This local man has been saying "don't shoot" since 2007

... perhaps if he wrote a book, his community would give him a platform to spread his word. Grassroots movements can make a difference with a community that is suspicious of law enforcement. So what if a person is a little rough around the edges, they still might have something positive to bring to the table. There will be many times that the people who can help the most won't come wrapped up in a perfect, pretty, little package, but as far as this current situation goes... we need ALL HANDS ON DECK.

Are local politicians politicizing black boys shooting and killing each other?

Anti-shooting campaign controversy packing heat

You've seen the billboards, bus ads, and may have heard the theme song ("Don't Shoot!"), but that isn't enough for lawyer Frank Ierulli. A former assistant state's attorney, Ierulli is hoping to get elected as the Peoria County State's Attorney this November.

He says his number one priority is public safety, and this week, Ierulli bashed the city's effort behind the 'Don't Shoot' campaign, which aims to curb gun violence.

It was this comment that caused the Mayor to call out Ierulli for political mud-slinging.

Ierulli criticizes authorities running 'Don't Shoot,' for waiting to roll out the initiative in full force until the politically opportune moment. Current Peoria County State's Attorney Jerry Brady says the pre-arrest phase takes time.

Like Ierulli, Brady denies using the Don't Shoot campaign to fuel his own political one. Brady says arrests are scheduled to be made this year, sending a message to all gun violence offenders not to shoot. Source

Children used to respect their elders...

18 year old Sharome Kruz of Peoria and two 15 year olds are in custody, all charged with first degree murder and armed robbery.

The incident resulted in the shooting death of 54 year old Michael Robinson. He was sot in the head. Also shot but still recovering is 52 year old Perry Mollohan. He received a gunshot wound to his face, but the injury is not life threatening.

The shootings happened on the back porch of Mollhan's house at 2214 West Starr just before 1000 Wednesday night. Robinson had been out on parole for 5 years for the murder of a Bradley University professor 30 years ago. Source

Good for Irving School, a tenured teacher was there

Julie Giles - Shero!
The news report about the sexual predator actually being inside Irving School is disturbing. But what seems to have caught the eye of many that I have heard from, was the mention of a “Principal,” named Julie Giles.

Why did that catch our eye? Well, it’s because the public was initially told that Irving School would not have a principal. It was initially announced that a Cenithia Tice would be in charge at Irving School, as Assistant Principal.

Well, it appears that both Cenithia Tice and Julie Giles are both Assistant Principals to Ursula Brown, who is the principal at Lincoln School. Does that clarify anything? Hmmm, right, I didn’t think so.

The Journal Star could just have the info wrong (we know how they do that from time to time). Still, one can’t help but notice how in District 150, the neediest students continue to have the most precarious school administration schemes.

Here’s another thing that sticks out in  particular for me… Cenithia is new to the area (from North Carolina), good thing a tenured teacher (Julie), was in Irving School and recognized that a sexual predator was actually in the building and interacting with our students.

Samyell Jackson wants you to "Wake the #$@* up!"

WARNING: There is cussing in this video!

This video will probably offend some many, but somebody needs to shake folk up. I personally can't stand Samyell, but he is on target with this.

Gun related crimes in Peoria on the uptick

Overnight violence tally: 1 dead, 3 more shot, 2 armed robberies

A spasm of violence overnight Wednesday left one man dead and three others with gunshot wounds in a seven-hour span that also included two armed robberies.

Police were called shortly after 8 p.m. to an alley in the 1900 block of West Howett Street on a man shot in the leg. He was transported to Methodist Medical Center.

Half an hour later, someone showed up at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center claiming to have been robbed at gunpoint near the intersection of North California and East Ravine avenues. A suspect description was not immediately available.

An hour after that, at 9:45 p.m., police were dispatched to 2214 W. Starr St. on a call of two men shot in the head behind the home. Michael A. Robinson, 52, was pronounced dead at 10:13 p.m., according to Peoria County Coroner Johnna Ingersoll. He had a gunshot wound to the head. An autopsy is scheduled for later Thursday. A second victim was transported to a hospital with what police described at the scene as non-life threatening injuries. Police were searching for three suspects.

A little more than two hours later, at 11:54 p.m., the victim of a shooting allegedly stole an SUV that was later located at St. Francis hospital. The man had been shot twice in the chest.

