It’s Game Time Again Folks….

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

“You drink, You drive, You Lose”*

*Unless you are a police officer.

Two Laws for You and Me Department…

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…

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.