Pearson gone, Bonne charged with DUI, Syverson vs. Sweeny, another casino proposal

The bitch about vacation is that it isn't really a vacation. It's really more a matter of putting off the work, which compounds each day, until you return to pay the piper. This has been my life, for the most part, since my reluctant return from San Juan. I think I'm finally caught up now, though.

I apologize to readers who may have grown weary of infrequent posts for the last couple weeks, but I assure you we have much to talk about.

Where shall we begin?

How about the Metrocentre? When I last addressed this, it looked like the party was over for Corey Pearson, and that turned out to be the case. The way it appears, I'm willing to bet Corey was told to start looking for a job months ago so that he could resign instead of being fired. His house of cards has begun crumbling as questionable expenses have been discovered, but he's managed to sidestep the falling anvil.

He's someone else's problem now, so good riddance. Let us hope one or both of the mayor's new panels will take a good look at the Authority Board as well.
Mark Bonne, Republican turned independent, was arrested and charged Thursday night with DUI - his second. Based on his resemblance to W.C. Fields, I'm not surprised. Einar Forsman and Paul Logli, I've got my eye on you, too.

I wonder if Dave Syverson got a late-night phone call from a noisy holding cell early Friday morning, pleading to make Bonne's latest flub disappear.

Right now, a bill by Syverson aims to do away with the Cullerton ruling which resulted in so many recent candidacy objections, including one that backfired on Bonne when he applied the ruling to Democrat Bill Robertson's having voted in the previous GOP primary. In a comical twist, the same ruling knocked Bonne off the ballot after it was discovered he'd voted in the Democratic primary. Both ended up running as independents.

In an instance where justice prevailed, Robertson won the 14th Ward seat, and it looks as though Bonne may have been drowning his sorrows ever since.

By the way, Syverson's bill passed the Senate and is before the House.

Speaking of Syverson, I'll bet he wants to strangle Chuck Sweeny right about now. The Register Star stopped reporting on the controversy Sweeny started by painting Dave as a saboteur of W. State St.

As it turns out, Syverson agreed to a special meeting with residents on the west side who were pissed off by what Sweeny wrote. Of course, Dave said Sweeny used his comments out of context. All things considered, I think Syverson is right on this one. The weekly reported that Sweeny hightailed it out of the meeting early, and Sweeny hasn't uttered a word about it since.

My guess is that we'll see one or two apologetic pieces in the near future in the daily. Sweeny will latch on to some Syverson cause to make amends. Maybe it'll be the Bonne Bill.

Yesterday, RRStar editor Linda Grist-Cunningham broke the daily's silence by throwing stones at Democratic chairman Dan Lewandowski, who apparently - get this - sent text messages stating "brass" at the daily had killed the story about Syverson's appearance on the west side.

Because it didn't occur to editorial staff that a reporter should be sent to the meeting, Grist-Cunningham basically said Sweeny didn't report on it because he was a part of the story. Looks to me like they're too chicken to admit Sweeny was just plain wrong.

I've gone easy on Chuck in the past, especially considering he's made it particularly obvious he's getting many of his ideas from this blog, but I have little sympathy for him here. Aaron Chambers should have gotten Sweeny's job, but there can't always be justice.

Sweeny also wrote strongly in support of an additional subsidy for the Metrocentre this week. He pretended the city isn't already paying an annual subsidy of more than $900,000. That payment now goes toward paying down renovation bonds, but it is a subsidy nonetheless, based on lofty, undelivered promises made by the MC - that no other money would be required from the city. To date, no one has been held accountable for the broken promises.

The problem child wants another $1 million a year, and we'll be stuck paying it. The way Sweeny sees it, we have to take one for the team. But in professional sports, the owners aren't the ones who are asked to make the sacrifices.

If the shareholders aren't seeing a return on investment, management and coaching staff are the first to go, but that hasn't been the case in the Rockford fiefdom.

The taxpayers are the owners, city council is management and the Authority Board is the coaching staff. The shareholders think it's time for new leadership all around.

