Feeling the pinch at the pump? Bush oil buddies laughing all the way to the bank

Bush's buddies and prime backers are making suckers of us all. The Enron corporate model is alive and well.

Profits amaze even analysts
With oil prices, 'It's like they're printing money'
By MICHAEL LIEDTKE
Associated Press

SAN FRANCISCO - Pumped up by persistently high energy prices, the oil industry maintained its streak of massive — and growing — quarterly profits this week, aggravating motorists and amazing financial analysts.

"I have been following this industry for 18 years and I have never seen anything like this," Oppenheimer & Co. analyst Fadel Gheit said Friday. "It's like they're printing money."

The results of the world's four largest oil companies illustrate just how well the industry has fared lately.

Since the end of 2003, Royal Dutch-Shell Group of Companies, BP Group, Exxon Mobil and ChevronTexaco have earned a combined $97 billion, including $23.8 billion during the first three months of this year.

Bush S.S. plan explained, and it ain't pretty

Get informed. Noted economist Brad DeLong explains Bush's scheme to fix Social Security with clarity and insight. Go read.

Illinois Dept. of Natural Resources blunder loses thousands in federal funds

A state audit Thursday said the Illinois Department of Natural Resources may have lost out on nearly $59,000 in federal funds for flooding cleanup because it didn't properly account for its time.

Auditor General William Holland's report said the Federal Emergency Management Agency estimated Illinois would be eligible for $123,000 for repairing wildlife areas near Alton after Mississippi River flooding in 2002.

But Holland said DNR didn't use a required accounting system so could only account for $64,000 in expenses.

He says this was just one example of the problem. Not documenting billable expenses could jeopardize federal grant funding, which totaled $29 million to DNR last year, Holland said.

The reimbursement was for cleanup and repair of Mississippi River levees at about eight natural and waterfowl areas near Pere Marquette State Park, DNR spokeswoman Gayle Simpson said.

DNR officials acknowledged the agency did not consistently use the accounting program but disagreed that it lost any federal funds. They said the review did not take into account state funds required to be spent or how the federal government determined its estimate.

Powerful donor group decides what gets done in QCs.

The Dispatch/Argus has a revealing article about the "Quad Cities Contributor's Council", a group which pulls together all the deep pocket donors in the area to decide which projects get funding and which do not. Unsurprisingly, it's head is Hunt Harris III.

For more than a decade, just about every big bricks-and-mortar project in the Quad-Cities has been scrutinized by a handful of people connected to the deep pockets capable of getting it done.

Outside the circle of major donors involved with the Quad City Contributors Council, few people understand what the group does and why.

Niabi Zoo, which on Wednesday announced a nearly $3 million capital campaign, is just one example of the many nonprofit groups that seek the council's blessing before beginning to raise money for a particular project.

The council's endorsement helped build the Quad City Botanical Center in Rock Island, bring an IMAX Theater to the Putnam Museum in Davenport and pave the way for Hampton's Heritage Center. The botanical center is about to return to the council with its $4 million children's garden proposal, executive director Cheryl Carney said.

Perhaps the most expensive area project approved by the council is the $48.6 million Figge Art Museum, set to open in July.

The Quad City Contributors Council formed in the early 1990s as The Mark of the Quad Cities in Moline was nearing completion, president Hunt Harris said. He is president of Isabel Bloom Holdings Inc. and oversees the $4.4 million Hunt and Diane Harris Family Foundation.

Current members of the Quad City Contributors Council:

- Michael Bauer, president of Quad City Bank and Trust

- Richard Bittner, Bechtel Trusts

- Gene Blanc, chairman and CEO of Midland Information Resources Corp.

- Linda Bowers, co-owner of Lingui Systems Inc.

- Jim Collins, community relations director for Deere & Co.

- Alan Egly, executive director of the Doris and Victor Day Foundation

- Tom Getz, president of Moline Forge Inc.

- Hunt Harris, of the Hunt and Diane Harris Family Foundation and president of Isabel Bloom Holdings Inc.

- Pete McLaughlin, president of McLaughlin Oldsmobile Cadillac

- Marc Parise, president and CEO of First Midwest Bank

- Thomas Robinson, president and CEO of Southeast National Bank

- Clyde Schoeck, president of Modern Woodmen of America

- John Stavnes, president of Wells Fargo Bank

- Tim Wilkinson, vice president of communications at Alcoa

These are the folks who decide what gets done and what doesn't for the rest of us, and until this piece, not only these people, but the existence of the group itself was effectively unknown to the public.
Perhaps they're the only people with great wealth left in the Quad Cities.

Read the rest of the article here.

Rock Island county continues to expand web services

Rock Island County officials hope to duplicate the success they've seen from putting assessments online, when property tax information is added to the county Web site next month.

The county recorded 11,000 hits in March to the supervisor of assessments page on the Rock Island County Web site, www.rockislandcounty.org. Of those, 6,500 were initial hits looking up multiple properties, supervisor of assessments Larry Wilson said.

"It is pretty exciting what we have to offer today," county board chairman Jim Bohnsack said.

Knowledge of the Web site was only through word of mouth. Mr. Wilson's employees have been telling title companies, attorney's offices and real estate agents about the Web site when they call, so the early popularity is encouraging, he said.

The county plans to put property tax information from the treasurer's office online May 13, when tax bills are mailed. Information available will include who the tax bill is mailed to, annual amount due, and when payments are made.

Mr. Wilson said the number of calls to the assessor's office has dropped since the information went online. He sees the number of hits as phone calls his staff didn't have to field.

"Now I can re-focus my staff and be more effective for the township assessors," he said.

The information is popular with people and companies involved in real estate transactions, Mr. Wilson said.

The project, spearheaded by Mr. Wilson and Web programmer Sue Adams, took about six months. Privacy issues were considered when determining how visitors to the Web site would be able to search for parcel information.

The information only is searched by parcel number or address so names couldn't be entered, protecting people who don't want their addresses known, like judges and police officers, Ms. Adams said. Property tax information can be found the same way.

The Dope has been aware of this service for some time. Needless to say, it's of interest to find out what your properties are assessed at, as well as neighboring properties.

Jacobs, Verschoore draft bill to patch glitch in Casino move

Local legislators have the draft of a bill that would allow the state gaming board to approve the Casino Rock Island moving, and could send it to committee as soon as next week.

State Rep. Pat Verschoore, D-Milan, state Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, and Attorney General Lisa Madigan's staff wasted little time moving forward with the bill following a meeting Monday in Chicago.

The legislators and others met with the Attorney General after the release of a letter with an informal opinion that the gaming board didn't have the ability to grant permission for a casino to move.

The bill would allow any casino to move within five miles of its current docking location as long as it has the licensed municipality's permission, Rep. Verschoore said.

The legislators argued that the legislative intent of previous amendments gives the gaming board the power to approve casinos' relocation requests. They agreed to push a bill that would add the needed language for casinos to relocate.

"On first blush, it is simply amazing that a few word changes give us the authority we need," Sen. Jacobs said. "If her requirement is for us to jump over one more hurdle, we will jump over one more hurdle."

Whether one supports the move or not, and there are many valid arguments against it, the powers that be seem intent on making it happen. We'll see if amending a few words of a bill will prove to remove the last roadblock to the relocation plans.

Big Al's back

The Nation does a cover story on Al Gore and his efforts to launch a progressive news network, which has somehow morphed into a youth cable channel "Currents".

What began as an effort to challenge Rupert Murdoch and the right-wing domination of the corporate media has transformed into a business proposition to lure a youth audience with lofty rhetoric, new technology and pop-culture content. Gore and Hyatt didn't have TV experience, so they ceded creative control to industry people who did. Along the way, "democratizing" the media--their buzzword from the get-go, which they described as giving space to ordinary young people--became more important than politics or elevating television's dismal content. What emerges on August 1, Current's launch date, could re-semble an interactive grad-school version of MTV.

Al also recently gave a speech to an Moveon.org audience covered on C-Span where he expounded on a range of issues including the current controversy over Republican efforts to change senate rules to effectively alter traditional checks and balances and fill the courts with radical right wingers, otherwise known as the "nuclear option."

No friendly smiles in any aisles

This story won't likely do much towards improving the public image of lawyers.

One property owner is holding hostage the $15 million project to build a new Hy-Vee grocery, city officials contend.

Ald. Evie White, 5th Ward, and Mayor Mark Schwiebert singled out Rock Island attorney Joel Deutsch as responsible for delaying construction on a 61,500-square-foot store behind the existing Hy-Vee on 18th Avenue.

Des Moines-based Hy-Vee Inc. expected to start on the expansion last fall. It acquired several neighboring properties to make room for the larger store. Those were to be torn down, so the new store could be built while the other remained open.

C.T. Investments sued Embassy Corp. last June, saying Embassy breached an option agreement between the two, according to Rock Island County court records. Mr. Deutsch is Embassy's president.

The agreement, signed Oct. 22, 2003, gave C.T. Investments the "exclusive option" in the next four months to buy a 12-unit apartment building immediately south of Hy-Vee, at 1836 29½ St., for $575,000.

The agreement allowed the real estate company to extend the option for another three months, which it did in February 2004. An agent hand-delivered a letter to Mr. Deutsch at his downtown Rock Island law office May 14, 2004, saying C.T. Investments exercised its option to buy the property.

Days later, Mr. Deutsch informed the company's president, Chris Thomason, the option agreement expired through a technicality. C.T. Investments didn't use certified return receipt mail as the agreement specified, Mr. Deutsch said.

The case was argued in early March and awaits a decision from Circuit Judge Joseph Beatty. C.T. Investments asked the court to force Embassy to sell the property to it at the previously agreed price of $575,000.

"He's holding the entire city hostage," Ald. White said of Mr. Deutsch during Monday's city council meeting. "I'm livid with this man."

She admitted she doesn't know Mr. Deutsch personally, but said if she encountered him, "I'd probably kick him in the shins."

Mayor Schwiebert in his remarks accused Mr. Deutsch of trying to get more money for the property.

Blago's Cost-cutting Cred Crushed by CMS Corruption Concerns

It's a huge mess. Governor Blagojevich must think he's in a nightmare version of the movie "Groundhog Day", as money scandals threaten to erupt with almost monotonous regularity. Yet another revelation of his donors and those connected to his organization grabbing for money with both hands and feet and likely their teeth has come to light, this one threatening to widen and really develop legs.

The state Auditor General has issued an audit of the Gov's showpiece agency, the Central Management Services, or CMS, which he created to aggregate power over state agencies under his control with the stated aim to increase efficiency and eliminate waste in state government. It was touted as saving the state huge amounts of money.

Now the revelations contained in the audit are blowing this premise to bits and will severely damage the cost cutting, reformer image that Blagojevich has been carefully cultivating. For you irony fans out there, the audit reveals that many of the firms hired by CMS to identify waste and realize savings were themselves padding their contracts and submitting inflated and dubious expense claims amounting to hundred of thousands of dollars which were then paid by the state.

The laundry list of wrongdoing or at least dubious dealings contained in the auditor's report is long. It's already evolving into a battle royale in Springfield between CMS officials and the Auditor General and promises to get worse before it gets better.

Auditor Gen. William Holland asked the state's top lawyer Tuesday to investigate $546,650 in expenses, ranging from wining and dining state officials to parking at a Chicago Bulls game, paid for by taxpayers through Gov. Rod Blagojevich's showcase plan to save the state hundreds of millions of dollars.

The expenses were but one chapter in Holland's scathing audit of Blagojevich's Department of Central Management Services. Holland said it raised so many questions about the integrity of how state contracts are awarded and managed that Atty. Gen. Lisa Madigan should look into his findings.

"We are reviewing it closely," Madigan spokeswoman Melissa Merz said.

Holland also complained that the department had not provided documentation to back up its claims of saving taxpayers up to $600 million and suggested that taxpayers could actually be losing money because the Blagojevich initiatives are so hard to quantify.

"This is worse than just sloppy," Holland said.

Officials for the department, which Blagojevich has used to centralize his control over the state government bureaucracy, denied any improprieties in awarding contracts and accused the auditor general of a "deliberately inflammatory" review.

The release of the audit may become a major political embarrassment to Blagojevich, who pledged to reform the way the state does business and to hold a lid on state sales and income tax rates by cutting costs.

The audit also brought to the surface an exchange of caustic rhetoric between Holland and Central Management Services officials, creating another feud in a Statehouse buffeted by frequent battles between the Democratic governor and lawmakers, including those in his own party.

The issues of alleged waste and mismanagement highlighted by Holland involved $69 million the department awarded in contracts to firms charged with finding ways to cut spending.

Moline grads inducted into "Hall of Honor"

Iowa Sen. Maggie Neir Tinsman and Moline philanthropist Hunt Harris will be two of six honorees inducted into the Moline High School Hall of Honor at 2 p.m. Sunday, May 15, in the school auditorium, 3600 Avenue of the Cities.

The public is invited to the ceremony and reception afterward.

The Hall of Honor recognizes Moline High School graduates who have achieved distinction in public, professional and community services and serve as a positive influence.

Honorees are:

-Sen. Tinsman, who graduated from Moline High School in 1954. She has served on the Iowa State Legislature for more than 15 years and was honored for her volunteer efforts for the American Lung Association and Iowa Council of Economic Education.

- Mr. Harris, an area philanthropist and entrepreneur, graduated in 1967. He has improved education and serves as a national volunteer for Junior Achievement and the United Way.

-Dr. Reinhardt Bodenbender, Class of 1950, was a doctor in Moline and a naval doctor. He now is a national leader for the Paralyzed Veterans of America.

-Benedict Zobrist, Class of 1939, directed the Harry S. Truman Presidential Library and Museum in Independence, Mo. He also arranged President Truman's funeral and had a major role in opening some of the president's significant documents.

- Honorees in memoriam are Judge Dan McNeal, a 1916 graduate, and Richard "Dick" Sargent, who graduated in 1929.

A leading attorney, Mr. McNeal compiled the Illinois 14th Judicial District under the new constitution which provided standards for the current judicial system. The honored jurist and military leader also was chief legal officer to establish the post-war German judicial system.

Mr. Sargent, an artist, created more than 40 covers for the Saturday Evening Post. While touring with the USO during the Korean War, he also sketched portraits of soldiers for families back home.

Does anyone recall about a year ago how John F. Baker, a Medal of Honor winner (and whiner) from Moline made a big fuss over how he was not in this "Hall of Honor" at Moline High School?

It seems Mr. Baker was incensed that they hadn't inducted him. There was a tiny problem however. Baker never graduated. But that didn't stop him from loudly whining about this honor he evidently felt was due him. It seems odd for a guy who won the Congressional Medal of Honor to be raising hell because it's so incredibly important to him to get into his High School's "Hall of Honor".

When Bush's going AWOL from the "Champagne Squadron" of the Texas Air National Guard story reappeared, Baker appeared as the top signatory to a list of medal of honor winners in total support of chickenhawk Bush and who derided John Kerry's heroic service in the military.

Both the city of Moline and Moline High School had honored Baker when he returned from Vietnam, and since he'd dropped out, the school awarded him an honorary degree. But this wasn't enough for Baker, and after complaining long and long, they finally gave him what he wanted and inducted the only non-graduate and only military figure into the hall last year.

Two development issues to be decided by Moline Council tonight

During the regular council meeting, aldermen will vote on a development agreement with Autumn Trails LLC to facilitate the redevelopment of the former Bethany Home property at 220 11th Ave.

The $8.1 million project would include the a 25-unit assisted living center and construction of 32 to 34 condominiums for people 55 and older.

Autumn Trails is requesting assistance from the city in the form of an incremental property tax rebate of up to $1.2 million.

Aldermen also will vote on spending $22,377 to buy decorative lights for the Centre Alley Courtyard from Republic Electric.

The courtyard will be located on 15th Street in the alley between 4th and 5th Avenues. The outdoor beer garden will feature decorative lighting and fencing and a stage area for live music.

The lighting is just one aspect of a $500,000 project that is a public-private partnership between the city and the surrounding business owners.

These are two laudable projects. But hurry, don't be the last one on your block to have your project or business improvement financed by the city.

"Gilligan" hopes to get off the island

It's already becoming a joke.

Brian Gilliland's friends call him "Gilligan" -- a name he says will appear on the ballot as he runs for U.S. Congress to try to unseat the current captain ... err... U.S. Rep. Lane Evans D-Rock Island in 2006.

"The time is right for change in our district," Mr. Gilliland said. Mr. Evans "hasn't been doing his job recently. We've lost too many jobs. I can bring fresh ideas to the job.

"We've been on an island of shrinking opportunities, left to fend for ourselves. We've been stranded on this island for way too long."

Mr. Gilliland is the second Republican to announce a Congressional run against Mr. Evans.

Methinks that "Gilligan" has aborbed a few too many blows to the head with the Skippers cap.

Mr. Gilliland said his recent dealings with Aledo as he tried to start a subdivision fueled his Congressional ambitions. The city wouldn't budge with certain infrastructure ordinances and has made his effort to start building a little harder.

Now there's a rock solid reason to run for office. Personal profit! At least he's upfront about it. After all, if there's one problem facing our area that everyone can agree on, it's the lack of government welfare for businessmen. Businessmen such as "Gilligan" shouldn't be required to follow laws, rules, ordinances, zoneing laws and such crap.
Sheesh. Somehow I think that like his TV alter-ego, this "Gilligan" is never going to get off the island.

(and since when is Lane Evans referred to as "Mr. Evans"? Shouldn't it be "Rep. Evans" or "Congressman Evans"?)

Lisa Madigan stands by ruling, backhands local pols

Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has dealt (no pun intended) a blow to long-standing plans to relocate Casino Rock Island to a new location south of Rock Island.
Despite a personal meeting with Sen. Mike Jacobs and his dad Denny, Rep. Pat Verschoore, and Rock Island Mayor Mark Schweibert, she upheld a legal opinion issued by a deputy which maintains that the state gambling board does not have the authority to rule on whether such a move is permissible.

Attorney General Lisa Madigan refused to rescind an informal opinion written by a senior deputy attorney that says the Illinois Gaming Board doesn't have the power to allow the move.

However, a representative said her office would assist in writing a bill to clear up ambiguities in the Gaming Act over casinos moving.

State Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline, and State Rep. Pat Verschoore, D-Milan, were disappointed in the outcome of the 90-minute meeting and will head back to Chicago to forge legislation that clears up the matter.

"It wasn't what we wanted," Rep. Verschoore said. "We still feel the language gives them the ability to move within their jurisdiction. They want the project to move forward, but they want all the i's dotted and the t's crossed," he said of the Attorney General's office.

The point was raised in the meeting that two casino boats -- in Joliet and Peoria -- already have moved under 2003 legislation that amended the state Gaming Act.

"The precedent allowed this in the past," Rock Island Mayor Mark Schwiebert said. "Frankly, we feel a little discriminated against since the gaming board administrator gave preliminary approval to acquire the site and begin site work."

The legislators are concerned about the opinion's impact on financing the $90 million project that would create 400 to 500 construction jobs at the new site near the intersection of Interstate 280 and Illinois 94.

The parties at Monday's meeting agreed the intent of previous legislation was to allow gaming boats to move within the jurisdiction that was licensed. But the Attorney General and her staff believe the law is ambiguous as to who has final approval, according to those at the meeting.

"We did everything within our power to convince the Attorney General that the advisory opinion (by her office) was wrong," said Sen. Jacobs, who wants a bill that clears up the Gaming Act's language to allow casinos to move within the boundaries of the jurisdiction that issued the license.

He's unsure if he can move the bill trough both houses without amendments, and he's worried about an anti-gaming attitude that pervades the house as well as whether Gov. Rod Blagojevich would sign such a bill.

"Before the meeting, we had no clear-cut path," Sen. Jacobs said. "Now we have a path, but it's full of rocks and goes up over a hill. There is some upside. We do have a plan and a direction we are now traveling, and Lisa Madigan said she would be helpful to us on that."

Rep. Verschoore has a sunnier outlook on passing legislation. "We feel confident we will get something done," he said. "This is too big a project to fall through the cracks. I think the governor will sign on if we pass the legislation."

A letter from a senior deputy attorney, considered an informal opinion, to State Rep. Don Moffit, R-Gilson, was released April 18, five days before the Illinois Gaming Board was scheduled to meet.

The Casino Rock Island's move wasn't discussed in open session at Friday's Gaming Board meeting.

Sen. Jacobs wondered if the Attorney General's opinion is connected with the possibility of gaming in the Chicago area. Last year, the Capri Casino Inc. was chosen to run a casino boat in suburban Rosemont, but the gaming board stalled action.

"I don't think you can ever miss that point," Sen. Jacobs said. "We have spoken openly that a Chicago casino would be great. We could be caught up in that. We could be caught up in that 10th license. I think that is a much more likely conclusion.

"No one wants to talk about the underbelly of it all," he said, adding that after a year of waiting and just days before approval, "all of a sudden this letter popped out of no where."

Mayor Schwiebert thinks it's more likely an overly technical interpretation of the law, though he did call the timing "a little strange."

He said a plan by the East St. Louis casino to move about 300 yards to accommodate an expansion, also requires gaming board approval and is being held up.

Casino moves were "allowed in other locations," Mayor Scwiebert said. "It is not being allowed in these two communities.

"It really isn't the same thing as relocating from East Dubuque to the Chicago area," he said. "This is the same workforce, the same jurisdiction, the same administration."

