All day and night long the commentators are talking about angry people. Never tell me what they are angry about unless it is the usual lack of jobs and economic opportunity and lack of feeling of safety are 2 that I think of right off the bat. Are you angry?
Tell me why and how do we solve the problem. Government is very complex and i realize that and if you live in Illinois you realize it more than most other places. If we can make our community and state honest and trustworthy, it seems like that is a start and the best place for people to learn how government works.
Primaries in Illinois are March 15, are you ready to vote for different people and/or different parties?
55 comments:
Anonymous said...
The fact that you lump ALL people in a group together whether that is ALL elected officials ALL Peru aldermen ALL school administrators or whatever else shows just how closed minded and ignorant that you are. It is no different than lumping together ALL people of a gender, race or religion. It is clear that you have great personal disdain for anyone who earns a dollar from us as taxpayers but good ones are worth a very competitive salary.
I am not in favor of wasting tax dollars but some of the people you are talking about have a large responsibility managing what would be the equivalent of a very large business and the ones who do their job righgt do the taxpayers well. To say all they care about is gaming some system for their personal benefit is really a stretch when they have contracts that are public and that pay them well for their services. I would not want some of those jobs and no one is beating the door down to be an alderman or a superintendent or whoever else you despise that I can see.
Your last comment about school board members not being smart enough leads right back to the earlier point that you are the same person saying the same thing over and over again. It is amazing just how smart you truly are while all the school board members are just so clueless. Based on your comments something tells me the exact opposite is true.
Its just tired. Really tired. Well at least you have a place to get it all out of your system I guess. Hope you feel betyter.
5:03 PM, March 02, 2016
But most school board members are a few cents short of a dime, How else to you explain approving a contract that gives somebody you terminate for cause $200,000 or allowing an employee to quit before the end of a contract AND give him $100,000?
It happens every day. Either the school boards are not that smart or they are in on the SCAM. Which is it.
The school boards are in on the SCAM.
I'm angry every time I look at the local Fish-Wrapper, aka News Tribune and I find yest another politically motivated blurb in a story with a quote or two from Peru's political czar spokesperson Doug Bernabei promoting Peru, himself, or State's Attorney Brian Towne for poltical political gain during an election campaign. It's so obvious and insulting to intelligent people that it's all being used as free campaign advertising. Bernabei and Harl use that Rag of a newspaper like their personal publicist putting out press releases designed specifically to influence low IQ citizens who are also low IQ voters. Journalistic ethics are totally absent from the editorial board and publishers of the Daily Disappointment.
to 6:35 and 11:24, Thank you for you wonderfully intelligent comments on unpaid volunteer board members in our community. Im sure you are very busy with all of you volunteer work, and am surprised you even had time to post your comments! Oh wait, your probably busy practicing staying in the lines with your crayons!
Good job with the blog Lois, It has officially jumped the shark!!!
I agree 9:53 March 5th. What I wonder is why did we wait until now to start getting these drug dealers off the streets? I realize it takes time and investigating but so many in a such a short period of time? And, it being an election year? Doesn't take a genius to figure the connection.
11:00 For your information Lois is just sitting back and giving people like you and 6:35 and 11:24 an opportunity to speak your minds. Your comments are no more intelligent than those you criticized.
Those wonderful volunteers on the school boards need to be smart enough to hire professional negotiators when dealing with the compensation for their over paid administrators. Public Education is the only place that pays people more when they get fired than when they "work."
11:26 Thinking the same. The "heat" is on!
When was the last time the Newstrib offered an editorial or an endorsement ? NOT in my lifetime. They don't even endorse those running unopposed.
It is an election year. The NT conspires with the local incumbents to show off what they are doing.
