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Comments

  • Virgil Mowen: Great blog! Sorry to change the subject, but, I’m new to town and I’d like to find a great auto repair...
  • Dennis in Peoria: According to May 16th PJS, Jim Richerson is out as PRM CEO, with Debbie Ritschel named interim CEO....
  • 50+Peorian: Anyone know what Doug Oberhelman’s dog is named? I was told it is Dozer. Yep, he named the stadium...
  • Imagine: Imagine, this hotel being recently purchased. New investors & owners doing an extensive 5 million dollar...
  • J: People like MBD can cry about consolidation all they want. There’s no doubt that Peoria would have had an...
  • AnneC: And even MORE not-so-shocking news: http://cinewsnow.mlnwap.com/ar ticle.html#!/76660/3d5b84a0...
  • mbd: this isnt just happening in peoria either.
  • mbd: You do realize that this are privately owned companies right? They exist to make money. Local tv stations are...
  • concerned citizen: Joe Dulin is a liar. unfortunately, code enforcement for profit already exists. Property owners in...
  • ProudPeorian: A little “Rock Island Rocket” history for the masses. http://csanders429.wordpres...
  • ProudPeorian: Sorry for the typoes in my previous proclamation…Peoria and its surrounds (communities) are short...
  • ProudPeorian: Forget Bloomington/Normal. Remember the awesome days of the Rock Island Rocket.I know thats it’s...
  • Carmen: Merle, I wish you and Karrie and CJ would write that book! I watched it all play out on the blogs over a...
  • Emtronics: Yes that was my point Fred. Apples and Oranges Why does our Museum think it’s Chicago?
  • merle widmer: Pardon the typo errors. NASA, not MASA

Slow news day

Sorry for the paucity of posts, but there’s really nothing to blog about today.

The big meeting with Ray LaHood, the school board, the park board, and the city was a big bunch of nothing, according to news accounts.  The city council was off this week, so there’s no council meeting to cover.  I [...]

Pantagraph can’t decide if it’s for or against earmarks

I was looking up some information on Ray LaHood and the money he brings to our community through the earmark system, and I ran across this editorial from Sunday’s Bloomington Pantagraph. (I recommend you read it, as it will make it easier to understand this post.)

It’s titled, “Illinois missing out on federal ‘pork’ [...]

Memorial Day 2006

“In the final choice a soldier’s pack is not so heavy as a prisoner’s chains.”

–Dwight D. Eisenhower

Thank you to all who have kept and are keeping us free in America.

LaHood mediation meeting not inspiring confidence

Nothing cures distrust like more secrecy.

Today’s Word on the Street column reports that the public won’t be allowed to witness Ray LaHood’s mediation skills when he tries to broker a compromise on the location of a new school in the city’s East Bluff. LaHood will be meeting behind closed doors at 9:30 a.m. [...]

Tribune looks at water buyout efforts

The Chicago Tribune has a good article on the fight many communities are waging to buy back their water works from American Water Company. You’ve probably heard most of the stories, but I did find a couple of quotes particularly interesting:

In most instances, American Water–RWE’s U.S. arm and the largest private water company [...]

The Cold War is over; no need for sprawl anymore

At Thursday’s form-based code “Work-In-Progress” presentation, I learned something new. Do you know what one of the big contributing factors to suburban sprawl was? Civil defense. Really!

In 1951, as a way of protecting us from nuclear attack, President Truman announced his National Industrial Dispersion Policy. The idea was to provide incentives for cities [...]

At least the trip to Germany wasn’t for naught

Urbana Mayor Laurel Prussing flew to Germany earlier this spring to see if she could talk RWE AG into selling the city its part of Illinois American Water Company.  Of course, they said “nein,” but the News-Gazette reports that Illinois American did announce yesterday (coincidentally, they claim) they plan to “build a new water [...]

Legal loopholes make a mockery of the Open Meetings Act

I have had further correspondance with an attorney who spoke to me on condition of anonymity. Here’s a transcript of what we talked about regarding the school district’s actions and whether or not it violates the Open Meetings Act (OMA).

Real Lawyer:

C.J., I regret that there has been some misinterpretation by others about [...]

Council roundup 5/23

Jennifer Davis did such a good job summing up the council meeting last night, I’m going to cheat and say just read her article in the Journal Star.  But I would like to make just a couple of comments about last night’s meeting.

First, it was loooong — over four hours, which is unusual [...]

Property acquisition not illegal; just stupid

UPDATE 5/24/06: A real lawyer has contacted me (no, it wasn’t Chase) and said that, since 1972, the Open Meetings Act has been amended several times. Apparently the prohibition against taking final action — 5 ILCS 120/2(e) — was added after the Collinsville v. Witte case. Thus, the school district’s action may have [...]