Peoria Illinoisan

…Another loaded gun in school… what troubles me is the fact that the gun wasn’t found until he was arrested on unrelated charges: jury tampering. How is it that kids can bring loaded guns to school? And why would I want my kid going to a school where it seems guns are rampant? Like it or not, Perception is Reality.

A 17-year-old Peoria High School student had a loaded gun with him at school Monday, the second time in two weeks that a District 150 student has brought a loaded weapon to school.

Montey P. Alexander, 1026 W. Third St., was arrested about noon and booked on charges of unlawful use of a weapon, harassment of a witness and communication with a jury witness. He also was cited for not having a firearm owner’s identification card.

Am I wrong? Weren’t metal detectors installed at the schools? If no, WHY THE HELL NOT?

(Using your best Steve Stone voice) Tip to all you young thugs out there, you can bring a Butcher Knife to school and if you’re caught, you’ll only get a slap on the wrist.

Also in a separate incident last Monday, a male Richwoods High School student was found with a butcher’s knife outside of the school, Hinton said.

The student was suspended, but Hinton said he doesn’t believe the student was arrested.

He doesn’t “believe” he was arrested? He’s not sure? What he should’ve said: “no, he wasn’t arrested, but I’m going to personally look into why not and spearhead sweeping changes in how we police our schools”

Instead, we get this comforting thought:

Hinton said no specific changes have been made to security in light of the recent incidents.

Seriously, can you really blame anyone for wanting to move out to Dunlap?

Two of my girls, ages 6 and 8, without prompting, want to take piano lessons. I could pick out a random music shop in town from the phone book, but I would really appreciate any suggestions as to where I should go with this.

Thank you in advance.

The usual. I have no idea what I did that pissed this woman off so much, but she told me I could kiss her ass, gave me the finger, and even held it for me when I pulled out the camera.
http://newyorkhack.blogspot.com/ From the trenches… stories from a very literate female New York City cab driver with an attitude.

His 4th wife was just sent to jail for her involvement in a drug ring and an illegal gambling operation. He celebrated by shooting a three under par 69 in the first round of the the Buick Invitational. Update: True to form, John Daly blows up (69-71-74-77) to end up in a tie for 63rd place, but in a dramatic finish and 3 hole sudden death playoff, Tiger Woods shows us again why he is the #1 golfer in the world.

http://greaterpeoria.blogspot.com/

Did PeoriaDad piss off the boss?

I tend to change my opinion on my favorite Italian restaurant, usually depending on the last one I visited.

Basta! Delicious! Yea, that’s my favorite.

Ponte Vecchio! Mmmm. Absolutely my favorite Italian restaurant in Peoria!

Well, the pendulum has swung back to Rizzi’s.

Went to the Sheridan Rd location last night for dinner (didn’t have a lot of time, so takeout was in order). So my wife and I walked in and headed to the bar to get a drink and place our order. It was getting late, so there were only a few customers eating, but the bar was packed. If you’ve been there, a packed bar means about six people. Immediately, we sensed that we were back at a neighborhood restaurant in New York run by the mafioso. Sitting next to us were two middle-aged Italian guys with slightly receding hairlines drinking wine, who immediately started chatting it up with us, (though obviously wanting to talk to my wife more than me!) and giving the bartender instructions on how to “properly� make our martinis. They introduced us to the owner sitting a few chairs down- a jolly, slightly plump older gentleman who emphatically stated with a heavy accent and a grin “I don’t drink everynight�. We had another drink, and in too short a time our food was ready and we said goodbye.

As we ate our dinner I thought, now that is the best Italian restaurant in Peoria!

Of course, the food was delicious, and I have many leftovers, but sometimes what makes a great dining experience is not just how good the food is.

I found this article so completely fascinating, that I felt I had to share.

An exerpt:
“As I look at the three years Snapper has been with you,” he told the vice president, “every year the price has come down. Every year the content of the product has gone up. We’re at a position where, first, it’s still priced where it doesn’t meet the needs of your clientele. For Wal-Mart, it’s still too high-priced. I think you’d agree with that.

“Now, at the price I’m selling to you today, I’m not making any money on it. And if we do what you want next year, I’ll lose money. I could do that and not go out of business. But we have this independent-dealer channel. And 80% of our business is over here with them. And I can’t put them at a competitive disadvantage. If I do that, I lose everything. So this just isn’t a compatible fit.”

The Wal-Mart vice president responded with strategy and argument. Snapper is the sort of high-quality nameplate, like Levi Strauss, that Wal-Mart hopes can ultimately make it more Target-like. He suggested that Snapper find a lower-cost contract manufacturer. He suggested producing a separate, lesser-quality line with the Snapper nameplate just for Wal-Mart. Just like Levi did.

