Daily Archives: March 6, 2008

Healthcare

More on the autism case

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First of all, I’ve clearly struck a nerve with at least one person in the medical profession because I’m “ignorant” and don’t have all the “medical facts.” I don’t think what I said is all that different from what Hannah Poling’s father had to say to WebMD, but perhaps he will be more respected since he’s a neurologist:

The experience with Hannah, [Jon] Poling [MD, PhD] says, has not turned him against vaccines. “I want to make it clear I am not anti-vaccine,” he says. “Vaccines are one of the most important, if not the most important advance, in medicine in at least the past 100 years. But I don’t think that vaccines should enjoy a sacred cow status, where if you attack them you are out of mainline medicine.”

“Every treatment has a risk and a benefit. To say there are no risks to any treatment is not true.”

“Sometimes people are injured by a vaccine, but they are safe for the majority of people. I could say that with a clean conscience. But I couldn’t say that vaccines are absolutely safe, that they are not linked to brain injury and they are not linked to autism.”

Poling is hopeful that the decision will trigger government action. “I hope it will force government agencies to look further into what susceptibility factors are out there for children to develop brain injury after vaccination, to look into the susceptibility factors of people at risk.”

Hannah Poling is the autistic girl who was at the center of the case I reported in this post. What her father said, as quoted by WebMD, is all I was trying to say in my previous post. He just said it more eloquently, and hopefully in way that those in the medical profession will find acceptable.

Secondly, here’s coverage of the story from CBS News — note the end of the story where they say their investigation has turned up nine more cases like Hannah’s going all the way back to 1990:

Kellar Branch

RTA decides to trespass anyway

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You may recall that Pioneer Industrial Railway wouldn’t give their permission to the Recreational Trail Advocates (RTA) to do a “clean up” along the Kellar Branch line. It appears the RTA is going to ignore that denial. Their minutes record:

H. Status of spring cleanup-David Pittman discussed the hoops had to go through to set up the April 26 trail cleanup with the City of Peoria. He was given written permission by City of Peoria Attorney Randy Ray to proceed but he was told to get the permission of the two railroads—Central Illinois Railroad (CIRY) and Pioneer Railway Corporation (PIRY). CIRY said the clean up was fine but PIRY refused to give RTA permission for the trail clean-up. Peoria Park District (PPD) has liability insurance for the event. Bruce moved we go ahead with the clean-up having the permission of the City of Peoria attorney; Joyce seconded; motion carried. The section to be cleaned will be from Pioneer Parkway to Northmoor Road with PPD property on Knoxville and Northmoor Road as the staging area. Lunch will be provided and the lunch will be served at the homes of Matt and Steve Jaeger who live close by on Oak Point Court.

I would point out that Ray’s permission was contingent on the RTA getting permission from the railroad companies, which they did not get. And it wouldn’t be “trail cleanup” because there’s no trail there. It’s a railroad track on a railroad right of way.

It also appears they’re trying to go around to neighborhood associations to drum up support. Elsewhere in their minutes, it’s stated:

F. Progress on contacting homeowner associations–Dave Pittman has divided the 136 home owners’ associations into 3 groups sharing with Mike Pula (northern city) and Mike Rucker (central city). The associations have been approached initially about supporting the conversion of the Kellar Branch into a recreation trail and have been offered an opportunity for RTA members to come their meetings to answer any questions they may have. The goal is to have the associations adopt a resolution of support for the trail. It was noted that 20 property owners’ associations were within ½ mile of the Kellar Branch. Steve S. felt the home owners should be warned of diminishment of their property value if the rail remains intact. Mark K. offered to help with the association contacts.

One of the neighborhood associations Pittman has contacted is the Neighborhood Alliance. I was invited to give the other side of the story at that association meeting, which will take place in April. Perhaps I should ask the property owners if they feel comfortable supporting an organization that has no qualms about trespassing. Residents in older neighborhoods just love trespassers.

If you’re interested in the rest of their plans, here are the complete minutes:

Continue reading RTA decides to trespass anyway →

Sidewalks

Walk to school on the sidewalks? Not on garbage day

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My fellow commissioner Beth Akeson took these pictures yesterday:

Blocked sidewalk

Blocked sidewalk 2

It wasn’t long ago that there was some controversy over students at Manual High School walking in the street to get to school. The problem near Manual is that sidewalks are in poor repair or nonexistent in several places, forcing children to walk in the street. In these pictures from around St. Philomena school in the West Bluff Central Peoria, evidently the problem is that homeowners block their sidewalks one day a week with garbage cans and bags. Combine that with on-street parking, and where else can children walk but near the middle of the street? (Incidentally, Waste Management’s policy is for the garbage cans to be placed at the curb on the street, not on the sidewalk.)