Time to learn about Affordable Care Act

Recognizing the difficulty in knowing all the ins and outs of the Affordable Care Act, especially since it is constantly in motion as its implementation nears, the Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce is giving area business owners and leaders a chance learn.

Even though implementation is almost more than nine months away, said Chamber President Rob Parks, "now is the time to learn everything you can about the Affordable Care Act so you can plan and prepare for 2014, when it goes into effect."

The chamber will host a workshop luncheon on Monday, March 25 at the Kepple Team real estate office at Keller Williams, 2426 W. Cornerstone Court in Peoria. Sponsored by Proctor Hospital, the event is from 11:45 a.m. to 1 p.m. and will cost $15 for chamber members and $30 for non-members.

Laura Minzer of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and an expert on the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obama Care, will lead the workshop and try to help businesses decipher their obligations under the new law and understand coverage requirement and options.

Minzer, associate vice president and government affairs executive director at the state chamber, also will discuss the penalty system of the law and the status of the state health insurance exchange, which at this point Illinois does not have.

"Since we have cleared the election and the ACA has cleared the U.S. Supreme Court test, we have been getting new stuff thrown out there literally every week. There already is a lot of policy and regulations around the ACA and much to clarify, but it also changes frequently and will continue to do so until it gets implanted," Minzer said Thursday.

While the new law and the frequent changes have been a boon to health care consultants hired by companies to do the deciphering, "learning all there is to know about it takes a lot of patience. It is not an insignificant undertaking, so seminars such as this one in Peoria is important," Minzer said.

That is especially true for small companies that cannot afford to hire consultants or to have their own human resources department, Parks said. "Larger companies obviously have their own HR people but that is not true of most of our membership. Smaller companies need a better understanding and need to be better prepared to even ask the questions they need answered," she said.

She added she has referred members to the state chamber already. "This is certainly a very complex issue because it impacts everyone in one way or another. That's why we want our local businesses as knowledgeable as possible. I think it's important to know this workshop isn't only about the insurance aspects of the ACA but about companies learning to position themselves this year for what is going to hit in 2012," Parks said.

Minzer suggested that it is perhaps best to learn about the law in bits and pieces for better comprehension. "Take one bite of the apple, chew it and learn it, then take another bite. A lot of the questions we get now are of a more general nature about the law but if companies need more details than we can give we can refer them and connect them with consultants," she said.

She reiterated the ACA still is fluid and will remain so for a while because many of the requirements within it will have to be tested after implementation "to see how they play out and how realistic or unrealistic they may be. A requirement may look good on paper but not work in reality. We've already seen that; some of the more problematic portions of the law have been stripped away. I really don't think the Affordable Care Act will look the same a year from now."

Minzer said that while the Affordable Care Act is a federal health care reform law, much of the requirements have been thrown to the states to implement, including how they will set up their own health insurance exchanges to help the uninsured. "Each state can cater it to how they want it to look like or operate," she said.

Illinois does not have an exchange plan in the works, she noted. "Illinois, and a lot of other states as well, have other big problems of their own to take care of," she said.

Parks said she knows from talks and meetings with the local business community that it sees a lot of flaws in the Affordable Care Act as presently written. "Regardless of that, whether they like it or not it is going to be implemented next year. We need to provide the necessary resources for our members to learn what they need to know," she said.

To register for the workshop/luncheon call Jolene at 495-5923 or email her at jcole@chamber.h-p.org. You can also reserve a seat online at http://peoriachamber.org/event/affordable-care-act-aca.

'Godspell' opens Friday at Peoria Players

For Cheryl Dawn Koenig, the package can change as long as the contents remain the same.

That's the attitude she took into directing "Godspell" at Peoria Players Theatre for the second time.

Gone is the trademark Superman shirt worn by Jesus and some of the other characterizations of the musical written by Stephen Schwartz and John-Michael Tebelak. The hippies look may not be one completely but it is different, perhaps more subdued.

Different nationalities are brought in, as well, giving this story that knows no national bounds a more international look.

"It's a little different than most 'Godspell' productions, but I have always found the script to be pretty open-ended," Koenig said. "As long as the show stays true to the text, how you stage it is up to you."

The text to which she referred is the Gospel of St. Matthew, on which "Godspell" is based. "We stick to the text as written," she said.

'Godspell" opens Friday at 7:30 p.m. and will have a run of eight performances at the theatre at University and Lake streets. Show times are 7:30 p.m. on March 15, 16, 20, 21, 22 and 23 and at 2 p.m. on March 17 and 24.

Tickets are $18 for adults and $12 for patrons 18 and under. All tickets are $12 for the Wedensday, March 20 performance. They can be purchased at the theatre or ordered by calling 688-4473 or online at www.peoriaplayers.org.

