General News

Today’s open thread

39 Comments

If you’re looking for something to talk about while I take my mini-vacation from blogging, here are some ideas:

39 thoughts on “Today’s open thread”

  1. Is there anything accurate about her resume? Looks like the only remaining potential is that she actual speaks French and Spanish and her name is Alicia Butler.

    El tiempo dirá si éste es también falso.

    Elle semble avoir de plus grands problèmes que ses degrés en ce moment.

  3. People who seek or hold public office must expect more scrutiny than those who don’t. They also should be held to a high standard of ethical behavior. But why stop with Butler? Why isn’t the PJS looking at all the incumbent BOE members? They might find that a currently seated board member earned a doctorate significantly past the date it was claimed. Isn’t that news?

    In my opinion, the PJS is walking a fine line between objective reporting and tabloid journalism. What honor is there in destroying a person’s life?

  4. This city has serious crime and serious problems and the PJS is making alleged exaggerations on one (unpaid) candidate’s (unofficial) resume into front page headlines and the City Council is raising the fines on minor ordinance violations? Does anyone see a priority problem here? I’m not saying we should ignore this stuff, but it is uncomfortably close to washing the dirty dishes on the Titanic.

  5. amazing

    if it was an elected official you guys didnt like you would be looking for their head on a platter

    ransburg lies = you want his head on a plate
    butler lies = its overzealous journalists

    make up your freakin minds

    we can not stand for elected officials that are liars even on unrelated stuff

    if someone lies about their resume or about plans to fire people at the business they own its all equally wrong and they should be removed from office and/or voted out

  6. At this point she should either change her name, move to Oregon and concoct a good story for her new employee, or figure out a way to be self-employed, because it will be difficult at best for her to find a job in this town.

    Deservedly so, I might add.

  7. For the Butler character assassination in process there must be one of two logical reasons. The first is someone is out to settle a score for something from the past OR it could be to sufficiently discredit her in advance for anything that she may reveal under testimony in the future. I think that is called preemptive damage control. And by the extent of this headline coverage there must be someone high in the Peoria power network that feels destroying Butler is necessary. Stay tuned, Peoria, this story is just starting to unfold. ^oo^~

  8. The PJS has launched a major attack on Butler. As an elected official, if she lied about her background, she was wrong and will have to take responsibility for her actions. But why the need to crucify her? Whether or not she retains her public office is up to the voters in District 2 unless she resigns or withdraws from the race.

    But the PJS launched a major attack against her. Why? Why now? Why won’t the tipster come forward? I agree with Kat – this story is just starting to unfold.

  9. Hey, Mouse: Guess the PJS shouldn’t provide restaurant reviews or business news, either, what with all the crime. Clare Jellick is the education reporter; this is a story about the election for school board. What do you expect her to do?

  10. w.bluff and Guy: I do not condone it if the allegations are true. I do think that the extended commentary on whether or not her duties were “exaggerated” is highly subjective and suspicious, but, again, not saying anybody should be given a pass.
    I certainly expect the education reporter to report on this, and the restaurant reviewers to do their reports. My point, which I think you know, is that it’s not front-page headline news. I very frequently disagree with the PJS editors placement and space allotments for stories, but I think this points up their screwed-up priorities. They are obviously putting a lot of resources into this story, and pushing it as a major story/scandal. We all know there are much more serious stories out there that are ignored or given little effort. If the inaccurrate resume belonged to one of the PJS’s favorites, where do you think the story would go? By guess is the editor’s waste basket.

  11. Let there be no mistake on my position on this. I think Butler needs to do one of two things immediately:

    1. Produce proof that she earned the degrees she claimed to earn, or
    2. Resign from the school board and withdraw from the race.

    It is true that Butler (to my knowledge) has not broken any laws here, but if she lied on her resume, she certainly has broken trust. And trust is very important when you’re in a position to make decisions about school children.

  12. C. J.
    I wholeheartedly agree. I also believe while the public is seeking the truth about sitting board members that the truth about Matheson’s quick departure from Knox needs to be disclosed. If what the rumor is is true then Matheson should be shown the door sooner than Butler! ^oo^~

  13. Doesn’t anyone find it ironic that one_feral_kat (sez: “…Butler character assassination…”) is implicitly defending Butler and defaming Matheson. I think Matheson has be a TERRIBLE board member and am happy to see him go. But he isn’t running again and will soon be gone. If you want to kick him in the ass on the way out, fine by me. But there is a difference about “the truth about sitting board members” when they are running for re-election and when their term is a few weeks from expiring. Save a few weeks less of Matheson, what do you expect to accomplish?

