District 150 is buying homes next to the Lindbergh Middle School off of N Sheridan road. They even tore down one house already and an offer for another has been made by the District. Something happening here in times of tight money? Hmm
You know me, I am not one to dis the District but...
The Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce issues a press release today supporting District 150 and the tough decisions ahead for them. The District wants the Chamber to work with them and help them improve their image among other things.
Here is a press release: (hat tip to Billy Dennis)
Peoria (January 23, 3009) –District 150 has some difficult decisions ahead due to significant budget deficit predictions. The Peoria Area Chamber of Commerce supports the district’s efforts to make those tough changes for the future of our educational system. Members of the school board and the Chamber board met this morning at the Heartland Partnership office to discuss the status of District 150.
The Chamber Board was asked to assist by urging community leaders to be a voice of this effort in hopes of changing the perception of the public schools in Peoria. Chairperson Deb Ritschel responded saying “The Chamber will support the district as it positions itself to ensure children today and children in the future have a stable school system providing a quality education.”
Wow! The Chamber didn't want to march and then scream demands at the Board? The Chamber hung out with those lowly school board members? (Sorry about that Jim) Bet they even had a meat tray at the meeting.
And guess what else? Just maybe since cooler and smarter heads are getting involved, the children won't get to witness mad foaming at the mouth parents worried about why someone isn't coming to her house and making the District teach her hard to handle kid. Damn those teachers! Or, someone worried her kid isn't going to the NBA because he may have to switch high schools. Or, and this is the big one, that their child will be brain dead after missing 45 minutes of instruction a week because the teachers are planning their next Hawaiian vacation.
One more. Maybe we will stop hearing from retired teachers who after years of teaching never spoke up once and then, all of a sudden, they are master architects of what is wrong at District 150. Parents come and go, kids grow up and move on, these people come out of the woodwork.
I wonder what a realtor tells a buyer when looking at house in the City of Peoria. Among crime issues and taxes does she/he lie and say the schools are good? I mean people are always protesting the School Board, then the schools can't be good right? Does she/he say the schools are crap and risk losing a sale? I mean what family would want to buy a home if the schools suck?
Does she/he simply not mention the schools at all? Hoping the buyers don't bring them up? Or does she/he simply ignore the Peoria metro market and sell homes in Dunlap and other outer areas? I mean, how does someone who makes a living by selling homes where the schools are considered by her/him to be faulty at best do it with a straight face?
These are some of the PROFOUND questions I ask.....
I thought my answer deserved a whole post. Here is what was posted on my previous post; "The Nut Case Department..." by an Anonymous poster (who else?):
"Very scary that you can listen to those children and parents who overcame their fears and spoke at the board meeting and then snark about them. Especially the little girl in foster care.
You need to see a cardiologist. There is something seriously wrong with your heart."
Well, I don't have a problem with anyone who wants to speak to the board and express an opinion but some there have their priorities in the wrong place. I never "snarked" the little girl either but I did some of the parents. Knapp came off as a lunatic and for someone that was a teacher and President of the PFT for years, that wasn't very professional or convincing. The woman who complained that her son's sport career would end if Woodruff closed has no idea what her son should be doing, academics! How shallow. Was she serious? Then there was the speaker who thinks there should be more parent involvement, which is correct, but for donations to keep the District afloat via the Booster Club. Did she just wake up from a cave and realize the District has a money problem? That is la-la land. Then the older gentleman who was a Woodruff alum (circa 1967) who said what a travesty if Woodruff closed. Of course his son is employed at Woodruff and even if the school did close, people will survive with memories. My high school here no longer exists. Times change. He had no merit in his comments. If there were some concerning going to high school sporting events, then I want the old Turkey Day football game back! Remember those? Long gone but life went on.
