PeoriaStory

Reaction to Peoria ACLU meeting continues

PEORIA -- The April 5 general membership meeting of the Illinois ACLU held in Peoria continues to generate reactions. (See April 15 post below for an account of Ray LaHood's talk at this meeting and links to podcasts of the meeting.)

Here's commentary from ACLU member Jeff Johnson:

Of Civil Liberties, Civil Unions, Civil Rights and…err, umm – well, just plain civility.

"Did I hear that correctly?" I then turned toward the young lady sitting beside me, probably looking very incredulous, and repeated myself to her: "Did I just hear Congressman LaHood admit that he and other members of the (US) House Intelligence Committee were intentionally 'lied to' by the administration" [in the Fall of 2002 – just prior to a vote in the House that would authorize the Cheney-Bush regime' to embark on a preemptive war against the sovereign nation of Iraq]?

I knew what I'd just heard Illinois' 18th congressional district representative say; but it seemed so unbelievable, that I was compelled to confirm it with the others at my table. Right there, just a few feet in front of us, was a GOP and sitting member of the US House of Representatives talking very candidly about the current Republican administration. Indeed, LaHood blatantly, and in a very matter-of-fact tone, asserted that this administration had intentionally cherry-picked, embellished and even fabricated intelligence reports, in order to gain the authorization for the war in Iraq.

This was the type of candor and straight-forward talk that could really come only from someone in Ray LaHood's current situation: a retiring congressman speaking about a lame-duck presidency with approval ratings only slightly above those of Josef Stalin. In other words, LaHood had nothing to gain or lose from being so candid.

The occasion for this open exchange of thoughts was the Illinois American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) annual statewide membership conference, held earlier this month on a beautiful spring-time Saturday, April 5th, in downtown Peoria at the Pere' Marquette hotel.

Representative LaHood was probably the best-known of the half-dozen or so prominent speakers to address the audience of nearly 200 Illinois residents and ACLU members who had gathered for this day-long session of briefings, presentations and legislative or judicial updates. The atmosphere was casual and LaHood's presentation reflected that feeling. In fact, most of the 50-minutes or so that LaHood was at the podium came in the form of an open Q & A session with the predominantly liberal-leaning audience.

As others questioned Mr. LaHood, he himself confirmed what we had all heard earlier, when he readily repeated on two more occasions, that "we [the House intelligence committee] were lied to" and later used the term "mislead" to describe information they were given by the Bush-Cheney administration. Specifically, LaHood made reference to the still elusive 'weapons of mass destruction' and to the conjured-up ties between Saddam and al-Qaeda.

Another notable comment by Rep. LaHood was his referral to the Democratic nominee to replace him in the House as: "a very good and knowledgeable candidate here, in Colleen Callahan". That statement alone might not have been given a second-thought except that he never acknowledged, or even uttered the name of Ms. Callahan's GOP opponent. To several of us attending, it sounded almost like a subtle endorsement of Callahan. Interesting…

Also of interest to central-IL voters was guest speaker, Illinois State Senator David Koehler, our current State Senate representative for the 46th district. As most of us have learned, moments of succinct and straight-forward replies are rare in the political arena. One of those moments occurred when Senator Koehler was asked about his rationale for introducing and sponsoring Senate Bill 2436 (SB-2436) which both allow and protect civil unions in the state of Illinois. Senator Koehler responded simply, "Because it's the right thing to do". Here here!

Several other area dignitaries were on-hand for the 6-hour conference, which, despite the strong and often contrary political viewpoints in the room, proved to be a very civil and respectful discussion of issues rather than personalities.

Of particular note, in addition to Representative LaHood, Colleen Callahan and Senator Koehler, we were fortunate to have Coroner candidate Steve Schmidt, and local Democratic candidate for the Illinois General Assembly, Ms. Jehan Gordon – a quality candidate worthy of our serious consideration. And best of all, to compliment the outstanding candidates' presence, was Carol Van Winkle (the current County Auditor who is running for reelection.) -30-

NOTE -- Sen. Koehler is the speaker for the forthcoming Peoria ACLU annual meeting, Friday, May 2 at the Hotel Pere Marquette. For details on this meting see the website, where dinner reservations can be made until April 26.