Early Thursday, police were called to another armed robbery. The Circle K gas station at 2312 N. Knoxville Ave. was robbed at 3:18 a.m. by two men, one armed with a shotgun, the other armed with a handgun. Source

Mayor Jim Ardis announces plans for re-election - UPDATED

Gun violence skyrockets over weekend

"Peoria police are wrapping up a busy weekend dealing with an usual amount of gun violence. Saturday alone racked up nearly a dozen incidents." Source

This political postcard, sent by then-candidate Jim Ardis’ mayoral campaign
committee in 2005, highlighted the violence Peoria was experiencing at that
time and pledged that a vote for Ardis was “a vote for safer neighborhoods.” pjstar

Anti-Pundit has the real on yesterday's fights at PHS

Anti-Pundit reports:

"Teachers and a football coach covered in blood. One teacher so blood soaked, he had to go home and change his clothes. ...staff members tried to break up the fights and the young thugs turned on them. Fat lips and black eyes on the staff."

All I can say is Wow. So this is a part of what I have been hearing about on the scanner for the last couple of days?!

This should most defintely be on the news. The parents of these young people need to be put to shame in their communities. This can't be done if The District and the City are covering up what is actually going on.

Sure it looks bad for Peoria. But at this point, how can we look any worse? We already have babies being shot DEAD IN THEIR BEDS!

Remember cheering Illinois American Water in August

... when they decided they were exiting the garbage fee billing business? At that time I said something like this, chile (that's slang for child) please...

click image to enlarge

Well, that was about one (1) month ago and just as predicted then, Illinois American Water Company is now raising rates by, oh about $3.00 per month. By the way - we still gotta pay that garbage fee, which increased from $6 to $13 in January. AND aren't we now looking at seeing a fuel tax increase? These extra fees just continue to add to the many wonderful reasons we already have to live, shop, matriculate and/or work in the City of Peoria.

Illinois American Water rates on the rise

Illinois American Water customers will soon be paying more for their water service. 

The increase means Peoria residents will pay an extra $3 a month, and Pekin customers will see a $3.50 increase; resulting in an estimated $17.9 million in additional annual revenue for the company.

A spokesperson says after the 11 month process, the increase is less than what American Water officials asked for. The new rates will take affect on or around Oct. 1.

Read entire article here.

Huge fight at Peoria High School

click image to enlarge

It's 9:20 a.m. and a huge fight is happening on the third floor of Peoria High School. The Peoria Police had to call for back up two (2) times. At the present time there are five (5) PPD vehicles at the school and they are unable to take another call that just came in. More than six students have been taken into custody.

No, These Things Will Not Be on the Final Exam

From comments:

 "Emerge,

I wanted to share this information with you as I found it to be worthwhile. On my walk today, I listened to a podcast of NPR This American Life (474: Back to School 9/14/12). It focuses on "an emerging theory about what to teach kids, from Paul Tough's new book How Children Succeed." Discussed on the podcast - the importance of non-cognitive skills (e.g. tenacity, resilience, impulse control), how they can be taught in the classroom, and how this might help some students succeed.

I am a teacher in Peoria and am continually searching for ways to motivate my students to want to learn and achieve. After listening to this podcast, I will be purchasing Tough's book and researching the topic more. I have never posted on your blog before, but I was so intrigued and inspired by what I heard that I wanted to share this information.

It's worth listening to the podcast!"

 (highlight text above to read it)

Thanks Anonymous for reading, posting and suggesting this book/podcast!

Hearing the stories from the young people really broke my heart, but this podcast IS definitely worth listening to. Paul Tough, the author discusses how “non-cognitive skills” are being viewed as increasingly vital in education. Also discussed are studies that show how poverty-related stress can affect brain development, and inhibit the development of non-cognitive skills.

 Emerge

Last night I had to remind myself it was Tuesday...

I was laughing so hard at some stuff on the news, I just kept waiting for somebody to look up from their "news report" and say, "Live from New York, it's Saturday Night Live." But it never happened, so I laughed harder. And today the jokes just keep coming...

Clint Eastwood On RNC Speech: 'An Oddball Thing,' 'If Someone's Dumb Enough To Ask Me...'

Though his performance at the Republican National Convention has been widely panned by critics and pundits, Clint Eastwood's post-speech interviews have been refreshingly candid and highly entertaining. In the much-ballyhooed speech, Eastwood conducted an extended dialogue with an empty chair, in which he pretended sat Barack Obama.

