Parks director remembers Salamone for her passion for arts

Posted on March 7, 2017
BCPA
Events at the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts will continue as scheduled this weekend after the passing of the facility’s director, Tina Salamone, on Sunday. (Photo courtesy Flickr/Chaunceydavis81)

By Greg Halbleib

BLOOMINGTON – The supervisor of Tina Salamone remembers the late director of the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts for her passion.

Bloomington Director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Jay Tetzloff also has overseen the Miller Park Zoo. He remembered conversations with Salamone about the roles of the zoo and the BCPA in the community.

 

“Does a community need performing arts?” Tetzloff recalled to WJBC’s Susan Saunders a conversation he had with Salamone. “Because when I was looking at budget cuts, I said, ‘Well, is the zoo a great place? Yes. Is it a want in every community? Yes. Is it a need in every community? I can’t argue that.’ But she would argue, yeah, performing arts are a need in every community.”

Salamone died suddenly Sunday. She was 58.

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…