This represents a real blow to not only the Casino Rock Island, but to the trio of legislators who set out to get it straightened out. It now appears that what appeared to be a last minute glitch will turn out to be a real threat to the entire project.

Hey kids! The Quad Cities are on the GROW!!!

Mark you calendars and clear your schedules. Soon you'll be able to find out how YOU TOO can do your part to make the Quad City region a thriving, up-to-date, modern, "happenin'" place to live and work. Yet more consultants are to unveil our regional path to salvation.

Everyone in the community is responsible for economic development, and everyone can find out next month how they can play a part in the success of Illinois Quad-Cities.

As part of the Unified Growth Strategy, on May 23 the Illinois Quad-City Chamber of Commerce will unveil "Blueprint 2010: A Regional Strategy for Unified Growth." The five-year economic development action plan is designed to sustain and grow the area.

The recommendations and community priorities will be released at the 5 p.m. event to be held at The Mark of the Quad Cities.

The chamber hired AngelouEconomics and Next Generation Consulting last year to study the Illinois Quad-Cities. The study has been supported by local businesses, government, and community leaders from Rock Island, Henry and Mercer counties.

The study has looked at the community from the point of view of a business as well as from the point of view of workers.

Those results have helped to create the final action plan which focuses on five areas: business climate and entrepreneurship; workforce and education; sites and infrastructure; marketing and economic development; and quality of life.

"We are very excited about the findings," said chamber president and CEO Rick Baker.

The recommendations from both AngelouEconomics and Next Generation Consulting can change the way we operate as a community, he added.

"We want the community to know we are very interested in implementing the plan. It will not sit on a shelf," he said. "... It is best if we are able to create our own future rather than rely on outside forces to create our future."

Of course, the chamber has predictably relied on just such outsiders to tell them what our future should look like. They hired not one, but two expensive consultant outfits to tell them what needs to be done. (Hell, the fact that AngelouEconomics has no space in their name shows that they MUST be cutting edge. And however many thousands they were paid, they earned it just for coming up with the title of the report.)

Radicals

Oh my. Yet another Republican displays their true colors. Just what sort of vision for the future do they have?
Is it just me, or is their constant drone that government is the enemy while they themselves control government and will resort to anything up to and including murder* to gain power more than a bit insane?

And isn't it more than a bit disturbing that Republicans around the country routinely make the most outrageous, ignorant, irresponsible, and vicious statements, statements much worse than this one, without any apparent fear of backlash or censure? (Delay recntly saying that judges who don't rule the way he likes should be made to "answer" for it someday, or Bush's Sec. of Education referring to teacher's unions as "terrorist organizations", to name just a couple that come to mind.

Iowa Senate Republican Assistant Leader calls police officers, teachers, and others "bottom-feeders"

On April 20, 2005, Senate Republican Assistant Leader Mark Zieman specified a list of public employees which he referred to as "bottom-feeders" during Senate debate.

At issue was a Republican effort to change House File 729, a bill updating the Iowa Public Employees Retirement System (IPERS).

Transcripts and audio files of the statement available through the link above.

* I refer to the 1998 case of Byron "Low Tax" Looper, the Tennesee Republican who murdered Tommy Burks, his opponent in a state senate race. (Looper actually had his middle name legally changed to "Low Tax" so it would appear on the ballot.)
More here and here.

Local pols rush to snuff snafu on Casino relocation

It's got to be frustrating being a legislator. While regular readers of The Inside Dope realize that I don't exactly place politicians on a pedestal, this story illustrates the headaches that often emerge out of nowhere to threaten to undo a lot of work and thwart their plans.

This particular bugaboo appeared after a downstate Republican, Rep. Don Moffit of Gilson, requested an opinion from an assistant state A.G. as to whether current legislation gives the state gaming board authority to authorize Casino Rock Island's proposed move.

The assistant A.G. responded with an "informal" opinion that argued that the board indeed may not have the required authority.

The informal opinion upholds an opinion issued by then-Attorney General Jim Ryan in 2001, saying the gaming board doesn't have the authority to approve the casino's move. Since then, new legislation has been passed that appeared to allow the move, but the latest opinion rejects that notion.

Sen. Jacobs argued that legislation passed in 2002 and 2003 allows the move. Denny Jacobs, Sen. Jacobs' father, helped write those bills while he was state senator and will also attend Monday's meeting.

"These two bills passed clearly gives the state authority to move the casino within a confined body of water within a community," Sen. Jacobs said. "After all, in the past, they allowed the Peoria boat to move to East Peoria and allowed Joliet's Harris [sic] boat to move without giving up their licenses."

This seemingly minor incident has got local pols pretty excited. They initially wanted an appointment with an assistant state A.G., but now they're clamoring for an appointment with Attorney General Lisa Madigan herself.

Sen. Mike Jacobs, with dad Denny riding shotgun, Rep. Pat Verschoore, and Rock Island Mayor Mark Schwiebert will all attend the meeting.

Even though the legislators argue that this opinion is invalid since it was an "informal", "unofficial" opinion given to a minor legislator who is neither a member of either party's leadership or a committee chair, it poses the real danger that it could adversely impact financing for the relocation of Casino Rock Island unless clarified.

Groups and lobbyists favoring the relocation of Casino Rock Island are also chiming in.

They [state legislators] will also be joined by gaming lobbyists. County board chairman Jim Bohnsack sent the Attorney General's Office a letter of support for the casino project. Tri-City Building Trades Council executive director Rory Washburn has also sent a letter of support and urged individual unions to do the same.

(Kudos again to both the Dispatch reporter who apparently can hear the word "Harrah's" in conjunction with a casino and think it's "Harris", and the editor for either missing it or not once wondering if maybe it should be "Harrah's".)

Bowman leaves city of Moline to join "Renew Moline" development group

Apparently, the recent title change from "assistant city administrator for economic development" to "economic development director" that city officals gave him wasn't enough to keep Moline economic development honcho Jim Bowman in place. Bowman has decided to get his checks from private investors group "Renew Moline", rather than the city. Since the majority of Bowman's work has involved working with (and one could argue, for) the group's purposes anyway, it's a distinction without a difference for him to be officially employed by "Renew".

Economic development director Jim Bowman will leave the city of Moline on May 13 to become executive director of Renew Moline.

Renew is a non-profit private organization that focuses on development within the downtown area. It has worked with the city to facilitate many projects since it was launched more than 10 years ago, including the John Deere Commons, John Deere Pavilion, Bass Street Landing and the Radisson Hotel.

The public-private partnership between the city and Renew Moline has been marked with successes over the years, and Mr. Bowman says that prosperous relationship will continue.

"I get the opportunity to step into a very successful organization and a successful model, one that is proven, one that can only be built upon. My goal is to continue the effort that Renew Moline and the city of Moline have worked hard to accomplish," he said.

Mr. Bowman has been in charge of the city's economic development programs since February 2004, spearheading several projects, including the new parking garage, the technology corridor, and the downtown Main Street initiative.

Bowman follows the now well traveled career path of so many public officials. He puts in his time in government, then cashes in by working for the well-heeled interest groups that he formerly dealt with in his government position.

It's all about the Benjamins, and one has a hard time faulting anyone for going where the cash is. But the practice is so prevalent at higher levels of government, it's a little disconcerting to see it making it's way down to the municipal level.

So apparently the moving force in Moline government that has managed to develop many high-end projects, the majority of them related to Deere & Co., in downtown Moline is going to work for a private consortium of business interests who want to see Moline developed according to their vision and benefit.

Trying to revitalize a downtown area with strikes against it such as Moline's is not easy. But while there's certainly been a barge-load of money pumped into the downtown area, it is certainly debatable whether the effort as a whole has been more than marginally successful. The only businesses which have seemed to be able to hang on are the most heavily capitalized, such as national chains and other businesses with large amounts of cash behind them.
Small to medium size business start-ups have been routine failures in the area, and that is a glaring problem.

But it appears that now Bowman won't have to worry about the small fish, as he'll now represent the big boys who will be paying in part for his backward connections within city government.

We wish him well, and hope that perhaps he might influence his new employers to start thinking outside of the existing downtown Moline development box.

$300,000,000,000.00

That's
THREE HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS
that the YOU have spent on the invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq to date.
It's more than the country has, and in order to come up with the money, we've had to borrow enormous amounts from China and other countries, who now have us over a barrel, while plunging the country into such a staggering deficit that it is seriously threatening the stability of our entire economy.

And the bill will be due and payable, and every one of us, and our children, and our children's children, will all be paying for it for their entire lives.

Three hundred billion dollars. Keep that number in mind next time you hear about a Social Security shortfall, or communities struggling to make their budgets, or having to cut programs and teachers just to keep schools open, or cutting back environmental protections, or when you hear about seniors and others suffering or dying due to being unable to afford health care and drug costs, or any number of REAL problems facing millions of Americans today, problems that exist and are rapidly worsening almost daily in this country.

The things that money could accomplish for the public and national good are simply astounding. Yet those positive and humanitarian goals are not our priority.

Those on the right, and many on the left, bitch and moan and complain about social services or welfare for the poor. Yet you don't hear a peep out of them while the country, under completely false pretenses, spends this unimaginable amount of money, money that the country has to borrow from China and others, against a non-existent threat to the U.S. (Not to mention the death, wounding, and psychological damage done to thousands of our troops, and it's affect on their families forever.)

Only a handful of Americans were courageous enough to stand up and loudly protest this hopelessly misguided war when it became apparent that Bush and his thugs were hell-bent on getting their war on. And those that did were derided and dismissed as some sort of fringe "hippies" or "peace-niks".

How utterly sad and staggeringly unfortunate that the majority of us in this country appear to be little more than "sheeple", told that to dissent from war, no matter how blatantly flimsy and illogical the rationale, is somehow being a bad citizen, and meekly accepting that premise. It's appalling how easily led we as a people are as long as the elites cynically appeal to ignorant and blind patriotism.

Slapping a chincy patriotic ribbon magnet (made in China) is cheap. Wars are not.

River Cities Reader notices Jacobs

As predicted by a commenter a couple days ago, the current issue of the River Cities Reader contains an article on the panel put together to jump-start the construction of the WIU riverfront campus project in Moline. The piece contains quotes from Sen. Jacobs as well as the chair of the committee, Rick Baker, president and CEO of the Illinois Quad City Chamber of Commerce, and WIU officials.

“The government is not really in the business of building things, and private entrepreneurs are,” [Jacobs] continued, “so I’m going to call on them to help us build this project.”

That's true. From what I see, the government is in the business of financing the building of things. Private entrepreneurs are in the business of doing the work and then reaping the profits, evidently. Not a bad gig if you can get it. The hardest part is actually getting the state to pay you what they said they would and when they said they would.

Seems like if businesses are out of work, the state is more than happy to get them some. But if you or I are out of a job, we're just welfare loafers who should have what little benefits that are still available cut short.

The only hinky thing about such private/public deals is that it's hard to imagine that private concerns are going to pony up millions without getting one hell of a benefit in return. There's nothing wrong with say, Deere coughing up some money and getting the engineering courses they need in return. That not only benefits Deere, but it benefits the students and school as well.

I can't wait to find out who the donors are and what they expect in return, that is IF that quid pro quo is ever made public. What those benefits are is what makes the difference between a great civic achievement and borderline corrupt sweet-heart corporate welfare.

Jim Jeffords, I-VT, retires

In a loss for the Senate and the Dems, Sen. Jim Jeffords, Independent of Vermont, is announcing his retirement. His wife is fighting cancer, and he acknowledged that there is some problems with his own health at age 70.
This is a loss of a moderate voice in the Senate, and of a man who withstood furious venom and hatred from right wingers when he courageously switched from a Republican to an Independent after Bush's first election, thereby denying the Republicans a majority in the Senate for their frequent party line votes.
Jeffords will be missed.

Woo hoo! Vilsack raises Iowa interstate speed limit

In a victory for everyone that finds themselves traveling I-80 anywhere in Iowa, which has got to be one of the most stupifyingly dull stretches of road in the known universe, and other Iowa highways, governor Tom Vilsack has signed into law a measure raising the speed limit on rural interstate highways from 65 to 70 mph.

The measure also doubles the existing fines and court costs for speeding tickets, but only in areas where the posted limit is in excess of 55 mph. For driving 10 mph over the limit, the fine would go from $43 to $82. The law is expected to bring in about $7 million to fund courts and $600,000 for the state’s general fund. And cops will no longer give wiggle room on speed.

Vilsack said he is directing the Iowa State Patrol to enforce the new limit strictly rather than the current, unofficial practice of allowing drivers to go 5 to 7 mph over the limit before ticketing.

“The posted speed limit is the limit,” he said.

Until now, most motorists traveled around 75 mph, risking a $43 fine, but rarely getting pulled over. Now for driving that fast, they'll be targeted for being pulled over and pay $82.

So in essence, this measure will result in more tickets issued and more revenue, and will actually slow highway traffic from an average of 75 to 70 mph. Not bad from the state's standpoint.

In my opinion a system like the Autobahn in Germany would be the ideal.

Many sections, particularly those with dangerous curves, in urban areas, or with unusually constant heavy traffic, may feature speed limits ranging from 80 to 120 km/h (50-75 mph). In construction zones, the limit may be as low as 60 km/h (37 mph). Also, some sections now feature nighttime and wet-weather speed restrictions, and trucks are always regulated (see table below). Still, much of the Autobahn is unlimited, but there is a recommended limit of 130 km/h (81 mph). This recommendation is generally seen for what it is-- an attempt by the government to cover itself without having to upset millions of Porsche and BMW owners/voters. However, if you exceed the recommended limit and are involved in an accident, you could be responsible for some of the damage costs even if you are not at fault.

The Iowa law is at least a teeny-tiny step in the right direction, even though it effectively makes it more risky to travel 75 mph and not get pinched.

Moline, Milan asked to cough up money for further archaeological study

In yet another of the constant stream of cases where developers expect municipalities to pay most of the costs involved with building for-profit projects, the developers of "Bluffs at Case Creek", a housing and commmercial development to be built in both Moline and Milan in an area off of Knoxville Road are asking for, and will likely receive, over $12,000 each from both Moline and Milan to cover the costs of a second stage archaeological study at the site.
Indian artifacts were found in the initial study, and state law mandates further investigation.
The cost of the second stage study, which will be done by the University of Iowa, ironically enough, is expected to cost over $36,000 which the developer wants to split three ways between themselves and the cities involved.

Milan has already agreed to provide the sewer service to the project, while Moline will provide water service.

Any readers want to pony up some cash for a developement? We can get the city to buy the land, pay for any environmental clean up or remediation and archaological studies, pay for the huge costs of building roads, sewer, and water service, exempt us from taxes for decades, pay for the costs to promote, publicize, and attract purchasers, and even cough up closing costs for buyers!

Bottom line? We'll only have to pay for a fraction of the costs of the development, and then sit back and collect all the profits tax-free for years!!!

C'mon, let's not be the last one's on our block to get in on this gravy train!

In another related story, Milan's Village administrator Steve Seiver met with Sen. Mike Jacobs and Rep. Pat Verschoore Monday to discuss issues with the project. Seiver is concerned with the costs associated with preserving priceless historical artifacts and apparently wants Jacobs and Verschoore to intervene in the matter.

Mr. Seiver met with the legislators, he said, because each time a study is completed, more work is requested. "As we do each one of these, the rules keep changing a little bit," he said.

Milan is to provide sewer service for the development, and has a permit pending with the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency.

Both legislators agreed to set up a meeting soon with Milan, Moline and the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency to discuss the project.

So, we have our public servents called in to try to limit or eliminate the effort to preserve these artifacts. Evidently, perserving history is a bit too pricey for the developer, Milan, and Moline's tastes, and they want these politicians to do something about it. We'll have to see what actions, if any, they take.

See? Even if we hit a snag like this with our project, we can call on politicians to intervene and fix it so we don't have to follow the law. That way we can be further assured that our costs are next to nothing and our profits are guaranteed.

Henry Hyde to resign about 8 years too late

81 year old Rep. Henry Hyde, who's "youthful indescretions" when he was in his mid-40's with a married woman causing the break-up of the woman's marriage wasn't enough to prevent him from an almost comically pius performance as head of the house impeachment managers during the appalling Clinton impeachment effort, is finally stepping down. In an announcement on his web site yesterday he said he will not seek another term.

One only wishes he would have gotten out before embarrassing himself with his insanely over-the-top performance during the impeachment effort, in which he plead for the senate to impeach Clinton by imploring them to do it "for the children" and during which he delivered a truly bizarre speech which referred to almost every military conflict in U.S. history and then suggested that if they didn't throw Clinton out, all those thousands of service men and women would have died in vain. "The flag is falling", Hyde actually said.

And all this when he wrecked a marriage while in his fourties by carrying on an affair with a married woman. Thus he insured that out of 17 terms and 32 years in office, he'll be remembered for all time as a rank hypocrite who shamed himself in an effort at a misguided politically motivated coup.

Yep, another "family values" Republican who was so incredibly shocked and concerned with Clinton lying about sex that he was willing to actively push for a constitutional crisis and effectively depose a twice elected president.

He was also a very committed opponent to abortion who was responsible for eliminating federal funding of abortions.

Don't let the door hit you in the backside on your way out, Henry.

Reminder

For you early-birds out there, this is a reminder that C-Span's Washington Journal will be featuring a preview tour of the new Lincoln Museum in Springfield by Presidential historian Richard Norton Smith. The show begins at 6 a.m. and runs until around 9 a.m. It should prove to be an interesting look at what will no doubt prove to be a huge attraction. (despite the fact that the monkey in a man suit has seen fit to sully the opening with his presense.)

Alive since '05... 1905

Mrytle Appel has seen a lot. After all, she's 100 years old. When she was born in 1905, the Russian revolution broke out when two hundred thousand Russian workers marched on Tsar Nicholas II's Winter Palace in St. Petersburg and were fired upon by Czarist troops who killed hunreds, and an obscure physisist living in Switzerland published his theory of relativity and etched the name Albert Einstein in history. The Japanese completely defeated the Russian Navy in the Battle of the Straits of Tsushima. The Russian fleet was defeated by a fleet led by Japanese Admiral Tojo. The Japanese sunk almost the entire Russian fleet. An agreement was reached in Portsmouth under the aegis of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt. Norway's Parliament voted to declare the dissolution of the Union with Sweden, and in Daytona Beach, a car first broke 100 mph.

She was born and raised on a farm near Stockton, Ill where she was a homemaker. Her husband William died in 1975, and in 1981 she moved to Milan to be near her son who was stationed at the Rock Island Arsenal.

Former state Sen. Denny Jacobs, current state Sen. Mike Jacobs, Rock Island County Clerk Dick Leibovitz and government representatives from Silvis and East Moline showed up to wish Ms. Appel a happy birthday.

It's not really a party until the Jacobs' show up.

Dispatch/Argus Photo: Dan Videtich

Myrtle Appel, bottom left, and her great-granddaughter, Tonya Dennison of Milan, look over a copy of Ms. Appel's birth certificate which was presented to her at her 100th birthday party at Forest Hill Nursing Home in East Moline Sunday afternoon. Looking on in the background, from left, are East Moline Mayor Pro-Tem Crotis Teague; Illinois Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline; and Rock Island County Clerk Dick Leibovitz.

We got priorities

R.I. schools forced to consider deep slashes in elective curriculum subjects. But thank God Paris Hilton doesn't have to pay any inheritance tax.

Art classes are on the chopping block this year, just as home economics classes were last year.
The pendulum in Rock Island is swinging and slicing away at electives at Washington Junior High because of budget cuts and a lack of money from the state.

Mike Boland to attend Black Hawk College Dems meeting

A helpful e-mailer has passed along the following info.

Mike Boland is scheduled to appear at a Black Hawk College Democrats meeting Wednesday, April 20th at 2pm in Building 2. He will likely be seeking to recruit volunteer "interns". All interested persons are encouraged to attend.

Show some respect, people

Via Atrios

Indeed

Personally, I'm getting a little tired of all this making fun of conservatives. When you think about it, they deserve a lot of respect.

First, they have to believe whatever the Bush administration or lesser congressional-type republicans tells them to believe. Yea sure, I know, that sounds like something any idiot could do, but those beliefs often change from day to day and often end up diametrically opposed to what they were the day before. It takes an incredibly agile mind to constantly change core values and beliefs without ever acknowledging the contradictions.

Next, they have to disbelieve absolutely whatever a certain other class of people believe. This includes democrats, independents, moderates, the educated, the scientists, the French, and just about everyone else in the world.

Then to top it all off, every piece of art or entertainment must conform to the daily beliefs, whatever they are, or it must be boycotted, burned, or banished (not stashed under the mattress, no, no, no).

And finally, they have to disbelieve, and disbelieve passionately, easily observable reality. Those people being tortured, they're not feeling any pain. South Park? Karl Rove couldn't have written it any better.

It's not easy being that fucking stupid. It really takes a lot of work. Show some respect, people.

