second District Representative Robin Kelly, Tiffany Hill of the Illinois Healthcare Marketplace, and Elizabeth Lively Vice President at Metropolitan Chicago Healthcare Council. The speakers describe the technicalities of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare.)

In the deep shadow of the Great Depression, President Roosevelt conceived the Civilian Conservation Corps as a way for the nation to get back to work. Join Bill Jamerson as he shares the songs, stories, and history of the boys who reshaped America.