Planning, Act II

PEORIA -- Here's treat (not) for a Saturday morning: the city of Peoria hosts a riverfront planning session open to public comment from 8 a.m. until noon on Sat., May 3 at the Gateway Building, 200 SW Water Street.

Plenty of ideas have been tossed about over the years for the riverfront. A park should have been built where the ugly parking garage now stands. That kind of parking lot is illegal in Chicago, which protects its rivers as best it can from the oil and grease from vehicles. But it's too late now to get rid of it.

The planning session includes the usual officials, then small sessions for ideas from the public. The results will be incorporated into planning efforts, according to the news release.

Here are some ideas: parks and flower beds, bikes and small sailboats for rent, great art, no more riverfront parking lots, a skating rink for winter fun. In short, copy Chicago's Millenium Park.

For something really fun and different, build a whitewater run for kayaks.

Here's what to avoid: turning the riverfront over to developers for condos, etc. Given the floodplain status of the riverfront that's not too likely, but you never know what's being cooked up behind closed doors with profits the prime motive.

-- Elaine Hopkins

Gadfly questions 9-11 event

PEORIA -- A founder of Scholars for 9-11 Truth, Jim Fetzer, will speak at 2 p.m. Sat., April 26 at the Peoria Public Library's auditorium, 107 NE Monroe.

Fetzer is professor emeritus at the University of Minnesota where he was a Distinguished McKnight University Professor.

Numerous websites praise and criticize Fetzer's ideas. He should be one of the more interesting and provocative speakers to appear in Peoria recently, and likely is worth hearing. See him on You Tube, also in several sites including this one.

Sustainable Development Meeting

PEORIA -- Here's a free chance to tell the powers-that-be how Peoria can improve its environmental footprint.

A program called “Green Plays in Peoria” takes place from 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. on Wed. April 23 at the Gateway Building on the Peoria riverfront.

Here's the agenda, according to a news release:

5:30 p.m. Welcome - City of Peoria, Mayor Jim Ardis
5:35 p.m. New Urbanism/ Sustainable Development - Ray Lees, Planning Commission Chair & Craig Hullinger, Economic Development
5:40 p.m. Civil Engineering and Construction - Dr. Amir Al-Khafaji, Bradley University
5:45 p.m. Green Navigation – Brian Davie, Farnsworth Group
5:50 - 7:00 p.m. Participants will break into small 8-10 person groups and develop goals/strategies
7:00 - 7:30 p.m. Small group presents goals/strategies to larger group

The goals and strategies developed by the participants will be considered in the development of the new City’s Comprehensive Plan.

More information at: http://sustainablepeoria.blogspot.com

More information at: http://peoriaed.blogspot.com

For comments or questions: Contact [email protected]

RSVP with Stephanie Grayson 309.494.8640 or [email protected]

The event is sponsored by the City of Peoria and the Civil Engineering and Construction Department at Bradley University.

Now -- what shall we tell them?

1. Turn the Kellar rail line into a hike and bike trail in our lifetimes.

2. Save the significant trees in Peoria, instead of allowing developers (including Bradley University) to cut them at will. Whatever happened to the proposed tree ordinance?

3. Provide more frequent bus service, in smaller buses if appropriate, free, to get people out of their cars.

4. Provide more protection for the Illinois River: No more parking decks on its banks, for starters. Get the sewage overflow out, also in our lifetimes. Keep the shoreline free and open to the public.

5. Provide laws and incentives to rehab inner city and older buildings, including school buildings, to stop the architecturally blah construction destroying Peoria's historic ambience. No historic building should ever be demolished, period. European cities don't allow it, period. Nor should Peoria.

6. Do SOMETHING about University south of War Memorial. What a depressing, blighted place! Needs trees, flowers, greenery.

7. Provide incentives to develop flowerbeds and trees in established commercial areas. And bike racks.

8. Lobby the state to pass a bottle bill, to get litter off the streets. (Other Midwestern states already have these laws.)

The list is endless.

-- Elaine Hopkins

Goodbye to Chicago Tribune

PEORIA -- On Friday, April 18, the Chicago Tribune failed to land on my driveway, or in the bushes nearby.

