Monthly Archives: August 2006

Television

Technology-envy

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I got to take a tour of WTVP’s new building today. I don’t much care for the aesthetics of the outside of the building (it’s got that PSA-prison-architecture look), but the inside is full of interesting and impressive high-tech toys and gadgets. From their enormous production-control flat-screen monitor to their high-definition cameras, it was a sight to behold. Our church, of course, will be moving soon and so our television ministry will likely be getting some new equipment of its own. Obviously it won’t be nearly as extensive as WTVP’s setup, but it’s exciting to see the possibilities.

As I was looking around the facility, I couldn’t help but think that public television must be very popular (and donors very generous) in Peoria for them to be able to afford all that equipment and the building to put it in. I guess those auctions and pledge drives really pay off.

I wonder (tongue-in-cheek) when our local public radio station will be getting its new state-of-the-art building. Is that part of Bradley’s expansion plan, perhaps? Nah. Well, maybe, if WCBU started carrying Bradley basketball games….

On an unrelated note, parking was a cinch — free diagonal parking is available right in front of the studio.

Bradley University, Television

WHOI gets local reaction on Bradley plans

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Kudos to WHOI for hitting the pavement and actually getting some local reaction immediately instead of just parroting back the news conference on Bradley’s expansion plans.

Carl Bloch, who lives on Cooper and will be looking at a five-story parking deck in his back yard soon, explains what’s happening as a result of Bradley’s covert expansion plans:

Bloch lives on Cooper Street, just a block from where the new sports complex will be built. As the university’s borders expand, Bloch says more families are leaving the area.

“It seems like more and more of these houses are going for rental properties and families are moving out,” said Bloch.

That’s what I mean by Bradley’s actions destabilizing the neighborhood. Stable families move out and the area becomes more transient, and less attractive to stable families. That’s what happens when people don’t know what to expect from their 800-lb. gorilla neighbor to the east.

The funny thing is, I don’t know what Bradley is afraid of — a lot of people are actually quite understanding. They know Bradley needs to expand. They just wish the university would “work with the neighborhood” ahead of time, instead of waiting until the planning is all completed, like they have in fact done.

City of Peoria, Peoria Police

Inside the mind of a Peoria thief

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One of my neighbors’ home was burglarized last weekend. The perpetrator(s) took lots of electronic stuff (two laptops, stereo equipment, iPod, speakers, etc.). But the most bizarre thing happened after that.

Remember that episode of Seinfeld where Jerry’s car was stolen, and he called his car phone and the guy who stole his car answered? Well, truth is stranger than fiction. I just got an e-mail from my neighbor where he related this exchange:

And another interesting note, one of them used my wife’s computer today to get on the internet (her Windows Messenger icon came online). I had a chat with him and he actually responded. He actually told me he was using the internet in a public place—then later told me it was at a McDonalds. He told me that I could buy the laptop back off of him for $500. I agreed. He then backed off because he was scared I would call the cops. He then told me that I have too much confidence in our police and that they won’t do anything. He said that he could do the same thing again and still won’t be caught.

I suppose all criminals are cocky like that, believing they’ll never get caught. Still, according to witnesses, this crime was committed in the middle of the day, in broad daylight. And the shameless perp has no fear of having a conversation with the person from whom he stole. And, this particular perp’s confidence is not in his personal craftiness, but in his perception that the police department “won’t do anything.”

What could be giving Peoria thieves that impression? I’m afraid I don’t have any answers.

Bradley University

Comparing unofficial Bradley plans with official ones

Not too long ago, there was an unofficial Bradley campus map floating around that showed all the same stuff that was announced officially today. Back then, the map was pooh-poohed as highly speculative. I decided to compare the two maps to see how much they differed, and the answer is — not much! Other than different coloring and legends, the only striking difference is the new arena, highlighted here:

Old “Unofficial” Map

Old New Arena

New “Official” Map

New Arena

Notice the comparative size of the prospective arena. Since the unofficial map was produced, the arena has been made twice as large, unless the old map was showing the current Field House. Thankfully, the parking lot was not doubled in size. None of the artists’ renderings show elevations of these buildings compared to the houses just across the alley. Imagine having a 5-story parking deck in your back yard. Pretty hard to “buffer” a massive structure like that.

The more interesting feature from my point of view is that the Institutional Zoning boundary (blue line) is shown in the old map, but conspicuously absent from the new map. That’s probably wise, considering Bradley hasn’t actually asked for permission from the Zoning Commission or the City Council to expand the boundaries yet. Updating their Institutional Facilities Master Plan, as required by ordinance before they can expand, clearly is not a big concern of theirs.