To 11:26 AM, You are mistaken in your assumption that Peru Police and State's Attorney Brian Towne are arresting "drug dealers". The purpose of the Press Releases is to create the "impression" that the people being arrested are "drug dealers". However, the reality is the great majority of those arrested are "users" aka "addicts". Most of these poor slobs being arrested are addicts in serious need of help. Help in the form of treatment and counceling in order to get their lives back. Peru and LaSalle County are far behind the progressive trend of many law enforcement agencies nationwide who have realized that focusing resources on arresting and incarcerating addicts is absolutely futile and will never effectively address the epidemic of heroin addiction. Of course real "drug dealers" should be arrested. But, that's a lot harder than just busting small time users. Waging a campaign focused on arresting the end user heroin addicts and issuing Press Releases specifically designed to convince the people of LaSalle County that local law enforcement is "on the ball" is just political and dishonest. All they are doing is busting addicts and offering them lesser sentences if they agree to give up other small time users who also have small amounts in their possession and then bust them and so on and so on. That way there can be at least one Press Release reporting an arrest each week leading right up to the election. It is blatantly obvious that political favors are being traded back and forth between Peru officials and LaSalle County officials. Meanwhile, the real scourge of heroin addiction goes on unchecked while politics takes priority in Peru. They have one more week to bust a few more addicts before the Primary Election on March 15. Keep your eyes open for more last minute Press Releases from Peru Police (in conjunction w/ LaSalle Co. States Attorney's office) coming this week in the Daily Disappointment.
Some of these comments would be hysterical if not so sad. You honestly believe that they are arresting more people because it is an election season? Are you freaking kidding me?
9:21 you make up about a third of the comments on this page, if not more. You sometimes answer yourself and try to make it look like you another person as though you are carrying on a conversation or a debate.
You are also, for a record, kind of not right. Or really not right. We wouldn't know. Now would we care.
There is not a conspiracy in Peru. Many of these arrests have not even been in Peru. The articles do NOT event imply that it is a dealer when it is a user. This problem is far more complex than your simple mind could understand.
Just as long as you keep coming back to entertain us 9:21, et al. There are still a few of us who like a good laugh at your expense.
4:22 PM, March 06, 2016 - the NT only reports arrests like this when there is an election coming up. They happen all the time, but they don't want Peru to look bad. But since Towne is about to be voted out of office, the NT is really pushing the arrests.
does anyone have any idea of the latest lunacy that happened at the city??????
4:22, Guess 9:21 makes you angry huh? Truthiness hits you Peru apologists pretty hard. lol!
do share 2:10, do share.
9:25. They have been reporting thee arrests pretty consistently for the last couple of years. There is always an election somewhere. You are so clueless it is histerical.
2:33. No, definitely not. I feel sorry for 9:21. There is no truth to anything in that person's post and I happen to know that for a fact. I am not an apologist. I'm proud of my community for many reasons and I am especially proud of how local law enforcement is fighting a difficult battle with the drug thing. The couple of you who believe this conspiracy nonsense are crazy freaking lunatics who could not handle what those who put their lives on the line do every single day. You are nothing but a sick joke to me.
Truthiness? lol? Whatever you say.
Newspapers are not supposed to be cheerleaders for the elected officials. Newspapers need to get the dirt and fling it at the elected officials that deserve it. I don't see that in our local publications. If anything, all of our local news organizations act as a PR Firm for government.
I'm sorry. But I want to see the dirt that we all know is out there. I want to see the entire story about the "dust up" they brushed off involving a local town alderman. Go out and find out why this man went to fisticuffs with a citizen at a bar. Tell me all the info. We deserve to know what kind of people are holding office and what kind of people they are hiring. "Dust Up" my behind. It was a street fight outside a bar!
And don't try to tell me that our local elected officials work out of the kindness of their heart. That is not how human beings operate. They are all getting something. I want the newspaper to find out what that something is. Maybe it is just pay and prestige. But I want to know and if it is something else, like a kickback from a dumpster company, I want to know how much and how often. Everybody is corrupt to some degree. It is the job of the newspaper to find out how corrupt those on the public payroll are. If it crosses a line, they need to be sure the citizens know just how far.
We are do for a big house cleaning in the Illinois Valley. And it can't come to soon!
2:10 March 7th: Does the lunacy have anything to do with the recent remodeling project at city hall?
