This is my last post at PeoriaPundit.com.

I’m moving over to The Blog Peoria Project. The new site is here. I’ve already put up a couple posts. There are many reasons, most of which I have discusses at Blog Peoria.

1. Moving there will allow me to network with other Blog Peoria members.
2. Once Peoria Pundit is added to the offerings, it will drive traffic to Blog Peoria, and increase visits to other Blog Peoria sites.
3. Running two different Word Press installations costs too much money and takes up too much time.

I am NOT going to take this site down. Two many other blogs have linked to too many posts here at this domain name, and I hate broken links. But eventually the bandwidth will drop to a level that’s less expensive to maintain.

So, please adjust your blogrolls accordingly.

Anyway, do check out Word on the Street. Apparently, there’s something Barbara Van Auken hasn’t been telling me.

Three victims went to the hospital after a Sunday morning shooting in Peoria. It happened at the Southern Valley 66 on Western Avenue. Authorities say soon after a victim went to the hospital with a gun shot wound to the stomach, two more people showed up with bullet wounds. Police won’t say if the three victims are connected, they are still investigating. The conditions of the three victims are unknown.

Nothing yet on PJStar, WEEK, HOINews.

Today’s Journal Star article reminds up that the disease is still out there in the United States, still killing people, still causing health problems for those who are living with it. And there’s still the issues of bigotry, ignorance and misunderstanding, judging by the stories told in the article and some of the comments made by Journal Star readers.

Why in the world would someone like it their compassion to those who get sick in some ways, but not others?

Kudos to PJS reporter Clare Howard for the reminder.

The new Web site should generally run faster than the current site. It features a brighter, cleaner look along with a new logo. It should also be easier for users to navigate. Depending on your Internet service provider, it could take up to 24 hours for the new format to be fully viewed on home computers.

…

“It has served us well, but, over time, it has grown rather cluttered. Because of that clutter, it can occasionally be difficult to navigate,” said Journal Star Managing Editor John Plevka. “We recognize that change can be jarring, but we believe at the end of the day, the new pjstar.com will serve our users more effectively and more efficiently.”

No word on whether there will be additional content, although they say the new site will have every thing the old one does. My biggest complaint about the current site hasn’t been the design or slow load times (well, occasionally). It’s been that they toss any article more than two weeks old behind a firewall they call their paid archives. In other words, you have to give the Journal Star money for OLD newspaper articles. A smarter business model is to require a nominal fee for access to the articles people want to read. Why not? People pay $1 for a single copy right now.

Print is dead, it just hasn’t fallen down yet. Take my advice, PJS, and start making the transition to online only news.

Heh. This post will give Subway Conductor something new to carp about.

From a press release:

(CHICAGO)(May 16, 2008) Illinois Republican reformer Andy Martin will hold a Chicago news conference Friday, May 16th to announce he has filed a lawsuit to stop corruption at the Illinois Republican Party’s 2008 state convention. ‘The behavior of most Republican Party leaders is disgraceful,’ Martin will state. ‘They are conducting an election for National Committeeman and National Committeewoman, and refusing to release the names of the voters for this office, who are the delegates. Why are delegate lists and members-of-committee lists being held in secret? In a word, LaHood and his coconspirators are trying to fix the convention to elect him.

A copy of the lawsuit is a part of this posting (below).

‘How can anyone justify an ‘election’ in which the names of the ‘voters’ are being concealed or a convention in which the names of members of convention committees are secret? If this is not a blatant attempt to rig the vote and elect Combine Candidate Ray LaHood I don’t know what it is.

We have to face the reality that the Republican Party is being mismanaged into the ground.’

Martin is the reform Republican candidate for National Committeeman.

Martin will be seeking an emergency court hearing.

‘At some point, Republicans are going to get sick of Combine control of their party. Ray LaHood was one of the cabal of leaders that forced U. S. Senator Peter Fitzgerald out of office-and paved the way for the election of Barack Obama. No wonder LaHood was salivating when Obama visited the U. S. House earlier this week; LaHood’s dirty tricks and backstabbing helped elect Obama by removing the incumbent Republican. If Obama is elected president, we will have LaHood and his hoods to thank.

‘Peter Fitzgerald was pilloried because he fought corruption. What does that tell you? The evidence to support these claims is in testimony in the Tony Rezko trial, where ‘Republican leaders’ were mired neck deep in corruption. The Combine is real and the Rezko trial testimony blew the lid off the Republican Party’s past and present ‘leadership.’

‘Most Illinois Republicans are honest, hardworking, law-abiding citizens. How did we end up with a party state committee and party leadership and party employees who are sickos and crooks? How? Who wins? We know who loses: Main Street, mainstream Republicans.

‘I am doing my best to fight corruption and to return control of the Republican Party to the people,’ Martin says.

Maplewood, North of Main Street, will be closed for two weeks starting Monday, May 19th to allow for construction activities.

My reaction is: So why the Hell is Hinton meeting with parents? To placate them, obviously. At D150, public involvement is something that happens on their terms. And public involvement for them doesn’t mean that the district pays any attention, just that someone sits in a room and tolerates parents making noise for a few minutes, all to create the illusion they give a damn.

This is exactly what happened when they tried to move Glen Oak School to Glen Oak Park. They made the deal (behind closed doors) with the Peoria Park District first, the school board rubber-stamped the decision, the parents and the neighborhood erupted in outrage. Ken Hinton was dismissive of any opinion but his own, and board remained in his pocket. It was only because the park board blinked and didn’t give final approval. Finally, the school board was forced into a very public, very open process they resulted in a new school next to the current Glen Oak site, AND a new school next to the current Lincoln School site.

