The Peoria AntiPundit 2.0

Perceptions….

2009-12-08T18:44:00.001-06:00

On the National Level…

Most News Channels would report this way:

“President Obama comes into office with a beautiful wife and two charming daughters…..”

Fox News would report this way:

“Did you know Obama fathered two black children?”

On the local level….

One local radio station:

We may have some winter weather tonight so listen for any warnings that may be issued…

One local TV station (i.e. TV25):

Folks, this storm is an epic storm. We can handle the 6 inches of snow but the wind and cold will kill you if you venture out….

Why all this? Well if you think perception is like a shell game, you know, which shell is the peanut under now type game? Or it is like a beautiful lobby in a hotel, then when you get to your room, it’s a dump full of cock roaches? I am going to write on perceptions and why some of our city leaders have snowed us (pardon the pun) for years and why we should run most of them out of town on a rail (if we still have a rail left). You think I don’t have an opinion on the recent budget cuts of police, fire, city services, animal shelter?

Stay tuned…

Ah, Memories Department…

2009-12-01T05:24:00.001-06:00

Ok I’m a little “dated” but I do remember my grade school days at good ol Thomas Jefferson. Then it was a K thru 8 school. I remember very clearly my 5th grade year. To be 10 years old again.

I remember I had to be home right after school and if I wasn’t, I’d better have a good explanation. We had homework in the 5th grade and I recall having one of the few male teachers in the District at the grade school level. He was tough and assigned homework like no other. So, homework first, then Captain Jinks. Most of the time, it was Captain Jinks first, dinner, bath, then homework. Those days seemed simple enough. If you did go out on a school night to play with friends, you had to be home by dark. Most of the time during the winter months, that didn’t leave much play time.

Parents were very strict in my neighborhood. I was lucky. I grew up in a neighborhood with lots of kids. Most had boundaries and couldn’t leave the dead-end court we lived on. While our parents didn’t have to look out the window and watch us 24/7, they knew has we did, that we had rules and if we broke those rules, we were in for a good butt whipping and even grounded.

Now, today, our 10 year youths, at least some of them tend to hang out after dark and with a handgun in their waistband, try to rob women at bus stops. Yes, 5th graders armed and dangerous. The world sure has turned on it’s side. But I know that these youths will face the wrath of their parents when they get home or released (Yes, the police caught a few).

Shit, in this case the parent probably armed them. 10 years old and out on the streets robbing a woman who is with her children waiting for a bus. Not only should the kid be locked up, the parent(s) should be charged with child neglect, stupidity, and docked any aid they may be collecting to raise this kid. Really, a 10 year old out on the street with a gun and you as a parent don’t have a clue? Then you are just as bad as the kid and the State should make you both as parents face this responsibility. Both shouldn’t be allowed to reproduce either but then I’ll be accused of being a socialist or something.

I am sorry, I can see a 16 or 17 or 18 year old out robbing and hiding his/her activities from their parents. It happens in all walks of life. But a 10 year old 5th grader? Where in the hell is this kid’s parents? Also keep in mind that these are the type of kids teachers in District 150 have to contend with.

This being Ken Hinton’s last day as the head of District 150, I hope all those concerned parents who do nothing but rake the District over the coals, show up and volunteer at a local primary or middle school and help the teachers disarm these kids so maybe the schools can be a safe environment for learning. I doubt it though. This group lives in another land and very few of them if any enter these inter city schools for any reason. Naw, it’s much easier to bitch at the District office. It won’t be long before they are complaining about the new Superintendent. It’s a a cycle I have seen for the past 30+ years. Only the faces change, I can’t wait.

Oh and on a side note, a Pizza Hut driver was robbed of food and cash last night. I’m not making any connection here and I am not trying to lessen the crime but for the first time in years, I ordered from the HUT one of their new oblong pizzas. If the pizza the crooks got was anything like the one that was delivered to me, then the crooks got robbed. Mine was garbage.

Logic Anywhere? Department…

2009-11-25T15:04:00.001-06:00

This reminds me of the toothless woman who cried at a town hall meeting that “She wanted her country back!”

Never any logic when you need it and exactly where did her country go?

Pleaaaassseeee!

2009-11-25T13:39:00.001-06:00

Police drawing of a suspect that robbed and briefly (briefly?) abducted a woman from a Wal-Mart in far north Peoria. I know everyone thinks everyone is lily white in far north Peoria but for Christ’s sake, this guy is one of my Sim City 4 characters.

Seriously, who is doing the drawings at the police department. Chuck Jones?

A Little Tale Department…

2009-11-19T17:28:00.001-06:00

I was talking to a friend from out of town the other day and the subject of water rates and garbage collection fees came up. He hasn’t been to Peoria in over 30 years and he was telling me in the private community where he lives, they are adding on a flat $25 fee plus usage for water. He also noted that his garbage collection fee is going up again.

I told him here in Peoria, our garbage collection is incorporated into our property tax bills. He said that would be nice as he would have one less bill to pay each month. I also told him that we pay a Garbage Fee of $6 which is added to our water bills. He asked if this was for the lease of special totes. No, I told him the fee doesn’t even go to garbage collection but it goes to the city’s general operating fund. I told him that if one fails to pay this $6 added to the water bill, our water company can shut off your service. I went on to inform him that the city pays approximately $88,000 a year for our water company to bill and collect this fee for them.

He look at me like I just landed from another planet. “Let me get this straight. You pay a fee called the garbage fee on your water bill that doesn’t go to garbage collection but instead lands in the city’s general fund so the same politicians that dreamed this fee up can spend it any way they want?” Yes that is it. He went on; “How could this possibly have passed the public?” I said they didn’t ask because it was a service fee, they didn’t have too. They voted and we have it only I told him that it used to be a 4 month billing where the water company would add $24 to your water bill every 4th month. But the water company behind closed doors bitched that it was too costly to change their billing software every 4th month to bill for this fee. They wanted a monthly billing so they could just “plug” in an amount and be done with it.

So after hearing that, a few council members were worried that the water company might say “screw it”, collect it yourself and not having any other way of collecting this fee other than hiring a mailing and billing company at more of a cost, they decided to make it monthly.

So, someone on the council had to act like they grew a heart and that was Turner. One of our long time council members. He announced that because the elderly were having a tough time paying that $24 every 4 months, it would be easier for their fixed incomes if it was paid at $6 a month. I remember the council meeting when they change it and I went to challenge that change and I even addressed the council on it only after greasing the palm of my councilman, Gulley, to get floor time. It was actually Sandberg that got it for me.

I called Turner and the rest of the council out saying in effect it was bullshit to change the collection of this fee because whether you take $72 a year from someone 3 times a year or monthly, it’s still $72. In fact I alluded that the only reason for the change was so the council could up this fee in the future. Remember, say a $2 increase is only $8 a month and that sounds better than going from $24 to $32 using the quarterly method of payment. What's 2 bucks right? They voted to bill monthly anyway.

Well my friend said the people of Peoria and the businesses must be pissed about this. I said, no, businesses don’t pay it only residential customers pay this. “But don’t businesses use city services like fire and police?” he asked. I said yes but like sheep to the slaughter house, people just pay it and life goes on. He looked at me laughing and saying; “For Christ’s sake! They just bent you guys over, made up a fee, called it a garbage fee and use the money anyway they like and you guys just take it. Wow”

I told him it gets better. Not only have we become complacent about this unfair tax, they have dreamed up a few more, like the HIZ tax so a developer can build a hotel with our bond money. Hell I couldn’t go into all that but I did hear from a councilperson who shall remain nameless that Councilman Turner has been advocating raising the garbage fee a few bucks during our recent budget crises. A few other council persons chirped in that might be a good idea to close the budget gap. I will clue you in to one council person who thought it was a good idea to raise the garbage fee. She is the same one who campaigned a few years back to get rid of the garbage fee. Like that will happen. Times are hard and I knew this would happen sooner or later as a temporary tax or fee as it was originally called never ever goes away.