No I don't need to see a heart doctor. I have a heart and I feel for this District. Blame whomever, but they are being squeezed by money problems and right now, what business isn't? 80% of this Districts money goes to personnel so that is where cuts will be made. There is no magic wand like some will try and tell you there is at a pizza party. Nope, if anything, some of those who protest (and some do it for name recognition only) need to see the Wizard. Remember the line; "If I only had a brain..." ? I don't give a rats ass who that Mexican gentleman is or how many kids he put through our schools, his constant appearance and non relative speaking which rambles from point to point, with out a point, should be banned as a waste of time. If just once he made a point, then OK. Is that heartless enough for you?
Ya know, our dear City Council needs to pick up some of the blame for our schools. They after all, have sold almost the entire city into TIFs and that takes away much needed tax funds from our schools. Where are these loud mouths at city council meetings? You won't see some there because some of these "concerned" parents hob knob with our city's "elite". They party with the shakers and movers of our city, not the lowly school board members.
These same people blog and make comments on blogs about our school district. They love to hold meetings and smile for the WEEK cameras. They can clearly see what is wrong, where the problems are and yet none of them can stand up and offer a viable solution to help these kids and this District. None. Remember the kids? It is the children of the district that everyone wants to help. No, it's about jobs and Edison. Union teacher jobs and the threat to those jobs Edison brings and yet one person, a teacher, stood up and defended Edison. Why not? It works. You can all argue where the money went, that point is moot now that the cow is out. What we need is some civil concerned dialog within our community with the board, the city council, teachers, and parents involved. We can not continue to tear down this district with marches and rants, like Knapp's because this leaves the impression to people on the sidelines our schools suck. They have problems, yes, but they are good schools and they do produce excellent students and accomplishments but you would never know it by the marching band of nuts. It's too bad I think this of them but they represent maybe 10% of the total parents in this District. If I saw 80% of the parents involved, then I say something is wrong but that is what is wrong, there is no parental involvement in our schools. None. (Please don't tell me the 10 people that show up for your Booster meeting is involvement)
Personally, I think this "stew" has been brewing for years. You can blame the Administration, the Board, and yes even the Union. Our school district is land locked. Some could see this coming years ago but no one offered a solution. They just rode the train with everyone else and now real changes are going to have to be made. Some parents are really concerned for their kids and some teachers are concerned too. But some have another agenda and I'm afraid the kids are on the bottom of that list. Some just like to be heard bitching. Look at the same faces that show up to do just that.
The only speakers that really made sense last night were the ones that were calm and had they thoughts written out. The teacher, and a few of the students who spoke. I hold no malice towards them. I do wonder about the others, many of whom don't seem to have a grasp on why their child is in school. For sports? For nightlife? For Christ sake, it's high school! 4 years (if you're lucky) and then on to college and then onto life. What difference really does it matter where you learn as long as you learn. Some people just don't get it.
That is my answer to you Anonymous. Like it or leave it. Our school district is hurting and instead of poking them in the ribs and back, we should be offering a helping hand up and make the cuts coming as painless as possible. When hearing something over and over, lie or truth, people tend to believe it. I want these "concerned" parents to stop tearing our District down on TV and at pizza joints and on blogs. When they come together with meaningful dialogue with the District, the City Council, and local businesses to try and iron out a solution, then I will join in. Good luck getting our council to admit and join in anything. In the meantime, march on this....(imagine graphic)
After listening to Terry Knapp talk at the school board meeting tonight, I am convinced those people that showed up to rally around a school closing have a complete and different agenda. Hmmm Edison?? Knapp never mentioned a school closing, in fact, I thought someone with a tongue depressor would be needed for him.
I have seen these types come and go. No thanks. The school board deserves a check for listening to this tribe.
To the young woman who actually made sense and talked up Edison schools and how good they really are, I'll be she didn't need to meet at a pizza place, liquor up people and march like lunatics. She simply stated an excellent case. Kudos!
UPDATE: The young lady who didn't look a day over 17 who had kids at District 150. Wow, isn't that the problem? Young kids raising young kids? She couldn't complete a sentence. Also, since when do students have to be asked about school closings?
BTW, the Gang thing doesn't wash. Ya know; "please don't close Woodruff and mix our gangs with Central's." Do you know how stupid that sounds? Apparently some of these people need to meet at Central or Woodruff right before school lets out and watch the gangs. They don't need a reason to fight. They do it quite well almost every afternoon.