Koenig said the basic concept of her show is that people come from all over the world, from disparate parts of society. She cast the show to bring to the stage of broader cross section of society. "With this script that is very doable. It gives a lot of leeway. The rest if subtextual," she said.

She also wants to illustrate the political statements of the times. Part of that is in the costuming. As mentioned, the familiar Superman symbol used on the costume of Jesus in most "Godspell" productions has been changed for this show into a heart with a peace symbol in the middle of it.

"When you get right down to it this show is all about love and peace, love and community. We can update the symbols, the jokes, change character references to today, such as switching out the Mae West characterization to Lady Gaga, but the basic message doesn't change," she said.

Koenig said she knows from experience, having been involved with "Godspell" in the past, that it would be easy to sound preachy on stage. "So, we have been working very hard to make Jesus's speeches less preachy and more fun," she said.

Deric Kimler heads the cast of 14 in the role of Jesus. Said Koeing, "He has the charisma that Jesus needs. I knew pretty quickly in the auditions that he was my guy," she said.

David Brown portrays Judas and the rest of the cast includes many local community theatre veterans. They are Lyndsay Byers, Lindsey Cheney, Matt Stubbs, Megan Cipolla, Aaron Elwell, Seth Hannan, Lisa Warner Jeans, David Jordan, Megan Manley, Jessi Palkovic, Britian Pearl and Daniel Sutter. "The whole cast is fabulous and they all get along very well. That is important in a show like this," Koenig said.

The music is played by a six-piece band directed by Camilla Russell.

Koenig said audiences will note the changes in the attitude as the story unfolds on stage, particularly in costuming. It opens with most of the cast wearing stark, black and white clothes. As it moves along more and more color is added "until it becomes a celebration of color and joy."

Many of the songs from "Godspell" are well-known, including "Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord," "Day by Day," "All for the Best," and "We Beseech Thee."

"Godspell" opened off Broadway in May 1971 and played in London and Toronto before reaching a Broadway stage in June, 1976, where it played 527 performances before closing. It was revived off-Broadway a couple times before a Broadway revival occurred in 2011.

"Godspell" will be the first show at Peoria Players Theatre to use the organization's new sound system.

CAPTIONS: (Photos by Blake Stubbs) Deric Kimler portrays Jesus in the Peoria Players Theatre production of "Godspell," which opens Friday.

Cast members of Peoria Players Theatre's production of "Godspell" sing praises to God during a recent rehearsal.

Everything's Jake: Watching dog stars

A handsome two-year-old British lab barreled his way into my heart after I resisted our getting another dog. It was a relationship made in heaven.

Rescued from a shelter in St. Louis, where he not only was picked up a happy but homeless stray, but named Gunther by a well-meaning staffer who might have been a fan of a 5th century Burgundy king (or of the love-struck barista on TV's "Friends").

Anyway, he came home and immediately extended his sturdy puppy frame out to pee in a freshly mown yard, like some canine version of the rubbery Stretch Armstrong toy.

"He's not Gunther," I said. "He's Jake."

Jake then tossed a rubber ball into the air, caught it himself, ran to me, and jumped into a greeting – his front legs strategically on my crotch.

"Whatcha think?" he seemed to pant-smile.

"Oof," I replied.

He made himself at home, soon learning to effectively communicate in ways such as dragging his empty water bowl with his paw, growing to 100 pounds and carrying a good nature around more than his size.

A local cop and a school crossing guard started feeding him dog biscuits on morning walks, so he gets very alert when a patrol car passes or kids with book bags approach the street.

Inside, he's my couch-potato companion.

I always heard that dogs are color blind and can't smell pictures on television sets, so they ignore TV.

Not Jake. He watches television more than my wife, who even when next to us on what used to be "the good couch" before two years of doggishness, usually reads.

Jake pays attention. He likes Bullet from "The Roy Rogers Show" and the title character from "The Adventures of Rin Tin Tin," plus, OK, almost any stray horse, cat or other animal that wanders across the screen. But he especially gets interested in the white terrier mix in the silly Travelers Insurance commercials.

I may introduce him to Lassie, which makes me wonder about Hollywood's other "dog stars."

There was Eddie from "Frasier," of course, but also Tramp from "My Three Sons" and the little terrier named Higgins who starred not only on "Petticoat Junction" but "Benji," too.

Also on the big screen, there was Asta from "The Thin Man" films, Daisy from all the "Blondie" movies, Disney's Big Red and Old Yeller (which I'm never going to screen for Jake, I don't know how he'd react to that tragedy – or me weeping), John Wayne's mongrel Sam from "Hondo" and some animated stars, from Tramp (and most of the cast) in "Lady & the Tramp" to Pluto (and Goofy? I'm still confused about him).