  14. Once Alicia Butler forgot to wash her hands after using the restroom. I better call the Journal Star so they have their front page for tomorrow!

  17. There’s what – 43,560 sq ft in an acre? At $1 per square foot (rock bottom for commercial real estate), one acre would be worth $43,560 and 22 acres would be about $958,320. The $178,000 figure is a pretty good price for 22 acres. Are there any structures on the property that have to be demolished or has that already been done?

  18. PrairieCelt,
    The $178,000 is the appraised value but the PHA wants more to recoop $1.38 million in demolition costs and the type of horse trader King Hinton proved he is on Prospect then by jolly I bet he’ll up the offer the PHA a nice $2.5 million! After all, the public won’t say anything.

    Just Some Guy,
    I was agreeing with our host here C.J. – let the truth come out – why you say I’m defending her I don’t get it. OTOH since most posters want Butler’s hide nailed to the barn door then I think Matheson deserves the same scrutiny, though that runt’s hide will take smaller space on the door. Again, what he is rumored to have done is despicable and yet he is supposed to be setting the benchmarks for Peoria 150 teachers? ^oo^~

  19. Kat – did I miss seeing that $1.38 million in today’s article? That changes things somewhat. If it wasn’t there, why didn’t the district mention it?

  20. Kat — you used the phrase “character assassination.” Pretty charged, don’t you think. Sounded defensive to me. Bring Matheson on, but don’t think that what you are doing isn’t an equal measure of “character assassination.”

  21. Pretty charged? Oh well…Funny, but I don’t recall any prison movies when a snitch gets his just reward that somebody wisphers “psssst – character assassination in the commons at 11:00 – be there”.

    It has long been rumored that he has been a direct feed to the JSEB. Of course that will be why they won’t or have not gone after the truth concerning his actions at Knox I’m sure. ^oo^~

  22. I still sometimes volunteer in the schools, mainly the high schools and I can tell you Ms Butler loves to show up and flaunt her postion as a board member making demands for bullshit stuff. I can’t tell at this time exactly what she last did in my presence, but she does this sort of thing all the time. Some schools have dubbed her “The Queen”. I told her that with all the problems we have at District 150 she shouldn’t be bothering the staff with petty stuff. She flatly talked down to me as if I was a third grader and that she knew what she was doing.

    What goes around comes around…..

  25. Mazr,
    I am not sure if your comment is meant to be pro or con?
    I listened to the interview and didn’t find problems with it. He answered the questions asked. so am supposing pro? But the comment about Bill suggests con?

    I am strongly supporting three candidates at this point, (in no particular order): George Jacob, Ryan Spain, and Dan Irving. I have spent time personally interviewing, talking with, and working beside (in neighborhood projects, etc.) these gentlemen.

    While I don’t agree with every stance (or vote) by these candidates, I do believe that they have been and are interested in working in all parts of the city, which as at large reps, is their responsibility. I have found Mr. Jacob invested in the community and working hard for the betterment of older neighborhoods and supporting progress in the newer ones. I have found Ryan Spain to be hard working, asking questions, seeking answers and open to new ideas and thought processes. I like that he confers with a variety of individuals before making decisions. We want representatives to ask for constituents’ opinions and thoughts. I have found Dan Irving to be honorable. I believe him to be focused on serveral areas of the city. The two most important qualities of these three gentlemen is that I believe they will work to obtain a consensus, which is essential to accomplishing goals. I have already found they are willing to put in some sweat equity into our community and have the pictures to prove it. For our area and several others in the community, we need leaders who will work with the people, literally.

    You may or may not agree. I would be happy to go into more details with these candidates. Just chose your candidate’s based on as much personal knowledge as possible, ask questions yourself. Chose those who you believe will WORK to achieve what is best for the city. I am focusing less on talk and more on action this election. Good luck and chose wisely.

  26. Paul,

    I am definitely “con” when it comes to Spain. Way back when, one of his earliest “ideas” was how it was vital that Peoria sets up free WiFi. Now in a city with problems like Peoria has, don’t you think “free WiFi” would be somewhere down the list?