The Peoria Blogosphere — as well as HOINews, God bless ‘em — have been all over this story. Naturally, the blogs are buzzing over “King Hinton’s” latest royal decree:

C.J. Summers catches Hinton playing word games:

See, this is semantics. He’s distinguishing between “specialists” and “teachers.” The “specialist” time will be cut, but “contact time with teachers will not change.” I’m sorry, but if the “specialist” is teaching my child art, music, and physical education, I call that person a “teacher.” It doesn’t matter to me whether they are contractually or legally considered a “teacher” by District 150 standards. They’re teaching my children, and their contact time is most assuredly being cut.

It shouldn’t be. Art, music, and P. E. are not things that should be relegated to extra-curricular activities. These are an important part of a child’s education. They should be retained.

PeoriaIllinoisan puts words in Hinton’s mouth:

Even if I can’t persuade them, it really doesn’t matter because we’re not going to do what the public wants anyway. We never have in the past, so I ask, why start now? The role of a good administrator is to remain consistent and I plan on being consistently stubborn.

If they continue to be a thorn in my side I’ll dangle a carrot in front of them in the form of the promise that this is only a one year test and this could be revisited next year. That should appease them. What I won’t tell them is that next year it will be nearly impossible to bring back the 45 minutes of lost school time because money won’t be budgeted to cover lengthening of the school day and hiring extra teachers.”

Peoria Anti-Pundit seems to think that cutting 45 minutes from the schedule won’t matter:

So it is not a matter of tools or decent teachers that plagues our District. Is it a matter of money?  Is it a matter of mismanagement?  I would like to think it is the money because if it is mismanagement, then we are all responsible.  We vote the board in and the Board hires the administration.  Being on the school board is 5 years of criticism without pay. We have had some decent Boards in the past but over the last few years, egos have played into Board politics.  If you think the shit has hit the fan with Ms. Vespa firing off at the board over their latest action, then just wait until Martha Ross is not elected Board President like she thinks she deserves.  It will not only be a miscarriage of justice in her eyes but the old race card will fall out and we all will have to endure another distraction has those who disagree will probably picket the school board as in the past.

Nothing yet on Diane’s blog.

• You know, if I had a bullet wound in the gut, I’d be a tad uncooperative, too.
• Ken Hinton is in rare form. Bull-headed, condescending … come to think of it, that’s not rare for him at all.
• Here’s my big dream: A new board and administrators at District 150. Visualize, visualize, Visualize …
• The Peoria Park District will have to hold a public hearing before it screws around with the old Spanish cannon at Glen Oak Park Lagoon. I suggest people want to seem preserved better pack this hearing when it’s held.
• I say if the pumps CAN’T show a price higher than $3.99, then let them. In fact, let’s make old mechanical gas pumps mandatory.
• The award-winning (snicker) editorial page of Peoria’s one and only newspaper complains about a lack of maintenance on the Kellar Branch. It blames the carriers, not the bull-headed decisions by the rail owners — positions advocated by the this same newspaper — that kept the rail users from being able to USE the rail until very recently. Because, as you know, it makes perfect economic sense to maintain the a rail line you aren’t allowed to use. No doubt other bloggers will further deconstruct the editorial.
• This drunk, anti-social, violent knucklehead could very easily have ended up shot a couple dozen times. Instead his sorry-ass is in jail and faces a long prison term. And two cops get injured bringing him in the hard way. Get well soon, officers. And in case no one else says it: Thank you for your service.

1. I’ve been playing around with my Facebook page, and I ended up sending invitations to about half the people in the mailing list. If you got one (or two or three, sorry about that), consider signing up. Facebook is a good way to network for business and social reasons.
2. And the mysterious Subway Conductor seems have a few misconceptions about me.
3. And Kudos, again, to Diane Vespa. She took to the airwaves to fight for quality education for District 150 kids.
4. And there’s some news over at The Blog Peoria Project.

Governor Jim Edgar to Appear With Darin LaHood
Rare campaign visit by former Governor indicates candidate LaHood’s strength in State’s Attorney’s Race

Peoria, IL – Illinois’ beloved Governor Jim Edgar who served this State for many years, including two terms in the Executive Mansion in the 1990’s is scheduled to appear in Peoria on behalf of Peoria County State’s Attorney candidate Darin LaHood. Edgar’s visit follows a successful March fundraising appearance for LaHood by former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft (for whom LaHood worked in an anti-terrorism unit) indicating that voters locally and State and Federal leaders beyond view LaHood’s candidacy as strong potential for unseating a longtime County incumbent.

Governor Edgar’s visit will be highlighted at a fundraiser for Darin LaHood to take place on Friday, June 6, 2008 at the Weaver’s Angus Farm located at 806 W. Route 150 from 5:00-8:00 p.m. The event will be western-themed, and includes music, horses, a BBQ dinner and beverages. The cost of the event is $50 per person. Edgar and LaHood will speak during a short program at event.

“To be competitive in politics, it is a reality that candidates have to raise a lot of money,” said LaHood. “I am truly honored that Governor Edgar is willing to help me do this. While this event is a fundraiser, I do believe that we will have a lot of fun. I encourage people to come out and meet our former Governor who did a lot of great things for Illinois in the 1990’s, but also enjoy the music and horses. It should be a great evening.”