The funniest line in the whole Journal Star article about this expansion, though, was this zinger: “[Vice President Gary] Anna said the university wants to work with the neigborhood and plans a meeting with them in early September.” I cannot make it through that sentence without laughing my head off every time. Just what, pray tell, is there left to “work with the neighborhood” about? The houses are bought, the plans are made, the money is coming in…. Perhaps the neighbors will get to choose whether they get arbor vitae or a stone wall between them and the parking deck. Whoopee!

Bradley University

Bradley should put training facility on ice

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Bradley Men's Basketball Practice Facility

Did you hear that Bradley is building a replacement arena for Robertson Field House?

Of course you have. Everybody has.

Well, it’s official now:

The arena would be the new home for BU women’s basketball and volleyball and would also include a weight-training facility for all student-athletes and a dedicated practice gym for men’s basketball.

My wife asked a good question tonight regarding that last item — the “dedicated practice gym for men’s basketball.” Is it going to be on ice?

Every year, one of the excuses given whenever Bradley is losing is that they don’t get to practice at the Civic Center where the hockey floor (ice) is covered with the basketball court, and they’re not used to all of the condensation and slippery surfaces that result.

So, since the school is spending in excess of $100 million, can we expect them to replicate their actual playing surface so they’re prepared for that first icy step on the court and can have a huge advantage over their opponents?

General News

Ending Earmarks Express

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The “Ending Earmarks Express” RV visits Peoria? Does Ray LaHood know about this? Ray is one of the biggest apologists for earmarks in Congress today. You gotta give the guy credit for putting his money where his mouth is. Or is that your money?

As stated in the Journal Star article, the Ending Earmarks Express recently stopped by the infamous “bridge to nowhere,” and here, courtesy of YouTube, is their report (hat tip: InstaPundit):

Of course, as the article states, not all earmarks are for frivolous things like a bridge to nowhere. Some of the projects are worthy of federal funding. But when there’s no process for weeding out the pork from among the worthy projects, that system is broken. Click on the link below to see a list of Ray LaHood’s earmarks, courtesy of the State Journal-Register:

Continue reading Ending Earmarks Express →

City of Peoria, Peoria Area CVB

When the going gets tough…

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…the tough get going — out of town? Steve Powell resigned as director of the Peoria Area Convention and Visitors Bureau yesterday and said he’s moving back to Missouri. Why? The Journal Star reports:

Powell acknowledged he was taking heat from some bureau board members, who include several hoteliers, about the fact he favors a new hotel attached to the Peoria Civic Center.

Just in case you don’t know who’s on the PACVB board of directors, here they are (according to their website, which I assume is up-to-date):

  • Dan Cunningham, EastSide Centre – Chairman
  • Ken Goldin, Bradley University – Vice Chairman
  • LaVonne Hamilton Klein, Stoney Creek Inn & Conference Center – Secretary/Treasurer
  • Rick Edwards, Caterpillar Inc.
  • Jim Garner, MultiAd
  • Craig Hullinger, City of Peoria
  • Honorable John Morris, Peoria City Council
  • Frank Pedulla, Radisson Hotel Peoria
  • Tony Pisano, Kouris’ Restaurants
  • Sami Qureshi, Holiday Inn City Centre
  • Debbie Ritschel, Peoria Civic Center
  • Mary Jo Schettler, PAR-A-DICE Hotel Casino
  • Honorable W. Eric Turner, Peoria City Council
  • Don Welch, Hotel Pere Marquette

Now, I’m not a proponent of the Civic Center hotel idea either. But if taking a little heat from the board over one of your ideas/positions causes you to take your ball and go home, there’s something wrong. There must be more to the story than that.

I don’t think it has anything to do with the recent flap over unauthorized redirection of funds because that took place under Keith Arnold, Powell’s predecessor. It’s hard to imagine how that could have hurt Powell, unless he was involved in some sort of cover-up after the fact.

Perhaps this quote from Powell provides a clue:

“The only thing I’ll say is that Peoria needs to be sold as a destination, then they can better sell the products that are offered within the destination. Some people didn’t understand that.”

It sounds like the differences between Powell and the board went deeper than a single hotel issue. That quote makes it sound like there was a fundamental difference of philosophy on how to “sell” Peoria, and that’s why Powell’s job may have been in jeopardy if he kept pushing his agenda. In that case, his departure may have been on principle.

Now they have to start searching for a new director, and the search committee comprises the bureau’s chairman (Cunningham) and vice chairman (Goldin), a representative from Caterpillar, and a representative appointed by the Mayor. Considering Cat is against a Civic Center hotel, and the city isn’t very warm to the idea either, I’ll bet the next director will be against it, too. Which begs the question, did Cat have anything to do with the pressure put on Mr. Powell?

Kellar Branch

Is City fabricating evidence in Kellar Branch dispute?

