[Imc] News-Gazette

[Mike Lehman]

The week of Oct. 23 to Oct. 28, 2000

Sorry I'm behind on this; I have to get into the habit of writing this
stuff down, rather than just letting it piss me off. The alphanumeric
code after the dates in the entries indicate section and page number.
This is an important indication of the relative importance of the story
to the NG editing staff, as indicated by the placement of the article in
the paper.

CHAMPAIGN COPS ARM THEMSELVES FOR WAR
This story has been brewing for a few weeks while the attention from the
recent police killing of a man out for a walk.

10/23 NG, B-1 said that the new armored car would cost $169,950 and
would be discussed at Tuesday's city council meeting. They would also
discuss the annual report of city's human right's commission then.
10/24, B-1 Candidates for Congress both support more funds for cops and
prisons. This is despite falling crime rates and a War on Drugs that is
a demonstrable failure. Must be time to buy that fancy new armored
car...
10/25, B-1 Coverage of the previous evening's Champaign city council
meeting. It is noted that the SWAT team has expanded, mostly because of
the increased demand for their services during constitutionally
questionable no-knock searches as they conduct the War on Drugs. In only
15% of these cases are guns even discovered, let alone requiring the
massively disproportional services of the SWAT team. It was noted that
the SWAT guys now bring medics with them when they deploy, seemingly
indicating that they expect people to get hurt when they make a house
call. The armored car can resist high-powered weapons and has gunports
so that those aboard can use their weapons against the enemy from inside
the urban assault vehicle. Council members approved the purchase, 7-2,
amid concerns expressed about the increasing militarization of the local
police. There is no mention of the findings of the report of the Human
Relations Commission in the story.

WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY DEPT. PART I
The passing of longtime head of the US Communist Party, Gus Hall, was
occasion for comment on the editorial page of the NG, 10/23, A-6. The
editorial did it's best to set up socialism and democracy as opposite
forces, a false dichotomy that would be more accurately cast as
capitalism vs democracy.

WRONG SIDE OF HISTORY DEPT. PART II

10/24, A-1 Federal judge rules against the state of Illinois intervening
in the Miami tribe's lawsuit to regain their ancesteral lands. If they
do so, the state could risk losing the UI, EIU and any other state
property in the area. The "Our ancestors stole it fair and square from
yours" crowd was well represented at that night's County Board meeting
as reported 10/25, B-3 where the board passed a resolution opposing the
lawsuit of the natives. Egged on by a representative of the
anti-natives/casino group from Ford County, the libertarian-leaning,
far-right dominated county board here voted to encourage the government
to spend public money to defend the interests of a private party,
something they would definitely oppose if it involved human rights(other
than their own) or unsafe products.

UNION BUSINESS
10/25, B-1 County board has been holding out for a toatl of $1,800 in
signing a contract with 11 county highway workers. They approved an
increase of $200,000 in the budget for bricks for the new courthouse.
Somebody should have suggested that they pass the hat among the county
board members present to see if they could have come up with $1,800 for
the workers.

10/27 Rantoul High School teachers' received increases in their new
contract, news of which was buried on B-4.

NOBODY'S BUSINESS BUT OURS
News that should be of interest to people in general, and consumers in
particular, is often buried in the Business section. It's really
nobody's business, but the financial world's, if you eat bad meat, are
facing a 3/4 billion rate increase or someone dies on the job or a union
wins a new contract.

10/23, C-8 Strike ends at shipyard after 45 days after new contract
ratified.
Actors' strike appears to be near an end.
Tens of thousands of blacks are alleged to have been charged higher
interest on car loans by General Motors and Nissan than whites were. 
Gas prices up again by 3 cents, now that the calls for investigations of
price fixing have been squelched by politicians eager to keep getting
oil company donations as election day draws close.

10/24, D-4  Hispanics die on the job at a rate higher than blacks or
whites. It was noted that many of them work in such dangerous industries
as agriculture and construction. No mention was made of the fact that
hispanics are also often exploited by bosses eager to avoid questions
about health, safety and immigration, while using the fact that illegal
status is often an excuse to pay substandard wages to make bigger
profits.

10/25, B-5 A Champaign man, Michael York, was killed on the job in
Decatur, building a new McDonald's. It was the 3rd fatality on the job
in as many months in Macon County.

10/27 C-9 Retired Bridgestone/Firestone workers testified that quantity
was more important than quality at the plant in Decatur that made many
of the recalled tires. One worker said the company preached quality, but
if you fell behind on production, you would be disciplined by the
company. The plant was also known for it's mandatory 12 hour a day
rotating swing shifts, a practice that is well-known to cause problems
with alertness and perception due to circadian rhythm disruption. It was
reported that one test involved puncturing the sidewall of the tires as
they were produced. A company spokesperson said that this was a standard
practice, but didn't explain why it made sense to purposely puncture a
tire in the production process.

10/28 E-3 A plan by the new owners of the Clinton Nuclear plant to raise
rates to Illinois consumers by 3/4 billion dollars has been temporarily
halted by a court ruling. A Exelon company spokesperson said they would
appeal, but didn't mention that it would probably be after the election
(when they hope the dust settles in favor of the company, no doubt.)

10/28 E-3 A recall of bad beef by Omaha Steaks may not amount to much.
The recall was intiated by federal regulators more than 3 months after
the bad beef was produced. Most of it has probably already been eaten,
but the company will offer you a refund, if you haven't already eaten,
and perhaps puked back up, the beef.

RAISES ARE BAD FOR WORKING PEOPLE
10/25, B-7 Champaign County jobless rate down, but don't let that get
your hopes of that big raise up, because labor is more scarce and, thus,
more valuable...
10/26, C-8 Fears of a tight labor market causing wages to be raised in a
normal market response could lead to increases in interest rates,
inflation or even the end of the world (just kidding about the last
one---maybe). In any case, there was only a growth rate of 0.9% in wages
and salaries in the third quarter, lowest in a year.

SCAMS AT PUBLIC EXPENSE
10/20 and 10/25, A-1 Jack Hayes, who bought a parking deck that
Champaign financed as "economic" development with big loans, got stuck
with the bill when he defaulted on the loans several years ago and
allowed the deck to fall into disrepair. Now Mr. Hayes wants to "sell"
it back to the city. A good example of why the public needs conditions,
such as Living Wage and other performance requirements, on public
economic development funds to assure that they aren't misused by
politically connected business people. Mr. Hayes is losing in court on
the matter, but it still looks like the public will get stuck with the
bill in this farce.

10/28, B-2 The local US Attorney cleared Mark Shelden, the county clerk,
of dragging his feet in returning votor's registration cards to student
voters before the election. The investigation consisted of her calling
Mr. Shelden and asking him if he broke the law; he said he didn't. No
voters were interviewed. Case closed.

It reminded me of the National Labor Relations Board's looking into my
old employer's union-busting activities. The NLRB called the company and
asked if they had broken the law; the company said no. No workers were
interviewed. Case closed. Ah the Feds, they sure have the white-collar
crooks quaking in their boots...

RELIGION SECTION
10/27, D-1  You can bet there will be some "Christian" types writing
furious letters to the editor in upcoming days. The Religion Section had
a front page feature story on a practicing witch and other aspects of
religious practice associated with--gasp--Halloween. That will surely
bring the anti-Satanists out of the closet.

Mike Lehman