9:28 Your nuts!
What is the dirt you want to talk about? Some Spring Valley guy that got in a fight in a bar? That made the news and it wasn't that big of a deal. Tell us what you want to hear. Most of these small town public officials are boring and get very little money for their efforts. There are a few narcissistic individuals, but they rarely get a 2nd term. And there are a few that operate like big shots with campaign contributions and trips to rub elbows with those big city elected. We live in a small town and the greater majority of those elected do their duty and try to do the best they can without fanfare and without corruption. Its that simple. They are just like any of us.
The dirt is there. You just have to look. Every one of them has some sort of scam they are running.
11:56, 9:28 is a loon and I wasn't even going to respond but thank you for representing the 99 percent of reasonable people.
All people are corrupt to a certain degree. Everyone is getting a kickback? Who are some of you sick people?
What about the Mayor of Naplate. And wasn't there a water department guy from one of these Dog Patch towns that was skimming overtime to the tune of a couple hundred grand a year?
I think any town under 10,000 needs close scrutiny from a higher level of government. The county and state need to be directly involved in the day to day operation. Things are to complicated for small town residents to handle on their own. There should be a county or state administrator calling most of the shots. Somebody that knows what they are doing. Not Norm from the Pub.
Hey another drug arrest! Come on Mr. Conspiracy, please tell us it is all because of the election!
4:25 I hope you are joking. If not, you are completely off your rocker. There are all kind of towns around that run perfectly well and the last thing they need is more mandates or bigger government. Local government works pretty well and we know the people we elect.
You are the same person who always ridicules communities based on size. Where were you born? Piety Hill? I'm sure from some distinguished place. Whatever, just stop with the "size" thing because I am starting to think you have really small hands.
Little towns need to be forced to merge in order to refresh the political DNA.
9:51 not at all
8:38 PM, Please stop apologizing for the despicable political behavior of Peru and LaSalle County officials. It's obvious that you are part of it or at least very close to one or more of the political press release manipulators. You are correct on one account. There is no conspiracy and nobody ever said there was. There is however a deliberate policy of attempting to influence public opinion with "overstated and misleading" press releases about drug arrests in LaSalle County. That's just the facts. Mr. Lincoln wisely noted, "You can fool some of the people all of the time and and all of the people some of the time, but you can never fool all of the people all of the time". But you and your crew already know that and choose to do it anyway. It might just work for you because generally speaking many people are stupid and prone to believe what they read in the paper. But before it's all over you and your cronies will have already lowered yourselves and become the ethically challenged and morally corrupt politcal hacks that many on this blog have identified in Peru.
1:51
give us one political corruption in our local town. Just one, just one. Nothing but baseless statements and name calling. Your losing your argument without actual evidence, rumor or wishful thinking.
1:51 You seem very upset with all the drug arrests.???? Is it be that you are upset because the police are letting everyone know about them???
I know that some of the names released by the paper are local names. So there can't be any favoritism. What, I think the reason you are upset with all the attention these drug busts are generating is they could be cutting into your pocket.
It's the same person who hates anyone who is elected or in a position of any public authority. It's the same small-minded person who paints everyone with the same brush. It's the same whiner who calls people names when they speak the truth, express an opinion or anything else that in any way shows any trust or support of local people. It's the same person who tries to sound like 5 or 10 people. Same person. Pretty soon that person or two will just be talking to himself.
1:51, you must get all your information from other bloggers, show me the corruption, you can't your just a cry- baby!
2:44 PM, March 09, 2016 - Here is your corruption....
Several years worth of false overtime payments to several people in Peru administration. This overtime was fabricated in order to give a raise to the individuals despite the fact that the council passed a LAW to prevent wage increases during the 2008 recession. This corruption was brushed under the carpet by a retired DEMOCRAT judge and the current DEMOCRAT State's Attorney.
A police officer being promoted to a higher pay grade for less than one year in order to spike his pension.