Since leaving the Governor’s Mansion in 1999, Jim Edgar has remained politically active, though rarely attends campaign events. He currently serves as a distinguished fellow of the Institute of Government & Public Affairs at the University of Illinois in Champaign. Darin LaHood has known Governor Edgar for many years, starting in the early 1990’s when Edgar’s son, Brad, and Darin were roommates while both worked in Washington, D.C. The elder Edgar is enthusiastically supporting LaHood’s candidacy and believes him to be a strong asset for the people of Peoria County.

Darin LaHood, 39, was born and raised in Peoria. He is a former federal prosecutor who served four years with U.S. Department of Justice in Las Vegas, Nevada. LaHood was also an Assistant State’s Attorney in both Tazewell and Cook counties. LaHood and his wife Kristen returned home to Peoria in 2005 to raise their three children: McKay, Luke, and Teddy. LaHood currently practices law with the firm of Miller, Hall, & Triggs. Darin and Kristen are active in numerous Peoria charity and civic organizations and are members of St. Vincent de Paul Church. Visit www.DarinLaHood.com to learn more about the candidate, volunteer opportunities or to contribute to the campaign.

Rockwood from Farrelly to Eugenie will be closed starting immediately and continuing at least through the day tomorrow.  Traffic will be detoured to Julia St to allow for an emergency utility repair.

Dear St. Mark’s Families,

Today at approximately 9:00 AM there was an incident reported that a threatening message was left on a bathroom stall. We followed the Diocese of Peoria and the St. Mark School response protocol. We immediately evacuated the school moving everyone to the church as well as calling police to investigate. The Peoria Police did a thorough investigation of the threat using all their resources available to deal with this type of situation.  After the investigation was complete, the Peoria Police determined that the threat was unfounded.

During the entire incident Father Klamut was present in the school and/or church. He was consulted on all decisions made. The Office of Catholic Schools for the Diocese of Peoria was also made aware of procedures and was also consulted.

At approximately 11:00 AM I made the decision for the students, faculty and staff to return to school.  I want you all to know that the safety and security of your children is our top priority here at St. Mark’s School and always will be.

Thanks and God Bless! 

Steve Hagenbruch

As readers may recall, recently I chastised the Journal Star for failing to quote Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis even once in four articles on the issues, even though this news paper’s award-winning (snickering again) editorial page lambasted the mayor on multiple occasions for having made crime an issue when he ran for office, yet beins sensitive to what he felt was over sensationalized coverage of crime.

On Wednesday, the JSEB wrote that the drop in violent crime and murder was a good thing (how brave of them), but tucked this little comment into their piece:

In Peoria it’s too soon to draw that conclusion, even though these numbers are undeniably good news, eager as some pundits are to declare violent crime in the city a thing of the past.

Yeah … that would be me, I guess. Although I never declared violent crime a thing of the past.

Indeed, we’ve seen how quickly things can change, for better and worse. Last year’s murders came in bunches, with some months seeing as many as four killings, others none at all. The police chief and other city officials urged citizens not to panic, with assurances that if you weren’t looking for trouble in River City, you weren’t likely to find it.

Just as that was good advice then, so is a victory celebration premature now. Indeed, no sooner was Sunday’s Journal Star coming off the press with this story than a 55-year-old man was found shot in the head while sitting in his car near Club Apollo on the city’s South Side.

They are hedging their bets.

Mayor Jim Ardis also has made crime something of a bully-pulpit priority. There seems to be more neighborhood buy-in, and we hear anecdotally of some segments of the community being more cooperative with law enforcement efforts than they have been in the past.

To repeat:

When crime is up, the mayor deserved criticism because he made a bid deal about the issue when he was running for office.

When crime is down, the mayor deserves only a tiny bit of the credit, because crime “is well beyond the capacity of any one person to influence it significantly.”

In other words, ‘let’s not heap too much praise on politicians we don’t endorse, but let’s mock and ridicule politicians we don’t like if there’s an opportunity to do so.’ That’s standard operating procedure at 1 Propaganda Plaza.

Veteran outfielder Jim Edmonds was en route to Wrigley Field on Wednesday, and could be in the Cubs’ lineup on Thursday if he passes a physical.

Edmonds, who hit .178 in 26 games, was available after being released by the San Diego Padres last Friday. He cleared waivers on Wednesday.

“We’ll put him out there to play and see what happens,” Cubs manager Lou Piniella said.

And exactly what is it that attracted the Cubs to the guy the Cardinals let get away? He’s cheap:

Ken Kravec, one of the Cubs’ top scouts, had seen Edmonds during a series against Atlanta and felt the center fielder was making progress from the spring injury. He arrives at minimal cost to the Cubs. Edmonds is owed $8 million this year, and $2 million of that is being paid by the St. Louis Cardinals, who dealt him to the Padres last December. The Cubs may only have to pay the Major League minimum. The center fielder turns 38 on June 27.

“There’s no negatives in it,” Hendry said. “You’re not giving up players, you’re not spending a lot of dollars. Hopefully, he can give us a great portion of the Jim Edmonds we all knew and used to fear in a lot of ways.”

Yes, it will be ridiculously sweet if the guy suddenly starts to hit and the Cubs win the division and the league championship while the Cards pay his salary. Still, color me unimpressed.

The chicks really hate to be called “sweetie,” especially when they are the masculine type who don’t want to stay home and cook and clean for her man.

End sarcasm.

Very cool.

My advice to the SJ-R: Constantly monitor this list of links. Bloggers come and go. In Peoria, this is especially true.

And I notice that Disarranging Mine is conspicuously absent from the SJ-R list.

$10 bucks says the soon-to-be-revamped PJStar site won’t do this at all. Which is their right, of course. And if they do, it would take a lot of testicular fortitude to link to a blogger who constantly insults their edit board and their corporate overlords.

