Monthly Archives: March 2009

State of Illinois, Streets

I-74 resurfacing gets stimulus funds

6 Comments

The New York Times has an interesting sidebar on “State government proposals for spending transportation money from the federal stimulus law.” I clicked on Illinois just for fun. Not surprisingly, most of the money goes to Cook County. I scoured the document for Peoria County and found just two items:

мебели пловдив 

Route/Street Location Improvements Est. Cost
I 74 W OF KICKAPOO-EDWARDS RD TO E OF I-474, Miles = 5.71 RESURFACING, COLD MILLING $9,180,000
I 74 KICKAPOO CREEK TRIB 0.7 MI W OF ILL 6 CULVERT REHABILITATION $60,000

 

Kind of disappointing, if you ask me. Why not use those millions to improve Route 40 between I-474 and I-74? They could use that money to construct a new entrance to the Eagle View area to make it more viable, remove the median near I-474 to make that commercial area more viable, and improve the Warehouse District area to allow more economic development to happen there. There are a lot more benefits to that project than resurfacing I-74, which would be done anyway regardless of the stimulus.

Peoria Public Schools

Could District 150 be getting their act together?

78 Comments

This is promising:

[Morton Mayor Norman] Durflinger, former superintendent of Morton Unit District 709 and who also sat on the Center for the Study of Education Policy at Illinois State University, was hired as the interim treasurer for District 150.

Joining Durflinger as the district’s interim controller is Brock Butts, former Tremont superintendent. The pair will be paid a combined $500 a day, until District 150 is able to find a permanent replacement for the vacancies, made Feb. 17, when the School Board approved putting treasurer/controller Guy Cahill on administrative leave. That contract officially will end in April.

Additionally, the School Board approved hiring Michael J. McKenzie, a certified public accountant, to fill a new position: chief accountant and director of internal audits and external assurances. He will be paid $90,000 annually.

I don’t know about you, but this certainly helps my confidence level in the school board. It looks like they’re making a serious effort to get the finances under control and finally address auditors’ concerns that have been ignored for several years. This is the best news to come out of 3202 N. Wisconsin in a long time.

Television

Peoria loses another independent news source (UPDATED)

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The rumors have been flying for weeks. We all knew it was coming. And now it’s here: WEEK has taken over the operation of WHOI:

March 2, 2009 – Granite Broadcasting Corporation and Barrington Broadcasting Group, LLC announced that, effective March 2, 2009, WEEK-TV and WHOI-TV will be operated jointly from the WEEK-TV studios in East Peoria, Illinois. Granite will operate both stations under a shared services agreement (SSA) with Barrington, owner of WHOI-TV.

Under the terms of the agreement, Granite will continue to operate WEEK-TV and provide advertising, sales, promotion, administrative services and selected programming to WHOI-TV. This arrangement between Granite and Barrington will create a better and more efficient operation, which will enhance these outstanding local television stations. A similar arrangement provides that Barrington will provide advertising, sales, promotion, administrative services and selected programming to Granite’s Syracuse, New York station, WTVH-TV.

In making this announcement, Granite Broadcasting’s Chief Executive Officer Don Cornwell said, “This arrangement is an important step in the implementation of Granite’s strategic vision to capitalize on our core strength of operating leading local stations in the nation’s mid-size markets. It provides opportunities for substantial operating efficiencies by allowing us to use our existing infrastructure to expand the breadth of local news and services provided to the viewers of Central Illinois, while enhancing the revenue and profitability of both stations.”

Barrington Chief Executive Officer Jim Yager stated, “We are delighted to be working with a forward-thinking company like Granite. Together, our companies and stations will focus our combined resources on making these great stations more efficient, becoming even better community citizens and, at the same time, providing measurable benefits for our viewers.”

Under the terms of the SSA, Granite and Barrington expect to realize a number of expense efficiencies through the combining of resources and the reduction of some staff positions. Affected employees will receive a generous severance package and extensive job placement assistance will be offered at company expense.

One of the chief advantages of operating WEEK and WHOI under a shared services agreement will be the ability to offer local and national news, as well as programming of community interest in new and varied time periods, giving viewers greater opportunity to watch at their convenience. The Granite and Barrington plan will fully develop this opportunity, offering local newscasts expanded in both breadth and amount. Specifically, the stations will provide newscasts in time periods not currently programmed with local news and extend local news to other time periods, allowing viewers more access to Central Illinois reports and information. Another Granite objective is to improve the emergency weather forecasting and daily forecasting by bringing the latest and best technology to both stations. New programs focusing on all important medical issues and franchise segments highlighting critical issues of public service will also be added to the stations in the next few weeks.