The list of idiotic and illogical things these poor conservatives have to believe is long.
For instance, the notion that all the increased attacks and killings of our troops in Iraq is really a sign of success, since if they're killing our troops over there, the won't be coming over here and say, attacking Ottumwa, IA.
Or the fact that Bush is a great and convincing speaker. Or that Social Security is on the verge of "going broke", or that there was ever any WMD's in Iraq, or that multi-multi-millionaires need to have the inheratance tax eliminated permanently. If not, many poor families will loose their family farms, businesses, etc. (even though the measure only affects a miniscule fraction of the population with estates worth several million dollars and the fact that the tax revenue lost by repealing the tax would fund up to 3/4 of the future Social Security shortfall) and that the very wealthiest in our country are the ones that are truly in need of help, not us... well, the list goes on and on. Feel free to contribute some more examples of how these poor folks have to somehow believe things that anyone with two eyes and a functioning brain would know to be false.

Ugh.

President Bush plans to attend next week's dedication of the state's new Abraham Lincoln museum.

The White House announced Friday that Bush will tour the museum and make remarks at the opening ceremony on Tuesday.

Richard Norton Smith, director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, said Bush's presence confirms its status as "a project of national scope."

"He is a Lincoln fan. I know that for a fact," Smith added. "I think it's something that has really grown on him during his presidency. I think a lot of presidents sooner or later find themselves turning to Lincoln and identifying with Lincoln."

Bush and his wife also may want to see the facility to get ideas for a Bush library after the president leaves office, Smith said.

The Bush II library could be housed in a broom closet. This White House is the most secretive in history, and Bush Jr. has already made sure that his papers from his Texas governorship were spirited away and hidden in his daddy's library where they're held in total secrecy. He also made a special effort early in his first term to amend laws governing presidential papers in such a way as to ensure that almost none would be available to scholars and historians. The way he changed the law, a former president can simply object to any of their papers being released, and, in a new twist designed to allow Jr. to sheild his Dad and cronies, he also added the provision that CURRENT presidents can object to any former president's papers being released, even if the former president has no objection! So, say, if Clinton wanted to release documents, Bush Jr. could object and no one would would be able to access them.

Aside from Mao-like glowing larger-than-life portraits and other attempts to deify this clown, there would be little else in a Bush Jr. library. Certainly nothing of interest to presidential scholars. This administration is determined that no records of their often shameless actions will ever see the light of day, whether 20 years from now, or 200.

And of course,Bush has no business stepping foot anywhere near anything to do with Lincoln. But it's no surprise that in his megalomania, he couldn't resist a chance to appear in Springfield and try to have some Lincoln aura rub off on him. I'm sure in Bush's mind, he regards himself as every bit the historical equal to Lincoln.

Bush economic policies come home to roost; Dow takes biggest plunge in two years

U.S. stocks tumbled, pushing the Dow Jones Industrial Average to its biggest drop in almost two years, in a selloff sparked by International Business Machines Corp.'s disappointing earnings report.

Benchmark indexes had their steepest weekly declines since at least August, led by companies such as General Motors Corp. and Alcoa Inc., as well as IBM.

"The significance of IBM is more than just technology -- in the eyes of the market, it's indicative of the slowing economy," said Christopher Sheldon, who helps manage $76 billion as director of investment strategy at Mellon Private Wealth Management in Boston.

Losses circled the globe amid renewed concern that demand in the world's largest economy may be waning. An improved profit outlook from General Electric Co. and better-than-expected earnings from Citigroup Inc. failed to boost the U.S. market.

The Dow average slid 191.24, or 1.9 percent, to 10,087.51, its worst one-day performance since May 2003. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index lost 19.43, or 1.7 percent, to 1142.62, its largest drop since September 2003. The Nasdaq Composite Index slumped 38.56, or 2 percent, to 1908.15.

On the New York Stock Exchange, almost seven stocks fell for every one that gained, the broadest retreat in at least nine months. Some 2.2 billion shares changed hands on the Big Board, making it the second-busiest trading day this year.

Former D'Port mayor Kathy Kirschbaaum dead at 73

Kathy Kirschbaum, the first woman elected mayor in Davenport and in Iowa and a champion of the city's bike paths, died Thursday at age 73 at Crest Health Care, Davenport.

Arrangements are pending at Runge Mortuary, Davenport.

Kathy Kirschbaum became Davenport's first woman alderman in 1967 and went on to serve four years as the city's first woman mayor, from 1972 to 1976. She also was an Iowa delegate to them 1972 Democratic National Convention.

R.I. Alderman Brooks arrested for altercation...again

Rock Island 1st Ward Ald. Terry Michael Alan Brooks won't be charged following an arrest early Friday morning in connection with a domestic battery.

Ald. Brooks, 44, of 1115 8th St., was arrested by Rock Island police after an incident that occurred about 11:30 p.m. Thursday in the 1500 block of 11th Street.

Sgt. Roy Melton, of the Rock Island police, said Ald. Brooks got into a confrontation with a family member -- a 39-year-old female. He said there was enough probable cause at the time for Ald. Brooks to be arrested.

He wouldn't elaborate on the details of the incident.

The alderman was taken to the Rock Island County Jail about 1 a.m. Friday. He was held over night, and was released Friday afternoon after making his initial appearance in court.

No one from the Rock Island County State's Attorney's office would explain Friday why Ald. Brooks was not charged.

It was the third time in eight years Ald. Brooks was arrested in connection with domestic battery.

He was charged with misdemeanor counts of domestic battery in 2000 and 1997.

In the 2000 case, Ald. Brooks and Dameion F. Watkins of Rock Island were each arrested and charged for an altercation they had in the 1200 block of 12th Street.

The misdemeanor charges against both Ms. Watkins and Ald. Brooks were later dismissed.

The misdemeanor charge in the 1997 case was filed after an incident in which Ald. Brooks was accused of striking his then 15-year-old stepdaughter. He was found innocent at trial.

A prime candidate for Bush's cannon fodder

Read this poor deluded high school student's thoughs and weep.

After watching a movie shown in my English class at United Township High School about the war in Iraq, I decided to write my true feelings about the situation. The movie made me so mad. It showed pictures of the twin towers being attacked and many people dying. It also showed the war and the people who have died so far.

The movie made me want to join the military and go after justice. The cowards who attacked us need to pay dearly for what they have done.

I believe that when we catch everyone who planned or helped the terrorists in any way they should all get a bullet. Better yet, I think we should take everyone who was involved with the attack on New York City and hang them right on Ground Zero; that way everyone will see the people responsible being punished severely. It would also show a very important point -- you cannot escape justice.

I am truly grateful for everything that the military has done. I am thankful for every one of the American soldiers that have died protecting me. They are all truly saints. I am also thankful for the soldiers still fighting for the United States' freedom as well as my own. I also know that they won't quit until justice is achieved.

Overall, I am thankful for George W. Bush who has the guts to stand up and fight instead of someone like John Kerry who just wanted to talk it over. Thank you George W. Bush and the entire military for protecting me and the United States of America, and for making sure that 9/11's attackers are punished and for making sure that there isn't another attack. Thank you all truly.

Casey W. Meier is a student at United Township High School.

There's so much wrong with young Casey's logic that I wouldn't know where to begin. He's just another person laboring under so many false beliefs and so much false bravado that it's difficult to read. And for many like him, such delusion has meant death or living the rest of their lives without arms, legs, or eyesight or with other less noticiable scars, both physical and psychological.

While Cook County declines in population, suburban sprawl continues, Kendall second fastest growing county in U.S.

Urban sprawl is sprawling farther and farther from Chicago, the U.S. Census Bureau reported Thursday.

Cheaper housing has drawn people out beyond Chicago's five collar counties, helping to make Kendall County -- about 50 miles west of Chicago -- the second fastest growing county in the nation last year. The population jumped 8.3 percent to 72,548 from 67,018 in 2003.

The only county in the country to outpace Kendall last year was Flagler County on Florida's east coast where the population grew 10.1 percent to 69,005 from 62,696 in 2003, according to the census data.

In Kendall County, there are no signs the growth is slowing.

"There could be a slowdown if you run out of land that can be developed, but I don't see that happening," Powers said. "I think that all developable land will be consumed only by 2020."

Still, Powers knows one factor that could cut into the growth: rising gas prices. Commuters may decide that what they spend on gasoline cancels out what they save in lower taxes and cheaper housing prices, he said.

Behind Kendall, the next fastest growing Illinois county on the national census list was Will, one of the Chicago collar counties. The community southwest of Chicago saw its population climb 4.8 percent to 613,849 in 2004 up from 585,482 the year before.

Other Illinois counties that collar the collar counties saw population bumps too. Boone County, which borders Wisconsin, had a 4.1 percent bump in population to 48,490; Grundy, about 55 miles southwest of Chicago, saw a 3.8 percent rise to 41,069 people; Kankakee saw a modest 0.9 percent increase to 107,188; and DeKalb's rose 2 percent to 95,503.

While some Illinois counties are enjoying growth, 39 out of the state's 102 counties saw some decline in population between 2003 and 2004.

Cook County lost more people between 2000 and 2004 than any county in the nation, according to estimates released Thursday by the Census Bureau.

The new figures--based on administrative records and estimates for births, deaths and net migration--show the county lost nearly 49,000 people, or 0.9 percent, since the last official count in April 2000.

The largest-loser designation can partly be attributed to its massive size because raw numbers were used for the rankings. Still, among the nation's 10 largest counties, Cook County, with 5.3 million residents, was the only to record a population loss during the four-year period.

Warren County led the state in percent of population lost, falling 2.5 percent last year to 17,796 from 18,252. Following Warren in most population lost are Edwards, Scott, Alexander, Greene, and Knox, with a loss of 1 percent.

Behind Kendall, other counties in Illinois with the largest growth were Will, Boone, Grundy, Kane, McHenry, Monroe, and DeKalb, all of whom had growth over 2 percent.

Rock Island county's population has held steady, with a loss of only 41 residents,less than a tenth of a percent.
Whiteside's grew by 59 or 0.1 percent.
Mercer's grew by 43 or 0.3 percent.
Henry county's population declined by 194 or -0.4 percent
and Carroll county lost 42 or -0.3 percent.

Fundies sue Blago for right to refuse to dispense contraceptive pills

A conservative legal group filed a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of two Downstate pharmacists against Gov. Rod Blagojevich, challenging his emergency rule earlier this month requiring all pharmacists in Illinois to quickly dispense birth control and emergency contraception pills.

The American Center for Law and Justice, a group founded by Pat Robertson, said the order would require the pharmacists to violate their religious beliefs if they are forced to dispense prescriptions for emergency contraception, including the morning-after pill.

The suit, filed on behalf of pharmacists Peggy Pace and John Menges, both of Edwardsville, seeks an injunction on Blagojevich's emergency rule, which requires pharmacies that sell contraceptives to fill such prescriptions promptly. The governor issued the order after a pharmacist at a Loop Osco pharmacy refused to fill two prescriptions for the morning-after pill.

Developer walks after Port Byron board doesn't buckle

Developers of a proposed subdivision in Port Byron walked out of a village board meeting after the board voted to table agreement on a TIF or tax increment financing district until after newly elected board members are seated.

The village had already agreed on tax kick-backs to the developer for many items including marketing and lot-closing costs, but had not agreed on how much tax payers should fork over to the developers for land aquisition.

This is appalling. Businessmen, who always extoll the virtues of the market and how hard they work to compete, walking out indignant after the taxpayers of an area won't give them even more subsidies and protections from any losses on the deal.
How in the world is it assumed that taxpayers should foot the bill for marketing a private development and coughing up money for closing costs of buyers and sellers?

In these situations, it's assumed that the value to the community would come from increased tax revenues from development, but under TIF districts, any increase in tax revenues would have been handed back to the developers to subsidize a huge part of their costs. How is this considered advantageous to anyone other than these developers and their investors?

Is it to be assumed that the economy is so horrible that without huge amounts of welfare to businesses, there simply would be NO development whatsoever? It's hard to imagine that is the case, and if it is, then the economy is really in worse shape than people realize. Either way it stinks.

Even though the Port Byron board had a perfectly legitimate reason for postponing approval, it's refreshing, and unusual, to see business interests bailing on a project because they couldn't extort as much as they'd hoped from local government.

Perhaps this was a gambit to try to force the issue. One hopes that Port Byron sticks to it's guns. If this group couldn't make it without such heavy subsidies, and couldn't wait a matter of weeks for a decision, then one wonders if you'd want them around anyway. Apparently they plan to move on to find some other suckers.

WIU "Blue Ribbon" panel on the case

The so-called "Blue Ribbon" committee formed with impetus from Sen. Mike Jacobs to accelerate the development of Western Illinois University's Moline riverfront campus is already on the job. (The term "Blue Ribbon takes on new meaning since the ultra-expensive restaurant of the same name in Moline has become the hang-out of choice for certain politicos after their former hang-out, the equally high-priced "Five", went out of business.)

Sub-committees of the panel include Finance and Legal, Political and Community Affairs, and Construction and Operations, which has already met this week.

The panel is to present their recommendations by mid-May of this year.

It would take until 2008 to open the new campus in Moline, WIU officials said earlier this year. The project also still needs an estimated $15 million for construction.

The recommendations will be presented to state state Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline; Illinois State Rep., Pat Verschoore, D-Milan; Rep. Mike Boland, D-East Moline, and Western Illinois University president Alvin Goldfarb.

"We need to sprint, not walk," Sen. Jacobs said in a statement. "WIU's expansion on the Moline riverfront is critical to our area's economy and quality of life."

Sub-committee members are:

Construction and Operations Sub-Committee:

Todd Raufeisen, Chair, Raufeisen Development Company
Jerry Taylor, Dispatch/Argus
Bill Brewer, WIU
Rory Washburn, Tri-City Building Trades
Jeanne Clerc, WIU
Mike Thoms, Thoms Proestler Company
Jim Collins, Deere & Co.

Finance and Legal Sub-Committee:

Deb Peterson, Chair, Trinity Regional Health System
Ted Johnson, Quad City Bank and Trust
Lew Steinbrecher, city of Moline
Matt Stern, Stern Beverage
Harvey Levin, Califf and Harper, P.C.
Jackie Thompson, WIU
Pete Benson, Lane and Waterman

Political and Community Affairs Sub-Committee:

Bob Imler, Chair, RiverStone Group
Jeff Terronez, Rock Island County state's attorney
Ken Schloemer, QCREDA
Roger Clawson, State Farm Insurance
Carolyn Ehlert, Deere & Co.
Jeff Nelson, MetroLINK
Dave Steelman, WIU
Joe Moreno, city of East Moline

Activist Tom Higgins to be featured speaker at Quad City Progressive Action forum

Tom Higgins knows how to get things started, and he will offer his expertise and views to grassroots organizers on Saturday.

Mr. Higgins' expertise has taken him to the Iowa state house, the White House and a new bio-technology company. He will be the keynote speaker Saturday at a community forum and summit for Quad City Progressive Action for the Common Good at Augustana College.

Mr. Higgins organized Vietnam War protests, founded a drug-abuse treatment program in the Quad-Cities in the early 1970s, and was elected to three terms in the Iowa General Assembly.

President Jimmy Carter selected him to be a senior executive at the U.S. Department of Health Education and Welfare. He also was deputy secretary of the Cabinet.

In the early 1980s, he headed west, where he was head of Health and Human Services Department in Portland, Ore. He has since worked in health care since the mid-1980s.

He calls the Quad-Cities one of the most fertile areas he has ever seen for grassroots organization.

"This is a broad-based group of citizens trying to organize around issues they have in common," he said of Progressive Action for the Common Good. "I think my happy task is to talk about the principles that under gird some of this."

The fairly new progressive coalition tackles issues ranging from Social Security to health care, to education to the Davenport riverfront. It requires appreciating several types of thinking, he said.

"I think people have to be motivated and inspired by ideas," he said. "Like in international affairs, you have to be willing to work in alliances with a conviction to get things accomplished."

Saturday's forum also will feature workshops on a number of social issues, including health care, poverty and housing, women's issues, and reclaiming faith and values from a progressive point of view.

Registration for the forum and summit starts at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at Wallenburg Auditorium at Austustana College. Speakers start at 9 a.m. and run until noon.

GOP soirée trots out potential candidates

Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Peoria, was the featured speaker at the Rock Island County Republican Party's Lincoln Day Dinner Thursday night at The Mark of the Quad Cities.

LaHood, who lived briefly in East Moline and worked for former 17th District congressman Tom Railsback, said he'd decide in July whether he will challenge Rod Blagojevich for the governorship.

His complaints centered on loss of businesses in the state and the loss of doctors in southern Illinois.

Republican dairy mogul James Oberweis has already officially declared his candidacy for the Illinois Governor's seat. Oberweiss lost the Republican primary to Jack Ryan. After Ryan dropped out of the race over the revelation of a kinkitation situation, state Republican leaders passed over Oberweiss in favor of lunatic Allen Keyes. Oberweis spent $3.01 million of his own money in his losing bid in the Senate primary. He said he would again be spending his own money on the gubernatorial campaign, but declined to estimate how much.

Oberweiss milk and dairy products are available at Jewel and other stores. They come in glass bottles and are nearly twice the price of regular milk. Unless you want to support Republican causes and his campaign, I'd think twice before purchasing his products.

State Treasurer Judy Baar Topinka, DuPage County State's Attorney Joe Birkett and former State Board of Education chairman Ron Gidwitz have all indicated their interest in becoming Governor of Illinois. State Sen. Steve Rauschenberger of Elgin has also been mentioned.

Republicans hoping to unseat Lane Evans in the 17th District were trotted out as well. Brian "Gilligan" Gilliland, 43, of Aledo, Jim Mowen of Rock Island, and Andrea Zinga of Coal Valley, all spoke at the catered affair.

IL lege upholds our treasured right to be stupid

The Illinois Legislature has struck down a proposed bill that would have made it illegal to ride in the back of a pick-up truck. It failed in the Senate 23-33.

It's hard to know which side to come down on with this issue, as it pits personal freedom to do reckless and dangerous things against the role of government in protecting people from doing them.

But one question does arise. Why does government outlaw and/or tax certain risky or unhealthy behaviors and not others? Why should smokers and drinkers be taxed up the yazoo, all drivers be required to wear seat-belts, motorcycle riders required to wear a helmet, boaters be required to have floatation devices in their boats, yet people that risk serious injury by allowing people to ride in the bed of a pick-up are out of bounds?

As with many things, in certain situations, riding in the back of a truck is not all that dangerous, but in others, it's completely reckless and irresponsible. If you're allowing kids to ride sitting in the back of a truck while you drive at a moderate speed for a relatively short distance, that's one thing, but going down a bumpy rural road or highway at 60 mph with kids standing up in the bed of a truck is inexcusable.

I suppose laws against endangerment might take up the slack here, and allow individual cases where injury occurs to be judged on a case-by-case basis.

The beauty of rural life

Bishop Hill forgets that they needed to elect a mayor. Ooops.

BISHOP HILL -- No one realized it in time for the April 5 election, but Don Talbot's term as mayor is expiring.

The mayor's seat was supposed to have been on the ballot earlier this month, outgoing village clerk Marcia Carleson told the village board Wednesday.

The State Board of Elections recently brought the oversight to the attention of Henry County officials.

The mayor wasn't at the meeting, but Trustee Wayne Ericson said the mayor thought he had a four-year term. He was appointed to the job in November 2001, replacing Laura Wendel, who resigned to spend more time with her family.

Ms. Carleson said to solve the mixup, it was recommended the board appoint Mayor Talbot to another two-year term, ending in the spring of 2007 -- which trustees did.

Not one person in town government noticed this. The state board of elections had to point it out. The mayor had the length of his term mixed up. A solution was proposed, and they immediately took care of it.

If this had happened around here, (not that it would), they'd fight over it for months. The mayor would be characterized as an incompetent buffoon. (well actually, the mayor would NEVER be honest enough to admit they thought their term was four years rather than two) And there would be much gnashing of teeth and tearing of hair over simply extending the mayor's term to solve the problem.
Rural life certainly has it's advantages.

Iowa lege considering big pay boost, Republican leader flip-flops

Iowa lawmakers would give themselves a hefty pay raise and more money for expenses under a proposal being considered in the Iowa House.

The pay hike, starting in 2007, is part of a bill establishing salaries for state workers proposed by Gov. Tom Vilsack.

Iowa House Speaker Christopher Rants, R-Sioux City, [file under names that match occupations] has been a vocal critic of the salary hikes negotiated for state workers in recent years, but is backing a pay raise for himself and fellow legislators.

Rank and file lawmakers would see their annual salaries boosted from $21,381 to $25,000, an increase of 16.9 percent. Legislative leaders would get an even bigger pay hike. Their annual salaries would jump to $37,500 from $32,974, a 13.7 percent increase.

The money lawmakers are paid for food and lodging during the legislative session would rise from $86 a day to $105. They also would be paid $300 a month in expenses, up from $200.

Let's face it, these guys and gals work their asses off. But unfortunately, 80% of the time it's for themselves or their party colleagues, not for the public good.

So shouldn't they get paid more money for their very hard work in raising more money so that they can give more state money to those who gave them money to get re-elected so they can continue to get paid more money to raise more money to get elected so they can give away more state money to those who give them money, etc.?
What a glorious system.

Dean investing $500,000 in state parties as beginning of "SHOW UP" effort

Dean Fulfills Pledge to Provide Personnel, Funds to all 50 State Parties: Effort Begins With MO, ND, NC, & WV

Little Rock, AR — Speaking before the Association of State Democratic Chairs (ASDC) today, Gov. Howard Dean announced that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) invest nearly half a million dollars to strengthen the state Democratic Parties in Missouri, North Carolina, North Dakota, and West Virginia. The announcement comes as the ASDC meets for the first time since Gov. Dean was elected Chairman of the Democratic Party.