Eagle Publications of Western Illinois, Inc. announced today it has agreed to sell the Macomb Eagle and related publications to GateHouse Media. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. The transaction is scheduled to be completed May 31.

Eagle Publications of Western Illinois, Inc. was owned and operated by Tom and Eunice Hutson, Macomb.

Included in the sale, in addition to the Macomb Eagle, were The Abingdon Argus-Sentinel, Roseville Independent, Augusta Eagle-Scribe, The McDonough County This Week and the Daily Brief.

I stand ready to give advice started up online citizen jounalism projects in any and all these communities. The people in these communities WILL need to do so, because GateHouse will bleed these publications dry, drive off any employee who’s worth a damn, then eventually collapse into a black hole of suckage.

1. I’m up to my old tricks at It’s Billy’s Blog.
2. Jonathan Ahl links to Peoria Pundit, not once, not twice, but three times (here and here).
3. Pammy Darlin’ makes a comment on beauty.
4. Laura gives D150 bosses some advice they won’t follow in a million years.
5. PeoriaIllinoisan does the same thing, only to petty criminals. I know, I know … a difference that MAKES no difference …
6. Kisser is back.
7. All hail is breaking loose.
8. C.J. caught someone in government using blogs in a smart way.
9. Being the man of Jen’s dreamsisn’t necessarily a good thing.
10. Ah, the joys of apartment living. At least Cory doesn’t have to mow the lawn.
11. Merle’s never been a fan of the library expansion. He still isn’t.
12. Scott Janz is up to his usual crap.
13. James has some thoughts about when rulers sin. I’m asking: When aren’t they?

As most seniors graduate high school or college this month, “commencing” on to the next stage in life may seem less daunting after seeing the comedy The Graduate, showing at the Apollo Theater.

Downtown Peoria’s nonprofit moviehouse will screen filmmaker Mike Nichols’ 1967 classic starring Dustin Hoffman in his breakthrough role on one night only: Saturday, May 24.

Costarring Katharine Ross as Elaine and Anne Bancroft as Mrs. Robinson, The Graduate was co-written by an odd team – Calder Willingham (who’d penned the war movie Paths of Glory and the western One-Eyed Jacks) and Buck Henry (then known mainly as one of the writers on TV’s Get Smart spy spoof).

The Oscar-winning movie focuses on an aimless college grad (Hoffman) who stumbles into an affair with an older woman married to his father’s business partner, then falls in love with her engaged daughter (Ross).

Several familiar faces have bits, cameos or uncredited appearances, including Alice Ghostley, Richard Dreyfuss, Norman Fell, Mike Farrell, Ben Murphy and Kevin Tighe.

Admission at the Apollo is $5 and $4 for kids and seniors. Shows start at 7 p.m.; for details call (309) 673-4343.

After all, there isn’t a mini-mall, mega-mall or a hot-dog stand that isn’t forced to comply with strict standard that state exactly how many parking spaces must be provided. The number of the spaces is set my ordinance. The number of handicapped spaces is set by ordinance. The width and length of the spaces are set by ordinance. The cannot just say that their customers and employees are going to park on the street. They have to either buy enough land to build their own lots, or make arrangements with nearby property owners who have a surplus.

But not if you are Caterpillar. For them, the free-market is a concept to be trotted out to argue that it should be able to do business anywhere, with anyone, without restriction from pesky rules and regulations.

But when it suits their interests, they are like pigs at the public trough.

So, Caterpillar simply went to the city of Peoria and announced they wanted to pave over the ground at the former Sears Block and have it’s minions park their cars there. Don’t worry, we’ll pay for the costs and cover the cost for providing security at the site. This would be roughly equal to the rental space the city otherwise would be able to get from the spaces.

Well, that was the theory when this was discussed during an executive session following the last council meeting.

Caterpillar didn’t need to pay rent, the thinking was, because it was “a wash.”

Council member Gary Sandberg now says that he was told that the process would take about five mnths. But the agreement presented to the council for approval Tuesday stated that it would take as long as 7 1/2 months, a 50-percent increase. In other words, the city was losing 50-percent more rent that the council had been led to believe.

Sandberg lectured the council:

“We are going to have to start treating our business assets with some business sense, like Caterpillar does,” he said.

“I guess I misunderstood the math” and “didn’t understand the length,” said City Attorney Randy Ray, adding that the “wash” was based on “rough math.”

“It’s not lost OR found money,” Ray said.

Mark Johnson of Caterpillar (I can’t find his title right at this moment; I’ll get it later) told the council that the company doesn’t know exactly how long the repairs will take. The deck, he said, is 45 years old.

“Instead of just patching it up, we want to do a major overhaul,” Johnson said. “I expect it (the length of the agreement) was extended so it could a a little cushion.”

Council member Barbara Van Auken, who earlier expressed doubts the longer length of the agreement made it a wash, said she trusted Johnson’s word and was among those who voted to approve the agreement.

But the biggest defense came from Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis.

“I have absolutely no problem with the agreement,” Ardis said, “considering all the good Caterpillar does for our community.

“I don’t think this is one we need to dig our heels in on, folks.”

The vote to approve was 9-1, with Councilman Eric Turner abstaining (he works at Caterpillar) and Councilman Pat Nichting, who was absent.

Sandberg told me after the meeting that the city essentially gave up about $100,000 in revenue by not renting Caterpillar the space. And then there is the revenue that the owners of privately-owned parking decks lost because Caterpillar didn’t have to rent spaces from them on the open market.

