093_HR0095

 
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 1                          HOUSE RESOLUTION

 2        WHEREAS, Ken Behrens grew up in Peotone  and  arrived  at
 3    ISU  as a student in 1966, he was always "into" radio; during
 4    his senior year he was the Program  Director  at  the  campus
 5    station  WGLT;  in  1970,  after graduation, he began working
 6    weekends at WJBC; his first job was to sign-on the station at
 7    4:45 a.m. introducing Reverend Zier; he also served  as  Farm
 8    Director,   Production   Director,   Chief   Announcer,   and
 9    Scheduler; through the years, with his four hour show, he has
10    logged  more  on-air  hours  than any other announcer in WJBC
11    history; and

12        WHEREAS, For 32 years  at  WJBC,  Ken  has  produced  and
13    hosted  his  own  show; during those years on the Ken Behrens
14    show, he has talked with, joked with, and introduced hundreds
15    of entertainers from astronaut Buzz Aldrin to Bob  Hope,  Red
16    Skelton,  George  Burns,  Mitzi  Gaynor, Howard Cosell, Dolly
17    Parton, Andy Williams, Mel Blank,  Rosemary  Clooney,  Robert
18    Goulet,  McLean Stevenson, Lawrence Welk, and Hillary Clinton
19    to name a few; and

20        WHEREAS, Ken was always trying to bring a smile, and make
21    people look at life and have a laugh; he has entertained  for
22    the  sake  of making people feel good; he has been an icon to
23    many of the citizens of McLean County for the past 32  years;
24    and

25        WHEREAS,  In  addition  to his radio show on WJBC, he has
26    appeared in four plays at the Barn II Theatre  in  Goodfield,
27    was  the  "house m.c." at Peoria's Madison Theatre, worked at
28    the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, and opened for numerous acts
29    at venues all  over  the  U.S.;  he  has  also  performed  at
30    numerous  shows  before  Braden  auditorium;  he has and will
31    continue to enjoy entertaining meetings and groups  with  his
32    very  own  brand  of standup comedy alongside his buddy Royce
 
                            -2-      LRB093 10607 KEF 10873 r
 1    Elliot; and

 2        WHEREAS, Ken is a private person; he is soft spoken,  has
 3    great  interviewing  skills,  and is a gifted comedian in his
 4    own right; he is a sensitive listener to those who  loved  to
 5    call him to chat, ask questions, or give an opinions; and

 6        WHEREAS,  Ken has been married to his loving wife, Cindy,
 7    for 23 years, and has two daughters, Kim and Kate; therefore,
 8    be it

 9        RESOLVED,  BY  THE  HOUSE  OF  REPRESENTATIVES   OF   THE
10    NINETY-THIRD  GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that
11    we congratulate Ken Behrens on his retirement after 32  years
12    of  entertaining  the  communities  of McLean County; and the
13    citizens of McLean  County  have  honored  him  by  declaring
14    Friday, March 1, as "Ken Behrens Day"; and be it further

15        RESOLVED,  That  a  suitable  copy  of this resolution be
16    presented to Ken Behrens as a expression of our  respect  and
17    esteem.