November 20, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — Extensions of Remarks E2297 

This is an issue I hear about in my district a 

lot, both from those inspired by Senator Wellstone’s passion for this issue and those willing 

to share their stories to make change. 

We all know the current system is unfair. 

People should not have to forego essential 

treatment because of cost when care could 

mean improvements to their quality of life and 

productivity. 

Parents should not end up with an emergency room bill they can’t pay because they 

rushed their daughter to the hospital after a 

suicide attempt, or watch their child suffer 

after being released from a residential center 

because insurance coverage ended—not because his treatment was over. 

And our servicemen and women returning 

from Iraq should not be handed a 1-800 number to treat a mental illness. 

As we look to reform our health care system, mental health and physical care can no 

longer be looked at as separate entities. It is 

morally right, and good for both our economy 

and our health care system. I urge my colleagues to support this bill and I yield back my 

time. 

f 

HONORING SPIKE O’DELL ON HIS 

RETIREMENT FROM WGN RADIO 

HON. DANIEL LIPINSKI OF ILLINOIS

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. LIPINSKI. Madam Speaker, I rise today 

to honor Spike O’Dell, retiring host of the 

Spike O’Dell program on WGN Radio in Chicago. Spike has brought his unique style of 

humor and knowledge to countless 

Chicagoans every morning for the past two 

decades. I have appeared on his morning 

show numerous times, and I can honestly say 

that it has been a pleasure working with Spike 

and his staff, especially his producer Jim 

Wiser. Spike will be sorely missed on the 

radio by all in Chicagoland. 

A native of East Moline, Illinois, Spike graduated from York College in Nebraska before 

obtaining his certificate in broadcasting from a 

local vocational school. His first radio job was 

at WEMO in his home town of East Moline, Illinois, before moving on to KSTT in Davenport, Iowa. Next, he moved to WBT in Charlotte, North Carolina, then on to KIIK back in 

Davenport, Iowa. Spike’s big break came in 

1987 when he was offered the afternoon show 

on WGN Radio in Chicago. He flourished in 

this role at WGN, garnering a loyal following, 

and in 2000 he succeeded the late Bob Collins as the host of morning programming. 

Since his appointment, Spike’s show is consistently rated the top morning show in Chicago. 

The Spike O’Dell show did not just report 

the news, it was where the news was made. 

From exclusive interviews with everyone from 

entertainers to politicians, on sight reporting 

from across the globe and insightful editorials 

from Spike and a wide cast of contributors, the 

Spike O’Dell show was always both informative and entertaining. 

The self proclaimed ‘‘worst kept secret’’ in 

radio, Spike announced his retirement nearly 2 

years ago, telling listeners that on January 1, 

2009 there would be a new host for the morning show. While a successor has yet to be 

named, it is going to be extremely difficult to 

find someone as hard working and who generates as loyal a fan base as Spike. 

It is my great privilege to honor Spike O’Dell 

for his commitment to radio in Chicago. I wish 

the best to Spike and his wife Karen. May his 

retirement be as successful and rewarding as 

his show. 

f 

HONORING LINDA RAWLS 

HON. LYNN C. WOOLSEY OF CALIFORNIA

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Ms. WOOLSEY. Madam Speaker, I rise 

today along with my colleague, Congressman 

MIKE THOMPSON, to honor and acknowledge 

Linda Rawls, who has been named the 2008 

Sonoma Treasure Artist of the Year, or simply 

the Sonoma Treasure, by the City of Sonoma. 

Each year the City’s Cultural and Fine Arts 

Commission selects one of the hundreds of 

artists living and working in the Sonoma Valley 

to receive this honor. Ms. Rawls was singled 

out for her decade’s long work in costume design. 

By one account, she has fitted and costumed the stars and extras of more than 132 

productions, including those of the Sonoma 

City Opera, the Sonoma Ballet Conservatory, 

schools plays at Sonoma Valley High and 

each of the grade schools, Vintage House 

Senior Center, churches and Hootchie Doo 

Productions, a community theatre group. Her 

talents have led her to create designs for productions in neighboring counties, including 

42nd Street Moon productions in San Francisco. 