The situation begs another question: Would the Blackhawks organization pitch in on a bailout to keep the Metrocentre's doors open? Doubtful, but it makes one wonder what would happen if the Icehogs no longer had a facility to call home.

Back to likely 2013 mayoral candidate Dave Syverson.

Syverson's behind yet another bill that would bring a casino to Rockford. We've come to laugh at these over the years, but this is about the best chance a casino in Rockford has had yet.

All things considered in Springfield, I see more gaming licenses on the horizon. Republicans like this idea, because they can say they didn't raise your taxes to get at the extra loot.

A casino may cure what ails downtown, but if one happens, they're gonna wanna put it out by I-90. Under the circumstances, I guess I'd have to support the riverboat standard in Illinois to keep it downtown.

There will be a casino in Rockford, but it will undoubtedly be out by the tollway, because that's where all the private dollars are invested right now.

Mayor Morrissey oughta speak up on this issue now before his beloved downtown loses another golden opportunity.

Let's talk about Dan Conness, the 14th Ward and Rockford Township...

Well, the city council will be rid of Dan Conness soon enough, but the damage in the 14th Ward has already been done. Just ask all those folks living next to Rockford Blacktop.

I love the smell of asphalt in the morning. It smells like...treachery.

Speaking of which, wanna know why none of the mayoral challengers are picking on Morrissey for breaking the tie to approve the asphalt plant? They'd have done the same thing. Well, I suspect Jesus Correa is an exception, and that might not be a bad point for him to bring up at some time during the campaign.

By the way, Jesus, since I know you're a reader, I'd be glad to grant you the floor if you'd like to talk about the issues and your ideas. My site meter tells me we're rapidly attaining impressive readership.

The asphalt plant was one of those deals Conness publicly pretended to be against, but I suspect he privately urged his fellow aldermen to pass it. Business as usual in Rockford, and that's why I'll be glad to gawk at his political castration in township waters.

Rockford Blacktop gets whatever it wants, and we get stuck with their piss-poor roads. Rinse, repeat.

Anyway, now the cocksure Conness thinks he can topple Patriot Pete MacKay for the Rockford Township highway commissioner job. Being out of work (and recently divorced, from what I hear), I'm sure that's quite appealing to Dapper Dan. What's he gonna do when he loses in that race and doesn't have a council seat to come back to? Maybe he can get a job at the asphalt plant. I suppose he's earned that much.

I suspect he's been letting Jameson (that's an Irish whiskey to the squares) do all the thinking.

There's no point in delaying an endorsement for the best candidate to succeed Conness: That's a no-brainer. Vote for retired Fire Chief Bill Robertson, a proven, untarnished leader and true Rockford Patriot.

Now, as for township supervisor, a good Patriot named Don Hall, a Republican, wants to unseat Democrat Mickey Goral. Hall has an impressive military background and was fingered as a super-candidate during the Republican township caucus a while back.

Mr. Hall has been doing his best to paint Goral as a Blago pal. I do know Goral was once appointed to a salaried post by the shamed ex-governor, but I don't know if they're actually acquainted. If anybody knows, send me the skinny.

Hall also points to a salary increase recently approved for Goral, as though the supervisor can simply give himself a raise. That stuff is voted on, Mr. Hall, and there are Republicans on the board of trustees. Oh yeah, they got raises, too. If you're going to complain about Goral getting a raise, it seems a little hypocritical to follow that up by saying you want his job.

My advice to Hall: We all know about Mickey Goral, so just tell us about yourself.

Democrat Jeff Holt, who could have made a serious run for mayor, decided he didn't want to raise his kids in Rockford. I don't blame him. He's running for township clerk as Democrats there try to strengthen their little fort.

By the way, it was recently suggested that I open a Cafe Press store so fellow Rockfordians can show their Patriotism. Well, here it is: http://www.cafepress.com/RockfordPatriot.

Right now, there's only a basic t-shirt available, but it's made in America and I didn't mark up the price. I get nothing.

Disclaimer: Cafe Press rapes you for $15.99-plus, which I have no say about.

As we continue our journey together, I'm sure the product line will expand. Submissions from local artists are encouraged. Let's take back our destinies.