"If somebody's dumb enough to ask me to go to a political convention and say something, they're gonna have to take what they get."  

Eastwood on "Extra" (via The Washington Post).

But he didn't stop there. In an appearance on "Ellen" (where he put his feet on Ellen's table), the actor said he doesn't really care what people thought of the event. "The Democrats who were watching thought I was going senile, and the Republicans knew I was." He summed up the event thusly: "I was just trying to have some fun." Source

Are you a Moocher or a Maker?

It’s incorrect to say Obama undermined welfare reform. Temporary Aid to Needy Families, as it’s formally known, is a $16.5 billion block grant to the states, only 40 percent of which goes toward benefits. In July, Obama invited states to apply for waivers that would give them greater flexibility to design programs that promote employment, while relieving them from some paperwork requirements. If granted, states would still have to move adults into jobs within two years and cap lifetime benefits (usually five years). Anyway, don’t Republicans normally applaud block grants that come with fewer federal strings?

Instead of worrying about the rise of a moocher class, Republicans would be better off thinking up ways to improve the standard of living for the next generation, and making sure the benefits of economic growth are more widely shared. That means vastly improving education and transportation, on which the private sector depends. It involves figuring out how to control health-care costs and means testing Social Security and Medicare so the wealthy receive less and pay more. It means reconfiguring our system of national defense.

It also means a change in mindset. The Republican's can’t cling to the one solution -- tax cuts -- that has been its cure-all for decades. Yes, we all love tax cuts, but they benefit mostly the rich. Besides, federal income taxes are at the lowest level since the 1950s. Source

Mitt's menudo

Until Mittens made a joke about wishing he was Latino, I thought he was of Mexican descent. After doing a little research, I find his father resided in a Mormon colony in Mexico and was born to American parents (they were in Mexico because it was a safe haven for polygamist and his grandfather had a few wives). What must the Tea Party Birther's think (oops... an oxymoron)? We already know what Latino voters think.

Mitt Romney Will Make Amigos with Latino Community If It Kills Him

Bloomberg News reports that “in a speech to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce [today], Romney will turn the conversation back to the national deficit, small businesses and jobs” in an attempt to win over Latino voters. His prepared remarks include the following: “No one is exempt from the pain of this economy, but the Hispanic community has been particularly hard hit. . . Over two million more Hispanics are living in poverty today than the day President Obama took office.”

A USA Today poll from over the summer suggests that Romney has a ways to go in courting the Latino community, as just a quarter of registered Hispanic voters said they’d support the socially awkward multimillionaire. (This is still a lot better than his relationship with black voters, of whom literally zero percent support the ex-governor. Has anyone conducted a recent survey to check that this number has not since dipped into negative figures?) Source

Don't Shoot - Messenger...

Crime is on the rise in Peoria according to a report released by the city Monday.

The issues' report shows that overall crime in the city is up by 3 percent through August of this year, compared to the same time last year.

There have been nearly 200 robberies reported so far in 2012, up 29 percent and aggravated assaults are up by 2 percent. Murders, however, are down by 20 percent.

At this time in 2011, there had been 10 murders in Peoria, this year there were 8.

Property crimes have decreased in the numbers of thefts and arson, but continue to rise in the areas of burglaries and car thefts with a 15 percent increase.Source

Issues Update 120914 Police Stats Activity August 2012.Pd (1)

And the Mittens are off!

Why don't you tell us what you really think, wannabe president Romney?

Response from the Obama Campaign:

CHICAGO – “It’s shocking that a candidate for President of the United States would go behind closed doors and declare to a group of wealthy donors that half the American people view themselves as ‘victims,’ entitled to handouts, and are unwilling to take ‘personal responsibility’ for their lives. It’s hard to serve as president for all Americans when you’ve disdainfully written off half the nation.” – Jim Messina, Obama for America Campaign Manager

Notice for filing School Board nominating petitions

click image to enlarge

School Board Member, Martha Ross' term expires in 2013. Mrs. Ross was appointed to the District 150 Board of Education prior to being elected to the Board from District 1 in 2003. It is not known at this time if Mrs. Ross will be seeking re-election.

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

The Board of Education, City of Peoria, School District #150, hereby gives public notice that one (1) School Board member is to be elected in the election to be held on April 9, 2013. One School Board member is to be elected from the first (1st) School Election District.

