Pekin News, and Views

May 13, 2009

Written by PNV Publisher Ed Emmons

Last year around April 13, 2008, I wrote an article about how PCHS Superintendent Paula Davis was sending out student scholarship applications out over the internet to the founder of a Scholarship group who called themselves, the Chinklink.

These applications contained personal and private information about the students and their families. After that story ran I recieved many, many emails about the story. Most parents were not even aware this was going on. Now founder John Roberts is at it again. Not for receiving students applications over the internet, but for trying to pull a fast one with the Scholarship money.

This year John Roberts members contributed over 3600.00 to go to this years Scholarship winners. But by the order of John Roberts only two Scholarships have been awarded for $500.00 dollars each. Why? Could it be that the two student receiving the Scholarships are attending Bradley University, a private institution and not the U of I ?

Or could the reasoning be even more sinister than that? In the past the Chinklink operated by John Roberts has given $2500.00 dollars out to the first recipient, but last year gave out 3-$1000.00 dollar Scholarships out and 4- $ 500.00 dollar Scholarships out. So why was it less this year?

He can't blame the economy. The few members who gave, gave with the intent to give for this year's recipients at PCHS. But all along John Roberts had a plan to pass out more Scholarship money out to one particular recipient from last years winners.

In the fall of 2008, John Roberts began emailing all the 7 recipients of last years winners at their respective colleges. Most had the common sense to refuse to take notice of email from a 66 year old senior citizen, One who is asking them "have you been to Cams yet?", ( a bar at U of I).

Only one student answered . A U of I student. And because she answered, he continues to send her money and another ChinkLink member send her money also. He continues to keep up the correspondence with this student, why? When she mentions to him that she might like to go into law, he discourages her because he hates lawyers.

This particular U of I student wasn't so pleased with her grades the 1st semester, but did well the 2nd, so he pretty much told her she would recieve more money from the Scholarship fund for a reward.

What is Amaturish about John Roberts is that he sends all student personal emails to him to other ChinkLink members. He also circulated about this particular students father who happens to be in prison.

Bottom line is John Roberts in my opinion continues to operate an illegal Scholarship fund and he believes he is above the law. Or did he just go cheap this year because the 2 students were going to a private college, Bradley, not the U of I.

I believe this Scholarship is a good thing, but it must be ran legally and by someone else with alittle more class.

May 9,2009

Written by PNV Publisher Ed Emmons

Just to give everyone an update on the petitions being signed around town. I will not be turning the petitions into the City Council at the meeting on the 11th. Instead I will be turning them in at the meeting on the 26th of May.

Also there will be a petition drive at Bark and Purr Pet Pantry Tuesday evening from 5-7pm. There will also be another one next Saturday (once again at Bark & Purr)  from 12-4pm. Please pass the word around that this is going on. We need all the signatures we can get. People can just pull up in their cars, sign the petition and leave.

Also while your at Bark & Purr why not bring a donation of dog, cat or litter to the facility. Again here is a list of businesses that are participating in the petitions.

Bark & Purr Pet Food Pantry

Connies Southtown Bar

Shenanigan's Bar

Goodfellas Pub and Pizza

Uniform Store

BeerBelly's Bar and Grill

Jacks Doghouse

Busy Corner Restaurant

Professional Dry Cleaning and Laundry

Tractor Supply

Boardwalk Bar

If your business would like to display a petition or individuals who would like to collect names in their neighborhoods please call me at 241-1039.

May 5, 2009

Written by PNV Publisher Ed Emmons

Bark & Purr owner Barb Meskimen sacks up Dog Food Wednesday

Bark & Purr Pet Food Pantry got off to a barking good start Wednesday and the weather was Purr-fect. Owner and operator Barb Meskimen said that 62 people came through the not for profit establishment in two hours. The Pet Food Pantry, an idea which became a reality today for Barb, is for low income people who wish to keep their pets, but cannot afford to feed them.

Barb said too many people out there just dump their pets anywhere now because they just cannot afford to feed them because of the economy. Pets have to eat too just like people do. Through the kindness of Realtor Richard Stropes and building owner Mike Forts, the building is rent free.