According to Ms. Rawls, ‘‘Costumes have to 

do everything. A show can have no scenery, 

but with a woman’s dress or a man’s hat, you 

can decipher the time and place in an instant.’’ 

She calls costumes the ‘‘elemental scenery of 

a play, telling more about character and context than anything else on stage.’’ 

Ms. Rawls stumbled into her artistic calling 

26 years ago when the costume designer for 

a school opera in which her 8-year-old son 

was performing unexpectedly quit. She volunteered to step in and has been following her 

passion ever since. 

Her peers have acknowledged Ms. Rawls 

work by awarding her the Best First Day Costume Award from the International Gilbert and 

Sullivan Festival in Buxton, England in 1996 

and the Dean Goodman Choice Award for 

Outstanding Achievement in Theatre for Costume Design in 2003. 

Madam Speaker, Linda Rawls is a true artist 

in every sense of the word and it is appropriate that we honor her today as the 2008 

Sonoma Treasure Artist of the Year. 

f 

IN RECOGNITION OF COACH JIM 

BOEHEIM 

HON. JAMES T. WALSH OF NEW YORK

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

Wednesday, November 19, 2008 

Mr. WALSH of New York. Madam Speaker, 

I rise today to pay tribute to Coach Jim 

Boeheim for helping to bring home a Gold 

Medal in Men’s Basketball at the 2008 Beijing 

Olympics, and for his decades of service to 

Syracuse University basketball and the Syracuse community. 

Jim Boeheim, an Upstate New York native 

from the Wayne County town of Lyons, began 

his career with Syracuse basketball as a walkon player in 1962. By the time he was a senior he had worked his way to being a co-captain and helped lead his team to the NCAA 

tournament for the second time in school history. After graduating from Syracuse, Jim had 

a successful pro playing career until he turned 

to coaching when he joined the Syracuse 

Men’s Basketball coaching staff in 1969. He 

worked his way up the ranks, starting as a 

graduate assistant coach to ultimately being 

named head coach in 1976. 

For 32 years Jim Boeheim has honorably 

served as head coach of the Syracuse University Men’s basketball team. During his tenure 

he has become one of the most successful 

and respected coaches in college basketball 

history. He has led all of his teams to a winning record, including 30 seasons with 20 or 

more wins. His 30–20 win or better seasons 

ties him with coaching legend Dean Smith for 

the most ever. Under Coach Boeheim’s direction, SU has made it to the post-season 31 

times, including 25 trips to the NCAA Tournament where they made appearances in 

three championship games. In 2003 Coach 

Boeheim led the Syracuse Orange to its first 

ever NCAA National Championship Title. 

With 771 career wins, Jim ranks 11th all 

time in wins among Division I head coaches, 

4th among active coaches. He is also the 

winningest coach in Big East Conference history, with 342 conference wins, which include 

five conference championships. In September 

2005 he was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. 

In November 2005, Jim continued to add to 

his hall of fame resume when he was named 

as one of three assistant coaches for USA 

Basketball Men’s National Team for a three 

year appointment. His coaching expertise 

helped lead Team USA to an undefeated 

record in the 2008 Olympics, culminating in a 

118–107 victory over Spain in the gold medal 

game. Team USA’s victory not only brought 

home a gold medal, but it also restored pride 

and respect in American basketball, and Jim’s 

role in achieving both was instrumental. His 

role as part of the gold medal men’s basketball team gives us all another reason to applaud him. With his Olympic success, Jim 

brought a piece of Syracuse to Beijing and a 

piece of the gold back to Syracuse. 

Jim is someone that I have admired for his 

entire career, not only for being a great coach, 

but for also being a great human being. He 

has always handled himself with class, even in 

the face of adversity from critics, many of 

whom have never even played basketball. He 

has never looked for credit in his teams’ successes; he just goes out and does his job and 

does it well. I also hold Jim in high regard for 

his selfless contributions to his community 

through numerous charitable initiatives, including Coaches vs. Cancer, for which he has 

been a top fundraiser, nationwide, for many 

years. 

On behalf of the people of the 25th District 

of New York, I thank Coach Boeheim for his 

contributions to basketball, both at Syracuse 

and at the Olympic games, and for being an 

outstanding community leader. I also wish to 


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