As usual, I called the local distributor, Sunrise News Service.

Warren N. Kamp, who runs that business never called back, unusual for him.

Later that day, I found out why: a letter from the Tribune arrived saying that the paper will no longer be delivered to my home, even though it's in the coveted 61614 area code (affluent residents with disposable incomes). Or other homes in the area.

I guess Kamp has quit. Poor guy, he's probably lost his job.

I -- we -- have been cut off from what was always an interesting read, with terrific investigative stories, in depth accounts of Chicago corruption trials, business, drama, arts and TV coverage, even a few great columnists like Garrison Keillor, all good reads that the Journal Star doesn't offer.

Instead I could subscribe to the e-edition for $2.50 a week, which supposedly supplies everything in the Tribune.

I subscribed, and received a password, which so far hasn't worked.

I send an email complaint, and got back a form letter. Be patient with the password it advised.

That password probably will work eventually, but who wants to read a real newspaper -- as opposed to a few selected stories, say from the New York Times -- on a computer, even a laptop.

Can't share it with a spouse, clip it, carry it outdoors or to the bathroom or read it on the exercise bike.

After a while on the computer my eyes and back have had enough. I know I won't be reading as much.

NOTHING can replace a paper newspaper. NOTHING!

Hear that you media moguls, whose only interest is money, not public service!

Can't get your usual 20 percent profit because print advertising is falling? Then take 10 percent and be happy.

We often have been lured to Chicago by events profiled in the Tribune, and we all know the money out-of-towners pump into the Chicago economy.

Guess now we -- and others like us -- won't even hear about them.

Very, very sad.

Comment, 4/22/08: From Macomb, IL. retired Western Illinois University history professor Nick Pano, a 45-year subscriber to the Tribune, writes in an email:

"Joan and I also share your sense of loss in the fact that there will no longer be any weekday home delivery of the CHICAGO TRIBUNE. We have had this service for 45 years and sharing the paper at breakfast was a long-time tradition with us. We now have to decide whether to subscribe to the on-line edition or make a daily trek to Cady's to pick up the print edition. The option for a mail subscription does not seem too attractive to us.
I guess this is another of those changes to which we will have to adjust."

(Cady's is a Macomb news stand.)

Update: 4/22/08. See Journal Star story on Tribune for more details. Also the e-edition finally got its act together, but it's a pale imitation of the real print edition. Not sure it's worth $2.50 per week because it's cumbersome to use.

-- Elaine Hopkins

Con-Con debate heats up

PEORIA -- Would a convention to rewrite the Illinois constitution open a Pandora’s box of controversy or be a democratic exercise in fixing serious problems in the state?

Illinois voters next fall will have to decide whether to approve a convention to rewrite the Illinois Constitution. The required vote comes every 20 years.

The Peoria League of Women voters on April 19 heard two speakers debate whether or not to approve a new constitutional convention.

John Bambenek of Champaign, Il., a co-founder of Illinois Citizens Coalition, argued for the convention vote.

Jim Reed, director of government relations for the Illinois Education Association argued against the vote.

The lively, compelling debate left the League members and guests divided, as a show of hands and discussion revealed.

Bambenek said that the many serious issues facing Illinois, which apparently cannot be solved by the current state government, might be resolved by a better constitution.

He cited the state’s huge debt despite a balanced budget requirement, lack of full funding of state pensions, gerrymandered voting districts, late payment of bills, school funding and tax reform, ethics legislation, recall of public officials and other issues, especially the power of the General Assembly leadership to kill any initiative the leaders dislike, as problems that a new constitution could rectify.

“It’s the opportunity to change things,” said Bambenek, a Republican precinct committeeman who works as an internet security technician for the University of Illinois.

Reed, however, noted that the current 1970 constitution is considered a model of its kind, and its adoption followed years of study that has not occurred recently. Voters rejected a new convention in 1988 by a 3-1 margin, he said.

Problems in the state can be resolved without changing the constitution, he said, with amendments and laws. “New leadership in 2010 (would) take the state where it needs to go,” he said.