Life is good again! At this very moment of this posting, Bush is being escorted to a helicopter that will fly him out of town lock, stock, and barrel.
Goodbye Dubya and don't come back!
Today District 150 schools imploded and wiped out every school, budget, and sack lunch for 20 miles. The only thing rescuers found was assorted clip boards and the remains of two blogs. Various sites are still smoldering at this time.
A moment of silence was ordered but failed as anonymous commenter's and "know it alls" continue to bitch that District 150 failed to implode properly and not according to state standards. One blog site even went on to comment that it was just another way for District 150 to skirt the education standards set by the state. The only other person to show at any of the now vacant sites was an un-named realtor. She planted a sign.
Film at 10 but WHOI was bought out by Taco Bell and the film was lost on the last run to the boarder.
Remember this.....after reading all the local blogs on this Cub Food Store closing no matter what you think, there are three facts:
Fact 1: After this TIF was approved for MidTown, Thetford (then 3rd District council woman) was seen out in the foyer of the council chambers hugging Joesph, the Developer.
Fact 2: Joesph doesn't give a rats ass about this plaza or what happens to Peoria unless he can make a buck off it. If not, he'd be gone in a New York minute.
Fact 3: If our city council made a deal with a developer that was good for us taxpayers that didn't suck, it would be for a trailer load of vacuum cleaners.
I love the weather people here in our area. I rarely watch local television anymore including the local news. I can't stand the tilt of Mike Dimmick's head to the left or the fact that the blonde on WEEK some mornings still can't read a teleprompter and she graduated with a communications degree?
Still, the weather people get me the most as I listen to the radio during the day in my travels. It usually starts out as; "A little snow, maybe and inch tomorrow..." Then in an hour it goes to; "Maybe 1 to 2 inches total..." then it goes to; " Well maybe 2 to 4 inches...." Lord only knows what will actually happen but one would expect the NWS issue a Winter Storm Warning when they expect more than 3 inches. Oops! I think we just got 6 inches of flurries this morning and damit all to hell, I am tired of shoveling flurries off my driveway you incompetent boobs.
So, knowing that basically all 3 local TV stations parrot the NWS (National Weather Service) out of Lincoln, Illinois I figured out how and maybe why they seem to miss these little storms that are the length of the state and a blind man could see coming. The fact that all our weather comes out of Lincoln should be enough to scare you as I picture this place as a non descriptive shack located behind the Lincoln Dairy Queen.
So here is what happened with this last storm. As some may know, they have in the middle of the room, a round radar screen about the size of a large Pizza Hut pizza in size. This large circular glass screen shows the storms as they enter and leave our area. The dude on duty last night simply walked in the room, ripped the cover off a match book, and proceeded to clean the stems and seeds from his weed on the screen thusly missing the 6 to 7 inch snow storm that hit us overnight without so much as a warning issued.
What did we get (other than the headache and surprise of all this snow)? Well, I tuned into WEEK this morning just in time to hear expert weather girl Sandy Gallant say; "Hehe hehe well, folks, the LOW took a wrong turn overnight. hahah ...... Gary?"
Note to local TV stations: save the money, dump the weather personalities and run a crawl at the bottom. Tired of hearing "oops!"
According to THIS blog, Cub Foods on Knoxville in Midtown Plaza is closing March 1st. Go ahead and make the jump, read it, and then come back. We shopped this store every week. We found it clean, stocked, and nice people worked there but there wasn't hardly a sole in the place. Of course maybe it was because we went at 6am. Go later in the day and you run into panhandlers and all kinds of riff raff.
My Two Cents: Once again, we the people are screwed. The General Obligation (GO) Bonds issued to pay for this will be our responsibility because empty buildings do not generate sales taxes. The people who voted for this TIF are mostly gone on the council but the new GO Bonds about to be issued for a new downtown hotel and guess who will hold the bag if that fails? Us!
