Dear Editor:
We agree that Medicaid reform is essential to reduce state spending. Community-based services for Illinois seniors have effectively reduced the growth of state Medicaid spending for long term care. Between 1980 and 2008, the number of persons 75+ increased 54%; Illinois Department of Aging Community Care Program (CCP) participants increased by over 66,000, while nursing home residency declined by 8%....
January 13, 2012
To the Editor:
It was with some amusement and nostalgia that I listened to WNOI’s report of last night’s North Clay School Board meeting. It seems the old feeling of animosity between Flora and Louisville has not waned over the years. Growing up in Louisville I was indoctrinated with the idea that Flora is our enemy - they want to steal the Courthouse from us - they already have stolen the County Hospital from it’s rightful location in the County Seat, etc. And living in Flora since 1964 it has become apparent that, even though we’re only eight miles apart, still, “the twain shall not meet”.
Good old fashioned rivalry is one thing, but being down-right unfriendly and not supporting each other continues to send a very negative message to our children. Paul Knapp is now feeling the brunt of this animosity.
Dear Editor,
Reading a recent article printed about the last 4 years left me extremely confused. It was asserted in this article that TIF funds were not used for the Jesse James subdivision, and yet in the Oct 4 2010 city council meeting minutes posted online by American Legal Publishing, its discussed at length how TIF funds will be used to reimburse for road construction. I am confused, if you word it funny does it make it okay? Frankly I don’t think you can play games with funds like that, but it seems to be what we are doing. It was also ascertained that Flora has a housing crisis. It is time to get out of the office and look. Flora is FILLED with empty houses, and lots outside the city are doing just fine! If you have a job, getting a house in town is pretty easy.
Just recently NAL moved its headquarters. Its also been posted lately that NAL is putting plants in Muscle Shoals AL. not expanding here. I don’t see that as a success.
In the last 4 years we have seen liquor licenses granted to at least 2 more stores and I believe 2 more bars, recently The liquor commissioner requested another class B license for Wal mart, thankfully no one would second the motion.
Letter to the Editor
It has been several years since I regularly wrote my editorial column entitled “The View From Here.” I’m retired from publishing, but not from community life.
Having recently read the articles printed locally, outlining the platforms of the three candidates running for city mayor, I felt a need to express an opinion.
My background for expressing these opinions comes from attending and reporting the activities of the Flora city council for 28 years. I also served two terms on the city council to gain first hand insight and experience. Since retiring, I have had the opportunity to periodically work with subsequent councils.
The mayoral articles mentioned three items as possible considerations for action by candidates.
One candidate mentioned considering the possibility of selling the city’s utility systems and services to a commercial company, which would be Ameren-CIPS.
Municipalities in Illinois and across the nation are faced with numerous challenges, not the least of which is encouraging economic growth in blighted, decaying, and underperforming areas in need of development or redevelopment.
Most often improving these areas requires a public investment to reduce the extra cost and risk that private development faces in such areas. The public wishes to see this development occur, but without increased taxes or the reduction of other necessary services and projects that would be required to pay for the public investments that development and redevelopment usually require.
One tool successfully in use in Illinois and 48 other states to meet this economic development challenge is Tax Increment Financing: or TIF. With this development tool, financially strapped local governments can make the improvements they need, like new roads or sewers, and provide incentives to attract new businesses or help existing businesses stay and expand. And TIF does this without tapping into general municipal revenues or raising taxes.
Dear Editor,
As I look out the A-1 Needlework store window I am depressed at the site of North Avenue. I remember the time when I had to be at J.F. Rich Furniture Store by 6:30 a.m. to sweep the front walk. Don Rich would say, “ We have to have a clean store front.” This was a time when you said good morning to Phil Mann and other individuals as they swept their sidewalks. Other mornings the building’s front windows were washed before 8:00 a.m. so as to not make it unsafe for the customers to come into the store. For some reason they did not like to get water on their clothes.
By 9 a.m. the store was busy with customers. Cars packed perpendicular to the curb had brought the customers shopping to the shops. Saturday afternoon and evenings were meeting times for friends and families. Today at 11:20 a.m. there were four trucks, one van, and one car in the same two blocks that use to be full. Then, if you wanted to see someone your chances were good that they would be somewhere between the A&P Store and Scudamores. Flora Bank, with President Elmer Woods, was hopping. Now the corner bank is closed on Saturday.
Today I walk by empty buildings, see no one on the sidewalk and can park semis about any place. A-1 Needlework moved downtown to “help fill up buildings and promote business to the area.” Since moving we watch stores close. Now there are four stores on West North Avenue open.
Dear Editor,
There was a very good crowd at the basketball game on Dec. 4, when the Flora Wolves took on the South Central Cougars.
The veterans want to thank the Flora Community School District for honoring them at halftime. There was about 40 veterans in attendance.
I want to thank the district for taking my idea and making it a reality.
Dear Editor,
We the People, living South of Chicago, Illinois wish to be freed from the heavy hand of Chicago politics.
The great area of the state cannot compete politically. The power of the multitudes concentrated in the area of the state called Chicago is an unbearable burden of the rest of us to suffer.
Actually, the people of Chicago, Illinois are also held hostage by the well established political machine that has operated with a free hand for many years. However, they must take care of their own house.
Dear Editor,
I am writing in regards to the terrible accident that happened at the Halloween Parade. The reason I am writing is because the tractor that was behind us just barely missed the trailer that my three grandchildren and two other children were riding in behind my tractor.
My grandchildren had looked forward all day to the parade, some of them coming from Sherman, Ill. Just to ride on the trailer and throw out candy. When the van hit the back tractor, it shoved the other tractor, causing it to fly by our trailer and into the ditch. The tractor had a loader on it and had God not turned it enough to miss our trailer, I am convinced it would have killed my grandchildren or definitely injured them very badly. My grandchildren were traumatized by the accident. The three little ones no longer wanted to ride on the trailer through the parade. The whole thing really ruined the excitement of the while evening for all of us.
Dear Editor,
With the U.S. Senate scheduled to begin debate on the climate change (Cap & Trade) bill after the Labor Day recess, it is time for the electric consumers in Southern Illinois to mobilize in opposition to the bill.
Although supporters of Cap & Trade point to its success in reducing sulfur and nitrogen emissions, carbon emissions are a completely different animal.
Yes sir! I’m as angry as you are about the abortion, the alcohol, the pornography the peaceniks, the bash-America first crowd, the homosexual lobby, and perhaps a hundred other things that are in cahoots with the devil himself.
I would like to publicly thank Ray Rutland for the kindness he showed me and many others, this past week, when he removed snow from driveways and walkways. He was at my home around 2:30 p.m. He said he had started at 8 a.m. that same day and had about three more stops to make.