So the council not only screwed the taxpayers out of incoming revenue, they screwed some private businesses out of some cash as well. It’s sorta like if the city is standing outside of restaurants handing out free hot-dogs and soda.

And here’s my last comment/question about this whole mess: I assume these improvements to the Sears Block include paving it over and laying down some parking stripes. Exactly what good will these improvements be to the city once Cat’s own deck is completed? After all, aren’t they going to have to tear it our to build their museum and Caterpillar’s visitor center?

A wash? This thing sounds like a hosing from day one.

NOTE: Corrected to change weeks to months.

The meeting started at about 6:15 p.m., but the real city business didn’t start until about 6:45 p.m. after all the proclamations were over. Which was about when I arrived. cagey veteran that I am, I knew that the first half-hour would be a huge waste of my time, so I intentionally arrived late.

The council essentially whipped through the 33-item consent agenda, taking only five of the items out for individual votes, three of which were were to defer to later meetings. Also deferred:

1. A recommendation to approve a Class B-1 liquor license to the owner of J.J. Ryan’s to open a restaurant/tavern at 7719 N. University.
2. A recommendation from the  city’s liquor commission to deny a Class A liquor license to Elliott’s, the strip-tease joint located at 7807 N. University, a few doors north of where J.J. Ryan’s wants to relocate.

Here’s why I think the city is hesitant to approve the license for J.J. Ryan’s: If it does, it would weaken the city’s argument that it isn’t denying Elliott’s owners their rights by refusing them a liquor license solely because they are providing adult entertainment.

A recent federal court decision says that cities cannot deny an otherwise qualified applicant a liquor license only because they have nekkid women prancing about inside. So if the city denies Elliott’s a license because of (wink, wink) “neighborhood” concerns, then it can’t very well approve J.J. Ryan’s when they are located two downs down. But denying J.J. Ryan’s makes no sense because the owner ALREADY has a liquor license and simply wants another one for a building that has recently been used for a tavern/restaurant, located on a block that is littered with restaurants and bars.

But there’s hope. The city and Elliott’s have agreed to federal mediation. Perhaps the process just isn’t over, and that’s the cause for the delay. I’m sure the nice law-abiding lady who owns J.J. Ryan’s doesn’t mind one little bit while her business is being held hostage while her little psychodrama plays out.

After all, it’s only her livelihood.

Obama likes to paint himself as an opponent of the war. He reminds voters of his one — and only one — speech opposing it. But he swiftly changed his mind. Obama told the Chicago Tribune on July 27, 2004, that “there’s not that much difference between my position and George Bush’s position at this stage. The difference, in my mind, is who’s in a position to execute.” Obama added that he “now believes U.S. forces must remain to stabilize the war-ravaged nation, a policy not dissimilar to the current approach of the Bush administration.” Obama wants to leave an estimated 50,000 troops in Iraq to protect our superbases and the Green Zone, our imperial city, to fight terrorism, and to train Iraqi forces. He traveled to Connecticut to campaign on behalf of Sen. Joseph Lieberman, a leading proponent of the war and an advocate of airstrikes against Iran, when Lieberman was challenged by the anti-war candidate Ned Lamont. And when Obama talks about the Palestinians he reads dutifully from the script handed to him by Lieberman and the Israel lobbying group AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee.

To be perfectly truthful, the idea that Obama doesn’t advocate a withdrawal reminiscent of out shameless abandonment of South Vietnam likes him ore attractive to me as a candidate.

But it gets worse. Peoria’s own medical gadfly, Dr. John Carroll, links Obama to accused influence peddler Tony Rezko, who Dr. Carroll then links to members of Peoria’s medical establishment. It’s too long for me to post here without replicating the whole thing.

Remember, too, that Dr. Carroll accused me of succumbing to Peoria’s Medical Mafia because I wouldn’t let him libel people anymore here on this site. So take it with a grain of salt. I would be shocked if ANY person in public life doesn’t have SOME dealings with corrupt individuals. Peoria is no different.

Hat tip: Elaine Hopkins.

I drove by today and noticed that the former Dairy Queen stand seems to be grearing up to open under a new name, “Dudley’s,” I believe. The last business operating out of the place was some sort of hot sandwich stand. This is joint that stands next to the building that once houses the modest litter diner called “Jo Jo’s.” It was more recently a BBQ joint that didn’t impress me (twice, I received meals that weren’t fully cooked). It’s now serves chili, and does some catering, according to their sign.

Directly catty-corner from there is a brick building that houses a T-shirt printing place, a used electronic appliance store and a wine-making supply store. There was a sign in the wine-press joint saying they are selling discount tobacco. Whether this means one business is taking over for the other, or the wine place is also offering discount smokes, I don’t know. I didn’t stop in to ask, being as I don’t drink or smoke. I have other vices.

I am planning on stopping at “It’s All About the Wings,” a new eatery that opened up at the back park of the former drug store at the corner of West McClure and North Sheridan. It’s directly across from Sheridan Liquors. I haven’t gone in yet, because every time I do, there’s no place to park.

Good luck to all these entrepreneurs. It’s tough enough doing business in Peoria, let alone during the start of a long and hard recession.

UPDATE: I got the name of the chicken wing place wrong. It’s called “All Bout the Wings.” It’s a big difference.

In the days since the school board voted to slash the school day, there has been something of an uprising underway. Methods for replacing the board have been discussed. Suggestions include simply getting better candidates to run for the board, reducing board terms from five years to as few as two, electing the board all at once rather than staggered terms. The “doomsday weapon” in all this would be to demand a city or even a state takeover of the district, perhaps with educational guru Paul Vallas or his associates helping out.