On the pension issue, Reed said, “there have been attempts by the governor to infuse cash (into the system.) The question is where we get the money. These are issues for the legislature.”

People are wary of the cost of a convention, which he estimated at $78 million or more, and suggested a convention would stifle other legislation as lawmakers waited for a new constitution to be developed.

Reed, an attorney who has worked for the Illinois Attorney General’s office, noted that prominent groups from labor to business oppose a new convention, while advocacy groups on the right and left want it.

He estimated that running to become a delegate may cost $200,000, and predicted “there will be organized campaigns.”

He suggested it might pass if Sen. Barack Obama with his message for change becomes the Democratic presidential nominee and endorses it.

Lt. Gov. Pat Quinn and others who advocate for democracy support it.

Bambenek expressed doubt that a convention would become a chaotic fight over hot button issues such as the death penalty, abortion rights and gay rights, and said gun rights might be the most divisive issue in a blue state.

If the measure passes, the General Assembly would decide details of the election for delegates and whether the races would be partisan or non-partisan.

During the discussion League members wondered whether a new constitution would offer change, since enforcement of any element in a constitution is always an issue.

Bambenek said a mechanism for lawsuits to enforce its provisions might be effective. A model he helped craft and other resources are available at this site.

Voters would have to approve a new constitution in an election for it to be adopted to replace the current constitution.

-- Elaine Hopkins

Pioneer's latest threat

PEORIA HEIGHTS -- Pioneer Industrial Railway, the company that not so long ago filed a SLAP suit against recreational trail advocates, has issued its latest threat: it will seek to store unslightly and perhaps dangerous train cars along the Kellar Branch, in revenge against the attempt by Peoria Heights to get it off the obsolete rail line.

Here's an email that Pioneer president Mike Carr sent on April 17 to Heights mayor Mark Allen:

Do what you want Mark, but understand we WILL use the line until the STB tells us not to. We have a lot car storage business inquiries so we will make certain the track in the Heights can handle the potential influx of storage cars.

Carr sent the email after Allen sent him the following:

Dear Mike: Regarding your demands that we take immediate steps to "kick" CIRY off of the line:

1. We are addressing the issues of which firm is running a car through the
Village of Peoria Heights. That is all we can address. At this time, CIRY is not
running a car or engine through Peoria Heights. Therefore, we do not feel that
they are using the Kellar Branch line through the Village, thus we will not
address the STB decision of allowing them to use the line.

2. If, for any reason, CIRY uses the line as it goes through Peoria Heights, we
will address the issue then.

3. The City of Peoria has a different interpretation of what the lease entials
with Pioneer. In the end, any interpretation of the lease will have to end up in
Illinois courts for a final ruling. However, at this time, we feel the lease is
valid, and that Pioneer has not owned up to its end of the lease.

4. Your reference to "minor wash outs" being the only problems Pioneer has
ignored on the Kellar Branch is far too small in scope. The rail ties, cut weeds
and brush, everything that is blocking, or has destroyed the drainage tiles will
have to be removed, as well. Every broken drainage tile will have to be
replaced. In other words, everything that has been caused by the rail through
the last several years, that has impeded or destroyed the proper drainage will
have to be fixed. Your "minor wash outs" repairs will not suffice. We will walk
the area again after June 3, and if every drainage problem has not been
corrected, we will proceed with having a resolution drawn up to remove Pioneer
from the rail line.

Allen earlier had announced that Pioneer must live up to its contract or the Heights will file a petition with the U.S. Surface Transportation Board to have it removed from the rail line. The Heights wants the line converted into a hike and bike trail (see posts below). Doing the required work would likely cost Pioneer a large sum of money.

At the news conference Carr said Pioneer has only one customer on the line, Carver Lumber, and no prospects for other customers.

Now Pioneer apparently hopes to store train cars on the line, as Central Illinois Rail has done on Peoria's section of the Kellar line.

It remains to be seen how storing train cars has any connection with Pioneer's failure to live up to the contract.

Will other railroad companies allow Pioneer to store train cars on a line that has been deemed unsafe, and has eroded sections that could collapse?

Perhaps Pioneer's threat is hollow, like the SLAP suit it lost in court against trail advocates. It also had to pay their legal fees. Stay tuned.