I encourage you to read the full article here:FastCompany.com

For those of you who like to torture yourselves with mind games, this is a good one. It’s as hard as you make it, and it takes only as long as you let it.

It consists of 33 questions, of which 12 correct answers makes you “intelligent”, and 19+ correct answers makes you a “genius”.

Sample question: 24 H in a D

Correct Answer: 24 hours in a day.

WARNING: Slightly Addictive

http://intelligence-test.net/part1/

1. Go to Google with the search phrase “french military victories”

2. Click the “I’m feeling lucky” search button.

I’m coming around to Bill’s opinion about BlogSpot, after seeing C.J. Summer’s new site The Peoria Chronicle. I know he says it’s under construction, but it’s already looking great. Very clean and smooth, CJ now has a site worthy of his content, which is always top notch.

This is part of the Caterpillar Proving Grounds in Arizona, viewed using Google Earth.

Yes, Judge, I took the car; I didn’t steal it. You see, he couldn’t pay me for the drugs I delivered, so I took his car as payment instead.

Judge Shadid apparently didn’t think that was such a great defense.

PjStar:
PEORIA - A South Peoria man said Friday he didn’t understand how a jury found him guilty in October of stealing another person’s car when he admitted the car was used as payment for a drug debt.

Despite that, Peoria County Circuit Judge James Shadid rejected a plea for probation and sentenced Christopher J. McCaster, 22, of 1507 W. Butler St. to five years in prison.

A Peoria County jury found McCaster guilty of possession of a stolen vehicle but acquitted him of more serious charges of aggravated vehicular hijacking, armed robbery and possession of a weapon by a felon.

McCaster was accused of taking another man’s car at gunpoint while he was unloading groceries at the Pierson Hills apartment complex on June 23.

Assistant State’s Attorney Nancy Mermelstein argued for a stiff sentence, saying McCaster had never abided by probation and had done poorly every time he was given a chance. McCaster’s attorney, Robert Gaubas, countered his client never had drug treatment and pointed to his miserable childhood as a reason to consider probation.

The judge declined, noting McCaster’s prior record, which includes convictions for aggravated robbery and possession of a weapon by a felon.

Because of Lick Creek Golf Course?

Well, Yes, that always has been and still is one of the best courses in the area.

But the other reason I love Pekin is all the goofiness that comes out of that fine city. I’m not talking about all the meth labs, or the hotel that won’t rent rooms to their own townsfolk, or even the infamous Lyn Howard.

I’m talking about the interior car light law. I was unaware that this law even existed until recently, and if you’re not familiar, you must light up the interior of your car at night if you park on the street. When I first heard about it, I thought “you’ve got to be kidding me!� I asked a co-worker that married a Pekinite about it. Yep. It’s true.

The original intent of the law was to help emergency vehicles down narrow streets. I can’t imagine this is still nescessary. Why keep the law? Tradition? Revenue, maybe?

The PJStar writes about a newcomer to town who’s petitioning to get the law removed.

He’s got the perfect quote: “…it’s also an embarrassment to Pekin because the law is so dumbâ€?

Sometimes it takes an outsider to point out the obvious.

I’ve always admired Laura Bush. She reminds me of Donna Reed in It’s A Wonderful Life. The simple, strong and sophisticated hometown girl who married a man who sometimes acts like a goober but always has his heart in the right place and is smarter than most people would like to believe.

…but I was disheartened to hear that her Ipod carries Stairway to Heaven…

…as performed by Dolly Parton…

source

My travels this weekend took me down Columbia Terrace several times, and what stood out more than anything and what gives the area between University & North the ‘blighted’ feel are the utility poles and wires. On the south-side of the street, there is a utility pole infront of nearly every house, with wires running between them, to the houses on the same side of the street, and more wires crossing the street to each house on the opposite side.

These same utility poles, some of which are leaning and look horrible, hold up the old industrial looking streetlights.

The proposed plan, as the news reported it, is for new curbs, sidewalks, lighting, and traffic signals. There is no mention of the ultility lines being buried or moved to the alleyways. To me, it’s the utility poles and lines that make that stretch of Columbia Terrace look so bad, not the curbs and sidewalks, and certainly not the traffic signals. Columbia Terrace in the Uplands doesn’t have utility poles in the streets, nor does Randolph-Roanoke.

It seems to me that anytime major improvements are made in an older neighborhood or street, utility cables get buried. I am going to go out on a limb, read between the lines, and say getting rid of the utility poles and the wires that criss-cross the street is part of the plan, but just wasn’t reported.

Hopefully.