The $465,000 investment was agreed upon while working with the state parties on their specific needs, and will fund a variety of positions and programs. The investment marks the beginning of a broader effort to make the Democratic Party competitive in all 50 states by strengthening state Democratic Parties.

"This is just the beginning," said Democratic National Committee Chairman Governor Howard Dean during the announcement, "today we are launching our plan, but as our team continues to work with the state parties we will announce additional investments in the weeks ahead. We have to show up if we're going to win, and we have to rebuild and empower our state parties."

This effort is part of Dean and the DNC's "SHOW UP" project where they intend to not conceed any state in future elections, and to funnel funds, support, and organization to all 50 states.

Life during Bush time

This is ridiculous, not to mention a pretty chilling indication of how things have changed under the Bush regime.

The Secret Service sent agents to investigate a college art gallery exhibit of mock postage stamps, one depicting President Bush with a gun pointed at his head, to guarantee "this is nothing more than artwork with a political statement," a spokesman said Tuesday.

The exhibit, called "Axis of Evil: The Secret History of Sin," opened last week at Columbia College's Glass Curtain Gallery in Chicago.

The 47 artists designed fake postage stamps addressing issues such as the clergy sex abuse scandal in the Catholic Church, racism, and the war in Iraq. None of the artists is tied to the college.

Secret Service spokesman Tom Mazur said Tuesday that the inquiry started after a call from a Chicago resident.

Mazur would not say whether the inquiry had been completed or with whom the Secret Service had spoken, but he said no artwork had been confiscated.

"We need to ensure, as best we can, that this is nothing more than artwork with a political statement," Mazur said.

In a related aside, it is reported that during the Moline Little League kick-off meeting at Moline High School last night, a video was shown to the audience extolling the virtues of Little League. The video was approximately 10 minutes long, and featured clips of a speech by Kevin Kostner for a few minutes, and the remaining 3/4 of the video was composed of video of George Bush making witty quips at a podium while talking about his experience in Little League for several minutes. The video then evolved into childhood shots of him in a baseball uniform and further focus on what a great guy he is and how he embodies all the great virtues of Little League.

Parents and children can't even attend an organizing event for Little League without being subjected to Bush propaganda? A little clip of the President, sure. That's no problem other than having to stomach it for a minute or two, but seven minutes out of a 10 minute video? Amazing. The Bush cult is alive and well. And it's sickening.

Shamsie development still facing opposition

The city's plan commission wants developer Mike Shamsie to provide more answers to the property owners around his proposed housing development before it will sign off on the plan.

The commission Tuesday tabled action on approving the plat for Ashton Place, a $10 million, 50 single-family home project on 12 acres south of East Moline's 23rd Avenue and west of 19th Street, in unincorporated Rock Island County. Mr. Shamsie would like to sell the homes at $150,000 to $175,000 each. Mr. Shamsie has asked that the property to be annexed into East Moline and rezoned.

Several property owners voiced concerns over drainage through the property, septic and sewer line access, and specific plans for a retaining wall along the north edge of the property.

A tip of the hat to local talent

ABC's real “Desperate Housewives” might have taken a pass at posing in Playboy magazine, but it didn't stop Playboy from finding some "Real Desperate Housewives," including a woman from Clinton, Iowa.

Kathy Sander, 37, was one of 12 women selected to appear in the magazine's "Real Desperate Housewives" feature, appearing in the May 2005 issue.

She appears in two pictures, one wearing an apron. [What's she wearing in the other? A smile?] The mother of two tells the magazine she's never seen the television show but understands what it's like to be a desperate housewife because she believes her neighbors are just too nosy.

In fact, she suspects they know what brand of toilet paper she uses, she said.

The adult publication began a nationwide search in November for curvaceous homemakers willing to pose nude for the pictorial and fielded about 1,000 submissions from across the country.

"Desperate Housewives" took network television by storm when it opened to an audience of 21.6 million in viewers when it first aired in early October.

The show airs on ABC on Sunday nights. Playboy made a $9.5 million offer for the cast to pose nude, but the offer was turned down.

A big Inside Dope thumbs up to Ms. Sander for being a fine representative of the many desperate housewives in the area.

I wouldn'da did what I did, if I hadn'da been high.

Taking a page out of the politicians scandal control handbook, a Bettendorf man has entered a plea of "I don't recall."...

A district court judge allowed a Bettendorf man to enter a plea Wednesday to an assault charge because he didn't remember nearly beating his ex-wife to death.

Judge David Sivright Jr. allowed Randy Lee Harms, 44, to make an "Alfred Plea" -- a plea to serve his best interests without admitting guilt -- on a charge of willful injury causing serious injury. [does this have something to do with Batman's butler?]

Mr. Harms said he was on a "368-day binge," sleeping three hours a week and staying awake on crack cocaine, when he went to confront his ex-wife Sept. 20, 2004, at her home in Bettendorf. He wanted answers to lies about the past, he said. [well, at least he can say that he made it three days past the coveted year-long bender mark.]

"I was down and out, an alcoholic and drug addict," Mr. Harms said in court. "I don't remember how I got there or what happened next. I only remember going in the door and going out of the door. She was laying in a pool of blood, and I ran."

He didn't remember the details. He said he believed police when they told him he went into her home, beat her with his fists and hit her on the head with a glass ashtray.

Assistant Scott County Attorney Bob Weinberg said if the case went to trial, intoxication wouldn't work as a defense.

"We have proof from the ex-wife that he said he was going to kill her several times," he said, adding the woman's injuries were serious.

In order for Judge Sivright to accept the plea agreement, which dropped an attempted murder charge, he needed proof. Usually, defendants admit to committing their crimes.

"How do I get a factual basis for this if he doesn't remember?" the judge asked rhetorically.

"I must have did it," Mr. Harms replied.

The judge accepted the plea because Mr. Harms didn't deny the fight, although he couldn't recall what happened.

Mr. Harms, who had been free on $13,000 bond since November, was placed in the Scott County Jail until his May 12 sentencing.

Perhaps some of our legal eagles can explain this "Alfred" plea and what exactly went on here. How will this differ as far as sentencing compared to if he had been found guilty at trial?

Two men say they're Jesus, one of them must be wrong.

A district court judge said a Davenport man, claiming to be Jesus and John the Baptist at his arrest, was a "completely different person" at his sentencing Wednesday.

Judge Mary Howes said Russell L. Palmer, 45, 3544 Kimberly Downs Road, did not remember the incidents for which he had been jailed since January.

Judge Howes sentenced him to 30 days in jail on one count of assaulting a healthcare worker and one count of assault with injury on a peace officer. A third assault on an officer charge was dropped as part of a plea agreement.

Mr. Palmer was released from Scott County Jail Wednesday because he had already served more than enough time since his arrest Jan. 2.

Mr. Palmer was arrested an incident at Cheddar's Restaurant, 1221 E. Kimberly Road, Davenport.

Police found a man sitting in the bar lounge, exposing himself and yelling he was Jesus Christ and John the Baptist, according to an affidavit filed in Scott County District Court.

Mr. Palmer underwent a psychological evaluation at the Iowa Department of Corrections' facility in Anamosa, Iowa. There Mr. Palmer was diagnosed schizophrenic, Judge Howes said in court, adding he got better with medication.

"I don't think you're an assaultive person," the judge told Mr. Palmer. "I think you're mentally ill and there's no shame in that."

This guy's mistake was hanging out at the bar at Cheddars. At the joints where I used to hang out, this sort of thing wouldn't have been all that remarkable.
It's worth noting though, the frequency with which schizophrenics suffer from religious delusions. There often appears to be a thin line between fervent religious beliefs and madness.

Anti-smoking activists want to extend their reach in Illinois

Cities around the state soon may be able to snuff out smoking in restaurants and taverns if they wish.

Rep. Karen Yarbrough, D-Maywood, said state law should give local governments the power to ban smoking in restaurants and bars in their cities and towns. The state House approved the measure on Wednesday.

Opponents argue that the decision should be up to individual restaurant and bar owners rather than local government.

Rep. Mike Boland, D-East Moline, voted against the measure. Certain establishments, such as taverns and bars, should be exempt from the bill, he said.

But supporters of the bill said all workers, whether in restaurants or bars, should be assured of smoke-free air.

Durbin bill rescues Arsenal funding... for now

A supplemental Iraq war spending bill, endorsed Wednesday by Senate appropriators, overrides Army plans to divert $4.6 million in support money from the Rock Island Arsenal.

The language was included in the $80.4 billion bill by Sen. Richard J. Durbin, D-Ill., and a member of the Senate Appropriations Committee. It is scheduled for debate on the Senate floor next week.

Sen. Durbin inserted the language in response to a move by the Army to cut, by $4.6 million, a $12.5 million appropriation for the Arsenal that was included in the fiscal 2005 defense spending bill. The $12.5 million "shall be available only for industrial mobilization capacity at Rock Island Arsenal," according to legislative language provided by Sen. Durbin's staff.

The Industrial Mobilization Capacity account is meant to cover the costs of maintaining industrial equipment and workspace held in reserve for wartime emergencies. It helps lower work rates for Arsenal production and presumably helps it better compete for contracts with other government and private-sector military producers.

No similar language was included in the $81.4 billion House version of the supplemental. The differing versions will be reconciled by a House-Senate conference committee before final passage.

Arlen Spector battling Hodgkin's disease

I happened to catch Sen. Arlen Specter on a committee not long ago and was shocked at his appearance. He's been diagnosed with Hodgkin's disease, a form a cancer, and has been receiving radiation treatments which cause a loss of hair.



Specter has done some disagreeable things in the past, to be sure, but during his recent re-election campaign he was attacked brutally by fellow Republicans who wanted to oust him and replace him with a more malleable candidate who would jump to the White House's tune on the Judiciary Committee, which Specter now chairs.

Once elected, they continued to savagely bully and beat him up, eventually succeeding in making him promise that if they allowed him to be chair, he'd dance to their tune.

Say what you will, Specter is a man of his own mind, and by today's standard, where radical rightists are the norm, he seems positively moderate. Compared to today's fire-breathing ideologues on the right, Specter is a wise-man. He's one of the few Republicans who has a hard time going along with the more loony notions of the far right.

The Dope wishes Sen. Specter good health and a successful treatment of this serious disease.

Clinton on Finkelstein

Former President Bill Clinton says it's "sad" that a Republican political consultant who married his male partner is raising funds to defeat Sen. Hillary Clinton.

Finkelstein told the New York Times last week that he had married his partner of 40 years in Massachusetts, saying he believes "visitation rights, health care benefits and other human relationship contracts that are taken for granted by all married people should be available to partners." The marriage took place in December.

Clinton said Monday there might be "some sort of self-loathing" for Arthur Finkelstein, the longtime GOP operative who helped Gov. George Pataki unseat Democrat Mario Cuomo in 1994.

Finkelstein is lining up donors to help raise $10 million for a "Stop Her Now" committee to defeat the senator's 2006 re-election effort.

"I thought, one of two things. Either this guy believes his party is not serious and is totally Machiavellian in its position, or you know, as David Brock said in his great book Blinded by the Right, there's some sort of self-loathing or something. I was more sad for him."

In the book Clinton was referring to, the formerly conservative Brock says that when he attacked the left he was expressing his own gay self-hatred.

New Lincoln museum to be highlighted on C-Span

Springfield's long awaited grand opening of the new Lincoln Museum is generating a lot of buzz. The museum features many lively and non-traditional high-tech exhibits and displays.

On Monday morning from 6 to 9 a.m, C-Span's Washington Journal will broadcast live from the museum in Springfield and feature a tour with noted presidential historian Richard Norton Smith.

Smith was a former director of the Herbert Hoover Presidential museum in West Branch, Iowa, and has since been affiliated with many other presidential museums.

From his bio on the White House web site:

Between 1987 and 2001, Mr. Smith served as Director of the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library and Museum in West Branch, Iowa; the Dwight D. Eisenhower Center in Abilene, Kansas; the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and the Reagan Center for Public Affairs in Simi Valley, California; the Gerald R. Ford Museum and Library in Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor, Michigan respectively.

In December, 2001 Mr. Smith became director of the new Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. There he supervised construction of the Institute's $11.3 million permanent home and launched a Presidential Lecture Series and other high profile programs. In October, 2003 he was appointed the first Executive Director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum, a four building complex in Springfield, Illinois scheduled to open in 2004.

This will be an excellent chance to preview this museum and see what they've done with all the money raised for this project.

Blagojevich-Mell feud boils over again

The public family feud between Gov. Rod Blagojevich and his father-in-law, Chicago Alderman Richard Mell, reopened this week after Mell issued a terse statement in response to the governor's latest attempt to crackdown on the state's landfill industry.

Mell's response came after a Blagojevich-backed bill that includes a provision barring landfill ownership by relatives of top state officials, including the governor, was filed in the state Senate Monday.

"Once again, Gov. Rod Blagojevich is using the power of his office to have state legislators introduce a bill aimed at the mistaken notion that I have a financial interest in a business owned and operated by a relative of my wife, Margaret," Mell said in a written statement to the Chicago Sun-Times.

Illinois Environmental Protection Agency chief Renee Cipriano said the bill seeks to increase regulatory oversight and enforcement of landfills and is not aimed at Mell.

"To say this is focused on the alderman is simply untrue," Cipriano said.

The feud between the governor and his father-in-law dates back to January when Blagojevich ordered the IEPA to shut down a Joliet landfill owned by Frank Schmidt -- a distant cousin to the governor's wife Patti Blagojevich -- after he allegedly told customers he could evade permit requirements because of his family ties.

State officials said the landfill failed to fully comply with environmental requirements, and it reopened less than two weeks after it was ordered closed.

Blagojevich's order drew a searing response from Mell, who said the move was an act of retribution against him. Mell was an adviser to Schmidt and has denied any having financial interests in the landfill.

Mell also alleged that Blagojevich's chief fund-raiser traded government appointments for campaign contributions. The alderman later recanted the allegations, but Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan and Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine opened an investigation into the matter.

On Monday, Mell said his son-in-law was choosing to target his family instead of focusing on issues such as education and public transportation.

"Somehow, the governor does not see the urgency in these matters, yet is so consumed with a single issue that he is laser-focused on our own family tragedy instead of serving the interests of the 12 million others he is supposed to represent," Mell said.

Blagojevich spokeswoman Abby Ottenhoff said the landfill bill "has nothing to do with the alderman.

"He's said that he has no involvement or no interest in any landfills, so he won't even be impacted," Ottenhoff said.

Payday loan reform bill passes Illinois House

A bill long championed by Rep. David Miller, D-Calumet City has passed the Illinois House.

"Payday-loan companies need to be regulated in a way that is consumer friendly and not further victimize people in a time of need," Rep. Miller said.

But opponents of this bill say rather than helping people, it will encourage them to seek alternate ways of finding short-term financing.

"If you restrict access to payday loans, you don't restrict the need for a loan," said Steve Brubaker, the executive director of the Illinois Small Loan Association, which represents payday-loan firms in Springfield.

Well duh! Sure they'll seek alternative ways to find short-term financing. From someone who doesn't charge over 1000% interest!

This measure would prohibit short-term lenders from lending more than $1,000 or 25 percent of a person's monthly gross income, whichever is lowest.

In addition, the bill would place a limit on fees charged by short-term lenders, capping the fees at $16 per $100 loaned. Rep. Miller said some payday-loan companies charge $44 or more per $100 loaned.

The average payday loan charges an annual interest rate of 520 percent, Mr. Brubaker said. But consumer groups have found instances of loans with interest rates greater than 1,300 percent.

If passed, Mr. Brubaker said, this measure would drive the payday-loan industry out of business in Illinois.

"It won't put anybody out of business, but it will hopefully make it a little easier for people to get out of debt," Rep. Mike Boland, D-East Moline said.

This measure is long overdue, Rep. Pat Verschoore, D-Milan, said. In most cases the people who get payday loans are "the people who can't afford to be in those positions," he added.

This is a good step in the right direction. The Dope hopes this legislation is successful in the Senate.

New Moline board holds first meeting behind closed doors.

The Moline school board held it's first meeting with two new members and choose a new assistant superintendent.

Following lengthy deliberations behind closed doors, school board members voted Monday to hire David McDermott as the district's next assistant superintendent and chief financial officer. Mr. McDermott is now the Illinois State Board of Education's senior budget analyst and division administrator.

Four of the seven board members approved bumping up Wilson Middle School's assistant principal, Robert Benson, to the position of principal. Board members Julie Wilson and Ruth Ann O'Brien voted against the promotion, but did not say why.

Like the old Charlie Rich song said, "Because no one knows what goes on behind closed doors."

Other matters discussed included approving new math programs for MHS, canvassing the results of the recent election, and recognizing Lynn Friesth, who was serving the last night of his term, for his service to the district.

Bill outlawing riverboat gambling progresses to House vote

The measure might be the unlikeliest bill of the legislative session -- a proposal to outlaw riverboat gambling in Illinois.

After all, legalized gambling has expanded steadily in Illinois over the past three decades and the floating casinos alone generate more that $700 million in revenue for state government.

Yet there is a good chance the bill will be voted on by the state House of Representatives this week, and there is a reasonable possibility it may pass.

"I didn't take this bill too seriously when I first saw it, but it seems to be gaining traction," said Rep. Patrick Verschoore, D-Milan. "I'm very much against it, and I'm working hard to see that it is defeated."

The bill is the brainchild of Rep. John Bradley, D-Marion, who believes gambling is immoral, an unsound way to fund government and detrimental to the economy.

Rep. Bradley said he believes that gambling takes money out of the state's economy and sends it to mostly out-of-state-headquartered companies.

"I guess his argument is that if people weren't out gambling, they would be spending money on things like swing sets," Rep. Verschoore said. "But people who are going to gamble are going to gamble. In the Quad-Cites, folks would go to Davenport, Iowa. In southern Illinois they'd go to Missouri, or in Chicago they would go over to Indiana. I'm against this because of all of the jobs that would be lost if it were to pass."

A spokesman for the industry said riverboats employ 8,628 people across Illinois.

Former state Sen. Denny Jacobs, who authored the original riverboat gambling legislation, said the measure is unlikely to become law. Even if it were to pass the House, it almost certainly would be killed in the Senate, he said.

Many political insiders believe the bill is a way for House Speaker Michael Madigan to send Gov. Rod Blagojevich a message.

Gov. Blagojevich opposes various proposals to put a casino in Chicago. But he reneged on a campaign pledge last month when he announced that he would favor allowing more slot machines on the state's existing casinos. The governor's plan would bump the number of slot machines and positions at gaming tables from about 11,000 to more than 23,000.

"I think the speaker is saying to the governor, 'If Chicago can't have a casino, why should we have it anywhere else?'" Mr. Jacobs said.

Steve Brown, a spokesman for Rep. Madigan, said anyone who would make such an assertion does not understand the legislative process. He added Rep. Madigan has not yet decided how he will vote on the matter.

But Rep. Lisa Dugan, D-Bradley, said she's made up her mind.

"I don't like to see the state dependent on gambling as a revenue stream," she said. "I'm all for getting rid of riverboat gambling. The feedback I've gotten from constituents is that they don't want to expand gambling."

Even if the measure passes the House and is later killed in the Senate, it may make it exceedingly difficult for Gov. Blagojevich's gambling expansion plan to be approved later this year.

"How is someone going to vote to eliminate riverboat gambling and then say to voters, 'I'm now voting to expand this thing that two months ago I thought was so bad that it needed to be eliminated?'" Rep. Frank Mautino, D-Spring Valley, said.

Hmmm. Madigan's spokesman says Denny Jacobs, "does not understand the legislative process" ???!!! Now that takes some cojones!

And wonder of wonders, we not only see Pat Verschoore's name mentioned in the local press, but he's actually quoted.

Scott Reeder's does some great reporting on this here.

Evans, Pelosi introduce proposed new GI Bill

Rep. Lane Evans, D-Rock Island, on Tuesday joined House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi of California to unveil a proposed new GI Bill that would boost spending for veterans in a number of areas.

Their GI Bill of Rights for the 21st Century, scheduled to be introduced in the coming days, would include initiatives sought by veterans' groups.

Those include increased spending on health care, lower health-care fees, increased disability pay, greater survivor benefits and more education cash.

Rep. Pelosi said the bill would "guarantee access to education, health care and the opportunity for good jobs."

It includes an initiative by Rep. Evans, the ranking Democrat on the House Veterans Affairs Committee, to extend mental-health services to veterans.

The overall bill's spending levels were not detailed during a press conference attended by Democratic House lawmakers, veterans groups, and former Democratic presidential candidate, retired Gen. Wesley Clark.

However, it would increase spending on veterans’ health-care by $3.2 billion more than what was proposed by President George W. Bush in his fiscal 2006 budget.

He [Evans] characterized the House Veterans Affairs Committee as "in disarray" since the departure of former Chairman Chris Smith, R-N.J., who was removed from the post in January for fighting Republican leaders over veterans spending. Rep. Steve Buyer, R-Ind., was named the new chairman.