No current school board members attended, which was wise considering the foul mood that D150 has created among parents. However, Bud Collier attended. He’s the former superintendent for Dunlap schools. Since his retirement, he’s been acting as a sort of go-between for Peoria city government and the city’s many school systems, the largest and most troubled of which is D150.

Collier came bearing a message: Stop all this nonsense and D150 might rescind its decision.

Via Diane Vespa:

But Mr. Collier insisted that we “had the Admins attention” and that they were willing to put options on the table. Ultimately, we were persuaded to “call off the dogs” and place them on a back burner, for now. In the interim, we will meet a few more times to explore options for saving $600K. We don’t anticipate this to be too difficult of an undertaking given the fact that it is less than 1/2 of 1% of their budget. There is a meeting scheduled with the District for May 22. The goal: a full rescission of last Mondays vote.

,,,

I am pleased with the outcome of the meeting, and although there exists an innate sense of unease with the Administration given the callousness they have exhibited towards the expressed will of the community, I, personally, am willing to put differences aside and work on behalf of the children as well as every citizen of Peoria.

The bottom line is this. It is one thing to not think things through, buy property, sell property, randomly knock down and build new buildings. But taking school time and fine arts teachers away from our youngest children to compensate for the lack of vision is fundamentally impacting the very foundation of the city of Peoria. Monday’s decision, if it stands, would have far-reaching consequences that go way beyond the boundaries of District 150.

Elaine Hopkins reported:

“I personally believe there will be something that will work. I’ve been told if you come up with legitimate solutions they would take a look at it. I wouldn’t be surprised if they don’t find an option by next week. They’ve gotten smacked pretty good,” he said.

Collier said Hinton is willing to meet with four members of the group on May 22 and May 27 to consider options. The board next meets on May 19.

He urged the group not to attack school officials personally, and to focus only on the shortened school day issue and not other grievances.

And C.J. Summers:

I think it’s a good idea to try negotiations first, but we must, at the same time, keep the heat up. We won’t let the administration razzle-dazzle us like they did the school board last Monday night.

The fact that the District 150 board and the administration have shown in the past they they will sputter indignantly when people with common sense stand up to them, but in the end they will back down.

Peoria School District 150 hasn’t had decent leadership since Superintendent Harry Whitaker left. We’re not going to get decent leadership with Ken Hinton at the helm the administration we have now. And we’re not going to get rid of THEM until we get rid of the current school board. The very, very least that needs to happen is a change in how board members are elected. The current system doesn’t allow for adequate change, and it discourages new people from seeking election. I mean, who wants to be the only new board member on this group, especially if you oppose how the board operates? Being the lone gadfly is no fun.

The inference I draw from all this is that the board is willing to go back to a full school day and not fire the music and arts teachers IF the efforts to get rid of the current board stop.

Feh. Rescinding the decision they made last week should just the first step of what needs to happen. and I’m worried that if the board decides to rescind, if might lessen the motivation behind the insurrection. I mean, where would America be right now if King George III had rescinded the stamp tax?

We need to fight the disease that infects District 150, not just the most recent symptoms.

1. She got fired for writing a post about how her boss got Botox treatments and showed up to work with a frozen face.
2. So, she blogs full time.
3. She now makes $40,000 a month from advertising revenue.

Sounds like a plan … oops, I don’t have a spouse to pay the bills while I play ad salesman. Sorry.

At least no further destinations will be cut (yet). But Springfield didn’t fare so well.

According to Sunday’s State Journal-Register, Illinois’ capital loses its daily nonstop to Washington-Dulles on July 4, though Chicago-O’Hare service increases from four daily roundtrips to five at that time.

Rising fuel prices are forcing airlines to increase fares. As a result, loads decline and the airline is forced to cut service. If this trend continues, there will be more cuts in service. And destinations too.

I had lunch with Mom and Dad at this venerable, third-generation rib joint today. They had the beef sandwich, I chose Monday’s daily special: A turkey sandwich with fries and a soda. I should have ordered the beef, as the bun looked empty. Tasty, though, especially with a dab of BBQ sauce. The French fries were delicious, of course.

I noticed one big improvement over my last visit. As Peoria natives know, the BBQ place is located inside a former Hardee’s restaurant (which is, itself, located on the former site of a Sandy’s). The heir’s to Big John remodeled, but they opted to keep the booths and the tables and chairs that were bolted to the floor. This is bad news to a plus-size guy like myself.

Well, they’ve decided to supply guests with free standing chairs. So my parents sat in the booth while I slid a chair over and dined with them. A elegant solution to an uncomfortable problem.

And again, I found the counter staff at Grampa John’s to be down-home friendly and helpful.

Seriously, what do the parents, city leaders and property owners in Peoria plan to do about the fact that our school district seems perfectly capable of single handedly ruining this town? Will we wait until there is not a single self respecting family left in the district? Will we wait until we realize that the children of Peoria are not keeping up with their Dunlap (or Edison) counterparts due to the fact that they spend 18% less time in school? Will we wait until we see a reduction in our property values? Seriously, folks - all the City great news in the world won’t make a hill of beans difference if our schools are in the crapper.

Soon you will be offered opportunities to voice your opinion and make a difference. Please stay tuned. I call upon the Mayors of Peoria and West Peoria, The Council Members of same, The Regional Superintendent of Schools, Gerald Brookhart, a wonderful man, to stand up, look Mr. Ken Hinton and his merry band of rubber stampers in the eye and say “STOP THE INSANITY!” C’mon people, put down the remote, pul-lease check my math (and I’m serious), engage thyself, and lets get busy. This is our children’s future we are talking about!

