Monday Morning Musings
It’s open thread time.
Here’s some possible topics:
1. Governor Blagojevich wants to let restaurant patrons play Keno, which is a quick-paced form of gambling that some critics say is as addictive as Bingo on crack. Furthermore, Blagojevich says existing law gives him all the authority he needs to allow this form of gambling without any say so from the state legislature, and with the leaders of both state house and senate backing Blago, it looks like it’s going to happen. And a lobbyist for one would-be Keno game supplier is a former state employee working for the governor.
2. The Peoria City Council will be asked to cough up big money — well past $100,000 — to a multi-city effort to buy the Illinois American Water Company.
3. The Peoria School Board just closed down a bunch of high school academies, and one media outlet pegged the cost savings a about a $100,000. The district still pays two associate superintendents close to $100,000 each — and these positions were created specifically as co-superintendent positions during the time the district was searching for a full-time, permanent replacement for Kay Royster. And the district wants to start paying these two as much as $130,000 retroactive to last summer.
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