Let's look back a bit at Midtown. You can bet your ass that Joseph, the developer, has a signed lease from CUBS and will probably get paid even though the store will remain empty for months if not years. That is the corporate way. Cheaper to shut down and pay the lease than to operate at a loss. So Joseph will not lose a dime most likely and therefore no incentive to rush another tenant in.
Who voted for this on the council? At the time it was;
Turner, Ardis,. Nichting, Spears, Duncan, Gibson, Thetford, Grieves, Morris, Greyeb. Sandberg voted no or Nay. Duncan, Gibson, Thetford, Grieves, Morris, and Greyeb are gone but Thetford still lives right up the street on Knoxville and maybe we all should buy a dozen or two eggs from Cubs before they go and egg her house to let her know how much we value her wisdom. No, she's not worth the eggs.
People, one of the perks of having a son who plays jazz for various groups is that if I decide to go with him to a private function, all I have to do is push his amp in the door, set it up, and I'm in! No one is the wiser. Yeah, it's a shitty way to get into a free meat tray or open bar, but hey, I learn a lot from these movers and shakers that vote for this kind of crap and I have attended some real nice private party's. "I'm with the band."
What is wrong with our current city government? Well these people wine and dine behind closed doors with these developers and investors and work these kind of deals. We got Van Auken hanging with the owner of the only ambulance service Mobile Medic walking neighborhoods threatening college kids. Lord only knows how many developers own Nichting but I know Nichting has never meant a developer he didn't like. I don't know what happened to Spears over the years but I wish the Illinois Democrats would give him back his spine. Gully sometimes acts like he needs Map Quest to just make a meeting or locate the next new TIFF. Spain seems to be sitting in a wired seat that will send 50,000 kilo volts if he doesn't vote the status quo. (I don't know who has the button, but I could make a guess) Van Auken has abandon her TIFF, Ren-Park. How much city money went down that hole? Ardis, while a nice guy, runs the meeting like he has a massage appointment to make and must get out of there. (He's the kind of guy that if the whole town imploded, he would rise from a stack of bricks, suit firmly pressed, not a hair out of place, wipe the dust off, and smile that smile an tell us; "It's better here!") Jacobs? Well anyone who brings us Landshark beer can't be all bad. I'm not touching Turner with a ten foot pole only to say he has served his time, time for him to go. Manning said what a lot of us felt and he said it well about that damn museum. Montelongo? Invisible man. Have to line him up with a telephone pole to see any movement.
Sandberg is the only person on the council that is trying to look out for the working guy but one vote doesn't always cut it. In this type of forum, he might as well be Rain Man. Sad to say that about the most intelligent and informative guy on the council but at least he has his spine. I don't know who's balls are hanging on Van Auken's rear view mirror but they aren't Gary's.
I look at this and I wonder how we are going to pay nearly a half of a million dollars in debt and watch yet another developer head to the Bahamas' without losing so much as a shirt. The Build the Block people will be on us with their tax agenda and you can bet they will tie this tax as a public service tax to not only help the new Museum but to help the aging Belwood Nursing Home. After all, who would vote NO and put a bunch of old ladies in wheelchairs out in the cold? You watch, that will be the line as they, those movers and shakers and council people that know what is good for us, will decide at some cocktail party in the coming months.
We, the people, sat back and didn't even squeal when these people did this to us. Created TIF after TIF and rewarded developer after developer while our streets went to hell, the fire department was understaffed, and crime went through the roof. We blindly pay a Garbage Fee that doesn't go to garbage collection but we pay it. For Christ sakes folks, even a pig squeals when it gets poked. We just pay. We should show up en masse at the next council meeting (if they still tell the public when they meet) and leave them a heaping bag of garbage in the chambers. Let them smell the stink they have created.
We get empty strip malls, sand mixed with our salt, stressed police force to the limits, limited street crews to clear our streets (they are on their what, 4th snow removal plan?? and I am in week 4 of waiting for my tree limbs to be collected) a fire department that little do people know, is stretched farther than a fat woman's girdle.