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The latest goings-on regarding the Kellar Branch involves the cost to make the embattled rail line operational again. As reported in a previous post, the City contends that it would be too expensive now to make the Kellar Branch operable, originally claiming that it would cost over $2 million to make the necessary upgrades. Then, just a few days later, they claimed it would only cost $50,000.

Well, now they say, in a Surface Transportation Board (STB) filing on August 16, that what they really meant to say was $500,000, not $50,000. That was a typo — a typo it took them apparently 14 days (August 2-16) to discover. Oops! Then, in the very next breath, they say “On August 4, 2006, Central Railgroup Construction Services, LLC provided a more detailed estimate of the cost of that rehabilitation in the amount of $546,705.”

Ah, okay, let me see if I’ve got this straight now. It’s not $2 million, or $50,000, or $500,000. Those figures were all wrong. The real figure is $546,705. Okay, got it.

It seems the city can’t quite make up their minds how much it costs, frankly. There was no source given for the original estimate of $50,000 (or $500,000, if you believe it was a typo). Yet two days later, they received an exact quote for roughly the same amount. What a coincidence! And just where did that figure come from?

The last figure comes from a company called “Central Railgroup Construction Services, LLC.” According to the State of Illinois LLC file, that company was established on August 2, 2006, and lists the same address and agent as Central Illinois Railroad Holdings, LLC, which just acquired CIRY. On August 4, this brand new company was able, based on their two-days worth of experience, to estimate how much it would cost to rehabilitate the Kellar Branch. And, by jove, it’s right around $500,000, the new and improved, if unverified, estimate from the city.

Meanwhile, Pioneer Railcorp, which has been in business considerably longer than two days and has extensive experience actually running trains successfully over the Kellar Branch, has estimated it would only cost a little under $10,000 to rehab the line, and they’re willing to do that out of their own pocket.

Furthermore, the rail line was operable when Pioneer was forced off the line, and the contract between the City of Peoria and Central Illinois Railroad (CIRY), specifically stated (at 3.4):

DOT [parent company of CIRY] shall assume responsibility for all maintenance of tracks, crossing protection, and roadbed including weed, brush, snow and ice control thereon, all drainage control maintenance, and all weed and brush control on the remainder of the right-of-way, following the guidelines set forth by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA).

That contract didn’t expire until 60 days after the ciy completed the western spur. The western spur was just completed in March of this year, meaning the contract expired in May. Thus, CIRY (through its shell company Central Railgroup Construction Services) essentially admits that they broke their contract to keep the line maintained.

We already knew that CIRY broke their contract to provide service over the Kellar Branch by never delivering one shipment successfully over the line. The only time they even attempted it, they were so inept that they lost control of the train and endangered the lives of Peoria citizens.

And the City, which promised Carver Lumber they would take legal action against CIRY if they broke their contract, never so much as filed a complaint against CIRY. Never. Now, their continuous unverified cost estimates to repair the Kellar Branch is just the latest in a series of obfuscations and fabrications by the city to dupe the STB into killing the Kellar Branch, regardless of the money lost, assets destroyed, or businesses ruined.

Call your council members and demand they stop wasting our money and sell the Kellar Branch to Pioneer Railcorp.

City Council, City of Peoria, Peoria Public Schools

City takes the high road

Despite having the school board spit in their eye over the replacement school for the Woodruff attendance area, the city asked for input from the school board regarding their plans to implement two new TIF districts along the Warehouse District and Southern Gateway.  It’s good to see the city taking the high road and showing some statesmanship in this matter.

At the same time, I was happy to see the city council not just throwing good money after bad in the name of cooperation.  At last week’s council meeting, there was a proposal on the agenda to replace sidewalks around one of the schools slated to close within the next year or so — clearly a huge waste of money.  They wisely deferred that item until they could get more information from the school board on their plans for that school.

Kudos to the Council for playing fair, but not playing the fool with District 150.

Voting

Arizona bribe doesn’t address real question

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I was listening to the Dennis Prager show today (hat tip to B.J.), and there was an interesting discussion regarding voting.

As you may or may not know, there’s a ballot proposition in Arizona that, if passed, would offer $1 million to a lucky Arizonan in each and every election. The idea is to increase voter turnout. It’s kind of like a lottery, except you don’t have to buy a ticket; you just have to vote. This is almost universally assailed as a terrible idea, yet some are saying the proposition is likely to pass.

Most things I’ve read regarding this issue focus in on the fact that we need more informed voters rather than more voters in general, and that citizenship in a free society is its own reward. All true. But there’s a more fundamental flaw in this “solution.”

It doesn’t solve the real issue. The reason most people give for not voting is that they believe their votes don’t matter — that the outcome is predetermined. There are a number of factors that support this thinking: gerrymandering, a two-party system that systematically excludes third-party candidates from public debates, campaign financing inequities, etc. These are things that need to be addressed — not merely voter turnout.