Earlier this month, I released information concerning a proposal I presented to the Tazewell County Board concerning the cost and savings possible if the county board discontinued the monthly printed county board packets for every member and embraced an electronic media option.
Several of the newspapers in the county covered the issue and I received a large amount of feedback, interestingly enough equally divided between A) negative responses, B) positive support, C) questions and suggestions.
THE ISSUE: False accounts created on the Morton Times-News website spur debate on readers’ ethical duties.
WHAT WE THINK: Using false information is not the way to share ideas and opinions.
THE ISSUE: Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan wants to release the names of those who are licensed to own guns
WHAT WE THINK: Releasing these names is a bad idea and could be dangerous.
THE ISSUE: The U.S. Supreme Court upheld the rights of anti-military protesters to protest at military funerals.
WHAT WE THINK: The supreme court made the right decision.
THE ISSUE: The legislature would like to remove the text of public notices from newspapers and post them on the web.
WHAT WE THINK: This idea is short-sighted due, in part, to the the penetration of the web.
The Illinois office of AARP has joined the Illinois Press Association’s opposition to House Bill 1869, which would take public notices out of newspapers and scatter them throughout thousands of obscure, government websites.
The issue Gov. Quinn said he would bring integrity and transparency to the governor’s office
What we think The recent controversy over unconfirmed appointments raises questions about whether the state’s ethics have improved.
The issue With recent tragedies, concealed carry laws are being discussed as the end all be all in public safety.
What we think Concealed carry law gives power to be judge, jury and executioner to people that should not have that responsibility.
The issue Morton is a small town, but crime does happen.
What we think Mortonites should be cautious and aware of the crime that takes place in their town.
The issue Times are tough.
What we think Despite tough times there are things to be thankful for. It is during tough times you have to look a little harder.
The issue Illinois government officials’ job performance evaluations will not be available under the Freedom of Information Act, according to HB 5154
What we think The public has a right to know how its tax money is being spent, including the job performance of the state’s employees
The issue The electorate has signaled they are tired of hoping for change.
What we think Voting in new representatives is easy. The hard work follows election day and the burden of change cannot be borne by elected officials alone.
There’s no doubt. The past six years have been a successful ride for the Morton High School marching band. But, perhaps no show has had more meaning than that of this year’s theme.
October marks the beginning of deer mating season.
This means one thing: more of those four-legged creatures bolting in front of motorists on the roadway, too often causing accidents and sometimes deaths.
It is easy to criticize the construction of a multi-million dollar facility, particularly at a time when finances and budgets are tight. Not surprisingly, many residents were concerned with the village’s decision to move forward with the purchase of a new fire station to the tune of $4 million.
Beyond that, not all who have questioned the cost of the fire station have been able to see it in action. That opportunity will present itself when the Morton Fire Department hosts an open house from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 9 at the new West Courtland station.
Comcast customers were in for a surprise when they arrived to drop off their payments at the Morton office after Sept. 1 only to realize the facility was closed.
But, its closure is far from a surprise. What is a surprise is that the company did so while a franchise agreement was still in place. A recent law change allows them to get away with the closure regardless of an agreement.
The beautiful, crisp weather Morton has experienced the past couple of weeks can mean only one thing: fall is finally here.
Not only is the weather perfect for more outdoor adventures, it is also perfect harvesting weather for farmers, who last year at this time, had not even started harvesting due to a wet late summer and early fall.
A recent survey by TimesNewspapers found that Morton was among a list of seven communities in Woodford, Peoria and Tazewell counties not in compliance with the state’s new Freedom of Information Act.
Only four public bodies were in compliance. That is a dismal record. (Click here for full story)
If a Tazewell County sheriff’s deputy’s sworn duty is to protect and serve the citizens of the county, and instead he uses on-duty time to carry out personal business, that is one offense that should justify firing that employee. That is common sense, right?
If a video shows corrections officers using what many felt was excessive force in controlling a female prisoner — a prisoner that was half the size of the male officers — they should be disciplined for their actions. That is common sense, right?