As of this morning 700 pounds of dog food and over 300 pounds of cat food and litter had been donated to Bark & Purr. By three o'clock today that number had drastically dropped due to the turnout of people needing assistance. If you would like to donate money, dog or cat food or other items please call Barb at 309-620-2136 or drop off donations at Bark & Purr located at the corners of Derby and Black streets in Pekin or at 1010 Black St., Pekin.

Regular hours for Bark & Purr will be Tuesday's, Thursday's and Saturday's from 1-3 pm. If you would like to volunteer to sack or hand out food please call Barb.Christy of Pekin one of the recipients of the food said that she believes this is a good idea. She owns a Mastiff and Pit Bull Mix.Helen Rudd another recipient said she was there because of the economic conditions she was having a hard time feeding her pets. She thinks this is a great idea.

Bill Pryles and Diane Johnson volunteered their time today to help sack up food and litter.

Felicia Travise holds her pet Corki, a Corgi mix while signing in at Bark & Purr

Lines of people wait inside Bark & Purr for Pet food Wednesday

People come and go Wednesday at Bark & Purr's Grand Opening

Helen Rudd of Pekin signs the Seizure and Impound Ordinance Petition at Bark & Purr Wednesday.

Good Luck Barb!

May 4, 2009

Written by PNV Publisher Ed Emmons

Barb Meskimen poses in front of possibly the first of its kind venture in the area, a Pet Food Pantry located at the corners of Derby and Black Streets in Pekin. Barb came up with the idea for the Pantry in hopes that pet owners who can no longer afford to feed their pets will not dump them.

Pet owners of Cats and Dogs can come into Bark N Purr and pick up food for their pets once a week. Cat litter is also available. The Pantry will have its grand opening Wednesday May 6, at 1pm. Regular days of operation will be Tuesday's, Thursday's and Saturday's from 1-3 pm. Donations to the Pantry can be done at any time by stopping by 1010 Black Street or by calling Barb at 620-2136.

The building  is being made rent free to Bark N Purr by Realtor Richard Stropes and is owned by Mike Forts, of Forts Toyota.

So far as of today over 700 pounds of Dog food, 300 plus pounds of cat food, over 250 pounds of cat litter and over 100 cans of dog and cat food have been donated. Barb said that animals have to eat just like people do.

Barb ask that people please do not dump their pets off at the Pantry. Also available Wednesday will be petitions to sign against the " Seizure and Impound Ordinance "

Some of the Donated Dog and Cat food stored at Bark N Purr.

April 28, 2009

Written by PNV Publisher Ed Emmons

     In respect to city ordinance # 2559-0809, " Seizure and Impounding of Vehicles ", besides having the petition online for citizens to sign to show their support  against this ordinance the way it is worded, I have also passed out petitions today at various businesses around town. I will list them below. Please visit these businesses and sign the Petition to have this ordinance amended. The Petition reads as follows:

We the undersigned respectfully request the Pekin City Council, on this 27th day of March, 2009 Amend City Ordinance # 2559-0809, titled "Seizure and impounding of Vehicles", to include an Amendment called, "The innocent Victim Safety Valve."

This Amendment would add for the protection and rights of innocent victims of this ordinance. As written this ordinance punishes the innocent as much, if not more, than guilty parties.

I ask all of you seeking justice in this ordinance to sign your name on this petition. Please take action now! Stand up for our rights, our freedom, and don't be cowered by the fear from our elected officials!

You can sign this pettion at any of the following businesses: Tractor Supply Co., petition located near the restrooms on the bulletin board. Firehouse Pizza, petiton located inside the main door on the bulletin board. Advance Auto Parts, petition located inside main doors on the counter. The Uniform Store, petition located on the counter by cash register. Miller Center, petition located inside the main doors in the flier area to the left. Beck Oil Co., petition located on the counter inside of store. Busy Corner Restaurant, petition located on counter by cash register. Connie's Southtown Bar, petition located on the main bar area. Professional Dry Cleaning and coin laundry, petition located on the bulletin board. Shenanigan's Bar, petion located on the main bar area. Goodfellas, petition located on the main bar area. Jacks Doghouse Bar, petition located on the main bar area.