Petitions may be obtained from Joan L. Bastian, Secretary of the Board of Education, at her office at 3202 N. Wisconsin Avenue, Peoria, Illinois, during regular office hours. School Board candidates may circulate petitions beginning September 25, 2012.

The first day petitions may be filed is Monday, December 17, 2012 at 8:00 a.m. and the last day for filing petitions is Monday, December 24, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. Source

The last time a campaign needed Americans to fear Islam...

We got George W. Bush again. 

Much credit on his re-election could probably be given to a very scary (yet timely) videotape of Osama bin Laden. If you will recall, on October 29, 2004, al Jazeera broadcast excerpts from a videotape of Osama bin Laden addressing the people of the United States (in which he accepts responsibility for the September 11 attacks) condemns the Bush government's response to those attacks and presents those attacks as part of a campaign of revenge. The video was reported to be 18 minutes in length; with Osama only speaking for 14 minutes 39 seconds.

Strangely enough, here we are again in another election season with Americans watching anti-American sentiment spread across the Middle East, thanks to some silly film short, that showed up on YouTube. I bet some little known avant-garde film maker (whomever he or his surrogate may be) is quite pleased with the response their little YouTube venture has received. Who could possibly be responsible for such a hateful film; who benefits the most from it being public?

Because we are such a cynical republic, let us speculate:

Stuart Stevens is Mitt Romney’s top strategist. In what many in the campaign now consider a fundamental design flaw, Stevens is doing three major jobs: chief strategist, chief ad maker and chief speechwriter. It would be as if George W. Bush had run for president in 2000 with one person playing the roles of Karl Rove, Mark McKinnon and Michael Gerson. Or if on the Obama campaign of 2008, David Axelrod had not been backed up by Jim Margolis, Robert Gibbs and Jon Favreau.

Asked if he had assumed too many roles, Stevens said he had big teams to help him in each area. “Everybody wears a lot of hats,” he said. “We’re that kind of campaign — very un-compartmentalized.” He said that making the ads in-house has been a huge advantage. “You can walk down and stick your finger in the cookie batter.”

Stevens, a 58-year-old son of the South, is easy for conservatives to dislike. His official bio does not exactly scream “Republican ad guy from Mississippi”: “Stuart was educated at Colorado College, Middlebury College, Oxford University and the UCLA Film School, [and] is also a former Fellow of the American Film Institute.”

He is not particularly ideological, and has a big-city, Hollywood aura that grates on movement conservatives. “He’s a smart, capable guy but he sends bad signals” to the right, said a Republican operative who works closely with the campaign. “He has a lot of goofy quotes that cause everybody to shake their heads. … Stuart is one of the most insecure guys in the business. But he has become the top strategic adviser to the nominee, which is a huge accomplishment.”

Every profile of Stevens includes the descriptor “eclectic,” which seems fair, given he has skied to the North Pole, chronicled his use of steroids to compete in an extreme race, written novels and a campaign memoir, advised clients in Albania and Congo and consulted on Hollywood projects, including the political film “The Ides of March.”

Stevens has a free-flowing way about his life and is excited by ideas he deems wonderful or weird. He enjoys a love-hate relationship with the media — firing off emails with his candid and often illuminating take on the political spat of the moment, while also stoking the media-is-so-damned-biased flames inside the campaign and among conservatives. Source

The President prepares to appear before the WTO...

in the meantime, the Romney campaign abruptly shifts it's strategy.

The Obama administration is set to launch a new enforcement action with the World Trade Organization against China on Monday, alleging that the Asian economic giant is putting U.S. manufacturers at a competitive disadvantage by illegally subsidizing exports of autos and auto parts.

The president, blending his roles as candidate and incumbent officeholder, will announce the move at the first of two campaign stops scheduled Monday in Ohio, a state where 1 in 8 jobs is tied directly or indirectly to auto manufacturing. Source

Mitt Romney abruptly shifts strategy

On Monday, Romney unveiled a new ad, “The Romney Plan,” that punches back at Obama’s consistent emphasis on growing the economy for the middle class, and emphasizes what the Republican would do.

“My plan is to help the middle class,” Romney says in the ad. “Trade has to work for America. That means crack down on cheaters like China. It means open up new markets.”

UPDATED: If this house is worth $262,000...

