Jewelry web blog

Lost-and-found … and yours?: Newspapers report when businesses are missing merchandise so this column has some bad news today that is also great.

Jack Lewis Jewelry, the longtime Twin City gems threshold, is missing some of its tiffany jewelry.

It began disappearing Monday.

On purpose!

Yes, in a world of endless gimmicks and business promotions, this one is so offbeat and fun, we’re helping to announce it.

As a way to say thanks to the town and create some pre-holiday excitement, Jack Lewis is having what it’s calling a “Finders Keepers giveaway” over the next week.

They’re “misplacing” 25 little green boxes, tied in Jack Lewis’ signature burgundy ribbon, all over town –bracelets maybe in the restroom of a popular restaurant, perhaps in a booth of another, possibly on a zoo bench, or shelf at a bookstore or bin at a market.

There’s a historical slant, too. Two of B-N’s “crown jewels” — Adlai Stevenson and Abe — are reportedly included. Who knows (OK, this is another hint) — maybe there’s a green box even lurking in a Pantagraph-orange vending box somewhere.

Says John Carter, chief operating officer at Jack Lewis: “We’re doing it just because it’s a way to say thanks, have fun and also brighten the day of those who might find a box. What’s inside is theirs to keep. Naturally we’d love to hear how and where they found their box.”

Yes, just how different is this?

The folk at Jack Lewis have called Bloomington Police, just as would any business that has “misplaced” its jewelry. Except in this case, “we don’t want police to think we’re hiding bombs,” chuckles Carter.

‘Tis the season: The squirrels seem especially frisky this fall — digging up planters in your yard, burying nuts everywhere, crossing intersections with especially disastrous results.

Here may be the most unusual:

Other afternoon, in Normal, Sandy Koester carved a hole in a pumpkin while out on a sidewalk, went inside and … look who made themselves at home inside the fruit!

“We had about 6 or 7 squirrels taking turns!” says Sandy.

Today’s deep thought

As mulled by Tony Bonacorsi, of rural Bloomington:

“Have you noticed the more theaters we get, the fewer new movies seem to come out to play on them? The rings way things are going, each time there’s a new release, it’ll play on every screen in town.”

Chuck’s in numbers crunch: So Ric Kearbey did the weather at Channel 19 (WHOI) but left in March after a “news merger” with 25 (WEEK), and Lee Ranson, who 15 years ago left 19 to join 25 began doing the weather at 19 again as well as 25.

Yup, you need a sports scorecard anymore to see who’s doing weather.

Now comes yet another weather change — after 23 years at the job, Chuck Collins, the familiar man o’ weather at the other Peoria-Bloomington stations — 31 (WMBD) and 43 (WYZZ) — is leaving, too, to “pursue private interests,” after a breakdown in contract negotiations “in cost-efficient times.”

His last day: set for Thursday.

One rumor — that Collins may be moving from 31 and 43 to 25 and 19 to take the place of a retiring Lee Ranson — is unfounded.

Ranson, 66, is not retiring. He just signed a new contract.

Contact Bill Flick at flick@pantagraph.com.