In addition, community charitable organizations presently on either WEEK or WHOI will receive increased exposure using the power of the two stations working together. One example is WEEK’s highly successful Buddy Check and Prostate Awareness programs. Also, the St. Jude Telethon, now in its 35th year on WEEK, will air on both stations. Another is the 25 Women In Leadership program. WHOI’s One Class at a Time, Relay for Life and special programs for the Peoria Zoo, along with numerous other community programs will continue. The stations will now concentrate on these highly popular outreach campaigns to further drive the focus on those deserving of recognition within the community.

Other plans include production of town hall meetings and a variety of community forums on WEEK and WHOI stations at different times, so viewers have greater access to information of local relevance. Granite also will expand its policy of sponsoring political debates and offering free airtime to candidates in every national election on both of the stations.

So now, although we have five commercial station owners, we have only two commercial station operators. And so, practically speaking, we have only two local TV news organizations now. One is the WEEK/WHOI/WAOE organization and the other is the WMBD/WYZZ organization. I fail to see the benefit to the Peoria area of all this media consolidation.

UPDATE: Here’s some more information on personnel and schedules from WEEK’s site:

For you viewers, here are the changes, HOI-19’s early news moves to 5:30 p.m. Then ABC’s World News Tonight on WHOI moves to 6:00 p.m., providing nightly national news so those working later now have access to the national and international information in a new and more convenient time period.

News 25 at 5:00 and 6:00 p.m. stays the same as will the morning and 10 p.m. newscasts on both stations. Jen Christensen will continue to anchor HOI-19’s newscasts and HOI-19’s popular Sports Director Jim Mattson will join forces with News 25’s Lee Hall to make up the best and most aggressive sports team in Central Illinois. News 25’s popular Weather Man Lee Ranson will give the forecasts for both stations.

The two stations will produce newscasts with the combined staffs of both broadcast teams.

Nation/World, Ray LaHood

LaHood’s earmark legacy endures in ’09 omnibus bill (CORRECTED)

11 Comments

Taxpayers for Common Sense has published all of the disclosed earmarks in the 2009 omnibus spending bill. Even though Ray LaHood is out of Congress and now the Secretary of Transportation, the earmarks he requested last year remain… and there are a lot of them (an asterisk next to the amount indicates that LaHood was the sole requester of the funding):

 