I think D150 ticked off the wrong person in Diane Vespa.

Expect changes.

But when they ran a story today casting doubt on the success of a committee that’s just getting off the ground, this is the first paragraph:

As Mayor Jim Ardis’ Race Relations Commission begins its work, there are some black leaders in the community who are skeptical on how much the group can accomplish.

My two cents: Expect more of this bias the closer we get to municipal elections.

Still no comment on the drop in the the murder rate.

So why even bother complaining to the city council? It’s not like our city government — unlike other communities — has any official role in running the schools. Here’s why? For all it’s faults, Peoria City Hall is fairly responsive to the community. I’ve been observed the council as reporter and blogger for many years, and I’ve seen the council change course in the face of public opinion. Not so much with District 150.

The State Journal-Register’s Web site will look different when you log on Tuesday night. Sj-r.com will change from using a homegrown computer program for managing stories to one used by newspapers nationwide. Called Zope, the program will result in a cleaner, more up-to-date look for the Web site and allow reporters and editors to post from anywhere they have Internet access.

And:

1. The site will be able to handle large numbers of visits at one time. In the past, big breaking news has led to traffic bottlenecks that slowed visitors’ access to the site.
2. The site will better present the many video and photo galleries the site offers daily.
3. The new system will allow easier story updating and will better present some of the features we have.

Thanks for the transparency, Springfielders. No doubt the new sites in Springfield and Peoria will resemble what’s used in Galesburg.

I still recommend that newspapers start planning for the permanent transition from dead tree journalism to online-only, and stop using their free Web sites simply to scare away online-only start-ups.

• This had to happen right after the Journal Star finally acknowledged Peoria’s murder rate is down dramatically from last year.
• I think that any crime that happens within four block of Club Apollo will now be described in the Journal Star as happening near Club Apollo.

About this time last year, Peoria Mayor Jim Ardis had the audacity to stand up for Peoria and complain about how Peoria’s one and only daily newspaper was portraying his city. He complained that the newspaper over-emphasized bad news the city, including an unusually high murder murder rate.

The response from the editorial page was typical of the Journal Star. They started a silly little jihad against the mayor. They complained that Ardis had the audacity to use graphic images to make Peoria’s rising murder rate an issue during his run for mayor in 2005, which is supposed to make him a hypocrite for complaining about the Journal Star’s negative coverage of Peoria two years later.

I saw the attack as a way for the Journal Star to start campaigning on behalf of whoever decides to run against Ardis in 2009 (which is less than a year away, folks). Remember that Ardis was most definitely NOT the Journal Star’s choice for mayor. Instead, the PJS endorsed then-incumbent David “The Liar” Ransburg, as well as two members of the Peoria City Council who were part of the “progressive” wing of the council.

But the Journal Star will never admit that it’s criticizing Ardis out of spite or to soften Ardis up for the next election. Instead that say they are simply criticizing a politician for pandering to fears to get elected and then backtracking once he’s in charge.

Well, the PJS knows about pandering to fear. That’s what they did in the months prior to the 2005 election when their editorials suggested Ardis and other essential-services-first candidates were racists. What fears were columnist Pam Adams pandering to when she suggested Ardis and at-large councilman Eric Turner were also pandering to racists by making crime as issue? And even the news side got into the act by counting black faces at staged, invitation only political events and commercials.

Today, there’s a front-page article about how the city’s murder rate is way down from last year. The funny thing about this and the other three articles (here, here and here) is that Ardis isn’t mentioned once. It’s a striking contrast to just 11 months ago, when the city’s newspaper of record was all over Ardis for reigning over a city with a rising murder rate. And even if there wasn’t this back story, wouldn’t it be considered, well, good journalism to ask a mayor what he thinks of a massive drop in crime in the city’s he’s leading?

And today’s editorial page? They are running an editorial how people should thank their mothers. If there is ever an editorial out of these people praising Ardis in the slightest for the drop in murder and crime, I’ll let my readers know. I suppose anything is possible.

Most of the praise for the improved crime stats should go, I believe, to Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard. He’s made personnel and scheduling changes that have put more cops on the street at the times they are needed. He has the respect of the council, which is essential when one is bringing charge to a police department that had been ill-run for so many years. I give Ardis credit for leading the council in supporting these changes. His calling for a 40 days of prayer against crime and violence provided an opportunity for the community to buy into the city’s crime-fighting efforts.

For these and other reasons, Ardis is popular and well-respected among Peorians who don’t work at One News Plaza. Anyone so inclined to run is going to have to take this into consideration. With a significant drop in the murder rate, the PJS has one less tool in its tool belt as it works on behalf of whatever future opponent pops up.

The trial, set to begin May 27, involves a Georgia gun shop, Adventure Outdoors, which the city alleges is responsible for a disproportionate number of the firearms recovered from criminals in New York City. The gun store’s owner, Jay Wallace, says his store abides by Georgia and federal regulations and takes steps to avoid selling firearms to gun traffickers. Mr. Wallace’s store is one of 27 out-of-state gun shops sued by New York City, and the first to go to trial.

City lawyers, in a motion filed Tuesday, asked the judge, Jack Weinstein of U.S. District Court in Brooklyn, to preclude the store’s lawyers from arguing that the suit infringed on any Second Amendment rights belonging to the gun store or its customers. In the motion, the lawyer for the city, Eric Proshansky, is also seeking a ban on “any references” to the amendment.

“Any references by counsel to the Second Amendment or analogous state constitutional provisions are likewise irrelevant,” the brief states.