So folks, my friend was completely baffled by this “fee” and our politics here in the corn belt. He said at least is new flat $25 water fee was going to improve the water lines in his area. Our Garbage Fee is going…..well. it’s going………well wherever it goes I am sure the big hearted fellow Turner, will be concerned about our fixed income citizens when he recommends to raise the Garbage fee. Hey Turner, why don’t you just grease the wheel chair ramps at city hall while you’re at it. That’ll get those old folks from showing up to complain. Hey, how about a “walker tax”? Use a walker? Pay a fee.

Sounds stupid doesn’t it? Think about it. A Garbage Fee that has nothing to do with garbage collection that when implemented we were told it’s only temporary collected by a company the city wanted to shitcan and take over and yet these same politicians are in bed with so they can collect an unfair tax they call a fee. I wonder why people don’t show up and show opposition to this fee. Then I remember. There is nothing dumber than the public. People are smart, the public is loaded with dumbasses. Don’t believe it? They elected Van Auken to another term after lying about getting rid of the garbage fee and poking police officers while drunk and Turner wants to increase the Garbage Fee. Here we go…..

You get what you vote for folks! Vote the same people in over and over again and you all wonder why we are cutting police, cutting city services, and handing out bonds for projects that are not needed. I didn’t vote for anyone on this council sans Sandberg (which I think is the only sane one there) but like a teenage zit, they are back. Enjoy!

Comedy of Errors Department…

2009-11-18T15:33:00.001-06:00

If this whole jail break issue wasn’t so serious it would be laughable. I mean two dangerous felons escape the fairly new and state of the art Peoria County Jail and they didn’t do it by a paperwork mistake, which has happened in the past. Nope, the did a Shawshank Redemption style. Totally unbelievable. This isn’t the Woodford County Jail or the McLean County jail, this is a faculty located in the middle of a corn field out in the middle of nothing that has razor sharp wire that gleams in the sunlight and fences so high, it makes deer piss. They didn’t take Barney’s single bullet. They didn’t overtake Aunt Bee when she delivered homemade chicken. Hell, they didn’t even carve a gun out of soap. They simply jackhammered through a concrete ceiling, made a rope out of dozens of bed sheets and walk out during an inmate sleep over. 2 less for breakfast huh?

Let’s review…. First off, these guys aren’t even in the same cell or pod together yet that night they escaped, inmate Cook decides he is sleeping in inmate Fuller’s cell. The pods are locked yet no one, no jailer no how notices that Fuller apparently is having a sleep over. I can hear it now. “Hey guys, Fuller is having a sleep over! Get some chips and oh, bring some sheets.”

Sheets? They made a rope out of bed sheets so they could climb the TWO STORIES from the roof to the ground to escape. Now, how many sheets would it take to make a rope strong enough for a 280lb, 6’2” convict to climb down two stories? My guess, quit a few. Doesn’t anyone at the jail count bed sheets? I mean really, people have hung themselves with bed sheets. You would think that accounting for the sheets when they are washed would be a major log entry someplace. Apparently not.

If this isn’t bad enough, what about cameras? I am sure the jail must have a few of them especially on the building’s corners, right? Doesn’t anyone watch these camera’s. Look, if you slip and fall going into a business, you can bet a camera caught it. If you rob a gas station, it is on camera. YouTube is full of business cameras that catch people breaking the law or doing funny things but no camera seem to catch two guys going down a rope made of bed sheets. Like, “Hey Bill! Is that a rope hanging off the side of the building? No, Sam it must be the roofers. Oh Bill, you’re probably right. Odd. They are dressed the same way our inmates are.” Doh!

Now let’s talk about how they got to the roof. They, either Fuller or Cook or both dug through a concrete ceiling which had to be at least 2 feet thick and most likely had rebar in it. They did this without any real tools unless they hand out Swiss army knives in the jail. “Hey Mr. Jailer, can I borrow your Swiss army knife to clip my toenails?” The jail uses plastic spoons and forks for meals. I could use those. I want to put in a new driveway. I’ll take that rented jackhammer back and borrow some plastic spoons like the jail uses.

How in the hell did they pull this off? It must have taken them months if not over a year to do. Fuller has been at the jail since 2007. Cook? I’m not sure. Maybe Cook’s family made him a cake for his birthday. I could see that playing out. “Look Cook, a cake has arrived for you. Wow it’s in the shape of a pick hammer. How imaginative.”

No jailer, no one saw anything. Nobody running the jail had an idea of what was going on in the upper pods. Hell they couldn’t even keep track of where these two guys were spending the night. Who is in charge out there? Mickey Mouse?

Of course the responsibility for scaring half of Peoria not to mention Bellevue and other surrounding communities lies with Sherriff McCoy. I don’t expect him to resign but he should step into the ass kicking machine and pull the rope a few times. I do expect some staff or jailers heads to roll. I also expect the good Sherriff to explain to the citizens of this county what happened right down to how they dug through concrete, made off with bed sheets that held their weight (what? they buy from QVC?) and why not one camera or staff member even noticed this was happening. We deserve all the details or McCoy doesn’t deserve the job next election. It says something about his ideology when his staff is apparently comprised of boobs. Yes, boobs. Whoever was doing security at the jail that early morning wasn’t clearly doing their jobs.

By the way, how does a confined inmate dispose of probably over 200lbs of broken concrete? Like… “Hey dude, I found this chunk in my cell. Would ya pitch it for me?”

Thankfully they caught these assholes without anyone being hurt except maybe the guy they tied up and stole his car. I guess we all can laugh now huh? This had to be an inside job and they had to have outside help. If they didn’t, then our jail is being run by the Keystone Cops. We might as well order Northern Nights bed sheets and comforters from QVC and get these poor inmates HD Comcast cable TV. It is obvious this place must be a circus.

Oh and don’t give me that “It’s only one time” bullshit either. That won’t wash especially if they had killed someone making their get away. Tell that to the guy whose car was taken. One time is one time too many.

I’m laughing so hard, it hurts. Not!

UPDATE: The Sherriff has announced a meeting for his entire staff and is going to review policy that has been in effect for 30 years at the jail! 30 years? Ya think? Well no shit Sherlock. Let’s hope so. That’s like the Captain of the Titanic re-writing policy on ice berg watches after hitting one.

Some Tidbits Department…

2009-11-13T08:18:00.001-06:00

Ok I had a dumbass award which in this area isn’t easy because of all the choices. Now I got some tidbits on some news that bothers me….

1. Tazewell County Board members are deciding in their glory that video poker should be banned across their county. Like video poker is a sin or something that they don’t want to allow. He guys! Got some religion over there in Tazewell? Bet you don’t fuck with the video poker machines on the Par-A-Dice which sits in Tazewell. Nothing like saying don’t gamble here in this bar, go across the street and do it on the boat.

2. A Peoria Police officer gets basically a slap on the wrist for a DUI. Claims he had some drinks but taking Lyrica caused him to just freak out. I took Lyrica for 12 months, never freaked out but I guess people are different. The judge called him a poster child for addiction. Oh and while under arrest, this officer kicked out the rear window of the police car, a felony. Dismissed and if he’s good, his record will be wiped clean…..so he can go on duty and arrest you someday.

3. It seems Kevin Lyons, our beloved State’s Attorney, you know, the guy that always seems above the rest of us especially if you ask him a question about anything? Well, this guy, Devear Lewis, pulls out not one but two guns at a church function and starts firing into a crowd outside killing a security guard working the Christian function. The man’s name was Teddy Jackson, a stand out athlete at Manual High School. For some reason which I am sure is not the fault of Mr. Lyon’s, they have dropped the murder charges to just guilty of a felon with a weapon. Wow, a felon with a weapon. That, in Peoria, limits it down to just about any felon at anytime. This most likely means Lewis will be on the streets in a matter of days. Best bet? Just carry you cash in your shirt pocket. That way it’ll be ready if he picks you to rob. Must be a reason for this screwy plea.