Democrats have railed at Republican moves to rein in the growth of veterans spending programs, particularly veterans' health care. The fiscal 2006 budget passed by the House on a mostly party-line vote last month calls for a $155 million increase in fees or an equal benefits cut, and $798 million in new fees or cuts over five years.

The budget also pegs veterans medical spending at $127 million below the amount estimated by the Congressional Budget Office to maintain current levels of service, and $16 billion over five years.

Democratic amendments that would have added $2.4 billion and $2.9 billion to veterans programs were defeated during debate over the budget.

Overall, the Bush administration proposed an increase of 1 percent in Veterans Administration spending, to $68.2 billion, but also proposed higher fees and doubling prescription drug co-payments. The actual amount for veterans’ health care would rise by less than half of 1 percent.

Evans continues to be on the vanguard of fighting the tough battle to maintain and improve veterans services against a massive Republican efforts to slash budgets and shift more and more of the burden for healthcare onto the veterans themselves.

UTHS board asks for tax increase

A change in membership didn't change the United Township School Board's opinion on a tax rate increase.

One of the solutions to the district's money problems, as determined by the United Township Financial Task Force, was getting voters to approve a higher education fund tax rate.

The new board with two newly-seated members -- Susan Koska and Harry Arvanis -- voted unanimously to support an education fund tax rate increase of at least $1.25 per $100 assessed property value.

If approved by voters, that would mean an overall tax rate of $2.32 per $100 equalized assessed valuation. On a $90,000 home, without exemptions factored in, that would translate to a tax increase of $99, to $696 annually.

The tax rate hasn't changed since the 1950s, superintendent Barbara Suelter said.

The district has had a deficit in the education fund for the past few years, and it is projected to be around $750,000 for the 2005-06 school year.

Deere hires J.C. Watts to recruit black dealers

After settling a bruising anti-discrimination lawsuit this past month, which in turn led to a high publicity campaign by Jesse Jackson Sr. and his Rainbow PUSH organization as well as prominent black broadcasters Tom Joyner and Tavis Smiley, Deere & Co. needed to get some black dealership owners in a hurry.

Apparently, they feel that hiring former congressman J.C. Watts (only the second black Republican to serve in the U.S. Congress since reconstruction.) is the way to go. Watts has experience in business, having been found to have participated in several shady sweet-heart deals involving apartment complexes and other businesses in Oklahoma. He's Republican, which makes him acceptible to Deere execs, and he's black, which to Deere's way of thinking makes him qualified to speak to other blacks, apparently.

Of Deere & Company's 1,400 golf and turf or agricultural equipment dealers, exactly none are black.

This situation was spurred on due to a discrimination lawsuit from a black former executive of Deere, Kenny Edwards, who claimed that Deere placed unreasonable barriers to approving of his purchase of two Deere dealerships in the Atlanta area. The case was settled out of court last month and the terms are confidential. Deere has maintained the suit was without merit and that they never used race to deny anyone ownership of their dealerships.

As detailed in the article, Deere then found themselves taking heat from Rainbow PUSH, Jackson, Joyner, Smiley, and others.

And now they've responded by hiring J.C. Watts, who until he quit, was the only black Republican in both houses of congress.

Evidently Deere would rather go down in flames than hire a Democrat. In that respect, they're lucky that the Republicans managed to elect at least ONE black congressman. And Watts is likely raking in the big bucks from corporations that hire him for his ability to... I don't know... talk to blacks or something?

The hiring of Watts seems to show that Deere still is a bit out of step when it comes to black or minority issues.

And I can only imagine the choice words Deere execs have for Jesse Jackson et. al. for applying pressure on them to actually do something about the issue, rather than simply paying off the lawsuit and hoping it all just went away.

Much more background and details in the Dispatch/Argus.

Excellent FRONTLINE program on Karl Rove

I'm truly sorry I didn't alert you previously that this FRONTLINE program on PBS was going to appear, but it snuck up on me. It's airing right now, so I apologize if you missed it. It's an excellent, shocking, enraging, and ultimately painful analysis of the Bush/Rove campaigns and the tactics Rove used in deceiving the public and using hot-button issues to gain the White House.

If you watched it, please share your comments or impressions.

Those who want to check out the story and view streaming video of the entire program can do so on the Frontline site.

Desperation Legislation

From the "Desperation Legislation" files:

Ever wonder how long it's been since that bedspread and blanket in your hotel room was washed? [ed. note: No.]

Sate [sic] Rep. Kevin Joyce wants to help you sleep a little easier.

The Chicago Democrat is proposing legislation that would require Illinois hotels, motels and other places of public lodging to post in each guest room the last time blankets, sheets and other bed linens were changed.

Joyce wants to require Motel/Hotel owners to post a schedule on the inside of the door which states when the bedding was last washed.

As sources in the article point out, this is a totally needless requirement. But as we know, some politicians are genetically incapable of restraining their urge to get their name on a bill, no matter how goofy. It's more important to them to get some publicity than for the bill to actually be, say, rational or actually needed.

No one's ever gotten ill from hotel or motel sheets (or at least reported it) and there is no way to prevent unscrupulous motel owners from simply falsifying the "sheet sheet", so to speak.

So just to satisfy this guy's need for publicity, his measure would subject all hotel/motel owners to another unecessary hassle and expense while providing no real benefit to anyone.

If the motel owner were honest with his laundry records, they'd probably have to change bedding needlessly in rooms where there hadn't been any guests for a while in order to prevent paranoid travellers from requesting new bedding if the chart reported that the bedding hadn't been cleaned for say, a week. And of course, the measure would no doubt prompt the majority of owners to simply list the bedding as recently washed even if it wasn't. After all, if not for this silly measure, no one would be able to tell anyway.

The only comfort in these types of stories is that the measures usually don't pass.

LaHood comes to Moline to rouse the troops

Ray LaHood is slated to attend a local Republican pow-wow at The Mark.

U.S. Rep. Ray LaHood, R-Peoria, will speak Thursday at the Rock Island County Republican Party's Lincoln Day Dinner at The Mark of the Quad Cities.

Rep. LaHood is a potential candidate for governor in 2006. Representing the 18th District of Illinois, he was elected to Congress in 1994.

Moline mayor-elect Don Welvaert and three candidates who will face off in the 17th Congressional District Republican primary also will speak at the event.

A reception will begin at 6 p.m. followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The program will begin after dinner. Tickets for the event are $40.

Get your tickets now.

Day Tripper

Spring has sprung and the weather's been gorgeous, for the most part. So thoughts turn to getting the heck out of Dodge. It's a great time to take a little day trip or over-nighter.

So tell us, what's your favorite place or places to go within a roughly 150 mile radius or a couple hours of the Quad Cities?

Up the river? Down the river? Little known spots? Great fishing? Great little restaurants? Beautiful drives? Historical sites?

Pass along your secret destinations for a short get-away and tell us a bit about why you enjoy it.

"Anonymous" commenter revealed!

Through some diligent digging and sleuthing, The Dope has identified the "anonymous" commenter. You know the one... stupid quips, never has anything worthwhile to say. The one who finds clicking a button and actually using their imagination to come up with a screen name to be just a lit-tle too challenging. The guy whose comments always amount to "You suck. This site sucks. I hate it so much I can't stay away." We all know who he is.

So, without further ado, behold.... anonymous.

I hate it when
I can't unerstan stuff.

Note: This is the "anonymous" commenter with nothing to say, not to be confused with the few anonymous's who actually contribute interesting comments.

Follow the Money

In examining campaign finance documents filed by "Citizens for Better City Government", the astro-turf group who supplied the real money and financed the attack mailings for victorious Moline mayoral candidate Don Welvaert, a few things are notable.

First, how the donors list is almost exclusively populated by wealthy current or former businessmen, business owners, or their wives, including several current and former officers of Deere & Co. and multi-millionaires.

The list of donors over $150 also includes a couple of what Welvaert would characterize as "outside interests", in that they reside in Bettendorf.

What do they care who is Mayor of Moline? Unless of course they have a financial interest at stake. Nah, that couldn't be. The same committee tried to tar O'Brien as beholding to outside interests as if it were a sin, and Welvaert even called it "scary" that O'Brien had received donations from traditionally Democratic organizations such as unions based outside Moline. So surely people living in a different town in a different state wouldn't be donating for selfish reasons. That would be REALLY hypocritical.

Also curious is the fact that the final financal report for the "Welvaert for Mayor Campaign" lists only two contributions. One is a $2000 "loan" from Don Welvaert to the Welvaert for Mayor Campaign" and the other is a $200 donation from Welvaert to the "Citizens for Better City Government." So Welvaert apparently is out nothing if he gets his $2000 loan back, and he made his $200 contribution to the CBCG organization from his campaign fund.

Roger Clawson is listed as having made an in-kind donation of printing from Printing Unlimited for $698.74 on March 31. His day before the election smear letter cost him $262.98 to the Dispatch/Argus on April 1.

The "Citizens for Better City Government"'s purpose is stated as "To identify and support candidates for local political office, primarily City of Moline, who will advocate and support good government and progressive programs to benefit the community and make it a better place in which to live or be employed." As you'll see from the donor list below, they're all VERY concerned with the well-being of employees.

It reported $28,850.00 in receipts and $23,100.00 in expenditures as follows:

To the campaign committees of,

Andria McDermott -- $1,300.00 on 2/28/2005
Kent Breecher -- $3,900.00 on 1/31/2005
Kent Breecher -- $6,500.00 on 2/28/2005
Michael Crotty -- $1,600.00 on 1/31/2005
Michael Crotty -- $1,300.00 on 2/28/2005
Welvaert Campaign -- $8,500.00 on 2/28/2005

Note that Crotty got a total of $2,900 from the Citizen's group, while his company, KVF Quad Corp. donated $1000 to the Committee on March 10.

The following are all donors above $150 as listed in campaign finance disclosure reports for transactions through March 6, 2005 for Citizens for Better City Government. Notice who's at the bottom of the list.

Chairman: Hunt Harris II, Treasurer: Richard Parsons

* Getz, Tom --- $2,000.00 -- Moline Forge
* Hank, Jr. Bernard --- $2,000.00
* Harris, II, John H. (Hunt)--- $2,000.00
* Lane, Patricia --- $2,000.00 -- Wife of Deere & Co. CEO
River Stone Group --- $2,000.00 --- formerly Consumers Sand & Gravel Co.
Frizzelle and Parsons Die Sinking Co. --- $2000.00
* Reynolds, Darrell --- $1,500.00 -- owner Erickson Chevrolet
* Becherer, Hans --- $1,000.00 -- Former CEO, Deere & Co.
Hanson, James --- $1000.00
KVF Quad Corp. --- $1000.00 -- Michael Crotty
* Clarke, Wade --- $750.00
* Robinson, Thomas --- $750.00
Kearney, John --- $600.00
Blanc, Lynne --- $500.00
John Enterprises, Ltd. --- $500.00
* Markley, H.J. --- $500.00
* Miles, Richard --- $500.00
Slover, Jr., John --- $500.00
Tunberg, J.R. --- $500.00 -- Whitey's Ice Cream
* Turner, Lori --- $500.00
* Watkins, Patricia --- $400.00
Clawson, Roger --- $300.00 -- Insurance
* Steffenson, Michael --- $300.00
* Wismer, Robert --- $300.00
* Arnell, Richard --- $275.00
Anderson, Ralph --- $250.00
* Braatelien, Newell --- $250.00
* Bracke, Thomas --- $250.00 -- Insurance
* Courtesy Chrysler --- $250.00 -- Dale Zude
England, Joseph --- $250.00
Everitt, David --- $250.00
* Frus, Ronald --- $250.00
* Gildehaus, Thomas --- $250.00
Hallene, Alan --- $250.00
Margenthaler, Donald --- $250.00
* Stowe, David --- $250.00 -- Deere & Co. officer
* Tunberg, Jon C. --- $250.00 -- Whitey's Ice Cream
Holst, David --- $200.00
* Kehoe, Daniel --- $200.00 -- car dealerships, other businesses
Reynolds, Douglas --- $200.00
* Welvaert, Don --- $200.00 -- Candidate

* = early donors on 1-31-05

The Committee also received $15,075 dollars in donations under $150 through the March 10 reporting cut-off.

As you can see, they're all just plain folks, just like they made it sound in articles in the Dispatch. And obviously, they're non-partisan. There's probably a Dem in there somewhere, though you'd have to look pretty hard.
And as they say, they just want Moline to be a good place to work. What they don't say is they want it to be a good place to work your ass off for low wages and next to no health or retirement benefits and above all, no unions!

I'd appreciate any further info, additions, or corrections on any of the names above as to what their current or former business and political affiliations are.

Exactly

This great letter to the editor in the Times caught my eye. I thought it deserved to be shared.

How I Became a Left-Wing Weenie

I didn’t used to be one. I grew up with a set of beliefs, a balanced budget, smaller government and non-interference in our private lives, which used to be called conservative. I have since found that I am a left-wing liberal. For instance, I believe in a balanced budget. I feel that a responsible government should balance its books and not print and spend money like some banana republic. Today, only liberal weenies like me think that the budget should be balanced. I also believe in smaller government. But once again, I am out of step. The non-defense portion of the federal government under Bush is growing at almost twice the rate it did under Clinton. A bigger federal bureaucracy is suddenly conservative!

I also believe that government should keep its nose out of our business as much as possible. Alas, I have once again joined the ranks of the left-leaning rabble. Although my beliefs haven’t changed in 40 years, what was conservative in the 1970s has become identified with the liberal left of today. Ironically, the policies of 1960s radicals, a bigger, more intrusive federal government and deficit spending, have become the litmus test of modern conservatism. I suppose that if I just sit tight my brand of conservatism will come back into style eventually.

Paul Walliker

Galva

Amen brother. The Republicans represents the richest handful in the country, and no one else. (Nope, you evangelicals and gun nuts and racists might thing they represent you, but you're being duped worse than anyone. They haven't done a thing for you, and never intend to.)

Yet some Dems, like the Democratic Leadership Council, seem to think the only way the Dems will succeed is for them to cow-tow to corporate interests and pander to the God, guns, and gays crowd. I don't think so. Former Republicans like Paul here are just ripe for the picking. IF the Dems don't ignore them in their haste to suck up to Southern red-necks and working class whites who have been hood-winked by the right wing into thinking the right better reflects their views.

Dems don't get this demographic by perpetuating and playing to these false premises and the ignorance of these people. They succeed by showing them how they've been mislead and how the Dems are and have always been closer to what they want for their country and their families.

Group building "progressive values" organization in Q.C.'s

For the past few months, a corps of people has been gathering twice each Tuesday at the Unitarian Church in Davenport.

They are building a local political movement.

Progressive Action for the Common Good, a group numbering about 140, is hoping to engage people in promoting “progressive values” in the community, its leaders say. And they intend to sponsor a forum and organizing summit Saturday at Augustana College in Rock Island.

Many of the founders are well-known veterans of Democratic politics. Some of the members said in interviews that the impetus for the group comes from a series of concerns, including President Bush’s plan to remake Social Security, the prospect of oil drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and what some believe is a too-limited definition of morality in the country’s political campaigns.

But while many of the members have ties to the Democratic Party, organizers stressed that the group is not tied to a political party. “We hope to be a larger tent and a bigger umbrella group,” said Cathy Bolkcom of LeClaire, Iowa, one of the organizers

This sounds like a worthwhile effort, so by all means, check out the article in the Times, and if it sounds of interest to you, plan on attending their forum Saturday which is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. and last until noon. They plan for the event to be a chance to develop strategies for local action as well as an opportunity for people to network with other progressives.

Local Chiro shows how it can be done

Here's a person, unlike the phundy pharmacist in R.I., that really has his heart and head in the right place. I think this guy is a hero of sorts, and feel it would be fitting if some benefactor or benefactors threw some money his way in support of what he is doing.

The box sits on the wall right next to the door. A casual visitor might walk right by without noticing it, but patients never do.

Dr. Clint Garda, a Rock Island chiropractor, said his job is to empty the box at the end of each day. But his life's work is helping people get better.

Dr. Garda, 35, runs his practice using the "honor fee" system. After treatment, the patient puts money in the box. They pay what they can afford and what they think is fair for the treatment they've received. They won't get a bill. They won't find a list of prices tacked on the wall. Their insurance card will do them no good here.

"Everyone deserves to be healthy. Everyone deserves access to care," Dr. Garda said. "I believe what I do here is too important to put any barriers on."

More than half of his patients' insurance covers chiropractic care, but they don't use it, choosing to see Dr. Garda, who says they don't need the coverage.

"I try to pretend this is 1940," Dr. Garda said. "How did people afford health care? They afforded it because it was affordable."

Because he has such little overhead -- his office is on the second floor of his home and he has no office staff -- Dr. Garda estimates he makes as much money as a brother-in-law who runs a traditional practice on the East Coast.

"A person works 40 hours a week breaking themselves down," he said. "The real power of chiropractic is regular maintenance care. Running it this way, everyone can afford (follow-up visits)."

"I wanted to be a healer," he said. "I treat people as honestly and fairly as I can, and I expect people to treat me the same -- and they do."

Dr. Garda's practice is located at 2500 9th St., Rock Island, not the toniest part of town, which is further evidence of his devotion to caring for those who otherwise couldn't afford it.

This is an example of a person putting service ahead of monetary gain while still getting enough money to live not only a comfortable life, but a worthwhile life by making a positive difference. He's not simply raking in money while contributing to the out of control patient/insurance/health care industry system. A prime reason health care is in crisis is due to various interests competing for the billions of dollars involved. Dr. Garda's practice short-circuits the entire system, providing quality care, a decent living, and healthy and grateful patients who will likely be less prone to health problems (and costs) down the road.

Three cheers for Dr. Garda for showing the truly "radical" idea of putting patients first can, and does work.
Some politician should recognize him and encourage others to give this system a serious look.

Entire reason for war bogus? Don't blame Bush

Thousands and thousands killed and maimed, hundreds of billions of dollars spent, and all justified by lies and deceptions.
How does Bush feel about this? Dunno. Are people going to apologize to Hans Blix, the UN weapons inspector who stated that Iraq didn't have any more WMDs or the capability to produce them? Are they going to "de-villifie" Scott Ritter, the courageous weapons inspector who loudly and clearly called bullshit on the phony WMD stories while the Bushies were ginning up the rush to war? Don't hold your breath.

Helen Thomas writes of the White House reaction to the recent report on the utter failure of intelligence which was used to pound the drums for war and shows that for Bush, who loudly touts personal accountability for us, the buck NEVER stops with him.

Maybe there's hope yet?

Poppy Bush, who knows his son is a disaster waiting to happen, appears to have arranged for him to be tutored by someone who knows what he's doing.

ABOARD AIR FORCE ONE -- President Bush solicited foreign policy advice from former President Bill Clinton at CIA briefings this week and even told Mr. Clinton that he liked his approach to reforming Social Security.
'It was really a lot of fun, Mr. Bush told reporters yesterday after spending three days with Mr. Clinton and former President George Bush in Rome.
'These CIA briefings a lot of time prompt policy discussions,' he added. 'It's interesting to get their points of view about their experiences in particular countries.'

As usual, TBogg has a hilarious take on this here.

Republicans, the party of fiscal responsibility

The state of Ohio is investing state funds in rare coins. Pretty stupid and risky to be sure. But evidently not when the millions are going to a firm run by a prominent Republican fundraiser.
These people are not only stupid and greedy, they're flat-out dangerous.

Since 1998, Ohio has invested millions of dollars in the unregulated world of rare coins, buying nickels, dimes, and pennies. Controlling the money for the state? Prominent local Republican and coin dealer Tom Noe, whose firm made more than $1 million off the deal last year alone.

Say it ain't so! Royko's son charged with attempted bank robbery

A son of the late Tribune columnist Mike Royko was arrested Friday after he allegedly attempted to rob a Northwest Side bank while claiming to be armed with a bomb that turned out to be phony, authorities said.

Wow. Mike Royko was, and still is, probably my all time favorite columnist. I'd buy the Trib just to read his stuff. This is really too bad.

Teachers rock!

Kudos to this year's "Master Teachers" award receipients. Though the awards are sponsored by the Dispatch/Argus, the article in their paper gives no information on how the teachers are chosen or by whom.

Teaching is a very tough and often thankless job. These teachers deserve our thanks for giving it their all.

This year's Master Teachers are:

Gene Ann Cervantes, Ridgewood Elementary, East Moline.

Carol Drish, Thomas Jefferson Elementary, Milan.

Phyllis Ellett, Earl H. Hanson Elementary, Rock Island.

Kathleen Oberhaus-Evanchyk, Washington Junior High School, Rock Island.

Dawn E. Fensterbusch, Butterworth/Ericcson Elementary, Moline.

Jane Helke, Cambridge Elementary.

Alice Jacobs, Rock Island High School.

Mary N. Lind, Butterworth/Jefferson, Moline.

Sharon Menke, John Deere Middle School, Moline.

Virginia Payton, Horace Mann Choice, Rock Island.

Vicki L. Peterson, Longfellow Elementary, Rock Island.

Sharm Schneck, Coyne Center Elementary, Milan.

Christine M. Sederstrom, Logan Elementary, Moline.

Marilyn K. Sieben, Edison Junior High School, Rock Island.

Gail E. Staples, George O. Barr Elementary, Silvis.

Patricia Steele, Logan Elementary, Moline.