The only way to show the City Council that we the citizens are upset over the ordinance as worded is sign a petition  voicing your opinions against it. Councilman  Tom Blanchard  needs the citizens help in assuring that the ordinance will be brought back up to the full Council and talked about. With everyone's help I believe we can get this Money making Ordinance Amended, back to to its original objective. That objective was to get DUI offenders off the road!

If anyone is interested in having a petition in their business to show their support ,  or if you would be interested in taking a petition around your neighborhood and collect signatures please call me at 241-1039. We as citizens cannot let the Citywin on this ordinance. If they do, where will it stop? More taxes? More doing what the citizens do not want? The time is now to show your support and sign this petition! Its time to take back our City!

Once again the Web address is http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/seizure-and-impounding-of-vehicles.html .

Written by PNV Publisher Ed Emmons

Ordinance # 2559-0809 of the City of Pekin was passed by the Pekin City Council on June 23rd of 2008. The Ordinance is titled "Seizure and impounding of Vehicles". The ordinance was recently challenged in Court and upheld. The Ordinance reads as follows:

A motor vehicle shall be subject to seizure and impounding under this chapter where such motor vehicle is used in any of the following:

A. the possession or delivery of a controlled substance or drug parapharnalia:

B. driving under the influence:

C. driving while license, permit or privilege to operate a motor vehicle is suspended or revoked:

D. the unlawful use of weapons

This ordinance has accomplished two things. First it has made Pekin alot of money. Secondly it has made  victims basically criminals. Its time for this to change. According to a lawyer I talked with all that is needed is to add an Amendment to this ordinance. Its called "innocent victim safety valve".

Simply stated it would protect innocent victims from this ordinance. It would put a safety measure in place that would give innocent victims a way out. As the current ordinance reads it holds both victims and criminals guilty equally. Its time the Pekin City Council got behind this change and start protecting the innocent.

I have started a petition that citizens of Pekin can go to and sign their name requesting that the City Council Amend this ordinance. Please go to http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/seizure-and-impounding-of-vehicles.html

Please take action now! Stand up for our right, our freedoom and don't be cowered by the fear of our elected officials!

Written by PNV Publisher Ed Emmons

Once again the citizens of Pekin have been dealt another blow in Court concerning the Vehicle impounding ordinance. On Wednesday Judge Scott Shore ruled in favor of the City at a summary judgement hearing at the Tazewell County Courthouse.

 On the advise of Police Chief Tim Gillespie and passed by the Council the new vehicle impound ordinance through March of this year has generated  $165,000 dollars for the City.

The ordinance passed by the Council last spring, Entitled “ Seizure and Impounding of Vehicles. It also carries a $500 fine-in addition to towing bills or storage fees charged by the impound yard.

The new ordinance goes into effect when anyone in a vehicle is arrested for possession or delivery of a controlled substance or drug paraphernalia, DUI, driving on a revoked or suspended license, or unlawful use of a weapon.

Mary Worrick and her son Anthony Myers along with attorney Charles Thomas are challenging the new ordinance after Myers had his car impounded in August after a back-seat passenger was caught with drug paraphernalia during a traffic stop.

Myers was not charged with any crime and was not ticketed in the traffic stop. According to Police reports, police searched the car after the officer noticed the back seat passenger acting suspicious.

Here’s my problem with this new ordinance. First of all the ordinance was sold to the Council as a deterrent for people not to use vehicles for criminal activity. I don’t think that was the original intent of this ordinance. The city saw a new way to make money and ran with the idea.

If this is the case, why are houses not impounded when there is a drug bust at that home or when underage drinking parties are discovered? There really is no difference if you think about it.

Not too long ago a Pekin Police Officer was arrested for DUI. His personal vehicle was not impounded, why? Because everyone in this town plays favorites! I don’t care if the case was handed over to the State Police and that’s why officials say that the officer’s car was not impounded.

In this town if you know someone or have money you can get favors done. A few months ago, an underage drinking party was raided and nothing was done to either the students or the owners of the home were arrested. Why because obviously the owners of the home knew someone!