4. It’s amazing. A church function. Fights break out, at a church function. Almost everyone there has a gun, at a church function. Many witnesses see guns all over the place, at a church function. A convicted felon has two guns and fires into the crowd, at a church function. Nobody can remember shit. 3 people hit by bullets, one dies, at a church function. Felon goes free. Witness’ memories go south. I stay home and read the bible thank you.

5. MY God, the war is getting worse. A friend of mine who has seen the war first hand and up close said that they used to simply fire shots at random at you are maybe a group would drive by firing shots. Now they will throw molotov cocktails at you or where you are sleeping. One local family is afraid to let their children out for any length of time. In talking with the mother, she says you can hear gunshots all day but at night it seems worse. Her sons were beaten to an inch of their lives and she fears her daughter might be raped while out getting food. This war must end. Afghanistan? Nope, the East Bluff of Peoria. And we are cutting police……

6. Speaking of gunfire, over on Flora Street, shots rang out. That is off of Main Street. Shots were fired around 10:30 at night towards a home. 14 shell casings were found by police. 14! Good God. Is this Dodge City or what? What made things easier was that new ornamental lighting was installed on this street some time ago. This made finding those shell casings much easier for our police. Yep, install ornamental lighting, the neighborhood improves. Thank God aren’t cutting police. No wait….we are!

Don’t get me wrong folks. All cities have their crime and their problems. We have our gangs, Tazewell has their meth labs. Gambling, bullets, deer running amok. At least we here can try and make our corner of the world a little safer. One would think that would be by backing the police and beefing them up while others think safer means a skywalk from the hotel to the convention center. Too bad that those who think skywalks are the ones in charge.

First Annual Dumbass of the Year Award…

2009-11-11T06:50:00.001-06:00

This is my first annual dumbass of the year award which here in Peoria, shouldn’t be to hard to find nominees. Hell, it will be hard not to make this an annual award with so many dumbasses running about.

This is Mr. Nicholas Humes, alleged armed robber of Buffalo Wild Wings in Peoria. He was the passenger driven by his lovely accomplice who remains unknown to the public and who also ran from the scene after the car they were in crashed at Bradley causing a lockdown of the Bradley campus just when many beer parties were letting out and when city councilpersons are known to wander drunk.

Mr. Humes is currently being held at the county jail and I hope that frickin neck brace hurts. Too bad it wasn’t a body cast dumbass.

I’d say get well soon Nick but I won’t after the fear and pain you and your boyfriend dumped on employees of the business you allegedly robbed and how unsafe you made the streets of Peoria has you fled in your car. Don’t drop the soap!
Oh, and OSF, make sure this fucker gets the hospital bill. I don’t want honest hard working citizens paying for his stupidity.

I Hit it Big Department…

2009-11-07T17:06:00.001-06:00

I’m a millionaire!! Yes indeed. Well if you use the logic of the museum people I am. After all, they are ready to go with that great museum. They got the money but they are a little short. 1.2 million dollars short but it’s a go!

Using that logic, I am a millionaire! Just short 1.2 million is all.

The Future Department…

2009-11-05T15:09:00.001-06:00

Now that our city leaders have seen fit to cut of all things, police and police services, I thought it would behoove me to let my readers in on what they may expect down the road in a few years and after more cuts in non vital areas such as, well, police services continue. After all, robberies happen, shootings happen, car jacking happens, fights break out at bars. But nothing beats a great sunset blocked by a brand new hotel shimmering off the twinkling light, sunlight that is, as street lights don’t need to be repaired either.

So, if you pick up your phone and call the police, this is what you might hear….

Hello! You have reached the Peoria Police Emergency line. Crime is important to us. Please listen carefully as the menus have changed.

For English………………Press 1

If you’re Lebanese, hang up an dial 911

If you are a hostage……………Press 2

If you are holding hostages……………Press 3

If you are armed……………….Press 4

If you just robbed a bank or business……….Press 5

If you were just robbed or shot……………..Press 6

If you wish to report a burglary or break in……….Press 7

So, let’s say you are robbed and shot: DINNNNNNG! (Pressing 6)

Hello! You have reached the robbery and shooting victim division. Your crime is important to us.

If you are bleeding………………….Press 1

If you are not bleeding………………Press 2

If you need an ambulance………………….Press 3

If you are about to pass out………Press 4 now

If you would like to request a special officer and know their side business number, you may dial that now…………..

If you are a City Council member and this is an emergency…….Press 0

DINNNNNNNNNNNG (Pressing 0)

Goodbye…

Garbage Fee Anyone Department…

2009-11-05T09:26:00.001-06:00

Our City Council decided the other day to make some tough choices so they can balance the budget out. One of those choices was to eliminate at least 17 police officers and more depending on who spins it. The City claims it had no choice and the police union says it had no choice as wage freezes could go on for years.

The truth of the matter is simple. The city and the police just signed a contract last June. This is after the fact that the old contract had been expired for months and months. The police union was frustrated with the city’s slow bargaining or lack there of and of course the city was pissed that the police were holding out as it were. In the meantime, no officers received a raise or a COLA for over a year. This pissed a lot of officers off and never mind that fact that it’s a family affair at the Mayor’s office and firefighter’s union.

So the animosity was there between the two long before the city’s financial woes. Don’t let the press releases shit you. City of Peoria thinks it’s police force is overpaid and the police think our City leaders are full of shit. Crime? What crime. That’s backseat crap now. Pardon the pun because you just might have a backseat robber after your next mall visit.

This all got me to wondering about the Garbage Fee we all pay on our water bills under threat of shut off if we don’t. Funny how the water company a few years back as been seen as Satan and now the same city leaders are sleeping with them. Anyway, this garbage fee that doesn’t go to garbage collection but is supposed to go to public safety or to keeping police officers on the streets is still being taxed. Now, with the down scaling of the police department, are we getting rid of the garbage fee? Why the hell not? It was touted as a temporary tax when Ransburg clan announced it. Laughable. A temporary tax. That’s funny.

If not, then where is that money collected being spent? Anyone? If that money is indeed being used to keep officers on the job, then why not raise it 2 bucks and keep more on the job? It’s an ugly unfair tax that I have felt was jammed down our throats and to slap us all in the face it was named a garbage fee but if it is helping to keep police on the streets, why not up it. It’s not like you are upping the property tax? Of course only residential water users are being taxed the garbage fee, not places like hospitals and businesses that use police services are being taxed. That alone doesn’t seem fair.

So, we are going forward with an under funded museum, probably going to sell bonds to fund a $40 million hotel, paying for an empty Mid-Town Plaza, and with crime all over the city from Wall-Mart on Allen Rd to the shores of Tripoli, we cut back police, reduce snow routes, and nobody can say where is that garbage tax money going?

Great Letter Department…

2009-11-01T10:22:00.001-06:00

Reading the forum in the PJS (HERE) Ms. Becky Atkinson wrote a very insightful and truthful letter. She basically hit on the mark in regards to closing one of the high schools, Woodruff in this case. She made mention that some people would put trophy cases and alumni over the fact that our District is just plain old broke. She mentions that as a community, we should all come together and make the best of this situation and do our best to make the new high school at PHS work.

You can read her letter by clicking the link I provided. I want to throw my two cents in because there were some commenter's on the PJS site about her letter critical of the District. Some so shallow all they see is the money being “wasted” by the district on their tax bills. Few seem to remember the Mr. Hinton inherited this mess from past Supers and no one seems to remember the money wasted by and paid to Royster to get rid of her. Where were these loud parents then? I know, they had no children in the schools so they, like most of us, ignored the schools. But when THEIR kid enters the schools, then they want to know everything and they know everything. OK, it's in our interest, all of ours, to know and understand our school district whether we have kids there or not. Home values go as the schools go. So if you own property in Peoria, you pay for the schools and you should care. That is why I am so jaded sometimes when it comes to District 150. I see generation after generation of parents parade up, bitch, get their kids through the schools, and disappear. Next!