Agency Account Project Amount
Agriculture Research Service Buildings and Facilities National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research, Peoria, IL $2,192,000*
Agriculture Research Service Salaries and Expenses Animal Health Consortium, Washington, DC $820,000*
Agricultural Research Service Salaries and Expenses Biotechnology Research and Development Corporation, Washington, DC $2,503,000
Agricultural Research Service Salaries and Expenses Crop Production and Food Processing, Peoria, IL $786,000*
Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service SRG Agricultural Marketing, IL $176,000
Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service SRG Center for One Medicine, IL $235,000
Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service SRG Future Foods $461,000
Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service SRG Livestock Genome Sequencing, IL $564,000
Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service SRG Midwest Poultry Consortium, IL $471,000
Cooperative State Research Education and Extension Service SRG Soybean Research, IL $745,000
Department of Commerce NOAA–Operations, Research and Facilities Illinois State Geological Survey, Illinois Height Modernization, Champaign, IL $725,000
Department of Justice COPS Law Enforcement Technology Cass County Sheriff, 9-1-1 Center Equipment & Communications Upgrades, Virginia, IL $515,000*
Department of Justice COPS Law Enforcement Technology City of Lincoln Police Department, Lincoln PD security upgrades, Lincoln, IL $25,000*
Department of Justice COPS Law Enforcement Technology East Peoria Police Department, East Peoria Technology Grant, City of East Peoria, IL $410,000*
Department of Justice COPS Law Enforcement Technology Logan County Sheriff, Logan County 9-1-1, Lincoln, IL $300,000*
Department of Justice COPS Law Enforcement Technology Peoria Police Department and Peoria County Sheriff, City of Peoria radio and technology upgrades, Peoria, IL $650,000*
Department of Justice OJP–Byrne Discretionary Grants Jacksonville/Morgan County Underwater Search & Rescue Dive Team, Morgan County Rescue Dive Team, Jacksonville, IL $175,000*
National Aeronautics and Space Administration Cross Agency Support Lakeview Museum of Arts & Sciences, Lakeview Museum Planetarium, Peoria, IL $250,000*
Defense DHP Pediatric Medication Administration Product and Testing $800,000*
Defense GP STEM Education Research Center $5,000,000*
Defense OM,ARNG Advanced Trauma Training Course for the Illinois Army National Guard $2,400,000
Defense PA,A Small Caliber Trace Charging Facilitization Program $1,200,000
Defense PA,AF PGU-14 API Armor Piercing Incendiary, 30mm Ammunition $2,400,000
Defense RDTE,A 302 Advanced Battery Technology $4,000,000
Defense RDTE,A High Explosive Air Burst (HEAB) 25mm Ammunition $4,400,000
Defense RDTE,AF Scorpion Low Cost Helmet Mounted Cueing and Information Display System $4,000,000
Corps of Engineers Investigations Illinois River Basin Restoration, IL $382,000
Corps of Engineers Investigations Peoria Riverfront Development, IL $48,000
Corps of Engineers Investigations Upper Miss River-Illinois WW System, IL, IA, MN, MO & WI $8,604,000
Corps of Engineers Construction Upper Mississippi River Restoration, IL, IA, MN, MO & WI $17,713,000
Corps of Engineers Section 206 Emiquon Preserve, IL not disclosed
Corps of Engineers Section 205 Meredosia, IL not disclosed*
Corps of Engineers Section 1135 Spunky Bottoms, IL not disclosed*
Corps of Engineers O&M Illinois Waterway, IL & IN (MVS Portion) $1,772,000
Department of Energy EERE Green Building Technologies, Bradley University (IL) $475,750*
Environmental Protection Agency STAG Water and Wastewater Infrastructure Project County of Peoria, Regional Storm Water Plan Implementation $500,000*
Department of Education Higher Education Illinois College, Jacksonville, IL for a teacher preparation program, including curriculum development $190,000*
Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) – Health Facilities and Services Memorial Medical Center, Springfield, IL for the Intelligent Pharmacy and Automated Drug Management electronic medical records initiative $666,000
Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) – Health Facilities and Services OSF Healthcare System, Peoria, IL for an electronic medical records initiative $95,000
Department of Health and Human Services Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) – Health Facilities and Services University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria, Peoria, IL for facilities and equipment $381,000
Institute of Museum & Library Services Museums & Libraries Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences, Peoria, IL for exhibits $95,000*
Architect of the Capitol House Office Buildings Renovation of the Jacksonville Bandstand $95,000*
Military Construction Air NG Illinois, Greater Peoria RAP, C-130 Squadron Operations Center $400,000
Department of Transportation Buses and Bus Facilities Paratransit Vehicles, west Central Mass Transit District, IL $104,500*
Department of Transportation Buses and Bus Facilities Replacement of Paratransit Vehicles, Greater Peoria Mass Transit District, Peoria, IL $380,000*
Department of Housing and Urban Development Economic Development Initiatives Lakeview Museum of Arts and Sciences, Peoria, IL for planning and construction of a new building that will highlight the achievement and skills of art, history, science and achievement $95,000*
Department of Housing and Urban Development Economic Development Initiatives OSF HealthCare System, Peoria, IL for planning, design and construction of a Hospice Home $332,500*
TOTAL* (requested solely by LaHood) $14,190,750
GRAND TOTAL (all earmarks listed above) $54,341,000

 

It struck me as I read through this list that LaHood did not request one large earmark for the proposed downtown museum, but instead has comparatively little earmarks sprinkled throughout the omnibus bill — a few thousand here for exhibits, a few thousand there for the planetarium, etc. I would imagine that he did the same in previous years, thus spreading the earmarks out over time as well.