Look at the slick move just pulled off by the City Council. When Rusty Dunn became Mayor his seat was to be appointed by someone. So what does the Council do, they appoint Sue Ann KortKamp after she resigned her seat to take Dunn’s seat. KortKamp had already said that she was not going to run for re-election. There were several capable Pekin citizens that could have been appointed to fill her seat. But the Council in their all knowing way of doing things, said that she had the experience in this time of unrest that no one else could match.

It is my opinion that the Council just wanted a “ Yes” vote they could count on. The Council should do what the majority of their constituents wish abolish the new Vehicle Impound Ordinance. Do something for the citizens for once. Is that not why you were elected in the first place?

I hope that Mary Worrick and her son do not give up on this case. I applaude your challenging of this stupid ordinance. I also applaude your attorney Charles Thomas for taking the case pro bono. If your attorney believes so strongly that this ordinance is wrong, officials should take notice of that. As for Judge Shore, you should be ashamed of yourself for siding with the City. You may be interpreting the law, but you know its wrong.

I would like to apologize to my readers of this blog for my absence. My father who had been ill for the last couple of weeks, passed away last week.

The Pekin City Council announced Friday that they will shuffle its seats and ask out going Council member KortKamp to stay on for the next two years and fill the seat left open when Rusty Dunn became Mayor

.

KortKamp was appointed to fill the remainder of Daryl Dagits seat after he resigned. I think it a bad idea for KortKamp to stay on the Council another two years since she was not going to run for re-election to begin with.This means that she will be a Council member for 4 years without being elected!

The Council's explanation for this move is that they would rather have someone with experience at this time. I believe their should be new blood on the Council at this time in the City's crisis. Except for current Council members Tom Blanchard and John Abel who voted no on the new 2% tax increase, current Council members are out of touch with the citizens of Pekin.

Next month the taxpayers will have their turn to speak, and I dont think it will be good news for Council members like Jim Jones. Their are six candidates running and 3 seats up for grabs. Two of those candidates are former Council members, Harvey Richmond and Laurie Barra.

I urge voters to say no to Richmond and Barra! By asking KortKamp to stay on, the Council is saying that the citizens of Pekin who told the Council that they were interested in the empty seat, including myself that we are not experienced enough.

Being a Council member is an on the job training experience. Everyone on the Council right now went through the same thing. They were not experts on City matters when they were elected or appointed. I dont know what the Council is trying to pull, but I am sure the citizens will not let them get away with it!

Sooner or later all of your seats will be up for re-election! All you have to do to see who voted for the tax, is look at their pocket books. Are these the kind of people we want serving our community? No!

Its time for a grass root effort in this town to get together and start putting people in those seats that really care for the people and the City. If you are interested in forming a group please contact me at 241-1039. Gee I wonder why people dont vote anymore in this town? Its because they dont believe their votes count!

Now is the time to act! The days of the current Council are numbered.

On February 1st I wrote a blog on this site which was an open letter to the City Council members and the citizens of Pekin declaring that I was interested in the open Council seat left open by the appointment of Rusty Dunn as Mayor of Pekin.

On February 6th,  a letter to the Editor appeared in the Pekin Times, the same letter that I had wrote for this blog.Trouble is the Pekin Times put a headline on the article titled: pick me, pick me. How childish of the Times to try and undermine my good intentions of letting people know that I was interested in the open seat, by putting a headline like that above the letter.

Also missing from the letter was my website address, intentionally left out by Gregg Ratliff, the Pekin Times Publisher. I can only assume that this was done because the Pekin Times is afraid of what I publish in my blog. Why else would a paper the size of the Times not want anyone else to know my website address.

On the same day the Pekin Times ran an article on the opinion page by Gregg Ratliff, entitled( Your hometown paper is changing). In the article Ratliff says how the Times is the leader in local news, sports and community events. He goes on to say that he wants its readers to help them become a better newspaper. He asks for readers help in seeing things that would make a good picture or story to contact them.

Let me tell you firsthand that Gregg or the Pekin Times could care less about what you think as readers as of the Pekin Times! Many Times since Gregg Ratliff has been the Publisher of the Times I have sent photo's in to the Times and they have not been used. Not too long ago I shot photo's of a fire here in town that were front page quality, but did they use them? No!