I don't know who the Realtor is, or who did the appraisal, but I got a house I want them to help me unload. The property includes parking lots and two houses along West Nebraska Avenue and North Ellis Street.

This house and parking lots sold for $262,000 (St. Paul on right side of street)

Why would The District pay that kind of money for the house at 510 W. Nebraska? 

From PeoriaStory, public comments from Monday, September 10th  BOE meeting.

click images to enlarge

Happy Friday Ms. Davis!

After a long day of kids fighting and carrying on, a local teacher went home feeling tired and nursing a splitting headache. But it was all better when she got back to school today and found this note waiting for her:

Some didn't like how the message was delivered

... but what Dr. Steve Perry talked about at The District's first Parent University, really needed to be said. Personally, I don't care for his brand of humor, but the message is on point (and he didn't "brow beat" the parents).

I was on the CAPtions channel checking out videos of the Stop the Violence March and noticed that the videos for Dr. Steve Perry didn't have very many views. For that reason, I am posting them here. The message is timely and hopefully The District will find ways to continue to drive Dr. Perry's message home to parents.

Two school bus drivers fighting at Peoria High School

Peoria Police called to the scene.

At The District, you can get an unsatisfactory evaluation

...be offered $15,000 AND get an honorable dismissal. Eymarde Lawler and Michelle Frakes did (they declined the $15,000). Take a look at the lawsuit below that was filed on August 28, 2012.

Discharged teachers offered deal
District 150 to give educators $15,000, resignation agreement

Five tenured Peoria School District 150 teachers discharged last spring because of unsatisfactory evaluations will receive $15,000 each and be allowed to resign retroactively. District 150 board members approved the resignation agreement Monday.

The agreement was a response, in part, to charges that the district used elements of the state's landmark education reform laws, known as Senate Bill 7, to dismiss teachers unfairly.

The law's major sponsors, state Sen. Kimberly Lightford, D-Maywood, and Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia, D-Aurora, visited Peoria in May to discuss how the district was implementing elements of the law related to evaluations and teacher seniority rights.

Under Senate Bill 7, teachers with seniority are no longer automatically the first rehired when districts lay off staff members.

Two teachers, Michelle Frakes and Eymarde Lawler, rejected the settlement and have filed lawsuits against the district. "They will lose," Eisenhammer said.

He acknowledged the new law will have harsh results for some teachers. However, the district and the union still are working on alternatives, he said. Source

Union Lawsuit

The District disputes/answers the questions/rumors

Questions/Rumors about Teri Dunn:

The District Disputes/Answers:

The board on Monday hired Teri Dunn as a labor relations specialist, a newly created non-certified position that serves as a precursor to the district's plans to hire an in-house attorney. Dunn retired as The District's Human Resources Director July 1. She was off while The District made sure there were no issues with her retirement benefits. The Illinois State Board of Education had to approve the new position as a non-certified post. Source

Questions/Rumors about Dianne Duke and Ryan Olson:

The District Disputes/Answers:

On Monday, Ryan Olson was named principal of Woodruff Career and Technical Center. He replaces Diann Duke, who was moved to Hines Primary School as an assistant principal. Her salary will remain the same. Source

Live blog tonight's School Board Meeting

The District 150 School Board Meeting started at 6:30 p.m. The District had been prepping their station on UStream for the last couple of weeks and tonight we had the opportunity to watch the Board of Education Meeting live. As the meeting progressed, a few shared their thoughts here in the comments section, with most agreeing that it was disappointing to see that the public comment section was cut.

Tonight's Agenda...

Chicago teachers follow through on threat to walk out

Not a good look for the Mayor. A summer full of shooting and killing and now the first teacher's strike in 25 years, in the country’s third-largest public school system.

More than 26,000 teachers and support staff began hitting the picket lines Monday morning, while the school district and parents made plans for keeping students safe and occupied during the day. Nearly 150 schools will be open for a half day, as will 60 churches. The Chicago Park District and the YMCA will offer day-camps.

CPS went into full-on strike mode Monday, enacting a plan to keep schools open from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. And after a violent Chicago summer, police Supt. Garry McCarthy said he’s “emptying our offices” to patrol the thousands of unsupervised kids on the streets.

After a weekend of unsuccessful 11th hour contract negotiations, the Chicago Teachers Union made good on its promise to walk out on more than 400,000 students at 675 schools. Issues preventing a deal Sunday night were health benefits, the teacher evaluation system and job security.

