I agree, kid. I totally agree.

It actually would be very convenient for me personally if a library branch was built at Expo Gardens. That site would be in easy walking distance from my parent’s home. However, that site makes absolutely no sense given the fact that the Lakeview Branch is just about a mile down the road.

The advisory library referendum asked about funding a new branch for NORTH Peoria. Expo Gardens lies at the demographic CENTER of Peoria’s population. The new branch should be built north of Pioneer Parkway at a minimum, and probably closer to Route 6.

It seems to me that Mayor Ardis, Bill Spears, Pat Nichting and others are “drinking the Kool-Aid” of their special interests. They all voted for the advisory referendum, and the results seem pretty clear.

Related to the discussion of the library issue in the local media, I also have a point to make about journalistic integrity. Please compare this post written on June 11 by local blogger Peoria Illinoisan with the first section of this June 16 Word on the Street column written by Karen McDonald. Notice some similarities? I certainly did. I think Miss McDonald should give credit where credit is due.

Money quote from Peoria City Councilman Ryan Spain:

‘Will It Play in Peoria?’ still has some real good legs on the national scene. Some (in Peoria) are tired of the slogan, but the brand strategy isn’t for the citizens of Peoria. It’s marketing the city of Peoria to external audiences.

Apoplectic fit from the Blogfather in 3, 2, 1 …

I’m really tired of the arrogant sense of entitlement some smokers seem to have.  Just because smoking is legal doesn’t meant that you can inflict your toxic habit on other people.  Also, as I stated previously, the world is not your ashtray.  Keep your carcinogenic chemicals to yourself, and clean up your own mess!!!

Why does our society continue to enable smoking behavior when it’s the number one cause of premature death in this country, killing almost half a million people every year?  I understand that providing ashtrays is probably a practical solution to the cigarette butt litter problem, but the simple truth is that smokers who toss their butts on the ground are littering.  FINE THEM.  $50 a butt sounds about right … or they could simply assign violators to community service and have the littering smokers pick up their own mess.

(SIGH)

Ahh well … last season started out the same way, and both the Knights and the Dragons ended up in the playoffs.  Hopefully the same will hold true for this season.

I’m surprised there hasn’t been any gloating from a certain Woodruff High School graduate.  The Warriors slaughtered East Peoria last night.

Abdullah took down the American flag that used to fly over the former Freedom Oil outlet, which started the rumors flying. He took it down because it was ripped, not because he “hated America” like some contended in a series of emails demanding a boycott of Abdullah’s station. He has a new American flag ready to fly when the station re-opens.

All along, he [Abdullah] had planned on displaying the new banner at the end of repairs. But he doesn’t like being bullied by know-nothings.

“It’s up to me to put up the flag. That’s freedom,” he says. “I ordered the flag. I want to put the flag up. But I don’t want people to tell me to put up the flag.

” … Why don’t they go to other gas stations and tell them to put up a flag?”

You tell ‘em, Yosef! I think I’ll make a trip over the McNaughton Bridge to purchase my next tank of gas.

Thanks to Phil Luciano for highlighting this issue in his column.

Addendum: PI and the Pundit also put the smackdown on local racism.

BJ Aberle at Oneproblem has an interesting post about Avanti’s. He still feels the love, but recognizes that those from outside the area just don’t understand the affection. Even acknowledging that relatively minor sacrilege may get BJ lynched by a band of Gondola-wielding brigantes, red sauce frothing at their mouths. Of course I’ll be joining him … and will earn even greater wrath by stating that I don’t think Avanti’s is all that good anymore.

There. I said it. Hang, draw and quarter me.

Perhaps my 14+ years in St. Louis have poisoned my palate (eating Italian food on the Hill will do that), but I just don’t feel the love anymore. It’s still decent food for the price, but I believe the quality of Avanti’s food has gone significantly downhill in the last ten years or so. Am I wrong?

However, the snow did provide for great photo ops. PI, of course, provided some views out and about in Peoria here and here.  Eyebrows gave us some pictures of her snowbound backyard.  Emtronics and Scott Janz contributed some illustrative pictures and video of the incompetent effort to clear the P-town snow.  Scott also shared with us the tragic loss of his reindeer.  We grieve with you, Scott.

I decided to email one of the Knightly Manor’s “Snowmageddon” pictures to Andrew Sullivan at the Daily Dish. He runs a regular feature on his blog entitled “The View from Your Window.” I figured with the national attention our little snowstorm received, the picture might strike a chord.

It must have, because he posted it!

Of course the true kudos go to my lovely wife, M’lady. She’s the one who took the picture from our kitchen window.

After lunch, the Little Dragons are suiting up with enough layers to stop AP rounds and venturing out into the white wilderness that is our backyard right now. We’ll see how many times I have to fish Little Dragon #3 out of a snowdrift.

I guess taking to heart my theory about “bridging the divide” is why I got so steamed about this. Probably excessively steamed – it’s just a dumb joke. However, I think it’s pretty typical of the attitudes people in Peoria have for people from Pekin, Creve Coeur, Marquette Heights, East Peoria … or anywhere on the East side of the Illinois River other than Morton or Germantown Hills. I know, because I grew up in Peoria. I heard the jokes about P-E-K-K-K-I-N. I came over here for a couple “away” games during high school, but that’s about it.

Then I moved to Pekin … and guess what? The people here are really very similar to the people I grew up around in Peoria. Indistinguishable, in fact. In general, the people of Pekin are hard working, law-abiding, civic-minded and tolerant people. It’s a great town, and I’m proud to be a part of it.

Are there problems over here? Of course! Is racism a problem over here? Well, there was the ugly incident where a bunch of employees at a Pekin gas station threatened to walk off of their jobs over a rumor that the new owner was an Arab (I think they turned out to be Chicagoans of Persian or Indian decent – I can’t find the article). I’d say yeah … there are still problems with racism.

But there are encouraging signs as well. All three of my kids that are in school or preschool have minorities in their classes. The only other active Pekin blogger is not of caucasian decent, and he’s married to the daughter of Pekin’s ex-mayor (and perhaps future mayor). Edgar also coaches the Pekin High girls soccer team, and last I heard there haven’t been any open revolts about entrusting a minority male with the daughters of Pekin. I have yet to see any white hooded robes despite the Pekin nickname I heard in high school. There haven’t been any burning crosses out in front of the Fast Dragon Chinese restaurant.

Peoria is hardly without it’s racism and crime – hell, the Peoria blogosphere is constantly talking about the crime problem in Peoria. How many murders have there been in Peoria this year? 16? Last time I checked, there haven’t been nearly that many on this side of the river. Yeah, maybe Creve Coeur is way up there on the state DUI list. Maybe that’s because Illinois Route 29 runs right through the middle of town. Maybe Creve Coeur cops are just more diligent than Peoria cops and they catch more drunks.

Now I’m not a very religious man, but I did go to Sunday school for a while. I’m reminded of a quote regarding eyes, motes & timbers … I must admit, that’s a good one.

Come on, people. We’re all part of one Heart of Illinois community … let’s act like it. Make fun of Chicago! (Laughing)

I missed something, apparently. When did a “mall” become a “lifestyle center”????

Reminds me of George Carlin’s shellshock becomes combat fatigue becomes post-traumatic stress disorder schtick.