The Peoria Dispatch

In addition to the headline-making layoffs recently announced, CAT and Peoria have received some other attention you may not be aware of:

• Obama’s Secretary of Transporation, Ray Lahood, most recently represented central Illinois (and Peoria) in congress.
• CAT CEO Jim Owens was added to Obama’s economic advisory board.
• Owens will appear on “60 Minutes” this coming Sunday, Feb 15th.  I’ve not seen this in the press, though it was announced internally.  Expect him to slam the “Buy American” provision of the stimulus bill.  I’ve seen him on CNBC a few times and he’s an effective speaker.  Try to catch this interview if you can.
• Obama will probably be in (East) Peoria on Thursday visiting a CAT plant.  We’re such a good backdrop for messages about the crumbling economy.

It would be neat to see Air Force One land in Peoria.  It’s been here a few times recently but I’ve never seen it myself.  Of course the schedule of the whole event is under wraps so I’ll probably miss it again.