I love the way people look at their tax bill and then decide too much money is going to and being wasted by District 150. District 150 has been land locked for years and as home values drop in old neighborhoods and as vacant lots increase, the Districts money goes down. Then you got a slap happy city council who has turned the entire town into TIFs which many last 20 years and many if not all, have failed to produce any growth whatsoever and yet the District receives no monies from TIFs and the taxes go to repaying for the bonds. We are stuck with Mid-Town Plaza as an example and that debt is not being paid by sales tax but now being paid by us, the taxpayers to the tune of what? $14 million?

Ms. Atkinson’s letter is right on the mark. The sad fact is District 150 is broke.

IMO, the County should combine all the school districts into 1 District with 1 Super and 1 board. That savings alone would be millions and then the county wide tax base could be distributed evenly throughout the district for all the schools. Districts like in Dunlap wouldn't be sitting on a million dollar surplus and buying $100,000 trailers to haul band equipment when the neighboring school is broke and using a wagon to haul a trumpet and a tuba. This would be the fairest way to distribute the monies to the schools but it won't fly because the folks in Dunlap and richer little Districts won't have it. Imagine how smooth our schools could run if there was just one board, one super, and one county wide district.

Silly? Actually not. This has been bantered around down in Springfield by our drunk happy reps. The same ones who find $5 million for a museum no one wants. I think it’s actually a great idea and think maybe the state should be divided in no more than 4 super districts. This way, little or even bigger broke districts can share in the state wide tax base. No District would then be considered land locked as far as tax base is concerned thus ending District 150s biggest problem. Well, second biggest problem. The first being and insensitive city council who would rather make sure a developer has a nice place to stay instead of our school children.

Oh, they will tell you that’s a lie but only one council member I know of will tell you the truth and that is Sandberg. The TIFs, the Enterprise Zones have hurt our schools funding. The way our council has paid attention to our schools in the past is liken to the Captain of the Titanic saying; “What feakin Hole? Full speed ahead!”

The single county wide district won’t fly. No body in a smaller wealthier district that runs a surplus, that can buy fancy equipment and weight rooms for sports will want to give that up and even the playing field. It might mean some students from “other” places may be able to attend their school. (If you get my drift) Hell, it might even mean a tax break for some and maybe a tax increase for others. I don’t think any school district should be hoarding tax money, period. Not when so many schools are suffering.

What it might do is even the schools out, relieve some money problems for a lot of schools which means a better education opportunity for all the children and with a county wide district, more board members to represent the public which means less six figured over priced egg heads acting as Generals over their districts which might make them extinct. Pay ONE Super and his/her staff, that’s it.

Boy, I would like to see the bitching at those school board meetings by the parents. BTW, no wheel for the school board. You guys can’t afford it.

It’s Game Time Again Folks….

2009-10-31T13:18:00.001-05:00

Remember the Shoe Carnival? A store that sold shoes in a circus like atmosphere with a few employees standing around a big spin wheel that offered usually meaningless prizes like buy 10 pair get one free or 10% off any purchase over $300. Every once in awhile they would announce over the PA a spin was going to take place or, you got a chance to get a spin on checkout. Well, the place is gone but, I had to wonder what ever happened to that wheel and what it would be like if we had a…..

Council Carnival!!!

It’s in the council chambers with a circus like atmosphere and circus music being piped in. No need to wonder where the clowns are. I can hear it now. The “Big Wheel” is in the middle of the room and after bids and two very costly studies, only cost the city $50,000 installed. I digress…

Each council person takes a turn……… Walks up and gives it a spin…click click click click…click……click…. “A new TIF!” Wow what a stroke of luck. Another council person walks up….click,click,click…..click……..click. “A lighting Grant!” Wonderful, now we can install ornamental lighting on Ellis Street so police have the light at night to see the shooting victims laying on the ground. Yet another council person takes a spin…..click, click,click,click…….click………..click. ahhhh, sorry, Lose two police officer positions and one turn. Oh well, who needs police.

Yes a real carnival type atmosphere to get the city’s business done and yes even guests who appear before the council can take a spin. Let’s have Mr. Joseph step to the big wheel. He’s earn it for spending countless hours showing the council how he can hide the pea under three different coconut shells. Click, click,click,….click….click. “$40 million for Mid-Town Plaza!” Holy cow and don’t worry, we can afford it.

Yes the Council Carnival can be a helpful tool for our city leaders to govern. It’s makes those bullet to the head long dragged out meetings just sail by and it incorporates all the virtues this council has shown, paying no attention to the elephants in the back room. Every circus has elephants they’re just not named “Sewer Overflow”, “Garbage Fee”, and ugliest elephant of them all…”Build the Block”.

At the Council Carnival we are all winners unless of course you happened to be just a plain ordinary schmuck, then you’ll never get a spin. Of course high rollers like Rep. David Leitch will get a spin. Why? Well, the City has pretty much gave away the best piece of real-estate this side of Chicago to Peoria County so they may build a museum. You might recall this “contract” being made and how it will bring millions in dollars to our area. It’s right there on the carnival wheel next to “Free Legal Representation” or just to the left of “Fire a city snow plow driver” .

Mr. Leitch along with 3 other of our fine state reps have found it in their hearts and our wallets, $5 million dollars laying around our already broke state. Amazing and I thought Houdini was good. Go ahead Mr. Leitch, give the good ol wheel a spin! Click click click click….click…….click…………click. “A Get Out of Jail Free Card!” Wow, and you should need it for robbing us taxpayers and giving it to the biggest hole in the ground this side of St. Louis. I hope at the grand opening of the museum, the minimum wage worker spills your gin and tonic all over your pants cause you just pissed on every working and laid off taxpayer’s leg in Peoria.

Meanwhile, we are laying off police, eliminating police jobs to the tune of 29, cutting snow routes, giving developers spins on the wheel and $40 million for a hotel downtown, dreaming up fees to add to the already unfair Garbage Fee, the State can’t pay it’s bills, people going out of work, CAT refuses to build it’s Visitor Center until the economy comes back and our local State Reps stroll in like Oral Roberts will a brief case full of cash for a museum that the museum people said they didn’t need because they can raise the money in a blink of an eye. Well, folks, it’s hard to blink your eye when it’s black and blue and swollen. We taxpayers have been beaten up enough already. Mrs. Ricca, devoted neighborhood and long suffering activist, you can spin the Council Carnival Wheel.

Click click click click…..click…..click……….click. Ohhhh sorry. It says; “No money for neighborhoods” Better luck next time!

….”Yes it’s fun at the good ol Council Carnival where parking has a fee and so does your garbage…”

I Ponder Department…

2009-10-24T15:18:00.001-05:00

Here are a few things I ponder about;

*October has been a cold and wet month. Where is our Indian Summer? Isn’t supposed to turn shitty 5 minutes after trick or treaters start out on their rounds?

*Speaking of weather, nice to see Chuck Collins make a new gig at WEEK. His forecasts haven’t improved any though just by going out on this beautiful sunny Saturday which he said would be cloudy and cool with rain at times. Glad he was wrong in this case since this is what, the 3rd sunny day this month?

*The country is in a swirl over H1N1 flu and everyone seems sick. Can’t wait until I get it. But it’s not a problem, no wait, the President just issued a National Emergency for it.

*The world must be tilted or off balance when the two best football teams in the NFL right now are the Denver Broncos and the New Orleans Saints.

*The best comment on a post I have read today was from CJ’s blog and, guess what, another District 150 issue. No wonder the schools have a bad name when one blogger hits them with everything and 40 commenter's throw their 2 cents in. anyway here is the comment: By Sharon Crews… “…..There has always been a major cover-up–don’t want the district to look bad….”

Huh, Too late, you guys make the District look bad every single day of the year. I little late for concern there.

*On the same issue, District 150, I wonder how these same couch quarterbacks will dis the new superintendent when he or she takes over the job. You couldn’t please some people if you hung them with a new rope.

*I ponder why I keep blogging and keep this blog up at times. Met some nice people while doing this but I have also run into some assholes.