Also the Pekin Times has a serious problem with letters to the Editor! They are constantly losing them. Its not just my letters but others as well. Here not more than a week ago, I went out  of my way to go shoot a fire because I thought that their photographers would not, considering it was out in Midway. I sent the photo to the Times, the next day a photo appeared by one their photographers of that fire. I received no thank you, we have received your photo but we are using ours  email or anything. Thing is my photo was better than theirs.

So tell me Mr. Publisher are you afraid of competition. Thats the word I recieved! Soon after I started going out and taking photo's for my website, your paper started having more photo's in it of what was happening in Pekin. How petty are you not to use my website address in your paper?

A couple of months ago the Times used a website address of candidate for City Council Jason Juchems. I questioned Ratliff then of why they used his when they would not use mine. He told me that if I ever were to run for an elected office he would use mine also. Well I consider openly saying that I would like to have the open council seat, is considered running for office Mr. Publisher! You lied to me!

Now I turn to the current Council members and the Mayor. Why have I not heard from any of these members regarding my intentions in seeking the open council seat? Is it because they do not like what I write about them on my blog? I would bet so. I think it would be common courtesy for them to at least send me an email saying that they had learned that I was interested and would be considered along with everyone else. But I received nothing!

I also heard an ugly rumor that the daughter of deceased Mayor Tebben was being considered for this seat, is that true? I hope not because that would be just about as biased as it could get down there. But that would not surprise me!

This is an open letter to the Pekin City Council membersand the citizens of Pekin. As a concerned citizen and taxpayer of the city of Pekin, I Ed Emmons would like for all of you to consider me to fill the open Council seat left open by Rusty Dunn. I feel I am just as qualified as anyone in this city to fill this seat.

Not only do I feel I am qualified to be a city council member, I feel I would bring common sense to the council when the City,State and  Nation are going through a time in history when people that can say no to raising taxes,pet projects and personal agendas are badly needed.

Pekin needs someone on the Council who is an independent thinker and will not follow the lead of the Mayor or other members. If I think that Pekin cannot afford something, I will vote NO. If the council feels like taxes need to be raised at a time when our citizens are barely scraping by to pay their house payments and feed their families, I will vote NO.

If the Council feels like they need to keep spending our money when we need to be frugal and just sit back and see where the economy is going, I will vote NO. Too many times our elected officials make promises when they are running for office and once elected do just the opposite, this must stop and I would tell the citizens the truth and not hide it.

I ran for Mayor in 2000, along with then Mayor Tebben, Dean Bacon, and Lyn Howard. We all know what happened in that election. I got very few votes in that election for several reasons. First of all most of my fellow citizens had never heard of me and I was against many of the ideas that the other candidates thought we need.

The other candidates thought that we needed to revitalize the downtown. I said that we could not have it both ways, that we could not keep building east of town and get people to come downtown. They said we needed a ringroad to make it easier to get more people to the businesses on the east side, I said we did not need it. Tell me, if you dont have people going through town, how can they see what other businesses are in Pekin? I still maintain my thoughts.

I dont understand that way of thinking. I know its easier said than done, but I think we need to get some jobs in town that make more than minimum wage. Most of the jobs that we have here are restaurant jobs. We cannot expect people to stay and live here if they cannot afford a good living. I did not believe that we needed fancy sidewalks and lightpost and an expensive clock downtown when their were cracking and in some cases no sidewalks all over town.

Our elected officials should keep their priorities straight. I dont care whether you live on Washington St. or Herget St., people should be treated the same.

Many of you know me from this website, Pekin, News and Views. I dont play around. If I feel something is not right here in town I am not shy about saying what I think about it. If I feel that the Council or Mayor are not thinking of the citizens first I will say something about it. So to sum it up, if you want a straight shooter who will always put the people of Pekin first with no political agenda's, I am your guy. I can be reached at 241-1039 if anyone has any comments, or you can leave them at www.pekinnewsandviews.com . Thank you for your time.

                                                                                                                          Ed Emmons

                                                                                                                          241-1039