-- Elaine Hopkins

LaHood tells all at ACLU conference

PEORIA -- Cong. Ray LaHood, R-Peoria, told an ACLU conference in Peoria on April 5 that he was mislead on Iraq’s so-called weapons of mass destruction, and lied to about torture taking place at the US prison at Guntanamo Bay.

LaHood spoke on a panel during the American Civil Liberties Union’s membership conference, a event I missed because of another commitment.

But on April 15, the ACLU released a podcast of the conference sessions, including LaHood’s remarks. LaHood served for eight years on the House Intelligence Committee before and after the 9-11 attacks.

LaHood, who is not running for relection, began by saying “you can be frank and I will be too.“ He then candidly discussed the Bush administration, the current election and other issues.

“I made the mistake of accepting the information that was provided to us that Saddam Heissan had weapons of mass destruction,“ LaHood said.

“I’m not the only one,“ he said, adding that some who were fooled have been presidential candidates.

“We got bad information and we’re living with the consequences of those decisions today,“ he said.

LaHood said he visited Guantanamo twice soon after 9-11, and watched interrogations. “We asked if people were being tortured to get information. We were told ‘no.’ I believe at that time we were lied to,“ he said.

LaHood also discussed the renewal of the FISA Act which has been stalled by the refusal of the House to approve a Senate version of the bill that includes immunity for previous warrantless wiretapping by telecom companies at the behest of the Bush administration.

He credited House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and majority leader Steny Hoyer for stopping the bill. “Elections made a difference,“ he said, adding that he believes people are ready for a change and a Democrat is likely to win in November.

That is “if the two Democrats don’t kill one another before the election,” or destroy their party so that McCain wins, he said.

At the same time, factions in both parties will be unhappy with the nominees and may stay home, so “I don’t know” what will happen, he said.

Elections run in cycles, LaHood said, In 2000 people were tired of the Clinton administration, but now they’re tired of the Bush administration.

The economy and the war are the two most important issues, especially the cost of the war in dollars and lives, he said.

He speculated that if Sen. Hillary Clinton gets the Democratic nomination a lot of young people who were energized by Sen. Barack Obama’s message may be turned off, but most Clinton supporters likely will support Obama.

“All of us have been struck by the energy generated” by Obama’s campaign, he said.

Bush ‘s legacy will be the Iraq war, good or bad, LaHood said, as well as the two U.S. Supreme Court appointees, Roberts and Alito.

LaHood also had some tips for the audience of activists who want to influence Congress. Don’t write letters, he said, which go through an elaborate screening process that delays them for weeks. Instead send emails, he said, which are read and responded to.

-- Elaine Hopkins

Environmental events coming soon

PEORIA -- Three environmental events coming soon include a news conference on clean cars in Illinois, a public hearing on expansion/continuation of the Peoria Disposal Co.'s hazardous waste landfill and a trash cleanup of the Kellar Branch rail line, which sane people everywhere hope will become a recreational trail.

1. The news conference sponsored by Environment Illinois and the Illinois Climate Action Network takes place at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, April 15 at a BP service station at the intersection of Knoxville & Lake Streets in Peoria. (Let's hope it's not raining or cold.)

According to the news release, the two groups "will unveil a new report called Dollars and Sense: The Economic Impacts of Adopting a Clean Cars Program in Illinois. The report calculates the gas saving benefits to Illinois drivers that will result if Illinois lawmakers approve legislation to adopt the Clean Cars Act (H.B. 3424).

"The Illinois Clean Cars Act (HB 3424 / SB 2238) would make Illinois the 14th state to adopt more stringent tailpipe standards for air pollution and global warming pollution emitted by passenger vehicles sold in the state. To date, 13 states, home to 39% of the U.S. automobile market, have adopted the standards. Automakers are expected to comply with the tailpipe emission standards by making cars more efficient, among other things."

The measure is coming up for a vote in Springfield soon, and the groups hope to generate public support for it.

2. A public hearing conducted by the Illinois Pollution Control Board, on a permit for the PDC hazardous waste landfill, takes place at 10 a.m. on Wed., April 16 in the County Board Room 403 of the Peoria County Courthouse, 324 Main Street. (Uh-oh -- means we have to pay for parking! Oh well...)