    Another thing about the interview that bugged me was Spain’s constant harping about “business growth” and how that would be a reason that people would move here. Maybe so, but I would think even more people would move here if 150 and the shootings/murder problems were somehow improved. Wouldn’t common sense tell you that if you have a school system with the problems that 150 has, coupled with the murders in this town that people aren’t going to move here no matter what the “business growth” is? If those aren’t two of the biggest problems in this city, please tell me what they are. They may come here to work, but you can bet they’ll go live in Dunlap or across the river. I did not here him mention crime or 150 in that interview, and to be honest, I’ve never heard him bring up either.

    I am really looking forward to hearing the other interviews.

  28. I agree with Mazr on the idea that “business growth” isn’t enough to right the Peoria ship. I came here for a job but live in the Dunlap part of Peoria. I was planning on buying a house here this spring, but the crime problem has really dampened my enthusiasm. That and everyone I mention my plan to responds with a “ohhhhh you can’t live IN Peoria.” And I don’t even have any children so the 150 problems aren’t a primary consideration.

  29. Mazr,
    I agree that Dist. 150 is a huge problem. My advice is to vote wisely for good school board members who are going to listen to their constituents. The city council, unless there is some action to take over the school district can recommend till the cows come home, it’s an independent bodya and voters have to influence it directly. I am supporting Beth Akeson for school board. I am going to the Moss Bradley forum tonight to listen to the those candidates speak.

    Additionally in this year’s race the park board in cruticial because the school district still wants to put Glen Oak School in the park. I am supporting Cassidy over Johnson because of this issue. Normally I’m not a one issue guy, but I believe strongly in this one.

    Finally,
    candidates on crime. The current council has added some police, but not all the police that the Chief requested if memory serve me correctly The arguement is that there is not funding in the budget. I would argue that the council needs to set its priorities then allocate the money. The bond debt is too high and eating up the budget and of course personelle is about any entity’s highest cost. I believe we need to have better growth plans and these will only come with new blood. We toss money at developers and let them tell us what we want vs. designing a good vision and letting developers match that. We will need additional funds to fund more services as we grown. Grand Prairie generates Sales tax, but most folks working there do not earn a wage capable of sustaining home ownership and to raise a family without some type of addtional public assistance or having to work additional hours, which can also be harmful to families. He has a piece of the puzzle and is well versed in it. There is no candidate with all the correct answers and strategies, so pick ones with useful strengths so that we have knowledgable people in a variety of areas with a variety of skills and perhaps they can better build a consensus to accomplish goal. If one cannot get 6 votes, one cannot accomplish anything. Hence the three that I am strongly supporting, namely Jacob, Spain, and Irving. Again, I have these three guys working in my areas and are working in others as well, balancing the needs of the entire city. I would love to see huge reforms in the older neighborhoods. In order to do that we need 1. people willing to work side by side with community leaders and residents. 2. those who will sponsor the appropriate legislature to begin attacking the many problems. 3. Support and demand enforcement of laws and ordinances. 4. develop resources (and not just tax driven resources, but community partnerships with all the Peoria community’s resources. 5. balance that with the needs of the rest of the city and responsible growth.
    6. work with other district and at large members to obtain the 6 and hopefully more votes to achieve goals.

    Tough order.

  30. Alicia Butler, sounds like Nick Malloof a few years back. There is no way any rational person can defend this type of pathological behavior. Every word she has ever uttered or ever will must now be considered suspect. Perhaps the school board insurance will pay for a quality mental health practitioner to aid in the recovery of this pathetic woman.

  31. I don’t think she’s pathological. In fact, a case could be made that her denials are calculated moves. Consider this scenario: If she doesn’t have the degrees, and she admits it, she loses or has to bow out of the race in disgrace. It’s in all the papers and is a matter of public record. That could affect her down the road.

    If she doesn’t have the degrees and she *doesn’t* admit it, she still loses, but then the newsworthiness of the issue goes away and is left perpetually unresolved. The paper isn’t going to continue to persecute her after she’s no longer a public official, so the matter will be dropped without her ever having to admit publicly that she lied about anything. Not a particularly honorable strategy, but a pragmatic one.

  32. Interesting observation C.J. While I generally prefer pragmatic approaches in politicians verus hard-core dogma, I guess I actually prefer honorable pragmatism.

  33. Trail Confusion

    “It’s going to take more than logic to persuade these officials who have listened to the siren call of Pioneer and its handful of allies, including at least one blogger, C. J. Summers of the Peoria Chronicle, who has admitted being paid by Pioneer.”

