No Twitters' in election year 2005 but the PJS was rather scathing in their criticism of Mr. Ardis who defeated the incumbent Mayor Ransburg by 2700 votes .Raansburg was endorsed by everybody who was anybody, or thought they were. Still, Mayor Ardis is serving his third term while Ransburg is leaving his position as Chairman of the Peoria Riverfront Museum (PRM), a disaster some 15,000 of us voters saw long before the first spade of earth was turned.
In writing, "Ransburg has done a fine job as mayor; keep him" the PJS also wrote. 'Ransburg laid plans for a $100,000,000 first class Downtown museum that will attract tourists and boost the quality of life for Peorians. The vast majority of the support (money) will come from the private sector"
In actuality, the public sector, not the private sector, paid roughly 70% of the supposedly $97 million dollar museum. The PJS, and all reporters, but Phil Luciano, continues to lie about who is paying for the museum, it's unknown and publicized cost and that it is, to this day, underfunded. Ex-Mayor Ransburg promised to personally raise $10 million dollars when he never "personally" raised $1 million. They still mis-inform the public about the failed projection, especially the 240,000 attendees to the museum has turned out to be 145,000 and many of those are free.
In letters to the editors, Ardis struck back and criticied the PJS two times in year 2005 and a rather lenghty criticism of the PJS on 12/13/07. After several years of snipping at Mayor Ardis, the PJS finally found the opening they were looking for and ran the "twitter' deal as front, full page, and on and on and on. Then, at first opportunity, wealthy Peoria City Councilperson Chuck Weaver, who envisions himself as succeeding Ardis as mayor, jumped into the fray to abet the PJS and it's columnists' to heavily criticize the mayor on the City Council floor.
Our Chief of Police, whose Detective Department seems wanting, found himself between "a rock and a hard spot", over-reacted and used more force than seemed necessary. (Some good lawyer, who supports legalizing "Mary Jane", as I do, should get the case against the unfortunate guy who owned or rented the place where the twitter 'tweeted' those really nasty tweets, freed from any charges)
It appears Ardis and the Chief made a mistake. So all the mayor's enemies, including those who supported Ransburg way back then, want to brand the mayor's career on this mistake and make him a whipping boy, somewhat similar to what they, mainly the PJS, have done with all others they do not like.
Jim, I have a great regret that this has happened to you and your family. Just another reason why the PJS, often called the "Urinal Star", has been such a deterrent to the those with "made" reputations are reluctant to run for public office. The PJS is one of the most liberal newspapers in the country which is evidenced by the frequent appearances of educated Socialists like Gene Robinson, one or so PJS reporters, etc., get so much more print space than factual reporters like Jonah Goldberg and Charles Krauthammer.
I dropped my PJS subscription but my wife bought a copy of today's paper. I will blog more on it's contents later.To the Journals credit, the paper was an interesting read today, once you wended your way through the ads.
Best wishes, Jim. We have not always agreed but being mayor of this town, is no EASY task.As I was quoted by the PJS way back when the Peoria Historical Society was being basically shut out of the new "artsy" museum, "there are too many big egos in this community". Plus a prejudiced major newspaper, not enough major businesses, weak school boards and strong unions, especially in the public education field.
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