John S. Yazbec, Colona Grade.

Julie Zarlatanes, Edison Junior High, Rock Island.

Activists spread message, have no effect

Sadly, this is about par for the course. A group of about 30 protesters picketed Wal-Mart in Moline Saturday, and while many drivers honked their approval, traffic to the store wasn't affected in the slightest.

I admire anyone who is committed to their cause enough to protest and at least make some small effort to make others aware of their cause. But the fact remains that most people are blissfully unconcerned with these same issues and the protests have very little impact.

The many issues with Wal-mart deserve to be aired and people really should be aware of them. The group, headed by the local chapter of NOW, the National Organization of Women, listed some of the facts they feel should be addressed in the Dispatch story.

Horns honked in support of the picketers waving their signs, but drivers kept pouring into the Wal-Mart shopping center off John Deere Road Saturday.

About 30 picketers, from the local National Organization for Women chapter and other groups, held signs saying "Always low wages," "boycott Wal-Mart," and chanting "don't shop at Wal-Mart, put away your shopping cart," stood along a meridian [sic] between John Deere Road and the store for more than an hour.

"Taxpayers should really be outraged about Wal-Mart's labor practices," Carol Brown, vice president of the Iowa Quad-Cities NOW chapter, said. "We are trying to educate them. We are really asking people to boycott Wal-Mart."

Among their claims are:

-- Wal-Mart earns billions, but millions of taxpayer dollars are spent on social services for the company and its workers, including Medicaid to Wal-Mart employees.

-- Between 41 to 46 percent of Wal-Mart employees receive health care benefits, compared to 66 percent nationally.

-- Wal-Mart faces a federal class action lawsuit claiming women employees are discriminated against in pay, training and promotion.

-- Eighty-five percent of Wal-Mart goods are produced overseas.

Their reasons for picketing varied from ecology to economics. One protester said, "I miss the wetlands,"

[note: a "meridian" is a longitudinal line of circumference around the earth, so one doubts the protesters were standing along one. The word is "median". Way to go Dispatch copy editors.]

A very good day indeed

Here are a couple of very touching stories of the generosity of Quad Citians and people in general. These stories remind us that even amid the steady torrent of news involving crooks and chisellers running the country, this represents what is truly great about our country and people, lest we forget.

The first involves an outpouring of help for the medical needs of a small girl.
Ellis Kell, a longtime employee of the Dispatch who now works for the River Music Experience and also a prominent local musician who is associated with many good works in the area, and who lost his own lovely daughter in a tragic car accident some years ago, played a role in this, as did other generous businesses and individuals.

Tuesday, I told you about Leny, a 3-year-old girl who was losing her vision to infantile glaucoma. Her family needed $10,000 to pay for an urgent operation that would at least halt her vision loss. I was concerned when I was writing the story, because her parents are undocumented immigrants, and I thought that might matter.

I apologize for thinking that. It didn't at all.

The phone calls and the e-mails started Tuesday. Quad-Citians from all walks of life wanted to help. Local blues musician Ellis Kell said he wanted to do something, but wasn't sure what he could pull off in light of the unknown deadline Leny's illness presented.

"We got to help that little girl," he said on the phone and promised to work on it.

In the meantime, the calls kept coming. By Thursday morning, Lisa Viaene was giddy and tired. She is the Davenport woman who found Leny's illness in a health screening and felt compelled to raise the money to save her vision. She called to say the goal has been met and exceeded.

"I can't believe it," she said. "As soon as the story appeared we started getting money."

Mrs. Viaene already had $3,000 from the Greater Rock Island Noon and Evening Lion's Clubs before the story ran, and has spent a huge portion of the last couple of days talking to people and opening envelopes. She's been touched by the area's generosity.

Now, Leny will have surgery before the end of April.

"Overwhelmed is an underestimate," Mrs. Viaene said. " It's been an experience that's hard to explain. I would have never anticipated within two days this goal would have been met. I was hoping, but never ever thought it would happen as fast as it did."

Mrs. Viaene said she has had some very touching phone calls, including one from a 12-year-old girl whose little sister had surgery a week before and wanted to donate $100 of her own money. A dad with three kids called to say they didn't have much, but his children wanted to give their allowance. Other people called saying they couldn't afford to donate, but offered their thoughts and prayers. One special woman called after the goal was met but still wanted to help, so she paid for Leny's outstanding medical bills.

"It's been a very gratifying, very busy couple days," Mrs. Viaene said. "I have so many people to thank. The people at the (Bethel Wesley Methodist) Church, (Moline), Eye Surgeon Associates for getting the ball rolling, there's so many people. I don't even know where to start."

Mrs. Viaene said she wants to thank everyone who donated, and promised to give another update following the surgery. Mrs. Viaene is still counting, but said any money above the goal would be used for what ever care Leny needs beyond the surgery.

Mr. Kell would call me back later.

"We don't have any money, but we can play music," he said. "So I called Dr. Amir Arbisser to see what we could do. We're going to play at his daughter's birthday party and he's going to donate $1,000 towards the girl's surgery. Then my bass player (John Burchett) said his boss from Walman Optical (Milan) walked in the office with the clipping, and John told him what we were doing, and now (Walman Optical),is going to donate $3,000 towards the surgery. It's a very good day."

And another story tells of efforts by other volunteers and businesses who helped remove years of debris and clean up an elderly couple's home so that it could be fit for them to care for their 4 year old great-grandson who was placed in their care.

In many ways, Daniel Griffin is like other 4-year-old boys.

His innocent smile and dimples can melt hearts. He knows no strangers and readily offers a visitor a sip of his Capri Sun.

He's full of energy and runs circles around the family pets -- two dogs, two birds and half a dozen cats that come and go. He likes to pretend he's Spiderman and climb atop furniture to spring off.

His favorite television shows are "Barney" and "Dora the Explorer." Bugs fascinate him.

But cockroaches and fleas weren't the sort of bugs Daniel should encounter at home, caseworkers told his caregivers in December. They threatened to remove the boy and place him in another foster home shortly before Christmas.

City health inspector Kimberly Bradley, with support from Mayor Joe Moreno, organized a cleanup Saturday so inspectors could get inside and assess the house's structural condition.

Spammer busted, facing prison

Here's a bit of news that should brighten up the day of anyone who has to deal with hundreds of pieces of spam e-mail daily, such as yours truly. I hope they continue to bust these guys, though when this guy was making $750,000 a month, it'll likely take a lot more than a few busts to scare people away from the practice.

A North Carolina man convicted in the nation's first felony prosecution for spamming was sentenced yesterday to nine years in prison, but the judge postponed the sentence while the case is appealed.

A jury had recommended the nine-year prison term after convicting Jeremy Jaynes of pumping out at least 10 million e-mails a day with the help of 16 high-speed lines, the kind of Internet capacity a 1,000-employee company would need.

But, but, but...

Another of the many prominent (though closeted) Republican homosexuals makes the news. The Dope wishes the best for the happy couple.

Arthur J. Finkelstein, a prominent Republican consultant who has directed a series of hard-edged political campaigns to elect conservatives in the United States and Israel over the last 25 years, said Friday that he had married his male partner in a civil ceremony at his home in Massachusetts.

Mr. Finkelstein, 59, who has made a practice of defeating Democrats by trying to demonize them as liberal, said in a brief interview that he had married his partner of 40 years to ensure that the couple had the same benefits available to married heterosexual couples.

Mr. Finkelstein has been allied over the years with Republicans who have fiercely opposed gay rights measures, including former Senator Jesse Helms of North Carolina, and has been the subject of attacks by gay rights activists who have accused him of hypocrisy.

None of Mr. Finkelstein's better-known political clients, among them Gov. George E. Pataki of New York and former Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato of New York, attended...

Details of Mr. Finkelstein's relationship have appeared in regular news accounts over the years, as they did in the Boston Magazine article, which reported that Mr. Finkelstein lived with his partner and two children in Ipswich, Mass.

Finkelstein has been one of the, if not the, top Republican stategists for decades.

NY Times story here. (free registration required)

Arsenal being discussed in Senate committee on C-Span

As I type, C-Span (which was moved by Mediacom to channel 2 recently) is airing the committee proceedings dealing with supplemental spending for Iraq, Afghanistan, and tsunami relief.
Sen. Ted Stevens just read the agenda and mentioned that Sen. Dick Durbin would be discussing the Rock Island Arsenal.

If you can't catch it now, it will likely repeat later tonight.

Welcome, and a plea

Wow! I'm impressed by our commenters today. All excellent. I welcome them and any new visitors to this little corner of the web.

But once more, I have to make my humble plea. I've made it many times, and some are no doubt sick of it. But I hope it's not in vain.

My simple request is that commenters pick a name with which to post their comments.
Please, please, please do NOT simply post as anonymous.

At the bottom of the comments window is a place where you have three choices. Either to post as a registered user, to post as anonymous, or to post as "other".

PLEASE do not post as "anonymous". Simply click the "other" button and type in whatever name suits you. It would be double-cool if you'd stay with that same name each time you post.

Why? Well, for one thing, if someone wants to reply to someone else who has posted a comment further up the comment window, and 3/4 of the comments are by "anonymous", it makes it damn hard to specify who you're replying to!

And for another purpose, it makes it impossible to associate comments with an individual commenter. So what, you say? Well, that really dillutes things and takes away from any sense of community here. You should pick a name and stand behind your comments. When almost everyone is posting under the same deadly-dull "anonymous" name, it's hard to get an idea of how many different individuals are posting, and we can't tell who's brilliant and who's not. ;-)

I can't enforce this rule with a gun, but I am asking, for about the mungogingdillionth time, please avoid posting as "anonymous" unless absolutely postitively necessary.

If you follow these simple requests, you'll have a warm glow of satisfaction and your love life will improve wildly, if your hair is thinning, it will suddenly start to grow luxuriously, strangers will smile at you on the street, there'll be a bounce in your step, your kids will all realize how wise you truly are, and start being grateful they have such a great parent or parents, you'll start getting the best parking spots, those unwanted pounds will melt away, your stocks will go through the roof, food will taste better, and you'll be able to eat as much of every food you love as you want and never gain a pound, you won't have to exercise, and still, you'll be muscular and fit and your doctor will marvel at your amazingly good health, if your breasts are too small, they'll get larger, and if they're too big, they'll get smaller, you'll never be mystified by technology, your relatives will stop being such annoying jerks, your car will get better gas milage, your kid's grades will improve, your luck will be unstopable if you gamble, people will notice you when you want to be noticed, and leave you alone when you don't, your boss will realize what a true genius you are and offer a promotion with a huge raise, you'll write that book you always wanted to write and it will fly off the shelves, you'll look good no matter what you wear, Hollywood will offer an obscene amount of money for the right to film your life story, your favorite actor, actress, or musician will start writing YOU fan-mail, you'll find all those things you've lost that are driving you nuts, your bags will never be lost by the airline, you'll over-hear beautiful women or handsome men (as the case may be) talking to each other about how sexy you are, you'll always find the fastest check-out lane at the store, you'll always get great tickets to whatever sporting event or concert you want to go to, your team will always win in close games, you'll always know just what to say, no matter what the situation, your car will never rust or get a dent, your checks will never bounce, dogs and children will be drawn to you, you'll become a fantastic dancer, and a little ray of sunshine will follow you wherever you go.
So... it's up to you.

The Dope revealed... Again

As happens from time to time, the weight of remaining anonymous bears too heavily on my shoulders and I feel the urge to unburden myself. So once again, I'm going to "out" myself here. I hope this puts to rest all speculation about my identity.

Here's a pic of my little sis and I at some after-party in Chicago not long ago. Who says blondes aren't smart? I won't say which one I am, though I've seen so many asses in comments here, I thought it would only be fair to show a little of mine ;-)
I hope this doesn't drag down the high-minded tone around here.

Money, honey

Ed Tibbetts runs down the cashitation situation in the run-up to the Iowa 1st District race, and it's shaping up to reach appallingly high levels.

First-quarter (January through March) campaign finance results aren’t due until next week, but the apparent leaders in both parties have raised more than $100,000 apiece. Those are big, almost Jim Nussle-like, numbers this early in the game.

On the Democratic side, Waterloo lawyer Bruce Braley, a past president of the state trial lawyers association, says he’s going to be close to or at his goal of raising $125,000.

On the Republican side of the fence, Rep. Bill Dix, R-Shell Rock, said he racked up about $117,000 in the first quarter. Nobody figured this was going to be a cheap race. Open seats in Congress don’t come along very often, and Democrats in Washington, D.C., are putting this one toward the top of their wish list because it’s a Democratic-leaning district now in Republican hands.

Even in the days when Mark Baker and the GOP were throwing everything including the kitchen sink at U.S. Rep. Lane Evans, D-Ill., things didn’t crank up this soon. In the year before the 1998 election, Baker raised $171,000. And that was through the entire year.

K-Mart / Sears merger spurs "mass layoff"

Sears Holdings Corp. said it plans a "mass layoff" of at least 500 workers at its headquarters in this Chicago suburb [Hoffman Estates], according to a revised report filed with the state's Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity.

Last week, the department posted on its Web site that Sears Holdings planned a mass layoff of at least 250 employees. But this week, the department posted a revised filing that said the company would eliminate at least 500 workers.

Sears Holdings was created last month through a $12.3 billion acquisition of Sears, Roebuck and Co. by Troy, Mich.-based Kmart Holding Corp. The buyout, which created the third-biggest U.S. retailer based on sales, should save $500 million over the next three years, Sears has said.

How much more of this booming Bush economy can workers stand? Oh well, since the Bush Labor Department has catagorized flipping burgers as "manufacturing" jobs, I'm sure the thousands of out of work people can find a job in that sector. Maybe.

Where's Waldo?

Here's the caption underneath a photo accompanying a story about a farewell party for outgoing Moline mayor Stan Leach on the Dispatch/Argus Quad Cities Online website:

Photo: John Greenwood
During a party for outgoing Moline mayor Stan Leach Thursday afternoon, Stewart Winstein, left, greets the mayor, right, along with Col. Tom Boyd. Others in attendance included, all from left to right: 1) Donna Scalf, Decker Ploen, and Kevin ?; 2) Donna Scalf and Decker Ploen; 3) John Bradley and Chuck Ruhl; 4) ? and Rick Baker; 5) Outgoing East Moline Mayor Jose (Joe) Moreno and Steve Etheridge; 6) Dorothy Armstrong and Lorna Moreno; 7) Stever Etheridge and Scott Hamilton; 8) Dennis Pauley; 9) Al and Barb Efflandt; 10) Scott Raes; 11) Trinity Regional Health System president/ceo Bill Leaver and Rock Island mayor Mark Schwiebert; 12) Tom Robinson; 13) Mayor Stan Leach; 14) Tom Getz and Willie Leach; 15) Jim Bohnsack and Don Margenthaler; 16) John Gardner and ?; 17) Jeff Lenz; 18) Jim Mowan; 19) Jerry Lack; 20) Jackie Foster, fiance of Jon Leach, Jon Leach, Stan and Willie Leach;

It appears to have contained even more names but was cut off at that point.

Here's the picture. See if you can find all the people listed above. Extra points for finding "Kevin ?" or "? and Rick Baker" from #1 and #4 above.

Hint: They must be behind the buffet table or hidden in the wallpaper.

Here's the lead of the story by Brian Kranz under the headline, "Leach honored as 'great leader' at farewell party":

It wasn't unlike any other gathering.

The smell of wine and beer filled a conference room at Centre Station Thursday afternoon, as men and women in business attire stood talking over soft jazz music playing in the background.

In the mix of about 50 people stood an older man in a suit, his rimless glasses clinging to the soft features of his face. He reached out to give firm handshakes to person after person, as the soft grin remained constantly on his face.

They were all there for him.

Excuse me while I get a tissue. I'm getting a little misty after reading that gauzy soft-focus opening. It reads like a Harlequin romance. -sniff-

The Dispatch/Argus wants your input

The Dispatch/Argus is seeking participants for a round-table discussion on how the papers could improve. As they put it:

Do you trust the content in The Dispatch and The Rock Island Argus? Are we on the right track in our news coverage? How can we better serve readers?

If you have thoughts on any of these questions, you're a candidate to participate, as our guest, in a special group discussion set for April 27 at The Mark of the Quad Cities.

We're looking for 15-20 Dispatch/Argus readers who'd like to participate in the two-hour roundtable at The Mark. We'll have a one-hour reception with food and drink at 5:30, followed by the roundtable discussion ending at 8:30.

Are you interested? If so, write a quick paragraph about yourself and why you'd make a good roundtable participant. Send it to Russ Scott, Dispatch managing editor, via e-mail (rscott@qconline.com) or by regular mail to 1720 5th Avenue, Moline IL 61265. Be sure to include your name, address and phone number.

We'd like your response by 5 p.m. Monday, April 11. We'll notify you on or about April 19 if you are selected.

I KNOW some of you aren't exactly shy about telling others how to do their jobs, so this seems like the perfect outlet for you. (And free eats to boot!)

So by all means, get in touch with the Dispatch/Argus and share your thoughts on how you feel they could improve their product.

By reader request... Who Should be the Dem Candidate in 2008?

A commenter has tired of discussion of local politics and the ongoing Boland/Jacob soap opera, and has suggested that this blog instead devote itself to issues such as who would be the best Democrat presidential nominee in 2008, still three years away.

OK then. Here it is. Discuss away.

Moline to add yet another downtown development

Continuing their focus on the downtown area, the Moline city council OKed a half million dollar project to develop alley-ways into outdoor seating for two downtown businesses and create a venue for small outdoor events.

A New Orleans-style facade overlooking the Biergarten, or beer garden, will be outlined with decorative fencing, lighting and Japanese lilac trees. Seating will include European cafe tables and chairs with bright blue umbrellas and a small stage for live music. A canopy of string lighting will illuminate the Biergarten at night along with light fixtures hung from decorative brick columns lighting the pedestrian promenade. Two double-gated entrances will feature colored paving leading into courtyards for Bierstube and the Bent River Brewery, two existing businesses. Project improvements include resurfacing an alley and revamping city parking lots T and U. The lots will be lighted for added safety and security, and long-term parking will be available for downtown businesses and visitors.

So very clever

I received the following anonymous e-mail late yesterday.

----------------------------------------------------------------

From : anonymous@xxxxx.com
Sent : Thursday, April 7, 2005 9:03 PM
To : theinsidedope@hotmail.com
Subject : hot tip

-------------------------------------------------

Since I gave you so much shit a few weeks ago,
I thought I would give you a hot tip. Word is
Rep. Mike Boland suffered another heart attack
today in Springfield. Post some thing on your site
so I know you got this message. I didn't post
this tip on your site until you could confirm it.
..................................................
Please do not reply to this e-mail.
Mail sent to this address cannot be answered
..................................................

Aren't they clever?? Wow!

Just shows the level of partisan moron we have out there trying their best to accomplish things for the area. (yeah, right!) For some unknown reason, they thought that I'd jump on such rubbish and perpetuate this false story, and make me look foolish in the bargain. This shows just how clueless this twit is.

Hmmmm. Who would benefit from furthering this uproar and spreading false stories against Boland?

Nice try, my little anonymous friend. Can't wait for your next "hot tip". Maybe your guy ought to cut you off for such stupid non-sense. I don't know what sort of idiots you're used to dealing with, but you're out of your league. Go back to tearing down yard signs or something.

Much Ado About Nothing

Mike Boland did not have a heart attack. Mike Jacobs did not "confirm" that Boland had suffered a heart attack. (nor did anyone else)

All the frothing at the mouth here and elsewhere is only a direct byproduct of the animosity between these two camps.

Kurt Allemeier covers the story in the Dispatch/Argus.

A feud between East Moline Democrats has been rekindled after rumors Rep. Mike Boland suffered a heart attack earlier this week.

Rep. Boland was hospitalized for two days earlier this week after feeling ill and suffering flu-like symptoms. A battery of tests showed nothing more significant than a virus. The doctor did recommend a vacation, Rep. Boland said.

However, WQAD-TV reported Tuesday night the state representative's heart attack was confirmed by Sen. Mike Jacobs, D-East Moline. The story was retracted during the station's 10 p.m. newscast.

A reporter saw Sen. Jacobs at Moline mayoral candidate Pat O'Brien's party Tuesday and asked if he knew anything about Rep. Boland having a heart attack. Sen. Jacobs said he didn't know anything about that, but that he'd heard in Springfield earlier in the day that Rep. Boland was hospitalized.

However, another source told Rep. Boland the state senator mentioned the heart attack in passing at one of the parties Tuesday night.

Rep. Boland called the heart attack rumor "pure fabrication," "a serious lack of judgment," "a terrible disservice to my friends and family," and said "this sinks politics to the lowest level, spreading rumors about someone's health."

He wondered, "if Mike Jacobs' statements about my health were a malicious attempt to smear a potential political opponent, or if it was simply a case of wishful thinking on his part..."

Sen. Jacobs was quoted in February as saying he called Rep. Boland and tracked him down at an event and said he didn't want the feud to continue.

Sen. Jacobs continues to say he wants to work with his counterpart in the House of Representatives, though he is angered by Rep. Boland's accusations, calling them petty and ridiculous.

"I've tried to do everything to work with Mike Boland and will continue to try to work with him," Sen. Jacobs said. "My father recently had health problems and I wouldn't wish health problems on anybody. I don't know what this guy wants from me."