The strike follows more than a year of slow, contentious negotiations, after the school board unanimously voted last year to cancel teachers’ 4 percent pay hike in the final year of their contract. Source

It takes a disturbed individual...

... to burn up the playground at the Boys and Girls Club. There are so few places where inner city children can go and feel safe. Even fewer on the East Bluff, which is where this particular Boys and Girls Club is. Is there any wonder people are pissed off:

Normal Community High School on Lockdown, Police Responding

Normal Police say no one was injured in a gunfire incident at Normal Community High School on Friday morning.

Unit 5′s school reach system notified parents that two people were taken into custody after shots were fired inside the building into the ceiling. The school was placed on lockdown for a time until police had the situation under control.

Parents await for students to be released after a gunfire incident
at Normal Commmunity High School.

Normal Community has started to dismiss students. Students were seen walking from NCHS to Eastview Christian Church where Unit 5 buses were staged.

Superintendent Gary Niehaus tells WJBC students are only being released after parents come to Eastview Christian Church to sign for them. Students aren’t being taken home by bus and aren’t being allowed to drive themselves home. Source

click image to enlarge

NCHS serves parts of Normal, Bloomington and Towanda, and is home to over 1,900 students (grades 9–12) with 150 faculty and staff.

How can you be zoned a private school...

... when you are a public school, using public funds? How does a private school have a lottery? Quest just recently received School wide Title 1 Designation from the public school district of which they are a part, but they can be deemed a "private school" by the Zoning Commission? In essence, it appears that the Quest Board has forced a type of voucher system on The District.

We know that it has already been said that more than likely, The District will not be renewing Quest's charter in 2015. Is this further indication that the Charter will not be renewed? By the way, if Quest didn't have the Zoning Commission approval for demolition, what is this all about:

Zoning commission gives OK to Quest
Charter school's demolition of section of Loucks building is endorsed

A zoning permit recognizing Quest Charter Academy as a private school and to support its parking lot expansion and beautification efforts received a favorable recommendation Thursday from the city's zoning commission. City Council members will vote on the recommendation Sept. 25.

The commission's approval was unanimous and supports a change that endorses the private school's demolition of 25,000 square feet, about one-third, of the former Loucks School. The demolition will leave the remaining 55,000 square feet of the building for the expanding school's use.

Quest Charter Academy is a privately run charter school authorized by District 150 with an educational focus on math, science and technology. Source

Quest came before The District School Board seeking assistance as a public school on August 13, 2012.

New HR Director at District 150 or not?

Recently, somebody pointed out to me that the last couple of HR reports for the Board Meetings have not been prepared by Teri Dunn, who is listed as the District's HR Director. Amy Moore, who is an HR Assistant, has been doing the reports. HR Assistant's have done the reports in the past.

However, rumor his it, Amy is doing the reports because Terri is currently not working due to an investigation regarding her retiring in June and then returning to the same job she had when she retired. Apparently, this is a violation of the Teacher Retirement System. I'm told, the District had Terri switch over her retirement to another system, however that system has the same requirement that "an individual cannot return to the same position in the same district in which you retired."

Dunn is the former Woodruff High School principal, who took over when Deb Dimke left the District. The District knew when Dunn took the position that she planned to retire in 2012.

Having retired administrators come back in a different capacity was a regular practice during the Hinton Administration.

Re-enter only to make a quick exit...

Sad.

Thursday, May 17, 2012, Kensey Ross is a part of the Peoria Park District’s ELITE Program and is fortunate enough to have the opportunity to interview for jobs. Kensey, is one of seven young men who are a part of ELITE’s Re-entry Program, a program that offers young men with felony convictions assistance with their job search.

Thursday, September 5, 2012, 11:30 p.m. PPD find Kensey in a parking lot behind his home in the River West housing development with a gunshot wound to the head. Kensey Ross, 23, was pronounced dead at 12:03 a.m. at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center. 

RIP.

Didn't these people hear us begging them not to shoot?

Peoria police are investigating a homicide at the River West apartments.

This is the second homicide since Peoria instituted its "Don't Shoot" campaign to curb gun violence. Authorities responded to a call of shots fired just before midnight Wednesday night. When they arrived, police found a male with gunshot wounds outside an apartment at the River West apartment complex. He was transported to the hospital where he died a short time later.Source

Okay, they didn't shoot.