Purchase of signage costing over $1,000 each - about 20 signs - to indicate that various street resurfacing projects where brought to you by Mayor Scott Harl. The lumber was purchased by the city from a local lumber yard that donates to the mayoral campaign fund. The signs where assembled by city workers being paid by the city.
City vehicles being "detailed" by a non-licensed business in Peru with connections to government officials. These wash and wax jobs cost over $100 each.
Emergency vehicles being equipped with electronics by another business in Peru with ties to government officials.
Use of public property and employees to run several sham charity events that produced tens of thousands of dollars in pure profit for the organizer - that has ties to Peru government officials.
and the list goes on and on and on....
3:57 PM, March 09, 2016 - nobody is upset with the arrests. The statement was that they don't show up in the newspaper unless Brian Towne is up for re-election. Otherwise, the newspaper just prints feel good fluff while brushing the real news under the carpet.
10:40 that would be fine if it were true. It sounds good to your personal political agenda, but it is inconveniently not true. The newspaper is not running articles for Brian Towne or anyone else. They do what all newspapers do, which is report news in a finite amount of space and, sometimes they have to print what sells.
I can go back here in the blog archives here with years of people criticizing the Peru Police and other departments busting some drug user or house or snagging pot or whatever else on I-80. Always criticism and always following something from an NT article. Nothing has changed, except for the fact that the drug problem in the area is getting worse and law enforcement is getting more and more on top of it.
Using your logic, the elections will soon be over and we can all be assured that these drug enforcement articles, supposedly written by and for Mr. Towne, will just disappear. Right? Wrong.
10:38 if that is your list of "corruption" then you just did a very bad job of making your point. I thought the mayor was dead wrong on the "payroll scandal" but it had nothing to do with republicans and democrats and how about the FBI? Or are you the one that said they got paid off as well? Lol It was stupid and I thought it was corrupt but it was not actually a crime.
Everything else you said is ridiculous. Our town does far LESS business with "connected" people than most. You actually have no idea and I know that just because of the stupid ones you listed. Everyone is connected somehow. Don't you get that? That is not the problem, but being connected to someone is how business works, it is how politics works and it is how the world works. It does not make it corrupt.
Show us more. Please. If that is all you can come up with, that is the freaking lamest list of "corruption" in a city I have ever seen. I don't think our city is perfect but WE ACTUALLY HAVE some really good people who put up with a lot of crap running a good city. If you are the one who rips the Peru School system, don't even get me started. Second to none and it keeps getting better. That is why the crickets are chirping every time you talk about these things.
My question is what the hell do you want? Why don't you run? Do you think your lame ass lists posted anonymously on a blog are going to do something? Dude, even the handful of people on your side who think everything is corrupt are scratching their head at your list. They thought there was so much more.
We live in an imperfect world with imperfect people but I will stand by people who can look you in the eye and explain why they decided or voted a certain way, EVEN when they disagree with me or I with them. That's what I respect. Anonymous on a blog? Please. Man up and face these people and ask your questions. Bet you don't. If you did, you wouldn't be on here.
10:38
Lets be honest.
The payroll was investigated and found that the Mayor of the City had limited understanding and nothing was criminal. No others were implicated.
A police officer pay grade? Nothing noted and without detail this goes down as a conspiracy theory. If this has happened than this could criminal.
Police cars being detailed by a local business? Why not do it locally? And what is criminal about this?
Concerts are what you are talking about. I believe that according to the press that these events were paid for by the promoter. If anything was illegal than it would have been noted by the airport authority and the Attorney General. Both of those authorities were contacted according to the news reports.
Signs! Maybe some poor judgment by whoever ordered them. Is it criminal to put up signs. No
Have any of those current officials that you distain been charged, committed a crime? Any of them arrested? Any of them mistreat you?
10:38
You should go back and get your facts strait. The payroll issue was not several it was one person.
The officer being promoted is wrong that never happened, it is against the law to spike pensions.
The car detailing is a small business that is not illegal.
The lighting company has been doing this work for years and has been vetted and scrutinized inside and out to show nothing was underhanded.
The signage does not cot 1000.00 per sign and who else are they suppose to buy from? Shop local correct.
