Peoria Pundit

How many years has the Journal Star been publishing a “Word on the Street” column? Well, I don’t know exactly when, but it was before I started this blog in 2002. And I know that the Chicago Tribune created its “RedEye” edition after I started this blog.

So I was concerned when I encountered this blog on the RedEye Website:

Feh.

I know that “word on the street” is kinda a generic term. But you would have thought a media behemoth the the Chicago Tribume might have done , I dunno, a GOOGLE SEARCH before naming this thing. Perhaps they did, but thought “Pft! What’s a lightweight like the Journal Star going to do? Let ‘em sue.”

Hmmm … now that I think about it, it does kinda suck that the Journal Star would name a weekly column about local politics “Word on the Street” when there’s been a newspaper in Peoria for decades called the “Word.” Well, first, it was “West Bluff Word,” but now it’s called “The Community Word.”

So, I guess the PJS wouldn’t have a leg to stand on if they complain to the Chicago Tribune, after all.

But I wouldn’t advise Word publisher Debbie Adlof to sue the Journal Star. She might win and end up owning the damn thing. With shares selling for 6 cents each, that’s not a good thing.

OK … so let’s set forth the facts.

President Bush was in town at a fundraiser. He was charging well-to-do Republicans $5,000 to have their picture taken with him.

While in town, he had his picture taken with Peoria Police Chief Steve Settingsgaard.

Ooooo … what a scandal.

The Journal Star is deeply concerned.

“As is very common for presidential visits, the Secret Service offered the opportunity to local law enforcement to be able to meet the president,” Settingsgaard said in an e-mail to the Journal Star. “I shook his hand, said a kind word and they snapped a picture.”

What we’re not sure about, though, is whether the chief paid the $5,000 asking price for the picture, if he got to keep the photograph for free, or if he even walked off with a photograph. Plus, who was “they?” He declined to answer follow-up questions we had about the picture.

The Journal Star is deeply concerned. Trouble is, I don’t know if they are deeply concerned that Settingsgaard paid $5,000 or if he DIDN’T pay $5,000. If he did pay, then it’s a case of a public employee being overly political, I suppose. If he didn’t, then his posing for a picture may constitute some form of a gratuity from the Bush administration to Settingsgaard.

I believe that I am speaking for a great majority of Peorians when I say: “Oh, get a frigging life.” I’m sorry all to hell that Settingsgaard’s reply wasn’t as specific as you would like, but it seems clear that the chief got his picture taken with the president because politicians like to have their picture taken with police officers. At this point in Bush’s career, posing for a picture with Settingsgaard did more for GW’s reputation than the other way around.

Feh. I’m willing to bet the “concern” being expressed anonymously comes from those who are overly worried about the money the city spent providing security during Bush’s visit.

“Closed sessions” are a fact of life for journalists who cover public meetings. And, it is in these meetings where the dirty laundry gets aired. Illinois has a strong open meetings law. But, it requires state’s attorney’s to enforce and that is almost never done. But public bodies are required to keep minutes of meetings, then release those minutes at a later date. The Peoria Journal Star mines these documents for pieces of gold.

The Word on the Street column, a weekly round of local political news, often includes fascinating bits of information about public controversies that were previously unknown to the general public. Take, for instance, the matter of a Peoria police captain who was demoted to lieutenant after being being involved in a drunk driving accident with a city-owned vehicle. The Illinois State Police report said there was open liquor in the car, and his blood alcohol content at the scene was .18 percent.

Also, former Assistant Chief of Police Mike Button was officially on duty on the night he arranged for a stripper to perform (all she did was remove her top) as part of a practical joke (the story was revealed by the Peoria Times-Observer, by the way). But the most interesting nugget was that a detective who was conducting a real interview about a real crime was told to relocate the interview because the room he was using was needed for the practical joke. Button was suspended and is now chief of the tiny Creve Coeur Police Department.

More newspapers need to use this news gathering tool.

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