Citizens Against Government Waste named LaHood their “Porker of the Month” in January 2009. When giving their reasoning, they specifically pointed out LaHood’s earmarks for Lakeview:

His congressional rating with the Council for Citizens Against Government Waste went from a mediocre 68.8 percent during his freshman year to an abysmal 11 percent in his last year in Congress. In fiscal year 2008 alone, Rep. LaHood was responsible for securing 52 earmarks totaling $58.9 million, among them a $250,000 earmark for the Lakeview Museum Planetarium along with an additional $198,000 for the installation of green technology in the Planetarium at a time when the nation faced tens of billions in transportation maintenance backlogs [emphasis mine]. A January 14 Washington Post article noted that in 2008 he sent $9 million worth of earmarks to campaign contributors, and that he ranked in the top 10 percent of all members who obtained earmarks. Secretary LaHood expressed his derision for the taxpayers’ money when he told the Peoria Journal Star last year that the reason he “went to the Appropriations Committee, the reason other people go on the Appropriations Committee, is they know that it puts them in a position to know where the money is at, to know the people who are doling the money out and to be in the room when the money is being doled out.”

With all this federal money coming in, one wonders why the museum partners need a county sales tax, too.

But getting beyond that, the fact that LaHood has so many earmarks in the mammoth appropriations bill (and the fact that he’s no longer in Congress, and the fact that President Obama made a campaign promise to veto any legislation with earmarks) has the mainstream media taking notice. ABC News’ Senior Political Reporter Rick Klein noticed and listed several of the projects LaHood earmarked — including the Lakeview earmarks. And Fox News is all over it as well:

In LaHood’s case, the former Republican Illinois congressman wrote a March 19, 2008, letter asking Congress set aside funding to move the “Jacksonville bandstand” from one of the House office buildings to the National Museum of American History in Washington. LaHood also earmarked funds for police radio upgrades, agriculture research and equipment at a planetarium in Peoria, Ill. . . .

Congressional Scholar Tom Mann of the Brookings Institution cautions that some of these earmarks are merely extensions of existing programs. Mann noted that earmarks authored by former members of Congress may have merit. But Mann concedes that doing last year’s bill in February 2009 enables these former legislators to continue to wield power long after they’ve left office.

“It sounds bizarre that there are earmarks by members who are no longer in Congress,” Mann said. “There are historical legacies to actions taken by politicians.”

But Mann has questions for House appropriators who authored the bill and allowed the old spending requests to linger.

“Did they feel they were bound by these earmarks? Were they scrubbed by the staff?” he asked. . . .

Still, others wonder if it’s appropriate for the ghosts of former lawmakers to continue to have power.

One congressional aide who requested anonymity asked whether the lawmakers who replaced the old members would advocate the same earmarks.

“Their legislative priorities might be different. Those members were lobbied and decided to write that earmark. And now we’re going to leave it in even though (the former member) isn’t here any more?” the aide asked.

That’s a good question. Since Schock replaced LaHood in the House, one wonders if he would advocate the same earmarks. I’ll see if I can find out. One thing we do know, Schock voted for the omnibus bill in the House on February 25

CORRECTION: Schock actually voted against the omnibus bill. Steve Shearer explains:

You cite Roll Call # 85 which was on a resolution just prior to the vote on final passage of the Omnibus. Roll Call 85 was a resolution which prevented the scheduled pay raise for House members from taking effect. The resolution passed overwhelmingly. So Aaron Schock’s aye vote in Roll Call 85 was against the pay raise.

The final passage of the Omnibus Appropriations Act of 2009 was Roll Call 86, not 85. On that, (passage of the Omnibus spending bill) Aaron Schock voted NO. As opposed to Roll Call 85, Roll Call 86 was a much more divided vote between the yeas and nays.

Roll Call 85 just was a preceding resolution against implementation of the scheduled pay raise. The vote on final passage of the Omnibus Appropriations Act followed that vote.

Here’s the correct roll call for HR 1105, the Omnibus Appropriations Act 2009. My apologies for the error.

2009 Campaign, City Council

Schock to stump for Smith in 2nd District

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All politics is local, they say, and you don’t get much more local than a City Council race. That race in the second district is heating up. Incumbent Barbara Van Auken’s challenger Curphy Smith has recently announced a fundraiser for his campaign that will feature “special guest” Aaron Schock:

smith-shock-fundraiser

Not a bad move politically. Schock is popular and has shown an ability to get support even in Democrat-leaning districts (Van Auken, incidentally, is a Democrat). It won’t hurt Smith to hitch his wagon to a rising star. Until now, conventional wisdom has been that Smith is pulling in what I like to call the “NVA” (“Not Van Auken”) vote. Getting Schock’s endorsement may give voters pause to consider Smith on his own merits. If nothing else, it raises public awareness of his campaign, which hasn’t gotten much press since there was no primary in the second district.