For now, I'm still thinking about what's in the house on video as I walk Jake and watch him romping in the snow, savoring a Kong filled with peanut butter, and fetching/retrieving a holiday squeak toy like it mattered.

Nature or Nurture? What is in the Cards for Brady?

The nature vs. nurture debate has raged in American culture since Francis Galton coined the term while discussing heredity and environment in 1869. I've often wondered which, if either, was the cause of the differences in people, or if it was some combination of both.

Most people use this term when discussing social issues like politics, sexual orientation, and religion. I want to test it with baseball.

As my fiancé Abby and I began to prepare for the birth of our son, Brady, I knew exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to create a nursery that would be both comforting to him and serve to establish the same passion for Cardinals baseball that I have. I expressed my desire to create a baby Cardinal fan paradise to Abby and she was astonishingly receptive to the idea. Abby became a Cardinals fan through our relationship but has grown to love them nearly as much as me (this might be because she knows it's the only way to spend time with me six months a year).

This past week, as the nursery has started coming together, I've been wondering, will it be in his blood to be a Cardinals fan or is it the environment I am going to be exposing him to? A part of me would like to believe that he will be a born winner and would naturally pick the Cardinals as his favorite team, but the realist in me knows that I am conditioning him to do what I want him to do before he is even born.

Is this a bad thing? Should I, as his Dad, be gently forcing him to love something simply because I do? The way I see it is I am starting as early as possible to establish the positive characteristics portrayed by the Cardinals organization as well as the love of the game. Obviously, I want him to be successful in life, and I think the Cardinals exemplify that. I also want him to learn that teamwork is the key to success. I want him to realize he is an individual, free to make his own decisions, but also know that his decisions impact far more people than just him.

Cardinals baseball, or baseball in general, can teach any of us this important fact of life. I want him to be charitable, and as soon as he is old enough, I would like to get him involved in Cardinals Care or one of the many charitable organizations established by or supported by the team. I want him to love the game of baseball and sports in general. Far too many kids today would rather sit in front of a television with a Playstation controller in their hand. Too often, the most social interaction kids get is from other game players connected to the Internet. Maybe I'm just being nostalgic, but I want Brady to have the same childhood I had. I want him to have several neighborhood friends with whom he can ride bikes, play sports, climb trees, and come in only when dinner is ready.

Another, more personal, reason for wanting to decorate his nursery in a Cardinals theme is that I want him to love the same things as me. I want us to both enjoy being with each other no matter what we are doing. I hope and pray that the two of us are more than just father and son. Every father wants his son to be a "mini-me" of sorts, and what better time to start instilling those passions than at birth?

When I try to imagine what he will be like as a child, I see him being the best baseball player on his little league team. I see him as the kid that hustles after every ball, the kid that will take a pitch in the back to advance the runners, the kid that encourages his teammates and leads them by example. I imagine myself sitting in a lawn chair cheering his team on, while my eyes tear up with overwhelming pride in the young man he is and will become. 

When I try to imagine him as a teen, I see the guy everybody likes because he always does what is right. I see him being the guy that stops a bully from picking on someone else. I see him being involved in student government to make his school a better place for not only his class, but those that follow. I see him working hard at school and at his first job. Through all that, I see him still playing baseball, or at least having a passion for it.

As an adult, I imagine him and me talking for hours about roster moves and what the team needs to be better. I imagine us telling each other our best Cubs joke. I imagine taking him to get his first Cardinals tattoo. I imagine us taking frequent father/son trips to Busch Stadium with the chance to witness some historical baseball moment like a triple play, a perfect game, record breaking home run, or any other host of magical possibilities. I imagine sharing the jubilation of winning the World Series. Finally, I imagine that he passes the love for this game, and this team, to his own son. I hope his memories and stories of me will be good ones, many of them about the time we went to the game against this team or that team. 

Most importantly, I want him to be happy. I hope Cardinals baseball will be one of the things that make him happy, but even if it isn't I hope he adopts many of the qualities we can learn from the game of baseball. The reality is, my best-made plans may not happen. He may hate baseball. He might decide that computers or writing or acting, or, God forbid, soccer make him happy. In that case, I will always fully support him and do anything in my power to help him reach his dreams.

Whether or not Brady grows up to have the same passion for Cardinals baseball as I do remains to be seen, but what is already evident is that I love that little boy more than I could possibly express in words.

Writers Note: If anyone has a St Louis Cardinals Fred Bird musical mobile that they would like to sell, please contact me at: stevengriffith20@yahoo.com