District 150 Board meetings are now on UStream

Good look District 150! Up first, the August 13, Board meeting. This is the link to the corresponding minutes from that meeting. A couple of things in particular that I found interesting:

• COVERSION OF QUEST ACADEMY CHARTER SCHOOL FROM A TARGETED ASSISTANCE TITLE I SCHOOL TO A SCHOOL WIDE TITLE I SCHOOL – Moved by Wolfmeyer, seconded by Cloyd that the Board of Education approve the Title I Schoolwide Plans prepared and submitted by Quest Academy Charter School. After a year of being a Targeted Assistance Title I School, Quest Charter School has submitted the following items: a School Wide Title I Plan, Parent Involvement Plan and a Parent Compact which now makes them eligible to implement Title I programming school wide.
• 
  
• ADOPTION OF LICENSE AGREEMENT - Moved by Wolfmeyer, seconded by Costic that the Board of Education approve a one-year License Agreement with Carl Cannon for use of ELITE program information at Trewyn School at a cost of $80,000.00.
• 
  
• Mr. Cloyd and Mr. Crawford reported on the Washington D.C. Fly In. (Recall the outrage when Wolfmeyer, Butler went on the Fly In).
• 
  
• BOARD POLICY 7:70 – STUDENTS ATTENDANCE AND TRUANCY – Moved by Wolfmeyer, seconded by Cloyd that the Board of Education approve the changes/revisions to the following Board Policy as presented by the Policy Committee:  7:70 – Students: Attendance and Truancy. The policy is being revised to reflect the changes made in the Illinois School Code as it refers to truancy. Previously a chronic truant was defined as any student absent from school without valid cause for 10% or more of the previous school year (180 days). That figure has been lowered by 5% by School Code. The Board agreed to waive the first reading.

Are you better off now, than you were 4 years ago?

I'll take that question.  YES. 

You see, approximately four (4) years ago, it was 2008 and George W. Bush and that irascible, war monger, Dick Cheney (let's not forget him) were still in the process of running this country into the ground. Where was the Tea Party when we needed them?

It took Dubba eight (8) years to tear down everything that America stood for, prior to his taking office. My thinking is, it will take President Obama at least that long to make a real difference...    

As president, Bush pushed through a $1.3 trillion tax cut program and the No Child Left Behind Act, and also pushed for socially conservative efforts such as the Partial-Birth Abortion Ban Act and faith-based welfare initiatives. Nearly 8 million immigrants came to the United States from 2000 to 2005 – more than in any other five-year period in the nation's history. Almost half entered illegally.

After the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001, Bush declared a global War on Terrorism and, in October 2001, ordered an invasion of Afghanistan to overthrow the Taliban, destroy Al-Qaeda, and to capture Osama bin Laden. In March 2003, Bush received a mandate from the U.S. Congress to lead an invasion of Iraq, asserting that Iraq was in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1441.

The approval ratings of George W. Bush have, at different points in time, run the gamut from high to all-time record low. Bush began his presidency with ratings near 50%. In the time of national crisis following the September 11 attacks, polls showed approval ratings of greater than 85%, peaking in one October 2001 poll at 92%, and a steady 80–90% approval for about four months after the attacks.

Afterward, his ratings steadily declined as the economy suffered and the Iraq War initiated by his administration continued. By early 2006, his average rating was near 40%, and in July 2008, a poll indicated a near all-time low of 22%. Upon leaving office the final poll recorded his approval rating as 19%, a record low for any U.S. President. Source

Education politics and now mushrooms!

I have these beautiful mushrooms growing in my backyard. What do you think, are they poisonous?

You have a right to DADT Congressman Shock

National media continues to hound Congressman Aaron Schock about his sexuality:

Republican Congressman, Responds To Gay Rumors, Anti-Gay Voting Record

GOP Congressman Aaron Schock of Illinois, the subject of persistent gay rumors since he took office in 2009, said on Thursday that questions about his sexual orientation and how it might relate to his antigay voting record and positions are “inappropriate and ridiculous” and not “worthy of further response.” He also stated, “I’ve said that before,” when asked if he is confirming that he is not gay, and added, “You can look it up.”