And the charity they have no ties to the city government.
Get your fact strait...
another new hire at the city??????????????
Brian Towne will not be re-elected.
10:38, what about the FBI, is that also a democratic agency in bed with the administration? Everything you mentioned does not fall under corruption, you are a cry-baby!!
2:20 PM, March 10, 2016 - you are wrong.
5:56 PM, March 10, 2016 - the FBI determined that no FEDERAL law was broken. They have no jurisdiction to enforce a City ordinance.
2:36 before you start a bunch of garbage about how they keep adding positions, you do realize they are often replacing people who have left right? City Hall payroll is down about 20 people over the last six or eight years. Just another example of the lies and misinformation that get shared on here for idiots who don't know any better. Check it out yourself. The head count is down by a big number. Stop with the crap.
2:38 if you are one of the ones on here who have tried to predict elections in the past, I am guessing that you will be wrong and it won't even be close. Mr. Towne will be reelected and that will be a very good thing.
6:24 so a city ordinance was broken. Then why did you bring up the FBI? Either way, that should not happen but it is still not quite the scandal that you make everything sound. Peru is light years ahead of any city around in terms of management and resources. I'm sure two or three of you would rather be in Streator or Spring Valley so have at it. Peru is not perfect. So what? No place is business or town or otherwise. It's just the silly lies and conspiracies that make you look so ridiculous.
Towne will win with 58%.....that's a landslide folks.
Trump will get 40% in Illinois and be the winner.
Clinton will get 59% in Illinois and be winner.
Long will garner 59% in the 76th primary.
I don't think any incumbent in any election has ever got a 60% vote, and that won't happen in the near future.
Towne will loose in the fall. Then he will find out what it is like to work in the real world.
4:57 if he loses he can go to the private sector and make a lot more money. Despite your ignorant comment, he has been a state's attorney prosecuting criminals for years and I'm pretty sure he is much more familiar with the "real world" than you. He does a great job and he should win easily. You are very out of touch. Mark my words.
7:51 PM. He is a political hack and has never held a job in the private sector. Since day one, he has worked for the government. But he does have a skill - the ability to read and practice the law. So he should do well defending the same people he has been prosecuting since he got his license.
2:27 why does a criminal prosecutor need to hold a job in the "private sector"? Is that something noble or special for a prosecutor? Didn't think so.
Your are just the same damn troll who spouts hate. He is not a "political hack", he is an elected official who has done a damn good job. Of course he is a political person, he has to get re-elected. So what? He could also be a judge as most prosecutors do after much less time in office, but the man still wants to put away bad guys. NOthing wrong with that.
Tomorrow will tell the story. I look forward to you coming on here and bragging about Towne losing so whoever it is you are cheering for will make you feel safer. Good luck with that one.
4:25 - tomorrow is a primary. The election is not until November. If the Supreme Court rules that his private Pinkerton Detective Agency / Money Laundering Scheme is legal, he might be re-elected. If the Supreme Courte calls it what it is - an illegal usurpation of power - he will be soundly defeated by the Republican Challenger.
Oh.. and he is definitely a "Political Hack".
7:30 yes we know when the election is. As for the "money laundering", it is comments like that which show exactly who you are. Why do you have to make things up, or incite fear or hatred. Why not just stick to facts?
Oh. Facts. Darn it. They always get in the way don't they? You are soooooooo sad and jealous it's hilarious. Been beaten at the polls a few times?
10:17 AM, March 16, 2016 - Facts. The State's Attorney has a mission to prosecute all crime. Facts. Brian Towne has found a way to go out and drum up his own business and confiscate money and property from people BEFRORE they are proven guilty of a crime. Fact. Brian Towne is using that money to fund vacations disguised as training. Fact: The law does not give the State's Attorney the authority to hire a police force. Fact: If the law was changed tomorrow and money and property could not be confiscated, they would no longer be interested in doing this.
When you give the police the incentive to drum up their own sources of revenue, you will find that all they do is precisely that.
Post a Comment