Feh. Suing law abiding gun shops because some lowlife criminals use guns to committ crimes makes about as much sense as this.

Remember how the Peoria Journal Star quoted a bunch of politicians and political scientists complaining that the bloggers are obsessed with dredging up old quotes to make people look bad, thus providing a disincentive to participate in the process. Well, I wouldn’t include The Daily Show with Jon Stewart among the digital media, but they’ve got the right idea:

So here’s Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, commander of coalition forces in Iraq four years ago, describing the situation in a TV interview in September 2003: “We’re not in a quagmire,” he’s saying confidently. “The progress is unbelievable.”

So what about that progress, general? Because here’s Sanchez, now retired, talking about Iraq in a video clip from last October: “There has been a glaring, unfortunate display of incompetent strategic leadership within our national leaders. . . . There’s no question that America is living a nightmare with no end in sight.”

The before-and-after videos didn’t air on CNN or MSNBC or ABC. Instead, the revealing sound bites ran back to back on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.” The satiric Comedy Central program regularly unearths telling footage ignored or overlooked by the real news guys.

The trouble with the “real news guys” is that they deeply into a symbiotic relationship with the politicians they are supposed to be watching over on our behalf. Media organizations — and individual members of the media — have their own agendas, whether they reveal them or not. Sometimes they need to NOT piss off the people they are covering, so punches are pulled. Sometimes, they are so busy feeding the monster with sound and words, they can’t see the whole story.

But Comedy Central’s only real goal is get a laugh, at anyone’s expense. But I’m not going to discount the legitimate role satire and ridicule play in politics. Sometimes we’re laughing through the pain.

Good on Stewart and his show for getting it right. Letting the public know they are being lied to is not being negative. It’s as essential role of journalism.

Hat tip: Andrew Cline.

[Tazewell County Circuit Judge John] Barra previously included [Martin] Ozinga among parties to be deposed in the case. Orland Park-based Ozinga Bros. Inc. is suing to force Raymond Kunkel and his family farm corporation to sell 190 acres outside Henry, near the site where the company is developing a gravel pit and Illinois River port project with the city.
Ozinga and his lawyers then sought to avoid the deposition by claiming he had “no relevant knowledge” of the case or the disputed real estate contract at its center.
He claimed in the affidavit he “has had no contact or communication of any kind” with Kunkel.
But Barra heard Friday that Kunkel and four witnesses have signed their own affidavits stating Ozinga met with Kunkel in a rural Henry farmhouse in June 2004 to work out the terms of the deal that is now in dispute.
“I was amazed at the affidavit of Martin Ozinga,” Kunkel’s attorney, William Anderson of Creve Coeur, told Barra. “Martin Ozinga personally negotiated this contract.”

Judge Barra has been mentioned several times on Peoria Pundit. I was a bit ticked at his decision to allow the City of Peoria to demolish the Grandview Hotel, a ruling I considered contrary to property rights. But he did rule that the Peoria Park District violated the Open Meetings Act, a decision that I believed defended the public’s right to have an open government.

And Barra’s decision regarding Ozinga? A no-brainer. Of course politicians should be forced to tell the truth under oath, whether they are running for Congress or diddling interns in the Oval Office. Ozinga, a Republican, will face state Democratic Sen. Debbie Halvorson, and Green Party nominee Jason Wallace in November for the 11th Congressional seat now held by Jerry Weller, also a Republican. The district includes LaSalle, Grundy and Kankakee counties, and parts of of Will, McLean, Livingston, Woodford and Bureau counties.

So, we’re slipping though the magazine when ONE of my dining companions (I won’t mention his name, but his initials are C.J.S.) starting whining about how they didn’t interview HIM. I’m tellin’ ya, this guy is insecure. I had to promise that the NEXT time someone in the media interviews me about blogging or the state of Peoria politics, that I would mention HIS name as a good source for information.

Science has become a part of every major issue of modern life, said neurologist Alan Leshner, president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

“At the same time that’s happening, there’s increased tensions between science and society,” he said.

Scientists cite the debate over global warming as an example of having their insights and warnings cast aside. They have also complained the Bush administration has censored some of their research on warming and endangered species.

Scientists are also pushing hard for a presidential debate this year focusing on climate change and other science issues. So far, they have not persuaded the presidential candidates to agree to the forum.

Rep. Bill Foster, a physicist elected to the House in March as a Democrat from the Illinois district once held by then-Speaker Dennis Hastert, said the push for a larger role for science in politics is important.

“Politicians have thought they could get away with saying things that are quantitatively false,” Foster said in an interview Friday.

Ummm … when I think of politicians basing their decisions on dogma instead of science, I think of issues like abortion, AIDS, stem cell research, sex education, and censorship of video games and music. Global warming is probably not what I would pick as an example of politicians ignoring the science. I’m thinking that when it comes to mad-made global warming, it’s the scientists who are acquiescing to public opinion.

Conversely, conservatives are sick of former college radicals teaching their personal political beliefs as fact, and for trying to stifle conservative and libertarian points of view. In other words, there’s a lot of BS being spread.

I’m not the first person to note the trend toward disregarding science and facts when the conflict with how one feels, or when its contrary to the religion or political persuasion one finds more comfortable. These things seem to run in cycles. It wasn’t all that long ago, we looked toward science to improve our lives. Now that it has, we take it for granted.

There’s no guarantee that scientists who become politicians won’t start playing the same game. I’m certainly in favor of smarter and better-educated politicians. But the cure is a better educated electorate, and not necessarily politicians with degrees in science.