    Did you admit this or is she exaggerating one time Pioneer paid you to do something?

  34. Ryan, I was hired by Pioneer to create a PowerPoint presentation on their plans (in conjunction with the Illinois Prairie Railroad Foundation) for a trolley and be on hand for technical assistance when they gave the presentation to the Peoria Heights Village Board. I disclosed that in this blog entry. That is the only compensation I’ve received from Pioneer, monetary or non-monetary.

  35. Elaine Hopkins writes with the same all-knowing, condescending, obnoxious tone used by the Editorial Board at her former employer. She even inserted a “sigh” for those who do not understand she is the arbiter of the public interest. She must have done a happy dance when you did the PowerPoint for Pioneer as it somehow proved her inane point that you are on the take. She either lacks the intelligence or candor to mention the STB’s opinion matters far more than than those of local politicians who are terrified of offending the moneyed elite who think trains are icky.

  36. C.J.: you are a paid representative of Pioneer R.R. and the Trailers; nothing wrong with that,just let everyone know it when you write articles in support of their position. Your articles are articulate and full of facts, but don’t pretend to be objective.

  37. RomanII, I am not and never have been a paid representative of Pioneer. It’s kind of ironic that I would be attacked in this way by an anonymous commenter. Who’s paying you to make these accusations? 😉

    Not that I need to defend myself, but for the record, here’s my history with the Kellar Branch issue. I am friends with David Jordan — our families attended the same church while we were growing up — who is, as you know, a dedicated railfan. I was originally for the PPD’s proposed trail several years ago until I started talking to David and learning things about the Kellar Branch that I never knew; for instance, I didn’t realize the line was not abandoned, nor did I understand that railroads own their own rights-of-way. The more I talked to David, the more I realized that I had only been hearing one side of the story in Peoria’s newspaper of record, so I started doing my own research.

    After reviewing articles in the Journal Star dating back to 1984, Surface Transportation Board filings and decisions on the issue, RTA and PPD information, etc., I came to the conclusion that the Kellar Branch would better serve Peoria as a rail line. I’m not opposed to a trail beside it or along another path, but I see no reason to tear out an asset like this rail line to do it — other communities are putting in rail corridors for passenger service, and we’re going to need a rail corridor in the future. I believe tearing this out now is short-sighted and unnecessary. The RI and Pimiteoui trails can be connected without taking out the rail line. At the time I came to these conclusions I knew absolutely no one from Pioneer, nor had I talked to anyone from Pioneer.

    I started blogging in April 2005 about my feelings on the Kellar Branch. After several months, Pioneer noticed my blog and my advocacy for keeping the rail line and contacted me. They expressed interest at one point in possibly being a sponsor of my blog (monetarily). I don’t think there would have been anything wrong with that, since it’s essentially just selling advertising like the newspaper does, but I turned them down because I didn’t want people thinking that I only held these opinions because I was getting compensated by Pioneer in some way. I was concerned about how it would be perceived.

    Recently, I was asked to create a PowerPoint slide show to supplement Pioneer’s presentation to the Heights Village Board because my profession is communications, I knew Sharon Deckard of IPRRF, and I had a done a lot of research on this issue already. I agreed to do that and Pioneer paid for my time at an hourly rate.

    Draw what conclusions you will from that. If you think that makes me biased, so be it. I don’t think it does. If you think it makes me a “paid representative of Pioneer,” you’re flat wrong. Frankly, if there were a third rail carrier that didn’t have the negative baggage that Pioneer does nor the incompetence of Central Illinois Railroad, I would back that carrier to haul freight on the Kellar Branch. What’s important to me is the best interests of Peoria.

    If you don’t like my conclusions, if you disagree with me about the rail/trail issue, that’s fine. We can still be friends. But don’t question my integrity or call me a liar or a shill. That’s where you cross the line.

  38. Finally, the smoking gun…..C.J. is a paid representative of Pioneer Railcorp.

    What a joke.

  39. How much advertising revenue does the PJS get from the Park District? And what other arrangements are there between them? They are always giving them apparently free announcement space. All kinds of cross-sponsorships? What else is there? IF you want to talk about bias, let’s talk about bias. Maybe you would prefer CJ to be unemployed, I would prefer to see the PJS editors unemployed.

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