*My fun tonight? Waiting online for the new Blackberry 5.0.0.328 software release to hit the web and then loading it on my phone. Now that’s entertainment.

Meanwhile, over on the cesspool of knowledge site, all I got to say is; “Hang in there Jim, I for one appreciate your efforts with the schools.”

I wish…

2009-10-20T16:37:00.001-05:00

Here is a little list of things I’d like the City of Peoria and or other government bodies, including the State adopt. Mainly, this is about Peoria Public Schools. First, I would like to see the new hotel ($40 million) dropped. It is clear the developer can’t get his share so shelve it and shelve the museum idea. We have Lakeview, work with that. Still, the people who, pull the strings don’t think we little people have any idea how a city should be run so neither of those projects will bite the dust. We’ll get them no matter how far down our taxable throats they have to shove them.

Now for my list:

1. If you are a parent with a child in District 150, on public aid, and enrolled in the free lunch program, then you must serve 50 hours of volunteer time with the school district unless your child makes the honor roll. Then you are exempt. Fail to show? Then aid is stopped as is the lunch. Time to take responsibility.

2. If your child is failing or in trouble or both, then you must serve 100 hours in the schools per school year. Failure to do so will result in suspension of your public aid and free lunch program. You and the failing child shall attend after school classes. If you are not on public aid or free lunch, then you will be fined. First offense $100. Second Offense: $200, third will require appearance before a juvenile judge.

3. The father in both cases above must also show for volunteer hours. Before the child can be registered in District 150, the father’s name must be registered if not married or divorced. The Secretary of State will revoke license plates of the father’s car if the father fails to show for his service work and involve himself with his child’s general care and education.

4. If the father fails to show, he shall be fined 50% of the cost for his child to be in school and his wages shall be garnished. Not working? Un-employment benefits will be stopped until payment is received.

5. You will no longer be able to come to any high school for classes if you are pregnant. If you become pregnant, then you will be required to fulfill your classes at a special high school. You forfeit graduating with your class. Failure to graduate means you do not qualify for state aid to pay your hospital bill. If you are determined to be the father of a pregnant high school girl, then you too will have to finish at that high school. You will have to graduate to avoid being assessed the hospital bill for your child. If you are already out of high school, then the total hospital bill becomes your responsibility. No more absentee fathers. Think! before you do.

6. If a student strikes a staff member or is caught with drugs, then that student will be sent to a special education class and the parent will be held responsible for the crime committed. No more passing the buck.

7. Automobiles in Peoria will need to show a Safety sticker on their rear bumper. This safety inspection will make sure your car has working lights, no cracked glass, and an exhaust, and all instrument panels gauges are working. The sticker shall be displayed on the right rear bumper and cost $20 a year. $10 to any service station that wants to be an inspection site (including Sears, Tires Plus etc etc) and $10 to the city. This will help fund the police and make streets safer. You will be required to show a current safety sticker to get a new plate or plate sticker and vise versa.

8. You will have to show a valid insurance card to get either the plate sticker or safety sticker. If the car has been modified from original equipment, then a “Re-Build” sticker must be shown on the right corner of the windshield. Cost: $50 a year. This is for cars that have 20” wheels and mags on them or any modification not from the manufacture including pickup trucks with oversize tires.

9. If you run out of gas and need police assistance because your car is blocking traffic, then you will be ticketed $75 for services rendered under the “Driver Stupidity Act”. You have a gas gauge, use it. If it doesn’t work, then it should have failed the Safety Inspection.

10. If the police are called to your house more times than the Pizza Hut delivery guy to settle family disputes, then you will be charged $200 a visit. Police resources are valuable and because you drink and beat your wife means get help or pay. Can’t pay? Jail time equals $10 a day credit on your fine. Of course meals in jail will cost your $10 a day and a booking fee of $50 shall apply.

Just my wish list and I know, this would go over like a concrete cloud but wouldn’t it be nice if people took responsibility for their actions, for their children, more so, than they seem to do now? At District 150 alone, kids are basically dropped off and forgotten until the 3pm bell. Feed the kid, teach the kid, and sometimes clothe the kid but don’t you dare discipline the kid. Maybe it’s high time to drive home the fact that having a child is forever and after the cuteness wears off and the child is passed to Grandma to raise, some responsibility must be shown. It takes two to have a child. The father often disappears and it seems not being held for his responsibility to the child either. I think it’s time to hit where it hurts. Benefits and pocket books.

High and Mighty Blogger Department…

2009-10-15T05:35:00.001-05:00

Dear readers,

You may comment here all you want. You may do something that scares me and that is to disagree with my opinions. That’s OK. I really don’t have a “Terms of Use” list thingy like some bloggers as I think this blog thing is really over rated anyway.

Some bloggers are out to make a buck off their sites, some are trying to inform their readers on local issues, some national issues, and all that is OK. I just write what I feel. Yes sometimes I ramble and drift and sometimes I feel I hit my subject matter right on the head. No body is grading this so that’s OK. It’s just a blog and with the simple stroke of a key, I could delete the whole thing. Gone!

Why this little letter? Well The Peoria Chronicle has determined that a commenter by the handle of “kcdad” is a troll. No, not the little doll with the colored hair we had as kids, but, and hold your breathe, an INTERNET TROLL! Oh my God. The humanity and the sorrow. This “troll”, kcdad has been banned from expressing his/her opinions on the Peoria Chronicle. Why? Is this Russia? Is this China? Was it because Billy Dennis complained he couldn’t get one of his mis-spelled comments in edgewise as long as kcdad commented? Nope, apparently kcdad made too much sense and that irritated the blog owner.

kcdad had some interesting opinions, many of which I started to agree with my self. Oh sweet Jesus, I hope I’m not banned. That’s all they were, just opinions and some actually made a person think. I don’t recall where they were ever cruel towards any one person like some commenter's at the Chronicle have been. Those people haven’t been banned. Why? Sharon Crews, a retired teacher is well known throughout the blogs by anyone who reads them and when she posts on a subject, especially at CJ’s blog (if you can call it that now) her comments and their length make the Dead Sea Scrolls look like a Steak N Shake menu yet she hasn’t been banned. How about when the school board was shortening the school days? Commenter Diane posted daily with her opinion and was she banned? I guess it’s a matter of who the blogger likes and dislikes. Free speech?

Well today is my last day to make a comment on CJ’s site. What’s the use? If I state an opinion that is what he considers off topic, it will be deleted. If I make a comment that goes against his beliefs, or comment on every post, I’ll be banned and considered a troll. I really don’t think that what was intended when blogs were invented. Now we got people that have blogs, with “Terms of Service” rules and they add to them to fit their needs basically just to rid their sites of opinions they don’t like. Huh. Terms of service aren’t needed. If you don’t like something posted on your blog, delete it. If you want you can moderate all comments and if there is something you don’t like, it’ll never see the light of day. I have deleted a few comments over the years mainly because I won’t have people slamming my employer or commenting on my workplace. I don’t bite the hand that feeds me.

Maybe these people need to get off their high horse because 10 minutes out of Peoria, no one has ever heard of most of us bloggers. If the Peoria blog network disappeared tomorrow, the country would move on as always. Not a light would flicker in Bloomington or Albany, or Minneapolis or where ever.

kcdad, you are welcome here as are all commenter's. I don’t mind being told I’m full of shit and I love it when people agree and I’m not always right either, but I write from what’s inside me. Like it or leave it. I believe in free speech and believe it or not, I do learn that I am wrong sometimes from my commenter's. But….these are the days of our lives….

My Little Rant on Economics Department…

2009-10-13T18:20:00.001-05:00

I posted a comment on CJ’s blog the other day concerning what I think our city leaders should do. You can read the post CJ made and the comments under that post HERE. I post under “Emtronics” in case you didn’t know.

Well today I got an email from a city council person telling me Peoria has been recognized as the 15th best place to do business in the United States (5th best midsize city). This according to CNN and Money magazine. Huh. That may be right if one considers the eentire Peoria area which would include the Heights, East Peoria, Dunlap, etc etc.