After missing this week's legislative session, Rep. Boland will return to Springfield next week to help guide two bills he is tracking through the legislature, then he is going to take the doctor's advice. He and his wife, Mary, are going on a cruise when the legislature takes a short break the following week.

"I appreciate all the calls and well-wishers," he said, "but I didn't have a heart attack. I've never had a heart attack."

Rep. Boland had two stents inserted into arteries in 1997 and had prostate surgery in 1998.

Rep. Boland said he hasn't made a decision on his political future, and will wait until after the current legislative session to decide what his next move is. He said he might stay in the General Assembly if offered a leadership position or he may consider a run for statewide office.

And a point of clarification, at no time did I report that Jacobs had said Boland had a heart attack. I simply voiced my opinion that if Jacobs had said what was quoted, it was likely a totally innocent remark, but ill-advised due to how others might take it. Obviously, Jacobs inadvertantly gave Boland an opportunity to cry foul, no matter what the intention or spirit of the remark may have been.

This entire issue is truly much ado about next to nothing.
I suggest people save their indignation and ire for matters that are actually important.

Chad Pregracke brings Living Lands and Waters to D.C. rivers

Chad Pregracke, the area man who has gained wide attention for his remarkable efforts to clean up rivers and streams, has gained corporate sponsorship and has taken his organization to D.C. The effort focuses on the Potomac and Anacostia rivers.

This project is sponsored by Koch Industries, an enormous business run by one of the most arch-conservative families in America. Koch Industries was founded by Fred C. Kock, a John Birch Society activist, The two Koch brothers who now run the company are worth an estimated $4 billion dollars.

David and Charles Koch own virtually all of Koch Industries, an oil, natural gas, and land management firm and the second largest privately owned company in America.[139] The brothers have a strong interest in libertarian theory; the three family foundations operated by the Kochs (the Charles G. Koch, David H. Koch and Claude R. Lambe Charitable Foundations) made possible the libertarian Cato Institute and Citizens for a Sound Economy ($6.5 million and $4.8 million contributed between 1986 and 1990, respectively).[140] Unlike the Bradley, Scaife and Olin Foundations, the Kochs focus exclusively on free-market philosophy.

The effort is laudable, no matter who is sponsoring it, and Koch Industries deserves credit, but one hopes that Pregracke knows who he's dealing with.

Once again...

As you may have noticed, blogger is screwed up again, making it difficult or impossible to post or comment. This is beyond my control and I apologize for the inconvenience. This is a recurring problem, but usually clears up within several hours.

Coal Valley OKs new housing development

A 50 acre up-scale housing development (is there ever any other kind?) is going up north of Oakwood Country Club in Coal Valley. Village Trustees OKed the plans Wednesday.

The development, known as Autumn Creek Villas, will feature 14 "villas" and 15 lots suitable for building. It will have a homeowner's association which will provide maintenance and design guidance and a discounted membership in Oakwood is available to buyers.

The properties start out at $240,000 and go up from there. At those prices, you better run out and buy two.

Voters to Schools: Drop Dead

Stats from 69 instances where tax measures for schools were on Illinois ballots show that 65 percent of them failed. Last fall, 75 percent of 51 school tax initiatives failed.

It just shows that anytime you do something out in the open and actually ask through a democratic process, people will short-sightedly slap school measures down.
Yet untold millions of tax dollars are given to businesses and corporations by government entities each year. The only difference is that the public have no voice in the matter and rarely even are aware of the deals.

Yet when schools hold out the cup, no one will so much as drop in a dime.

I can't understand where people's priorities are if they don't put education near the top of worthy goals to support. And the people who justify their stinginess because they don't have kids in the system are perhaps the worst.

Man bites dog story on rural land use.

In a switch from the usual story of property owners fighting zoning boards to retain their land in the face of encroaching development, a story in today's Q.C. Times examines cases of exactly the opposite situation. Several owners of agricultural land near Parkview are fighting a zoning board that is attempting to slow urban sprawl, preserve some agriculutural land, and encourage better planned expansion. In a twist on the typical situation, the land owners are fighting for their right to turn their farmland into subdivisions.

Unless the County Board overturns a Planning and Zoning Commission decision during a meeting that begins at 5:30 p.m. today, the land will change from an agricultural-general classification to the highly protected and restrictive agriculture-preserved status. The meeting will be in the first-floor meeting room of the Scott County Administrative Center, 428 Western Ave., Davenport.

The landowners insist their properties are not suitable for farming and eventually should be open to residential or neighborhood development. The county counters by saying agricultural land is disappearing too quickly across Iowa and that housing should be concentrated in incorporated cities.

O'Brien will not ask for recount

After a day weighing the issue, Pat O'Brien has decided not to pursue a recount in the Moline mayoral race.

Alcoa profits down due to cost of cutting costs

Alcoa is citing the cost of their effort to cut costs by laying of 2000 workers as a factor in it's 27% drop in first quarter profits. Alcoa reports that it spent $25 million dollars to add 2000 individuals to the unemployment rolls.

Incumbants swept out in Moline School Board race

As noted on election night by alert Dopester Fly-on-the-Wall, Moline did indeed vote out two incumbant members of the School Board, including it's current president Bob Tallitsch. The other member ousted at the polls was Lynn Friesth.

Bob Vogelbaugh, Linda Kay Davis, and Kathy Weiman won the three seats available in the eight-candidate race. Mr. Vogelbaugh, known throughout the Quad-Cities as "Mr. Thanksgiving," was the leading vote-getter in the race, with 3,575 votes.

Small restaurant owner Vogelbaugh likely won due to his name recognition through heavy press attention to his annual Thanksgiving dinners provided free of charge, though he possesses no apparent background or experience in education.

Here's a business to avoid

As part of a larger efforts by anti-abortion fundamentalists to further interfere with a woman's medical care, a Rock Island pharmacist is planning to defy Gov. Blagojevich's recent order that all pharmacies fill prescriptions for their patients.

[Jim] Perry, an evangelical Christian, owns District Drugs. He said he plans to defy the order.

"I have no problem offering birth-control pills or other contraceptives," he said. "But I'm not going to offer this drug. [The so-called "morning after" pill]Ordering me to do this would be like ordering all doctors to perform abortions. You just can't expect pharmacists to do this."

The hell you can't. The "morning after" pill is the same chemically as common birth control pills, but at a higher dosage.

Susan Hofer, a spokeswoman for the Illinois Department of Professional and Financial Regulation, said a pharmacy's license could be revoked if it already offers oral contraceptives but won't dispense the same drug at higher dosages for what is commonly called the "morning-after pill."

Steve Tormbley, CEO of Planned Parenthood-Chicago, said his organization would fight legislative moves to allow pharmacies to opt not to fill such prescriptions.

"When a pharmacist puts on a lab coat and goes behind a counter, there is an obligation to provide medicine that is prescribed," he said. To not do so would be interfering with the relationship between a patient and her physician, he added.

"I'm getting calls from pharmacists from all over the country who say, 'I didn't get into this profession to kill babies,' " said Karen Brauer, president of Pharmacists for Life.

She contends Gov. Blagojevich's action is illegal because Illinois law already allows health-care providers to opt not to do procedures their consciences object to. The statute specifically covers physicians and nurses, and the Illinois Pharmacist Association contends the broader language in the law also covers pharmacists.

"The problem is the governor can't read. And he is going to get sued over this. And he is going to be embarrassed -- all because he can't read," Ms. Brauer said.

This Brauer woman is a real piece of work. She manages to be the go-to source in favor of pharmacists refusing to perform their duties in almost every story on the subject. Read more on Brauer and her organization "Pharmacists for Life" here.

Perhaps Mr. Perry should change the name of his business to "Phrendly Phundamentalist Pharmacy".

All in the Family

There was an arson in the tiny hamlet of Griswold about 20 miles due west of Omaha in northwest Iowa. The fire was started by a sister and it resulted in the deaths of her two younger siblings. But that all could be wrong. And that's only the tip of the iceberg. Let's see, there's arson, murder, bigamy, sexual abuse, prior murder convictions, possible incest, and I kind of got lost after that.

I simply couldn't even begin to explain this story which occured in the solid red state rural area that we've all learned represents the "real America" otherwise known as "Bush Country."

If there ever was an instance of a reporter truly having to earn every penny of their pay, this is it.

I defy anyone to figure out the players and their relationships in this tragedy without resorting to pen and paper and some sort of elaborate flow chart.

Just go read it here. And you wonder where they find people to go on Jerry Springer? This would be almost humorous if it weren't for the fact that these people's ignorance has already resulted in several deaths and serious abuse.

Two precincts spelled the difference in Moline mayor's race

With two precincts yet to report, for about 10 minutes, the Moline mayoral race stood frozen with Don Welvaert at 3,545 and Pat O'Brien a mere 10 votes ahead.

Then the news came. The two precincts, South Moline 6 and 7, provided Welvaert a 101 vote pick up, yielding 253 votes for O'Brien and 354 votes for Welvaert, enough to put Welvaert 91 votes ahead at the end of the night.

When [Welvaert] found out that south Moline precincts 6 and 7 were the last two to report the numbers, he became more confident. "Those are precincts that have been good to me," he said.

"I thought that it just had to be good news, and it was."

Standing in a room filled with friends, neighbors and family, Mr. Welvaert said all his supporters contributed something to the race, from making telephone calls to sending mailers.

"It was not just my race," he said.

No kidding. Welvaert relied on a host of people to do his mudslinging, most of which was truly deceptive and unfair.

Again, the parallels to the way the wealthy Republicans ran this shadow race with the way the Bush campaigns have been run are obvious and stark.

The piece reports that O'Brien will decide whether to contest the election today.

This is a tough choice. The margin is within 100, but barely. And the odds of finding enough irregularities to pick up that amount may be slim. It would also give opponents the chance to accuse O'Brien of refusing to accept defeat. It's also not the way O'Brien would choose to win.

But the only way to find out if there are irregularities in the vote is to examine it, and Welvaert himself said that he expected O'Brien would ask for a recount.
Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

The fact remains that the 91 vote margin is an extremely tough number. If it were lower, say around 40 or less, a recount would be an easy choice. If it were higher, in the 200 range, it would obviously not be worth it. But it's right in that grey area.

Needless to say, O'Brien faces a tough decision, but one would have a tough time faulting him no matter what he decides to do.

Your tax dollars at work

Thank our lucky stars the Rock Island County Sheriff's office is keeping us safe.

Each of us should give thanks in our own way to the nameless deputy who so willing put his moral purity on the line and fearlessly volunteered to get a massage from a 66 year-old South Korean immigrant who speaks no English and then try to get get her to give him a happy ending. (Due to the language barrier, one can only imagine the hand gestures involved in that effort.)

Unfortunately, in this valiant officer's understandable zeal to collect evidence he apparently forced the issue.

Ms. Fenner owns Garden Spa Massage, 801 N. High St., Port Byron. She was arrested in April and May 2003 after two alleged incidents involving undercover officers from the Rock Island County Sheriff's Department. (one assumes "undercover" in this instance wasn't meant as a pun.)

During Tuesday's trial, Ms. Fenner, testifying with help from a Korean interpreter, said she never agreed to any sexual acts. Ms. Fenner, born in South Korea and now a U.S. citizen, said the officer grabbed her hand and forced her to touch him in a sexual manner.

Happily, Ms. Fenner was acquitted of the two charges against her. I'm all for rural economic development, and I encourage all to patronize Ms. Fenner's establishment and support a plucky emigrant who has embraced our can-do entrepreneurial spirit and who, through adversity, has brought her welcome services to a previously underserved rural area.

Mercer County kills sales tax measure... again.

This is just sad.

For the second straight year, Mercer County voters have rejected a proposed sales tax proponents said who save county employees' jobs.

The 1 percent sales tax would have applied to purchases of clothing, appliances, fuel, novelty items and restaurant meals within the county. Currently, Mercer County and Aledo have a combined sales tax rate of 6 1/4 percent.

Proceeds, which were estimated to reach $500,000 annually, would have been used to help fund the county sheriff's department and preserve jobs at the courthouse and sheriff's department, proponents said.

The measure was defeated 2,206 to 2,097 Tuesday, according to final, unofficial results.

A similar measure was defeated last spring by a nearly two to one margin.

I posted on this story a couple days ago here.

Yum yum

Here's a screen capture of the Dispatch/Argus Metro News page which lists headlines for recent stories.

Click here for larger version)

Two adjacent headlines read:
12 pounds of maggot-infested flesh removed from horse
and
Apricot chicken and wild rice leaves lips smacking at Taste of Home

Somehow, apricot chicken and wild rice
doesn't sound so appetizing anymore.

The horse headline is a link to a piece by a WQAD reporter. I suppose it's a sign that they're moving toward tabloid style "grabber" headlines, but for the area media, it's pretty graphic, to say the least.



Oh Willlllburrrrr, I kept telling you it was more than
just a pimmmmmmmple!
(Those who can't access the Dispatch site can email me and I'll send you the story. The headline's not pretty, but the story has a happy ending.)

Boland hospitalized, doing "fine"

Rumors circulated earlier Tuesday that Mike Boland was hospitalized and some speculated that he'd had a heart attack. His wife Mary dispelled such rumors in a piece in the Dispatch today.

State Rep. Mike Boland, D-East Moline, is fine after being admitted to a hospital, according to his wife.

"He's fine. He has not had a heart attack," Mary Boland said Tuesday, when contacted via cell phone. "He got sick. He's had some tests, and he's going home tomorrow."

Mrs. Boland said her husband had a virus, in response to reports that he'd had a heart attack.

Apparently, it's hazardous to your health to be a politician around here. First Pat Verschoore, the Denny Jacobs, now Mike Boland have all been hospitalized. Mike Jacobs, have you had a check-up lately? Just sayin'.

Some results from Rock Island County

The big story of last night was Don Welvaert squeeking to victory as the last two precinct results came in to give him a 91 vote lead, 3,899 to O'Brien's 3,808.

Reports shortly after the election was called have O'Brien disinclined to ask for a recount.

And alas, the 19 year old Moline school board candidate, Bryn Lawrence, didn't draw enough votes to make the cut.

Full results can be found here.

Some selected results of interest. Winners listed first followed by vote totals and percentage of vote.

SUPERVISOR MOLINE TOWNSHIP

JO ANNE LAMBRECHT-PECK (DEM) . . . . 2,305 / 68.60
RONALD L. TUCKER (REP) . . . . . . 1,048 / 31.19

TRUSTEE MOLINE TOWNSHIP (in order of votes received)

Winners
DON DeTAEYE (DEM). . . . . . . . 2,432 / 21.98 percent
BONNIE JOHNSON (DEM). . . . . . . 2,422 / 21.89
J.K. "JAN" ERIKSON-VROMAN (DEM) . . . 2,411 / 21.79
ETHEL V. PEREZ (DEM). . . . . . . 2,158 / 19.50

Loser
MARILYN O'HARA (REP). . . . . . . 1,591 / 14.38

SUPERVISOR SOUTH MOLINE TOWNSHIP

ROSE VERSTRAETE (DEM) . . . . . . 3,161 / 55.45
ROBERT D. SCHULTZ (REP). . . . . . 2,537 / 44.50

CLERK SOUTH MOLINE TOWNSHIP

CONNIE MOHR-WRIGHT (DEM) . . . . . 2,914 / 51.69
PAM LOHMAN (REP) . . . . . . . . 2,718 / 48.22

ROAD COMMISSIONER SOUTH MOLINE TOWNSHIP

TRACY A. BEST (REP) . . . . . . . 2,914 / 50.90
PHIL BANASZEK (DEM) . . . . . . . 2,808 / 49.05

TRUSTEE SOUTH MOLINE TOWNSHIP (in order of votes received)

Winners
ROBERT E. SEITZ (DEM) . . . . . . 3,169 / 14.68
MARY R. BOLAND (DEM). . . . . . . 2,924 / 13.54
BRIAN L. FORSBERG (REP). . . . . . 2,817 / 13.05
LISA GRIFFIN (REP) . . . . . . . 2,691 /12.46

Losers
LINDA L. ARMSTRONG (DEM) . . . . . 2,652 / 12.28
BRIAN J. MUMMA (REP). . . . . . . 2,590 / 12.00
MARY ANN HERMAN (REP) . . . . . . 2,401 / 11.12
KEVIN STUCKWISCH (DEM) . . . . . . 2,329 / 10.79

ALDERMAN-AT-LARGE CITY OF MOLINE

KENT C. BREECHER . . . . . . . . 4,017 / 59.18
KATHLEEN A. SNODGRASS . . . . . . 2,733 / 40.26

ALDERMAN WARD 2 CITY OF MOLINE

MICHAEL T. CARTON. . . . . . . . 601 / 54.05
ANDRIA I. McDERMOTT . . . . . . . 507 / 45.59

ALDERMAN WARD 6 CITY OF MOLINE

MICHAEL CROTTY. . . . . . . . . 736 / 66.19
CRYSTAL R. STILLWELL-GABRIEL . . . . 376 / 33.81

MAYOR CITY OF ROCK ISLAND

MARK W. SCHWIEBERT . . . . . . . 3,754 / 84.82
DAVID M. KIMBELL . . . . . . . . 653 / 14.75

ALDERMAN WARD 1 CITY OF ROCK ISLAND

TERRY M. A. BROOKS I. . . . . . . 234 / 56.80
GLEN J. EVANS . . . . . . . . . 178 / 43.20

ALDERMAN WARD 3 CITY OF ROCK ISLAND

DENNIS E. PAULEY . . . . . . . . 534 / 71.11
DIANNE JORDAN . . . . . . . . . 215 / 28.63

ALDERMAN WARD 7 CITY OF ROCK ISLAND

CHARLES AUSTIN III . . . . . . . 686 / 54.06
DAVID A. LEVIN. . . . . . . . . 582 / 45.86

MEMBERS BOARD OF EDUCATION
EAST MOLINE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 37 (in order of votes received)

MARY ANN BROWN. . . . . . . . . 1,431 / 33.13
MATTHEW GRIFFIN . . . . . . . . 1,412 /32.69
RHEA OAKES . . . . . . . . . . 1,374 /31.81

MEMBERS BOARD OF SCHOOL EDUCATION
MOLINE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 40 (in order of votes received)

Winners
BOB VOGELBAUGH. . . . . . . . . 3,575 / 18.15
LINDA KAY DAVIS . . . . . . . . 3,150 / 15.99
KATHY WEIMAN . . . . . . . . . 3,113 / 15.80

Losers
LYNN R. FRIESTH . . . . . . . . 2,543 / 12.91
BRYN LAWRENCE . . . . . . . . . 2,163 / 10.98
ROBERT TALLITSCH . . . . . . . . 1,993 / 10.12
KEITH J. KARSTENS. . . . . . . . 1,794 / 9.11
JAMES SIGLER . . . . . . . . . 1,348 / 6.84

ROCK ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 41 (in order of votes received)

Winners
STEVE CLARK. . . . . . . . . . 2,752 / 18.28
DAVID K. ROCKWELL. . . . . . . . 2,733 / 18.15
JAMES E. VEASEY . . . . . . . . 2,489 / 16.53
RUSSEL R. KENNEL . . . . . . . . 2,159 / 14.34

Losers
MARGIE E. MEJIA-CARABALLO . . . . . 1,984 / 13.18
GAYE SHANNON BURNETT. . . . . . . 1,451 / 9.64
JACQUELINE J. CUNNINGHAM-WALLS . . . 1,449 / 9.62

MEMBERS BOARD OF EDUCATION
UNITED TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL 30 (in order of votes received)

Winners
HARRY R. ARVANIS . . . . . . . . 2,104 /22.99
BRIAN H. MUMMA. . . . . . . . . 1,982 / 21.65
DONALD J. SPROUL . . . . . . . . 1,777 / 19.41
SUSAN KOSKA. . . . . . . . . . 1,683 / 18.39

Loser
KEN WILLIAMS . . . . . . . . . 1,589 / 17.36

TRUSTEES COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
BLACK HAWK COMMUNITY COLLEGE 503 (in order of votes received)

Winners
STEVEN J. BALLARD. . . . . . . . 7,301 / 26.39
CRAIG SCHROEDER . . . . . . . . 5,670 / 20.50

Losers
DIANA K. SHRECK . . . . . . . . 5,369 / 19.41
MARGARET MORAN THOMAS . . . . . . 4,772 / 17.25
LESLIE CROTTY . . . . . . . . . 4,495 / 16.25

Welvaert by 91 votes

FINAL UNOFFICIAL COUNT

PAT O'BRIEN. . . . . . . . . . 3,808 ... 49.35 percent
DONALD P. WELVAERT . . . . . . . 3,899 ... 50.53 percent

Welvaert on WQAD as I type says that he anticipates a recount and would expect O'Brien to ask for one.

Under the catagory of small consolation, WQAD's online viewers poll had O'Brien over Welveart 56 to 44 percent.


Complete results for all races can be found at the Rock Island County Clerk's Election Results page.

With 96% reporting, Moline mayoral race still 50/50

WITH 39 OF 41 PRECINCTS COUNTED 95.12%

PAT O'BRIEN. . . . . . . . . . 3,555 ... 50.03 percent
DONALD P. WELVAERT . . . . . . . 3,545 ... 49.89 percent



TEN VOTE DIFFERENCE??? This one is likely to go into overtime.

