All posts by C. J. Summers

I am a fourth-generation Peorian, married with three children.
General News

Berean Bookstore reopening under new (old) ownership

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Well, it was less than four months ago that Berean Bookstore announced they were closing and had a big going-out-of-business sale. But now word comes that they’re opening again this Thursday. Here’s a letter that recently went out to folks on the old Berean mailing list:

June 5, 2009

Dear Faithful Friend,

It is with great joy and privilege that I am writing this letter today. After much prayer and clear direction from God, we have been led to open a new Christian bookstore in the community. We plan to open Hoerr’s Berean Bookstore on Thursday, June 11th in both Peoria and Decatur (located in the old Berean locations) and later in the summer in Bloomington (in a new location). Since you have been faithful friends of Berean over the years, we wanted you to know about this new bookstore!

My family had owned Berean back in the 80’s and 90’s. In light of Berean closing, we feel led to provide a lighthouse for the community again. A place of fellowship; where you can pick up a great book, grab a cup of coffee, sit down on a comfy chair, and meet a life long friend.

We want to thank you in advance for your support of our ministry and are eager to meet and serve you in yours. May God bless you and yours.

In Christian love,
Joe Hoerr
President

It will be interesting to see what changes are made under this new (old) ownership. Hopefully their stock will include more books/music and less tacky Christian gift product than the old store. Best of luck to them.

Peoria Public Library

New library branch uninspiring

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north-libraryThe Peoria Public Library’s architect for the new north branch has released an artist’s rendering of the site (see picture to right). The Journal Star reports that the design of the new library is “a collaborative effort between PSA Dewberry, the Farnsworth Group and Burnidge Cassel Associates”:

“You’re going to have something that this city can really be proud of,” said Rick McCarthy, principal architect of PSA Dewberry of Elgin. “These designs really make a statement about libraries.”

So I’ve been looking at the picture, trying to figure out what statement this makes about libraries. Frankly, if looks like a slightly-modified 1950s modernist-style building. If you didn’t know what it was, you might think it’s an office building or school. The round reading room is a miniature version of the planetarium being planned for the downtown museum. I guess what I’m saying is that it’s not an architecturally-significant building. It’s neither imaginative nor inspiring, nor does it evoke a sense of permanence.

Hence, it will blend perfectly in the fifth district.

Crime

Crime creeps north

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Residents of North Peoria are “startled” by recent crimes in their neighborhoods. What an interesting word the Times Observer chose to describe residents’ reaction to crime: startled. It means “to frighten suddenly; to alarm; to surprise.” In other words, they didn’t expect there to be any crime up where they lived, and are shocked — startled — to discover that crime knows no boundaries.

Mike Wisdom, president of the Chadwick Estates Neighborhood Association, is quoted as saying, “We always felt isolated from crime.” Peoria Police captain Mike Scally said, “When you live in an area of low crime, a little bit of crime is alarming.” Peoria City Councilman George Jacob agreed that “crime in Peoria’s far-flung neighborhoods is ‘surprising.'”

The converse, of course, is that this crime wouldn’t have been surprising elsewhere in Peoria, such as the south side or on the bluffs. But because it’s all the way out here, it’s notable. Conventional wisdom is that these “far-flung neighborhoods” popped up as an effort to flee crime and deterioration (real or perceived) in the older parts of Peoria.

Incidentally, there are those who would prefer a Balkanized Peoria. I’ve heard the sentiment expressed that we should keep crime generally contained on the south side with the bluffs acting as buffers so that everyone living north of the bluffs can live in safety. Whether or not residents feel that’s the way it should be, it is generally accepted as the way things are.

Crime statistics support this view. A quick look at the CrimeView Community website shows the following total numbers of crimes by council district in the last 90 days:

  • District 1: 1,217
  • District 2: 507
  • District 3: 491
  • District 4: 370
  • District 5: 199

By now, you’re no doubt saying, “So what? Tell us something we don’t know. This is all so obvious.” And I guess that’s the point of my post. We’ve accepted this state of affairs in our city. It’s the way it is. It’s the way it’s been for so long, we’ve become complacent. I can hear the objections: “Every city has problems with inner city crime.” “We’re doing everything we can.”