Well that just gosh darn great. Only thing is, we who live here know better. I am not going to mention the name of this councilperson but this person wanted to meet and discuss this issue and why I may think otherwise. Well, where to start.

1. Ask Sully Sullivan who closed his bar (after years downtown) and moved his business to Peoria Heights. He said the bullshit he got from the city council here was endless and Peoria Heights welcomed him with open arms.

2. Let’s give ex Mayor Maloof a shot of morphine and ask him why he let the gambling boat cross the river. I mean, really, does East Peoria’s values differ that much from ours? If the boat had stayed here, like planned, I do believe we would have a vibrant riverfront 24 hours a day and a hotel in the hole that is now known as Museum Square. I even believe those old warehouse buildings down on Washington and Water Streets would have been converted to apartments and small business but noooooo, during the Maloof regime, we had to have morals and gambling is immoral. Yet this same government body, the city council gambles with our money all the time. Read Mid Town Plaza, Campustown, Ballpark, Ren-Park, and the newest to step up, the $40 million hotel.

3. Our city council argued for weeks, nay, months on whether to extend the 4am liquor license district. leaving some small business people hanging in the outcome. They argue everything to death when it comes to businesses unless of course there are some back room deals going on. Back room deals? Say it isn’t so. Let’s see….A lighted (LCD) billboard on N Knoxville is wired and installed and set to go, weeks BEFORE council approval of said sign. Approved! Taco Bell gets automatic approval for a new restaurant on N Knoxville despite concerns from neighbors behind it and various setbacks. Approved! A small business man tries to apply for a beer garden outside his business in a spot where the city ran out other businesses because of the Forrest Hill improvement project which took longer than building of the Great Pyramids in Egypt did and is denied yet, another bar, favorite to city movers and shakers gets their beer garden on W Glen Ave approved. Yeah, yeah, there were circumstances involved in each case. I’ll bet.

4. As for business climate here. yes, in the Peoria AREA, the business climate can be good. Unfortunately, not in Peoria proper. Hell we can’t even support a Famous Dave’s or a Krispy Kreme. It seems that those type of businesses grow well on the other side of the river. True, chain restaurants don’t make a city but they do pay taxes both in property and retail. Here in Peoria, we punish the few businesses downtown by taxing them extra (Called the HZI Tax, I think) so our leaders can give $40 million to a developer to build something downtown needs. Another hotel? Next to an existing hotel that sits half empty 90% of the time. No bank will loan the money for this yet our leaders think it’s a great deal. Of course, this will not bother the Holiday Inn City Centre. Oh wait, yes it will. They have their hands out too!

5. Crime. Yes we do have a small crime problem. Nothing serious though. After all, a Catholic Church has a carnival and gangs close it down. Not a problem. How to fix it? Lay off police officers. Yes the police union and fire unions have this city by the balls but whose fault is that? It’s the fault of past councils and it’s a bit too late to fix that so we will have to buckle down and kiss their asses but at least we should demand some results. Like a crime drop and a good response to fire calls. Ok, we got the fire response times but they are spread thin. Two big fires at once in this city and we are fucked. As for crime, well, depends on who you talk to. The Chief will tell you crime is down. The old lady laying in the parking lot at Wal-Mart after her purse has been ripped will say something different. Like Fox News says; “You decide”.

6. I don’t want to even talk about all the TIFs as I don’t think I can name them all. The entire town is in some kind of zone and most of the TIFs have failed even though parade after parade of developers said they wouldn’t. We are paying for Mid-Town Plaza and the only difference in that neighborhood now then what it used to be is that if you are robbed, it is in a well lit parking lot. Ren-Park is the biggest joke of them all. Basically the medical community has thumb their noses at this area. All one has to do his go out Route 91 to see that. Who could blame them though when the owner of a rat invested parts warehouse thinks his property is worth $10 million. The only thing of value on Main we have lost is the Steak N Shake that used to be there.

These are a few of the things and I didn’t even mention how the city over the years screwed the school district by basically land locking them and creating tax deferments lessening the monies the district can collect. One can point fingers all day long as to who is responsible for this but that is history. The city is going to have to make cuts and the schools are broke. Basically, we are all broke.

I am not saying money is the cure all for our city and the schools (it does help) but this town needs to get it’s priorities straight. We don’t need to be giving money for a new hotel or a museum to replace the museum nobody goes to now. We don’t need a Gateway Building nor an International Zoo. We should off the RexPlex which is nothing but a haven for the well to do as the average working stiff can’t afford it and by law, they HAVE to give out memberships to the poor but they set those hours of use. Funny. We need to rein in the Park District as money disappears there like a black hole. Bradley park is mostly, well, for Bradley University. Glen Oak sucks. Where is that money going? CityLink has to be the most missed managed public transportation company in the state. We actually bought a bunch of used buses from Chicago @ $900 each. Where is that money from the FEDS going?

Does the East Bluff and or South end have zoning issues? You bet but where is the enforcement? Next to nil. So, at City Hall, where is that money going? Nope, time to clean house. I mean from the top down for a change. Not the guy/gal that has a shovel in their hand filling a pot hole or the fireman with the hose or the cop with the gun drawn checking your business or home for crime. It’s the top people who don’t do their jobs, they should be fired.

We never do that and in fact when we do, we hire someone else at more pay. No, I don’t want to met with you Councilperson who sent me that email. I don’t own rose colored glasses and I can smell horse shit a mile away.

State Motto…

2009-10-10T06:32:00.001-05:00

“You drink, You drive, You Lose”*

*Unless you are a police officer.

Two Laws for You and Me Department…

2009-10-09T16:44:00.001-05:00

Apparently there are two sets of laws. One for us regular folk and one for the elite such as those on the police force. Not all police enjoy this 2 tier law system but ones who have relatives on the force do.

Take for example our Sherriff and his deputy son. Son was employed by MEG (Multi Enforcement Group) or a narc in common terms. Driving home or where ever off duty in a county owned unmarked car, crashes it into a ditch, admits to drinking but says he swerved to avoid a deer. No breath test, no nothing, gets a ride home, daddy suspends him 2 days and MEG says goodbye. Nothing out of the ordinary there right? Back on patrol writing you and me tickets, right?

Well my long time good friend just bought a brand new Chevrolet, one with On-Star in it. His first brand new car in years. He had a few drinks one night but far from drunk, drove home to his rural home and lost control almost hitting a deer. The car slid down an embankment and hit a guard rail. Flatten a tire. He wasn’t injured and got out. Being less than a half mile from his house, he decided to walk home, call a wrecker, and have the car towed.

Now remember the On-Star? Well, after he got out, the On-Star couldn’t reach him. He didn’t hear it. On-Star called the police unknown to him and of course they arrived as he was walking on the road home. He told them what happened, they asked if he had been drinking (Tom is a big guy) and Tom replied he had a couple of beers at the pizza place. They asked him to blow, he refused and was arrested on the spot.

They woke a judge, took a blood sample and Tom had to make bail, his car was impounded and he had to call his lawyer. You see, Tom owned 5 dump trucks and had a good business going. Loosing his license would mean he couldn’t drive (for the short term) and would have to hire a driver to cover him. Tom wasn’t offered a ride home, but a ride to jail. The blood test came back and Tom wasn’t even close to drunk. It was the principle of the whole issue to Tom. He felt he dodged a deer, had an accident, and wanted to cut his losses and call it a day but the police had a different idea.

Tom was a regular guy. No relatives in high office. He was preparing to sue for his arrest when he suddenly dropped dead from a heart attack in his business’ garage.

That was last April. I miss Tom. He was a nice guy but I’ll bet if his daddy was Sherriff, he wouldn’t have suffered the stress he did because of his arrest.

Now, can anyone tell me the difference between this story and Sherriff McCoy’s son’s story? I can. You can bet Sheriff McCoy’s son won’t face a DUI and court costs and even the risk of losing his job.