According to a news release from Peoria Families Against Toxic Waste, Peoria environmental activist Tom Edwards is asking the board to review an Illinois Environmental Protection Agency permit recently issued to PDC's landfill on Southport Road just west of Peoria. The permit was issued on November 27, 2007, and went into effect on January 1, 2008. It allows the landfill to operate until it is full.

"Edwards wants the IEPA to insure that this site will be closing in 2009, as stated in the permit plans. He questions if the permitted capacity of the landfill has not already been reached," it states.

"Over 100 people attended a public hearing held by IEPA in Peoria on Feb. 28, 2007, regarding this permit, and many requests were received for better monitoring of the site. IEPA has not required air monitoring at the perimeter of the landfill, in close proximity to residential areas, that is reported on a regular basis. The new permit regulations reduce pollution detection monitoring requirements."

This landfill has been contested for several years, with the Peoria County Board refusing to allow it to expand, a decision now on appeal to the Illinois Appellate Court. The fight over its expansion became one of the biggest local political issues in several years, and was reflected in races for the County Board.

Then a proposed compromise last year to allow limited expansion fizzled, but caused a rift among local environmentalists, some of whom proposed it and others who furiously opposed it.

But reportedly all factions now are behind Edwards appeal to the Pollution Control Board. Edwards was a prime mover in mobilizing opposition to the expansion but opposed the compromise.

According to the news release: "PDC Landfill #1... sits atop aquifer layers connecting to the Sankoty Aquifer, the primary source of drinking water for the Peoria metropolitan area, and(is) approximately 1.25 miles from the Sterling Avenue shopping corridor.

"Other local landfill opposition groups continue to monitor the landfill, and the continuing legal efforts by PDC to maintain operations at this hazardous waste facility on the edge of the City of Peoria. Local leaders, including Peoria Families Against Toxic Waste, Heart of Illinois Sierra Club, and the local medical community, continue opposition to any expansion or continuation of operations, and express again concern for the health, safety and welfare for the people of Peoria."

Click here for more information.

3. The Kellar Branch clean up, organized by Recreational Trail Associates, takes place from 9 a.m. - noon on Saturday, April 26, with a meetup at Northmoor and Knoxville for parking, restrooms and registration.

Participants should wear long pants, gloves, and study shoes. Water, trash bags and sandwiches will be provided.

The group has been granted permission by the city of Peoria, which owns the track, for this cleanup. On a nice day, this will be interesting and fun as well as useful exercise. But it takes place rain or shine.

More information is available from RTA president George Burrier at (309) 266-5085.

Proof that trail equals development

PEORIA -- Many in Peoria have scoffed at the notion that conversion of the Kellar Branch rail line into a recreational trail would spur economic development. So what has happened elsewhere?

Does a hike and bike trail lead to economic development and increased property values?

Consider what happened in Dallas, Texas, where a hike and bike trail eliminated miles of slums and blight, replaced by condos selling for up to $3 million.

Yes, $3 million!

The KATY Trail that runs through Dallas, Texas, was a rail line alongside "trashed-out cardboard lean-tos with hobos and homeless living in them," says Mary Phinney, Administrator of the Trail and Preserve Progam for Dallas County.

"These are gone!" she stated in an e-mail.

"The next streets over (Cole and McKinney) on the Dallas side of the tracks were run down crack houses,
apartment housing filled with hot and cold name-the-type-of-sex-you-want entrepreneurs, and were owned by absentee landlords who only wanted the rent, she wrote.

"This is now where the West Village is located and the condos run from $300,000 for 1,200 square feet to larger ones at $1.5 million to $3 million. The blight is gone," she wrote.

Her experience shows how an inner city region can be redeveloped with the addition of a recreational trail.

Here's a photo of the KATY trail, courtesy of Phinney. Check out the website which shows amazing possibilities of what can be done with a trail: store, blogs, etc.

Phinney added, "We have begun the Santa Fe Trail this week. It has already caused a 1.5 acre plot of land to go from $50,000 five years ago to $35 a square foot this year, and that was before the bids were let."