O'Brien Welvaert knotted at 50/50 with 88% of vote counted

WITH 36 OF 41 PRECINCTS COUNTED 87.80%

PAT O'BRIEN ... 3,395 ... 50.35 percent
DONALD P. WELVAERT ... 3,342 ... 49.56 percent

Can a contested election be far away?

Welvaert leads with 75% of vote counted

WITH 31 OF 41 PRECINCTS COUNTED 75.61%

PAT O'BRIEN. . . . . . . . 2,829 48.19 percent
DON WELVAERT . . . . . . . 3,036 51.72 percent

Motorist accidentally drives right into O'Brien/Welvaert campaign

At press time, they were still unable to escape
and were rapidly sinking.

Election Day

And they're off!

More updates as I'm able to as election day and night progresses.
If I'm not around, please don't hesitate to offer updates, new developments or results in comments.

Predictions... You pick 'em

Who wins today, by how much, and why?

Races decided today (hopefully) are:

MAYOR CITY OF MOLINE

PAT O'BRIEN
DONALD P. WELVAERT

ALDERMAN-AT-LARGE CITY OF MOLINE

KENT C. BREECHER
KATHLEEN A. SNODGRASS

ALDERMAN WARD 2 CITY OF MOLINE

ANDRIA I. McDERMOTT
MICHAEL T. CARTON

ALDERMAN WARD 6 CITY OF MOLINE

MICHAEL CROTTY
CRYSTAL R. STILLWELL-GABRIEL

MAYOR CITY OF ROCK ISLAND

MARK W. SCHWIEBERT
DAVID M. KIMBELL

ALDERMAN WARD 1 CITY OF ROCK ISLAND
GLEN J. EVANS
TERRY M. A. BROOKS I

ALDERMAN WARD 3 CITY OF ROCK ISLAND
DENNIS E. PAULEY
DIANNE JORDAN

ALDERMAN WARD 7 CITY OF ROCK ISLAND
CHARLES AUSTIN III
DAVID A. LEVIN

SUPERVISOR MOLINE TOWNSHIP
RONALD L. TUCKER (REP)
JO ANNE LAMBRECHT-PECK (DEM)

SUPERVISOR SOUTH MOLINE TOWNSHIP

ROBERT D. SCHULTZ (REP)
ROSE VERSTRAETE (DEM)

CLERK SOUTH MOLINE TOWNSHIP

PAM LOHMAN (REP)
CONNIE MOHR-WRIGHT (DEM)

ROAD COMMISSIONER SOUTH MOLINE TOWNSHIP

TRACY A. BEST (REP)
PHIL BANASZEK (DEM)

TRUSTEE SOUTH MOLINE TOWNSHIP
(Vote for 4)

BRIAN L. FORSBERG (REP)
LISA GRIFFIN (REP)
BRIAN J. MUMMA (REP)
MARY ANN HERMAN (REP)
LINDA L. ARMSTRONG (DEM)
MARY R. BOLAND (DEM)
KEVIN STUCKWISCH (DEM)
ROBERT E. SEITZ (DEM)

SUPERVISOR SOUTH ROCK ISLAND TOWNSHIP

JOHN R. BRANDMEYER (DEM)
JOHN E. BAUERSFELD (REP)

CLERK SOUTH ROCK ISLAND TOWNSHIP

FRANK SKAFIDAS (DEM)
DON SHARP (REP)

TRUSTEE SOUTH ROCK ISLAND TOWNSHIP
(Vote for 4)

CLARENCE MICHAEL DARROW (DEM)
MARK PARR JR. (DEM)
GRACE DIAZ SHIRK (DEM)
DONNA JUNGWIRTH (DEM)
GARY D. KOESTER (REP)
MICHAEL WERNSMAN (REP)
LOUIE ALONGI (REP)
STEVEN SCHWINDT (REP)

MEMBERS BOARD OF EDUCATION
EAST MOLINE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 37
(Vote for 4) (yes, 4. I have no idea how this works.)

MARY ANN BROWN
RHEA OAKES
MATTHEW GRIFFIN

MEMBERS BOARD OF SCHOOL EDUCATION
MOLINE SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 40
(Vote for 3)

LINDA KAY DAVIS
KATHY WEIMAN
BRYN LAWRENCE
BOB VOGELBAUGH
ROBERT TALLITSCH
JAMES SIGLER
KEITH J. KARSTENS
LYNN R. FRIESTH

MEMBERS BOARD OF EDUCATION
ROCK ISLAND SCHOOL DISTRICT NO. 41
(Vote for 4)

JAMES E. VEASEY
STEVE CLARK
MARGIE E. MEJIA-CARABALLO
RUSSEL R. KENNEL
DAVID K. ROCKWELL
JACQUELINE J. CUNNINGHAM-WALLS
GAYE SHANNON BURNETT

MEMBERS BOARD OF EDUCATION
UNITED TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL 30
(Vote for 4)

HARRY R. ARVANIS
DONALD J. SPROUL
BRIAN H. MUMMA
KEN WILLIAMS
SUSAN KOSKA

TRUSTEES COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
BLACK HAWK COMMUNITY COLLEGE 503
(Vote for 2)

CRAIG SCHROEDER
STEVEN J. BALLARD
DIANA K. SHRECK
LESLIE CROTTY
MARGARET MORAN THOMAS

I'm going to go way out on a limb and predict that Schweibert wins as Rock Island mayor by a convincing margin. And O'Brien in as Moline mayor by a comfortable, but not wide margin.

Welvaert enlists cronies for attacks

Don Welvaert apparently hates a fight. He must, otherwise he wouldn't be relying exclusively on others to dish out the dirt. And there's been enough mud slung to drain a swamp.

As I jokingly suggested in my April Fool's Day entry, I could have guaranteed that there would be at least one bomb hurled the day before the election. It was so in keeping with Welvaert's GOP backers go for the gutter strategy. And sure enough, an insert in today's Dispatch/Argus hit's a new high in lows. (The parallels between this and Bush's use of surrogates for dirty work at the national level are numerous and uncanny, but I won't go into that now)

It's a "letter" sent over the name of Moline Park Board Chairman Roger Clawson which is pretty shrill, disjointed, and rambling. It spends two full pages attempting to leave the impression that if O'Brien is elected, our parks will fall apart, no one will ever again have any fun, children will no longer be able to play sports, and the city will be a hellish nightmare to live in.

What does Clawson base his overheated charges on? Repeated readings show that the only evidence Clausen uses to construct this blistering indictment is that O'Brien, A. Only attended two meetings of the park board, B. Didn't show up at any of the grand openings of various park improvements and projects, and C. Has been critical of the park board and it's members.

That's it. There's not a shred of evidence suggesting that O'Brien will cut funding for parks or feels that they're unimportant. Nothing as far as any evidence of any of the charges, and nothing at all to suggest that parks would suffer under O'Brien.

Yet Clawson even goes as far as saying that if O'Brien were mayor, the city never would have hosted the ASA National Softball tournament.

This argument is even more disjointed and illogical than the others in the "letter". Clawson states that Moline got the tournament due to park director Milt Hand being involved in the ASA organization for over 30 years. He then proceeds to ask in bold type, "My question is would we see another ASA NATIONAL SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT IN MOLINE if Pat O'Brien is mayor? I DOUBT IT." Well then. There you have it. Clawson doubts it. Again, you ask, based on what? Well, based on the fact that O'Brien has only attended two park board meetings and has had the audacity to question some of the actions of the current board. (Oh yeah, and he didn't show up at grand openings.)

In the next paragraph, Clawson also comes out of nowhere and starts defending the use of city owned housing for parks department personnel, listing all the supposed benefits. The only problem is, he's being incredibly defensive yet says nothing about who is criticizing the practice (though we assume O'Brien), why the practice is being criticized, or even if it has been criticized. I haven't heard or read of anyone criticizing the policy, though I'm sure it could be open to debate.

Then he makes a backward leap to the softball tournament. He mentions a guess as how much revenue the tournament brought in and stresses that "Don Welvaert was there."

Well whoop-de-freaking-doo. Was Stan Leach there? He was mayor. That IS what we're talking about, is it not? And only a paragraph back he'd said Moline had gotten the tournament due to Milt Hand's 30 year association with the ASA! Which is it? Am I missing something here? Does O'Brien want to sack Hand? Would that even matter? Did the ASA hold it's tournament in Moline solely because Welvaert attended some meetings? Or would it have come to Moline no matter who showed up at meetings? The letter raises more questions than it answers, which of course is the point, though they hope it will raise serious questions about O'Brien. To me, it raises serious questions about the bunch that sent it.

Hand capitalized on his relationship with the softball association. That's good. But tell us Roger, how the hell does this relate to O'Brien? And how would his presense in the mayor's office somehow preclude getting a tournament such as the one that you're touting? Obviously you believe this to be true. I only wish you'd tell us why.

Oh, that's right. O'Brien didn't attend many meetings of the park board and didn't show up for grand openings. I almost forgot. And he said things that hurt your feelings, evidently.

Clawson runs on and on listing every project, good and bad, that the park board has done in the past several years, then curiously gets defensive once again.

He asserts twice that O'Brien has "gone out of his way to attack the Moline Park Board, it's director, and individual members." and that O'Brien "resort(s)(to)smearing your parks department." Gee, Roger, that wouldn't have anything to do with why you're attacking O'Brien now, would it? And really, which is worse? Did O'Brien smear you without a shred of evidence like you're doing here?

And though O'Brien's supposed "smears" and "attacks" are mentioned twice in the two page letter, Clawson never gets around to mentioning either when, where, or how O'Brien made these "attacks" and "smears", let alone letting us in on what O'Brien actually said.

Again, two packed pages and the only point Clawson makes is that Don Welvaert shows up to more park board meetings than O'Brien and assertions that O'Brien has "attacked" the park board. He then uses these rather feeble points to make the leap to suggesting that our park system will be in mortal danger if O'Brien is elected.

It's routine for a candidate to characterize their opponents efforts to smear them as "desperate", but in this case, Clawson's effort has the smell of desperation dripping off the page.

The fact that Roger Clawson is panicked should not be a valid reason to vote for his guy. Judging from his powers of persuasion, or lack thereof, and his willingness to frantically and ineptly try to cast O'Brien in a negative light, it might even be a reason to vote O'Brien.

3rd GOP candidate announces for Iowa 1st District contest

Brian Kennedy, the former chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa, said Monday that he will run for Congress in the state’s 1st District, making him the third GOP candidate to file organizational papers with the Federal Election Commission, or FEC.

Kennedy, 41, of Bettendorf, said he brings unique experience to the field. A lawyer and former lobbyist, he has worked in politics for years. As a congressman, Kennedy said, he would focus on creating higher-paying jobs in eastern Iowa. “I want to be a catalyst for regional economic development,” he added.

In addition to chairing the state party in 1995-96, he is former executive director of the Republican Governors Association and has been a senior adviser to candidates for several offices, including U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander’s 2000 presidential bid.

He worked for several years as a lobbyist in Washington before returning to Iowa last year to work on the Campaign of One initiative.

He is affiliated with Gallagher, Millage & Gallagher, a Davenport-based law firm. By filing papers, Kennedy will work to organize at the grass-roots level and raise money for the effort. His campaign manager is Carol Earnhardt, an experienced Republican activist from Davenport.

Violent teens, Chicago edition

Two teenagers were charged Sunday with shooting Steven Terrett to death last week for his $110 pair of Air Jordan sneakers, Chicago police said.

Eduain Foster, 19, of Minneapolis and a 15-year-old from Calumet City have been charged with first-degree murder and armed robbery, police spokesman Pat Camden said. The 15-year-old was charged as an adult but police would not identify him.

"They basically shot him for his shoes," Camden said Sunday night.

Board makes Illinois education spending recommendation

An education funding panel on Monday called for a 29 percent increase in the state's basic level of spending for each Illinois student, a move that would cost $2.3 billion a year.

The Education Funding Advisory Board recommended a per-pupil spending level of $6,405, up from $4,964. The board said it followed funding mechanisms worked out by predecessors on the board to determine the amount the state should spend on each student.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich earlier this year proposed only a $140 million increase for education because of a tight budget. But last week he announced that he would favor increasing gambling in the state to provide $300 million more.

His plan would boost the per-pupil ``foundation level'' -- the guaranteed minimum state spending on each student -- by $240, to $5,204, still well below the board's recommendation.

Unfortunately, this recommendation is pie-in-the-sky, though it's no doubt what is really needed.

Rumor has it

Apparently, the Pope is dead. Anyone heard anything about this?

Illinois Casino figures released

The AP has a couple of informative articles which lists interesting stats on Illinois' nine casino operations.

The first lists the casino's hometown, when it was first licensed, which waterway it's located on, its gambling space, gaming positions authorized, number of employees, and admissions in 2004.

The second article lists changes in admissions, adjusted gross receipts (money the boats take in minus the winnings they pay out), state tax revenue and local tax revenue.

It also notes that Illinois taxes riverboat gambling at a rate of nearly 70%, double the second highest rate, in Indiana.

Here is the data for Casino Rock Island

-- Hometown: Rock Island
-- First licensed: May 1992
-- Waterway: Mississippi River
-- Gambling space: 17,200 square feet
-- Gaming positions authorized: 737
-- Employees: 404
-- Admissions in 2004: 753,945

-- 2002:
Admissions: 854,047
Adjusted Gross Receipts: $40 million
State Tax Revenue: $6.4 million
Local Tax Revenue: $2.85 million

-- 2003:
Admissions: 780,044
Adjusted Gross Receipts: $39.4 million
State Tax Revenue: $7.42 million
Local Tax Revenue: $2.75 million

-- 2004:
Admissions: 753,945;
Adjusted Gross Receipts: $38.3 million
State Tax Revenue: $7.04 million
Local Tax Revenue: $2.67 million

-- Change:
Admissions: -11.7 percent
Adjusted Gross Receipts: -4.2 percent
State Tax Revenue: +10 percent
Local Tax Revenue: -6.5 percent

The changes over the last three years are interesting.
Admissions down 11.7 percent, yet the money taken in less the money paid out has only gone down 4.2 percent.
But notice the 10 percent jump in State revenue from the boats, while at the same time the local revenue is down 6.5 percent

Mercer County sales tax measure highlights progress vs. inaction

At issue in the upcoming election will be a proposed 1 percent sales tax increase, which is the most hotly debated topic in this rural county. The revenue from the increase is ear-marked for the Mercer County sheriff's department and to preserve jobs at the department and county jail.

The tax would be on sales of clothing, appliances, fuel, novelty items and restaurant meals purchased in the county. The current tax rate is 6.25 percent, which compares to 7.5 percent in Galesburg and 7 percent in Rock Island, Muscatine and Davenport. The proposed increase would bring Mercer County and Aledo's rate to 7.25 percent

The issue illustrates the current rift between progressive and conservative ideas on the role of government.

While sheriff Tom Thompson stress that the extra revenue is crucial, and affects public safety for rural residents, manning of the 9-11 system, and security at the jail and courthouse. He also notes that the county has very few places to look for generating revenue.

On the rigid right, there are the views of County board member Milton "Charlie" Box.

[Box] opposes the sales tax and said the county board needs to be more disciplined with what it spends money on.

"I don't think the county board wants to stay within its means," he said. "It's not the fault of the taxpayers, it's the fault of the county board. There's never been a government that's had enough money. I just think it's just a matter of discipline. You work with what you got."

Mr. Box cited contributions made to the Mercer Growth Organization, a proposed ferry project, Bi-State Regional Commission and annual lobbying trips to Washington, D.C., as money that could be used for basic county needs. He added that he didn't approve of the county using "scare tactics" on its employees by threatening to cut jobs if this tax does not pass.

In other words, government should be able to survive and provide a high level of safety and services to it's citizens on next to no money. Citizens should never give a dime to government, and if they do, they should deeply resent it. After all, "There's never been a government that's had enough money." Once you believe that, you can safely ignore reality entirely and view any need for increased revenue as somehow corrupt. This way of thinking holds an appeal for people that find examining issues and thinking about them to be difficult and uncomfortable. Why think when you can just dismiss stuff with handy slogans? It also validates their inclination to not want to give a penny for anyone else's benefit and unwillingness to contribute to the general good vs hoarding every dime for themselves.

Rather than feeling that paying taxes are a citizens duty, the right has succeeded in convincing people that the government has no right whatsoever to take anyone's money. "It's YOUR money", they said, in perhaps one of the most egregious and destructive lies told by the right. This caused millions of American's to feel that paying taxes is somehow a voluntary contribution, rather than a duty to your community and country.

And Box feels that "you work with what you got." Yes, that's hard to argue with. But what about when "what you got" just isn't enough? Mr. Box would apparently sit idly by while revenues for Mercer county dwindled to nothing and continued to cut personnel and services until there was only a sheriff who had to drive his own car on patrols part time. Cutting personnel is just a "scare tactic" to Box. Wonder what he'd say to the people that do get laid off if this tax proposal is defeated?

And of course, there's not a problem in the world that can't be solved by using good old fashioned discipline in Mr. Box's world. Rising gas costs? Just be disciplined. If you get a call of a robbery in progress or a serious auto crash, just don't drive over 20 mph and turn the engine off on downhill grades. Discipline, damn it!

And notice that he feels that any effort to talk to people outside the county or to participate in regional development groups is a waste. This is an extension of the conservative belief that we don't need anyone's help. It's like Bush thinking we don't need to reach out to any other countries, and don't need to give a damn what they think. Perhaps Mr. Box feels that those "development" people are probably liberal egg-heads and don't know what they're talking about. And what use are trips to Washington? This illustrates the views of many on the right that government in any shape or form is automatically bad and should be suspect. Cooperation is viewed with deep suspicion. The view of many on the right is to build a wall around your property, say to hell with everyone else, hoard as many weapons as you can, and view the government as your mortal enemy. Oh, and also become militantly Christian, except for that "love your neighbor", and "the least of these" parts.

Cordova mayoral candidates wrestle with budget woes

Needless to say, Cordova, like every other village, town, city, or state, is struggling with their finances. They recently increased their property tax rate by 215 PERCENT, with one of the two candidates for mayor, Trustee Mike McCullough, opposing the measure, and incumbent Mayor Billie Churchill casting the tie-breaking vote in favor. Even with such a huge increase, neither candidate is sure whether it will provide enough revenue for the village.

R.I. / Milan School board slashes budget

In a direct illustration of how the enormous deficit created by Bush affects local taxpayers, many of whom voted for Bush because they mistakenly thought they'd get a few hundred dollars of tax breaks from him, the Rock Island - Milan school board has announced deep cuts in personnel and programs as well as a school closing, all designed to cope with lower levels of funding from both state and federal sources.

Salaries of 45 teachers are expected to be cut from a proposed budget for next fiscal year because of immediate money problems. Several thousand more dollars in savings may occur from cuts to the sixth-grade music program, staff development and textbooks and from reducing other staff: $132,213 by closing Grant Elementary and about $450,000 from retiring teachers.

The district is trying to close a projected $2.5 million deficit in the education fund by trimming nearly $1.3 million in spending from the budget and using $1.2 million from the surplus. But projections could change again because the district is still negotiating teachers' pay and benefits, district comptroller Mike Oberhaus said.

Fewer revenue sources and lower enrollment are the main reasons for the staff cuts, Mr. Foster said. The district received $531,000 more in local taxes but didn't receive more state money. Federal aid dropped by $236,000.

Each year, the district must approve a budget without knowing just how much it will get from grants and state and federal aid.

As the story illustrates, as the Bush administration hurries to "starve the beast" by reckless and excessive tax cuts and limitless spending sprees, the states are reeling in debt, and getting only a fraction of the money they used to get from the federal government. So the states slash aid to municipalities in turn, and then the municipalities must turn around and raise local taxes.

This is the direct affect of people's short-sighted and ignorant belief that somehow taxes can be slashed, revenues cut, as spending explodes at the federal level, and somehow this will all work. The dummies have bought the Bush snake-oil that 5 minus 3 equals 10. Bush pays off the truly wealthy, who have enough money to never have to worry about a thing, and thus need it the least, and then bribes the middle class with a few hundred dollars which he sells as a tax "rebate", but which in fact is only an advance on future refunds, and yet half the people still haven't caught on to this flim-flam.

Bush, Rove, and their elite backers are brilliant. They spend tax dollars more recklessly than any time in history, in the process trying to bankrupt New Deal programs, pay off their elite supporters like no other investment they make ever could, and in doing so, pass off this huge problem onto the backs of local governments and future generations.

Now these same people who think Bush is great will be the first to howl against local taxes going through the roof without ever being smart enough or honest enough to connect the dots and admit they have Bush to thank for the situation.

By running up world record deficits, letting no-bid contracts to his cronies who are literally stealing BILLIONS of dollars in Iraq and for so-called "Homeland Security" schemes and other reckless give-a-ways, Bush and the billionaire elite in this country are literally robbing the American public. By the time the costs trickle down on the public, most won't even realize who's picking their pockets. When they end up paying huge local and state taxes, they'll blame local and state officials, not Bush, even though those extra taxes are in effect going directly into the pockets of Bush and his ultra-elite supporters.

And until more people stop believing every cock and bull story told to them by Bush and his compliant press, this looting will continue, and it's costs will bring a lot of pain and suffering for generations to come.