What is truly sad is….where is our great State’s Attorney or the Illinois State Police in this investigation? If it was truly an accident, then fine, but, police officers need to be held to a higher standard than us regular schmucks. You can bet you or I wouldn’t get cut an inch of slack if it was us this happened to, much like Tom.

This will quietly go away. Fade from memories until maybe one day, this gun ho prick who drinks while driving a police car, will maybe fuck up some innocent person with his actions. Time will tell.

I am sorry. Maybe the young Deputy is completely innocent but I still would like someone other than the head fox looking into this henhouse.

My Random Axe of Snideness Department…

2009-10-02T08:08:00.001-05:00

This is my Random Axe of Snideness. I sure hope I don’t burn any bridges.

First off, Merle Widmer posted a post on 9/30 about Stephanie Aaron performing at a Washington eatery and in an email from Stephanie, which Merle posted, she mentioned the band that backs up her great singing talents, one of whom, is my son, who happens to have the same name as I do, except he is a Junior. Yes he plays Bass but one of the comments was from CJ (Peoria Chronicle) who posted “Randy Emert?” Like could it be me? Could I have talent? Yes, CJ, an idiot mailman could possibly raise a child or two to be talented and smart and even successful. No, wait……You should know that.

Merle Widmer, on the same post, also wondered if it was the same “Randy Emert” that often posts on CJ’s site and then said; “hmmm” Like I was some kind of nut or something. Well, Merle, I have met you many times even though apparently you have forgotten and Yes I am the one who posts at CJ’s and other blogs and even though we are polar opposites when it comes to political beliefs, I think you are a rather nice guy and do a wonderful job on the county board but, if you think I am a nut, well, I didn’t chase down a school bus on an interstate highway because some kid threw out some trash nor did I try to sue the city because I drove into a drainage ditch that has been there since, well, since forever.

Billy Dennis held a anti blogger bash last Tuesday and on his site, posted that he needed a ride to the bash as he was having a brake light issue on his car. Billy, have you ever driven in this town? At almost every single intersection, you can find a car with no brake lights at all. Hell I see cars with non working turn signals, they don’t flash, just stay on, missing headlamps, dragging mufflers, windshields so cracked, one wonders how you can see out of it let alone it is illegal to have a cracked windshield. I see cars with taped up broken taillights that even if the bulb was working, you still can’t tell if it’s on and you worried about driving without brake lights? No way a cop is going to give a ticket for any of this stuff. The police are too pissed at the City Council for wanting them to take a cut in pay so they aren’t going to do anymore than they have to.

East Bluff Barbie! Hey thanks for accepting me as a friend on Facebook. I made the request like, back in June. Thank God I am not on your dark side and you need to update or write to your blog much much more often. I know, it’s hard to sit down in front of the computer, in front of and open window, in the East Bluff without taking a bullet but don’t worry girl. Mid-Town Plaza will bring growth and prosperity to your neighborhood. Oh…. oops sorry.

How many Peoria City Councilpersons does it take to replace a light bulb? Why 10 of course. (not including our Mayor as he probably noticed the burnt out bulb in the first place, just it wasn’t in his department to report it) You need one councilperson to question if the new bulb will light her district otherwise she can’t support it, one to ask if they can buy 2 bulbs because his district needs light but doesn’t have a socket but it has been on city planning for years. One to ask exactly what the costs are for the bulb and if we can’t do without it completely. Two councilpersons to question if the bids for the ladder needed to replace the bulb has been properly let out to the public. One council member to object to the brightness of the bulb as his district doesn’t have the same brightness. One councilmember to abstain from voting because he owns a warehouse full of light bulbs, one to ask that this bulb replacement be tabled for two weeks while staff prepares a report on just how the bulb is to be installed and turned back on. Two councilpersons to make and second a motion to hire a consultant to review light bulb changing polices within the city of Peoria. Vote: 9-1 with 1 abstain.

Scary Overheard Department…

2009-09-27T15:07:00.001-05:00

“I’m pro life and I will kill you if you disagree.”

“I’m an American and I hate Socialism. I will kill you if we disagree!”

“I believe in God and he should run our country and I will kill you if we disagree!”

“Obama is a secret Muslim taking over the country and I will kill you if we disagree!”

“I support our troops and it says so on my SUV and I will kill you if we disagree!”

“No handouts! Tough shit if you have no health insurance! You can die or go to work and I will kill you if we disagree!”

“Need a medical specialist? Your insurance company will kill you if you disagree.”

Americans have become a me me society. A place where you can get your ass kicked for merely scratching someone's car, robbed and killed for less than $10 and all those comments above I have heard from fellow Americans. Maybe it’s too late for us. Maybe Bin Laden has indeed succeeded in ruining our country. We are not only bankrupt but it seems we are morally bankrupt. We line up like ignorant sheep and believe whatever talking head says on our favorite news program. Neither the Right nor the Left has the balls to let go their money for the welfare of the American people.

These people disagreed and they died…

Martin Luther King, Jr

John F. Kennedy

Robert Kennedy

Just an observation…..Life is short.

Hey District 150 Department…

2009-09-24T16:44:00.001-05:00

Lord knows I have supported and defended District 150 on these pages many times. I still believe they needed to close a high school. I have taken the heat for it and praise from some. I have had foul late night phone calls from spineless bastards and I have had threats. My name isn’t hard to find and neither is my number. I’ll also admit it has been getting harder and harder to defend our schools even though I know a lot of fine teachers and staff. I know a child can get a quality education despite the problems our schools face and I have 2 grown sons to prove it. Both successful in their grade, high, and college school years. Products of District 150. I know some teachers have said as parents we were responsible for their success but I have always maintained that while my wife and I supported our kids and their teachers, it was the schools and their staffs that did their jobs so my boys could succeed.

With that said, I have to also say that I am no fan of the Peoria Public Schools Campus Police. I know a lot of the officers and they are fine family people doing a tough job. I know they are an evil necessity in these times of gangs and drugs. When I went to schools here in Peoria, we had no police in the schools and I feel that our schools shouldn’t need police today which is why I am sad when I see armed officers in our schools. That is what I mean by being a non fan. I know though that isn’t the reality. We must have them.

Which brings me to the Chief of the Campus Police, Ron Scales. I am not happy with him and I think maybe he should get off his ass and earn some of that 6 figure salary we are paying him. Instead, he seems to conduct business from his desk or his new fancy unmarked tax payer funded squad car. Why?

I know a person who works for District 150 as a manager of food services. She is responsible for feeding 2300 kids a day, ordering the food and supplies and all the paper work that goes with that job. In all of those over 15 years, she has never ever missed a day for sickness. She works 10 hour days at the school and she works 2 to 3 hours each evening at her kitchen table just doing the paper work. Then she gets up at 3am to finish more paper work, then arrives at her school at 4:45am to open her office and the 10 or 12 doors she must unlock and prepare for the day. This is all done on salary so no overtime is ever paid and very little recognition is offered although she would never ask for any recognition even though the “staff” at her school excludes her on events and emails. Like she doesn't exist when issues affect her school. After all, we can’t include the lowly lunch lady can we?

But, when the food poisoning scare happened at Loucks school a few years back, guess who they pointed the finger at? She was grilled and checked by the health department and they went through every inch of her well documented paper work. The food was at temp. The food was stored properly and yet when the health department determined it was stomach flu unrelated to the food served, there were no apologies no nothing. She knew it wasn’t the food as food poisoning takes more than 24 hours to develop and these kids were sick 5 minutes after lunch. You’d think a $100,000 a year school Principal would know that but it was Loucks Principal that point a finger her way. This manager, lunch lady, or whatever you want to call her cried for two days. She never got so much as a “sorry” from anyone once it was determined where the illness came from. Shit, the TV stations never covered that. They wanted video of puking kids at District 150. Remember all the fuss about school lunches a few years back? Well, I don’t see any skeletons eating at the schools. These kids have no problem lining up for lunches.

So, since she arrives at the school at 4:45am, the day shift head custodian is almost always there with the lights on and the door open. She has keys to every door and can let herself in but this is seldom a problem as the 3rd shift custodians were there or at least they used to be until the District cut out 3rd shift custodians. Cutbacks you know.