My take is that when the elections come up, you should vote out your council person, and I am going to vote for General Parker. I have never seen him hob knob at any of those cocktail parties and I know he isn't in the pocket of any developer and even chummy with them. How much worse could he be? I'll bet he knows the value of a dollar which is something our current administration should learn. It's our dollars! We should also shuck this museum and show these people at Build the Block the door. We should demand truth in taxation and the Garbage Fee should be rescinded ASAP. (Didn't we start a war with Britain over taxation without representation?) It'll be the first and only tax ever rescinded if they did. (yeah, believe them when they say only for 20 years will we tax you. Like the HRA tax???) Are we all that gullible? Apparently we are so maybe it's high time we form together and pack a few council meetings and let these cocktail partying hob knobbing deal making people know. We are their boss! Fire them all!
Lastly, Gary Sandberg, if I see you at my little drinking hole again, I am buying you a drink. You have been right all along.
Sometimes, a person just needs a slap in the face to bring them back to reality. Sometimes I think a small period inside the ass kicking machine, pulling the rope will do. Lord knows it works for me sometimes. Other times, nothing will help. With this in mind and to relieve a little tension in my life, I am going to list a few things that well, people do that deserve a slap in the chops or a visit to the ass kicking machine.....
People who use their turn signal to move in front of you in traffic even though there is only room enough for a loaf of bread between you and the car in front of you. They got their signal on, so that gives them the right to change lanes, never mind they don't use it at all when they abruptly stop and turn right without any indication at all. A good slap in the chops.
To those drivers that can plainly see the huge flashing arrow that tells everyone from here to India that they must get over because the lane is blocked ahead. These people ignore that request and drive to within 10 feet of the arrow and then want over. A trip to the ass kicking machine for them and if they use a signal, a slap in the chops.
To CJ, who thinks he can decrease his blogging and not offer an opinion on everything District 150. District 150's antics are his holy grail and besides, if he stops completely what will Sharon Crews do? A slap in the chops.
To THIS blogger who refers to her fetus as "Flippy". I am sorry, but the picture of someone with thick eyebrows, who is pregnant and refers to her baby as Flippy just creeps me out. A stern slap in the chops.
To the woman who answered my call at the City manager's office (Peoria Cares number) and was so testy and almost rude when I asked why, after 2 weeks, the limbs in my neighborhood haven't been collected. She went off on a rant on how big a job it was after such an ice storm. Wow, no shit Sherlock. Take a pill. I was just asking. A double slap in the chops.
To me, for noticing that there were no limbs in the Knolls, Lynnhurst, Weaver Ridge, and a few other "poor" subdivisions. I should have known the city was taking care of all the neighborhoods equally. A tour of the ass kicking machine for me.
A 20 rope pull trip to the ass kicking machine for those that don't know what; "No Turn From Left Lane When Light Is Red" sign means. These assbags need a ticket too!
A double trip for me also because I guess I didn't think Flippy was a cute name. After all, we named our pet goldfish Flippy.
To the 6 or 7 regular posters at the Peoria Dot Com forums. We don't need to know every time your kid got the shits, or if you are banging a loaded pistol on the curb while you contemplate killing your ex-boss, or how wonderful your last trip to Wal-Mart was. Now I know why bullets were invented. Line up, you all need a slap in the chops.
To ex Mayor Maloof, for writing a letter to the forum at the PJS on how mad you were at Manning for speaking out against the Build the Block Museum project. Remember (which you probably don't) that it was you that chased the boat to the other side of the river over your religious beliefs and using those same religious beliefs, the city was sued by a dozen women because you grabbed their asses. Stay with what you know and you don't know jack about how to run a city. We have found that out and are still suffering from your policies. A trip to the ass kicking machine would probably kill you so a slap in the chops.
To our beloved City Council members. While I think 99% of you should have to stand in the ass kicking machine and pull the rope, I think a good hardy slap in the chops is due if for no other reason that that $30,000 logo. Have you noticed that District 150 changed their log as did the Illinois American Water company? I'll bet they didn't spend 30 grand. You could have adopted the Greater Peoria Sanitary District's logo and just inverted it. 