Here’s a thought experiment. Ask yourself, if the property damage and home invasion crimes that happen on the south side suddenly started happening in the fifth district with the same frequency, what would be the City’s reaction? Would any additional pressure be put on the police department? Would they be given any additional resources? How about Code Enforcement? Planning & Growth? Public Works?

Should we be satisfied with the status quo? Are we really doing the best we can to reduce crime?

Uncategorized

Radio repair house calls?

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I have an old console stereo that I inherited from my grandfather. It’s a Zenith in a beautiful wood cabinet (I’m estimating about 3 feet high and four feet wide or so) with a turntable and AM/FM tuner. But it has lately developed an AC hum. I tried replacing one of the vacuum tubes I thought might have been the problem, but that didn’t work and, frankly, I have no idea what I’m doing. The thing is too heavy to take anywhere, and besides, where would I take it?

So, my question is, anybody out there know of a good electronics repair guy who makes house calls?

General News

Clifton Gunderson HQ moved from Peoria to Milwaukee

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The accounting firm Clifton Gunderson is has moved their firm’s headquarters from Peoria to Milwaukee, Wisconsin (well, technically Wauwatosa).

The move was announced over a year ago (April 2008), but was completed as of June 1 this year. In a statement, CEO Krista McMasters said “the decision will not have any immediate or long-term impact on the operations of the Peoria practice office.”

Peoria Public Schools

D150 approves charter school applications

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The Journal Star’s website is not up-to-date this morning, but 1470 WMBD has the story:

The board voted 7-0 to allow the application process to begin for non-profit agencies who may want to operate the school. But the school board will still have a say on what benchmarks should be met and how often it’s presented with progress reports….

Cindy Fischer, a former District 150 Associate Superintendent, who is a working as a consultant on the issue says the charter school will be open to all District 150 students. There will be 288 students in grades 5 through 8 the first year expanding to include all high school grades and a total of 576 students in five years…. It’s hoped the charter school will begin in the fall of 2010.

For more information on the Math, Science & Technology Academy, see my previous post. It will be interesting to see who steps forward to operate this proposed charter school. The teacher’s union is opposed.

In other news, District 150 also voted unanimously to join the Enterprise Zone so that tax incentives can be doled out to developers from Champaign to build student housing on Main Street.

Note: I’m moving all the D150-related comments from the previous post to this one.

Abortion, General News

You can’t stop abortion by killing abortionists

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Late-term abortionist George Tiller was killed at his church Sunday morning in Wichita, Kansas. Tiller was a controversial figure in the abortion debate. He was one of the few doctors to perform late-term abortions, and had previously been the victim of attempts on his life.

No doubt the murderer feels justified in killing Tiller because of Tiller’s actions in killing unborn babies. But he’s not justified. I agree with President Obama’s reaction to the killing:

Today Obama said he was “shocked and outraged” by the killing. “However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion,” he said in a statement, “they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence.

My mother always taught me that two wrongs don’t make a right. Killing an abortionist is not a justified response to the scourge of abortion on demand in this country. I still have hope that abortion will be abolished through peaceful, legal means over time through persuasion, the way slavery was abolished in England.

Museum Block, Peoria County

Gee, if only we knew of some unnecessary capital project we could cut…

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This story popped up on the PJStar.com website tonight:

Peoria County faces $4 million deficit by year’s end

A sharp decline in revenue streams has Peoria County officials looking down the barrel of a $4 million deficit by year’s end that likely will affect budgets for years to come….

The picture has officials balancing needs with wants: What essential services are required by law, and what can be postponed?

“We’re kidding ourselves if we say we’re going to cut (our budget) and not cut staff,” board member Bob Baietto said. “We’re not going to get out of this without cutting.”

Hmmm… what can we cut? What large, completely unnecessary public expenditure could we eliminate to help plug this deficit? If only there were some new, fungible source of revenue coming on line next year that, while currently slated to go toward a non-essential project, could instead be redirected so that basic county services can continue to be provided. Can you guys think of anything? I’m drawing a blank here…..

Peoria Public Library

A grave situation

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The proposed expansion of the Peoria Public Library’s Lincoln branch is staring in the face of death. Literally. The land on which they want to build the addition has been and could possibly still be a graveyard, and the cost to relocate the buried bodies could deep six the expansion plan.

Sorry, I just couldn’t resist all the opportunities for puns in that story. It’s funny, but then it’s also kind of creepy the more you think about it. I hope they don’t find any bodies.