Now things happen. the head custodian’s truck broke down on the way to work and there she was, locked out at 4:45am, in the dark, in a neighborhood that isn’t nice at all. Oh, she could get in with her key but guess what? Ron Scales doesn’t think she is important enough to have an alarm code. Yep, every teacher, coach, staff, and janitor has their code but not the manager of food services. She can have a key to the door but not the code. When the Principal said; “Hey, let’s get you a code!” They did. He felt she needed to have one so she could enter the school that one time when the head custodian wasn’t able to make it. This so she wouldn’t have to wait in the dark or walk in the dark back to her car in a neighborhood that has drug dealers, shootings, and robberies like CVS has pills.

She got her code but the Chief Scales, decides from his desk, without so much as picking up a phone to call her and ask her about it, that she didn’t need a code for the alarm, for that 1 in 1000 times she arrives at school to find no one there. He decided that the code should be revoked and it was.

Well Mr. Scales let me ask you this. Would you let your wife stand outside this high school at 5am and wait for someone to show up and let her in? I doubt it. So for this Mr. Scales I think it’s time to pull your head out of your ass and do your job. Who the fuck are you to make this decision without so much as asking the people involved? What is this manager lady going to do? Rob the place? Hell you and your staff can barely protect the place.

Maybe I need to approach the school board on their next meeting and ask these questions.

Obituary Department…

2009-09-22T17:22:00.001-05:00

Woodruff, H.S.

H.S. Woodruff died last night at approximately 8pm in the emergency board room of District 150. Mr. Woodruff left behind many workers and friends that will be left without jobs including cafeteria workers, teachers, and many custodial workers that took care of him in his final years.

His dying wish was that instead of his elder brother Harrison being re-constructed, that his organs be donated to his half brother, Manual and that Manual take over the reigns of K thru 8 children thus saving his family millions.

Alas, that wasn’t to be as his caretakers saw fit to squander his resources in his last days and spend his funds he so sorely needed to survive on more glass and glitter when his half brother Manual, was fully able to achieve the roll and handle the needs of his district, be it in another form.

No services will be rendered as his caretakers don’t have the balls to look in the faces of the many that supported Mr. Woodruff and tell them they are no longer needed.

The Diocese of Peoria has had a sparked interest in Mr. Woodruff’s ashes and may find a permanent home for his remains.

Why Not to Close Peoria High Department…

2009-09-16T16:54:00.001-05:00

I don’t get it. Jim Stowell, on the School Board has told me privately many times that he felt Peoria High School (PHS) should remain open because he had envisioned big plans for that campus because of the property the school owns around PHS, or so I thought. Yet now the info I have handed to me today says otherwise about Stowell. I don’t get it.

Here are some facts;

1.PHS building is larger than Woodruff (WHS). PHS: 248,500 sq ft to WHS: 232,000 sq ft.

2. PHS campus is larger. 21.3 acres to WHS 17.1 acres

3. PHS costs less to operate but due to neglect by District 150, PHS needs improvements. District 150 did have the money but Richwoods got the improvements instead.

4. The PHS Pool complex is in better shape than WHS. Park Disrict runs this pool.

5. PHS has better State test scores than either Manual or WHS with improved ACT scores.

6. of course there is a 150 years plus history with the richest alumni that gives a great deal of money that would certainly dry up if PHS is closed.

Although I think Manual should have been the school to close but there is a State precedent stating districts must close the smallest and/or poorest school if closure is needed and closing Manual would require more bussing of students farther. Manual does have the lowest scores and enrollment. Manual isn’t even considered for closing.

No matter. I don’t think Stowell has enough support and also there is some concern about what high school would lose or qualify for Title 1 monies. I just wonder why I must have mis-understood Jim when we talked over lunch at PHS and other times. PHS seem to be the one school the District could reshape, now he thinks it should go. huh

Some Still Don’t Get it Department…

2009-09-16T12:21:00.001-05:00

Some people still don’t get it or see it. I guess some still live in a bubble or their travels in life are limited. You might want to read THIS over at Emerge’s blog and the comments especially from this guy. (entry from 9/15/09)

What? Our President Obama. Hey, no one not even me expects everyone in the country to like his polices. I am even a little suspect on this health care issue but I do know that health care is an issue that has to be dealt with now. Not later like it has been since Medicare was started in 1965.

I didn’t agree with Bush (Dubya) and most of his polices but when this country was attacked, and remember my Right winged friends, it was attacked on HIS watch, I stood behind our President 100%. I bought into his polices and what he wanted to do. I firmly believed him and Cheney and Rumsfeld that Saddam Hussein had WMDs and were a threat to us. Only now can we all look back and see we were duped and lied to.

But you know what? I never saw the disrespect against Bush as a person as I have seen against Obama. I saw people protesting Bush’s polices but never saw the disrespect from Congress Obama is getting. Nor did I see people at Bush events carrying weapons. If anyone trashed our Constitution and our rights, it was Bush under the guise of Homeland Security and yet the masses were silent.

Last Saturday, the 12th, the biggest wing nut of them all, Glen Beck, organized a march and protest in Washington D.C. Now Fox and Beck will tell you that over 800,000 people showed up but in fact it was more like 70,000. Still, people were there to condemn our President not his polices. All one had to do is look at the signs these people were carrying. Some referenced Hitler and others Stalin. Most were simply angry white people and they are angry that a black President is in the Whitehouse. Plain and simple.

They call Obama a Socialist and yet I’ll bet more than half don’t even know what a Socialist is or how to spell it. If you want Socialism, then really, under Homeland Security from the Bush era, that is what we had. More so than we do now.

No there is more going on here than just people mad at Obama and his healthcare. It can’t be his spending policies or bailouts. Bush started those and Bush outspent all the last Presidents combined. Where were these people then? Isn’t this why Obama was elected by a mass majority in the first place? To effect change in Washington. To tackle healthcare in this country where people die everyday because they can’t afford healthcare? To fix our economy and get things back on track after the train wreck that was Bush and his 8 years?

No, when people show up at town hall meetings with weapons strapped to themselves, or when a sitting Congressman yells a slur at the speaking President, when a Congressman condones a person that calls himself an American terrorist, or when people like Beck and Limbaugh literally insight people to violence to “take back their country” there must be an underlying thing going on.

It has to be the fact that Obama is black. Plain and simple. Nothing else could be at the bottom of this rotten and ugly spew that is coming out of the Right. This is far worse than Clinton’s 8 years and we are only in the 8 month? All Clinton got hung for (pardon the pun) was a blowjob!

Nope, this country, or (I hope) at least a loud minority (pardon the pun again) has showed their true racial colors. This scares me more than any Bin Laden threat. I am afraid of all the Timothy McVeigh wanna a be’s out there. Someone is going to do something frightful sooner or later and do it in the name of “their country” or God. All because we have narrow minded bigots leading in Congress and their followers who line up like sheep and believe everything these people say. I hope I am wrong. But it seems in this country, if you keep telling lies, people start to believe them. Death squads, Obama is not a real US citizen, he’s brainwashing our kids, he is a Muslim and giving our country to the Muslims. On and on…. Any parent who wouldn’t let their child listen to what President Obama had to say to them in a school speech needs to be removed as a parent and take parenting classes and any school administrator that banned the speech doesn’t deserve to be an administrator. It’s the President of the United States wanting to talk to our kids! What happen to the respect of the office? Would that been done for Bush? Doubtful.

This is all about race. Nothing more. We all better get a grip on ourselves and those of us, that is 70% of us, that believe Obama is trying to help and is making change, well, we need to stop cheering in front of our TVs and hit the streets. We need to get out and show this small group that they are indeed a minority and we will not stand them tearing our country apart.

Sorry, this is how I feel. The true terrorist like Bin Laden have truly beaten us if we can’t have civil discord and discussion on our problems facing us. They have succeed in dividing us, all that is left is for them to conquer us.