GPSD's logo is a blurry blue wavy lines on top with sharper blue wavy lines on the (see pic)bottom that implies dirty shitty water becomes drinkable clean water. Invert it as clean sharp politics becomes shity blurry politics. Shit will settle to the bottom. Keep the same letters: GPSD = Greater Peoria Spending Department. It's a win win and you can send me a check for $1000 saving this city $29 grand!
Here we go. Into another new year and already I'm feeling the pain of this economic downturn. If anyone has listened to a local radio station, then they have had to heard our mayor, Ardis, decry how wonderful we have it here in Peoria. Of course, some city council person in Pekin tells almost word for word, except for the percentages and rankings, the same story.
Well, Krispy Creme closed in Peoria I guess New Year's Day and while it isn't really a big deal to me, it's yet another store front gone empty in Peoria. It's not like I need a donut and in fact at my last check up, the doctor found a whole egg next to my heart during x-rays. Still, Peoria couldn't even support a frickin Krispy Creme and now if I want one, I'll have to buy it from some snotty kid selling them as a fund raiser or their battle ax mom for a mere $6 a dozen or more.
No Problem with Krispy Creme. I just go to Dunkin Donuts and buy that day old crap if I need a donut. (One is keeping my couch level) I mean, the Indian guy is there 24/7 and even though it took me 5 minutes to figure out he was asking me if I wanted "meat" on my egg crossaunt, he is always there. Hell they live there, in the back, shower with the donut ingredients, gut a goat, rarely pass a health inspection on the first and second try, but by God they have donuts.
To top off the great success of our city leaders, as touted in those radio ads, Blockbuster Video in Campustown is going dark February 1st. Yep, no place for those Bradley kids to get a movie and settle in for a nice weekend movie at the frat house. Guess those kids will have to buy a kegger and use those dreaded red cups and chap the asses over at Moss-Bradley. But hey, barbed wire is reasonable and how much could it cost to surround the entire campus? Maybe we will have an early siting of the rare and elusive Van Auken on Campus? Ya know, poking the fake police, showing her badge, holding her martini glass upright?? Those damn kids!
So, let's see....Johnnie's Steak House is going out (most likely) as maybe the Flatop grill. The Grand Prairie, as anal as it is, (open air mall in Antarctica will work, right?) is slowly going empty, no Krispy Creme's, no Blockbuster at Campustown, but maybe yet another new cash store, opening under the guise of Tax Preparation is opening on University at the old Goodyear store.
Yep, Mr. Mayor, keep smearing on the butter and talk up the great decisions our city leaders have made with all those great investments like the Gateway Building, losing Money. The Innovation Center on Main, standing mostly empty and I am sure losing money. Campustown TIF which now will have another vacant store front. Where will those transients bum change? Our riverfront or lack there of. We have more bars downtown than AT&T but you can't buy a Butterfinger and toilet paper anywhere down there. Get my drift?
Meanwhile, the Build the Block people are gearing up to tax us on a project that was supposed to be built with private funds. Guess they meant our private funds as in taxpayer money and they will use George Orwellian type of hype to get those blank minded to vote yes. I doubt it will pass but never under estimate the stupidity of the Peorian voter. Then there is the Garbage Fee which doesn't go to garbage collection and very few people really knows where it goes but we have it and like blind sheep, we are acclimated to paying it, and we do. The HRA tax that was supposed to be temporary but hey, what the fuck, you have been paying it for over 20 years, why stop?
Yep, we are in good hands here. Reminds me of the two airline pilots, flying along and one turns to the other and says; "Hey! What's a mountain goat doing up here in the clouds?"
What could go wrong?
UPDATE: Decided to buy locally and order 5 of those new sandwiches from Domino's Pizza and a pizza too. Over $40 worth of food and we ordered online. Got a call right after we ordered to be told they don't have any bread to make a sandwich. No wonder businesses are going out of business. Geez, only in Peoria.