Schock had in fact stated to Details magazine in 2009 that he is not gay, in a lengthy piece which noted that he is unmarried and had been the subject of rumors as far back as 2004, when he was asked the question by a Chicago newspaper.The rumors, however, have only surfaced again and again since 2009, such as when Schock wore a flamboyant outfit -- which included white jeans, a hot pink gingham shirt and a teal belt -- to the White House picnic in June of 2010, immediately reigniting widespread Internet speculation and discussion about his sexual orientation. (After the online frenzy, Schock tweeted that he had “burned the belt.”)

The rumors blew up again when Schock posed shirtless on the cover of Men’s Healthin May of 2011, showing off his well-defined abs, as well as being photographed in various poses inside the magazine, promoting health and fitness. And it didn’t help quell the rumors when, last week in Tampa, Fla., while he was attending the Republican National Convention, TMZ descended upon Schock as he was walking through the gay neighborhood of the city, complete with rainbow flags in the background as well as stores selling skimpy men’s underwear and what some have said is a local gay bathhouse.

TMZ.com reported that Schock was exiting a Chuck Todd-sponsored event for youth when its interviewer caught up with Schock to ask if he had fashion advice for fit and trim Paul Ryan, who has been criticized by style experts for wearing suits that are too baggy. “I think Paul's in great shape,” Schock told TMZ. “I think a little bit of leaner attire to help accentuate that physique he works so hard to, you know, maintain.”

Asked on the floor of the RNC in an interview for my SiriusXM OutQ radio program to respond to those who’ve believed that Schock is gay and also view his vote against “don’t ask, don’t tell” repeal as a vote against members of his own group, Schock responded, “Those questions are completely ridiculous and inappropriate.” He added, when asked if he is confirming that he is not gay, “I’ve said that before and I don’t think it’s worthy of further response. I think you can look it up.” Schock then walked off, abruptly ending the interview.

On why he voted against DADT repeal, Schock said: “I took the advice of military experts that came before Congress. I think that’s why you have John McCain and others who have a military background. Adam Kinzinger is a close personal friend of mine who’s an active duty member of Congress [in the district] next door to me and so I think that’s why you saw the consistency.”

In an interview with Buzzfeed’s Chris Geidner at “Newt University” in Tampa during the RNC, Schock, who has said he is opposed to gay marriage, also stood by his strong criticism of President Obama and the Department of Justice for not defending the Defense of Marriage Act in federal court. But he hedged on support for a federal marriage amendment that would ban states from allowing gays and lesbians to marry, saying, “I haven’t really thought too much about it. Source

Siren call for attentive action

We are once again at a critical turning point for our children and nation. Despite all the harsh lessons of the past and all the lofty rhetoric about who we want and need to be as a 21st century multicultural nation in a multiracial and multicultural world, we’re heading in the wrong direction -- backwards into a second Post-Reconstruction Era. We need to correct course and challenge the huge and interlocking economic and racial inequality that threaten the very idea of America.

Marian Wright Edelman, is
an activist for the rights
of children,and founder of
the Children's Defense Fund

So many of the formidable threats millions of poor children of all races, but especially black children, face today are actually dangerous steps backwards. The Cradle to Prison Pipeline™ which places one in three black boys (and one in six Latino boys) born in 2001 at risk of imprisonment. Mass incarceration of people of color -- especially black males. “Stop and frisk” racial profiling in policing. Huge racial disparities in often harsh, arbitrary, zero-tolerance school discipline policies that deny countless children of essential education and push them into the criminal justice system. Massive attacks on voting rights with new identification -- “show your papers” or get new papers policies -- and cost burden (“poll tax”) requirements which especially impact the poor, minority groups, the elderly, the disabled, and the young. Resegregating and substandard schools denying millions of poor black and Latino children skills they will need to work in our increasingly competitive globalized economy. Each and all of these are siren calls for attentive action. Source

Fact Checking a Dunlap High School statement on AYP

In an effort to explain not making AYP, the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum at Dunlap Schools, pointed out specifically that the school's African-American students and students with IEPs "did not meet AYP standards."

Dunlap’s black student population is shown on the School Report Card as 5.9%. The percentage of students shown with IEPs is 7.5%. Those two sub-groups together = 13.4% of the student population. Schools need to meet or exceed 85% to make AYP. Without the two sub-groups mentioned Dunlap would be at 86.6%.

Therefore, the African-American and IEP students alone, could not stop Dunlap Schools from making AYP. Additionally, if any of the students from the first sub-group are a part of the second sub-group, that statement becomes even more erroneous.