The Quincy Underground

ADAMS COUNTY BLOGGERS UNITE!!!!!!!!

2006-10-13T17:49:00.000-05:00

Its time to put up or SHUT UP!!

With the State Reprensentative race a moot point we have decided to put together a campaign to WRITE-IN "Lootie" the beer looter for State Representative. The administrators of three local Blogs got together today to see if we could make a difference or statement in our community. Now that the State Representative race has turned into a joke we have decided to make a joke out of it all the while making a statement to QPD and ISP about thier current tactics. Lootie wil give statements on his positions in weekly press releases. We are going to have two forums called "ASK LOOTIE" in which the beer looter will answer your questions about drinking and alcohol enforcement issues.

We are asking all local Blogger and Blog Administrators to support "Lootie" in his quest to make a difference. The ballot on election day will look like below

State Representive Illinois 93rd District

0 Jil Tracy
0 Kelly Street

There will be a space right under Mrs. Tracy and Mr. Streets name that says "Write-in". Simply color in the circle next to that space and write "Lootie" on the adjoining line.

Local Bloggers have complained about local law enforcement and its recent tactics. It is time to make a statement and put you money where your mouth is!

Call your barstool friends, neighbors, and other like minded people to join this campaign!

Vote for "Lootie" and lets see just how much influence local bloggers have! This is not a joke!! Our goal is to get 1000 votes for "Lootie" Please stop by his site and check out his opening statement. http://quincyissues.blogspot.com/

For Local Blog Administrators ------- Lootie has been endorsed by five local Blogs and is looking for endorsements from the rest of you. If you would like to join Team Lootie please post in the comments of your intention to do so. We will forward valuable campaign information on to you for use on your Blog. Thanks.

disclaimer
This is a serious venture with tongue in cheek humor BUT it is not intended to damage any candidate from either local political party. This is in no means should be construed as an attack or statement against Mrs. Tracy, her job performance, platform, etc.... (congratulation Mrs. Tracy by the way). This is in no means an attack on the Adams County Sheriffs department, thier tactics, or either of the two fine candidates running for that office. The community complaints have not been against that department so it would be unfair to draw them into this affair. This is not intended to harm any other form of media in any manner. This campaign is not intended to promote racism in any form or manner.

Is Anyone Else Getting Sick and Tired of . . .

2006-09-28T13:36:00.000-05:00

seeing our Police Chief in the news with either his hand out for more funding or further tightening the clamps on average citizens? Call me old fashioned but I miss the good ole' days when our beloved mayor was making frontpage news on some improvement to our way of life.

Our Deepest Sympathies.

2006-09-23T10:30:00.000-05:00

We would like to take this opportunity to extend our deepest sympathies to Mr. and Mrs. Tenhouse. We are truly sorry to hear about your lose. Your family will be in our thoughts and prayers.

City vs. County??????

2006-08-07T21:32:00.000-05:00

This evening Adams County Board Chairman Mike McLaughlin spoke before the Quincy City Council. Several Alderman asked Mr. McLaughlin why the county did not have a planning department or zoning. Mr. McLaughlin stated that a proposal has been placed before the County Board on three different occasions. When asked why such measure has failed Mr. McLaughlin stated that the vote broke down as a City vs. County division on the matter and not on political lines.

He may have fooled the Alderman this evening but to use the Oracles words, "He sure did not fool the Underground!" Mr. McLaughlin, How many County Board members represent areas within the City of Quincy or residential areas within the 1 1/2 miles? How many represent areas that are for the most part rural? Districts 1,2,3,4 for the most part include City of Quincy territories. That equates to 12 votes. Districts 6 and 7 are predominately rural. District 5 is a mixture of both with the three Riverside precincts being mainly subdivisions as well as parts of Ellington. The northern half of District 5 is mainly rural. We are just going to give Mr. McLaughlin District 5 as rural for sake of argument. This equates to 9 rural votes. With 12 being greater than 9 we have to ask ourselves if Mr McLaughlin was actually telling us the truth this evening. If Mr. McLaughlins statement is accurate then his tenure as County board president should have produced some form of countywide planning. If the votes have broken down in the manner in which he spoke why has he not taken the initiative to protect both our residents and our local business? Why have both the Ewbanks residents and the Ethanol plant been placed in this precarious situation?

We challenge Mr McLaughlin to show leadership on this matter and not just give us lipservice with some imaginary 75,000 to 100,000 proposal so that our great county does not have to go through such an ordeal in the future. Our residents and their quality of life deserve to be protected as well as Adams County becoming an attractive place for local and new business's to prosper.

Just the Fact Please, Part II

2006-07-12T06:07:00.000-05:00

QHW
Wednesday, July 12, 2006

"Tracy's background as an attorney in the Illinois attorney general's office will give her insight into consumer protection, said Tom Cross, the House Republican leader."

What do these guys take us for? Sorry Jil, but Mr. Cross told the public a bit of a fib on this one! One of former Attorney General Jim Ryan's first actions upon taking office was to move all consumer protection and consumer complaints out of the Regional Offices and place them in the Springfield Office. He eliminated a large number of "Consumer Advocates" from regional offices and replaced them with "Citizens Advocates". Unlike the Consumer Advocates, the Citizens Advocates did not handle consumer fraud. The Director of the Consumer Protection Department (and Attorney for such matters) was Avonne Seals. Mrs. Seals was ultimately responsible for all consumer problems not Mrs. Tracy.

Open Thread.

2006-06-23T06:46:00.000-05:00

Weekend open thread.

Just the Facts Please.

2006-06-09T06:12:00.000-05:00

According to a QHW article dated June, 6, 2006.

"Friends and family cheered as she promised to make government more effective and responsive, while criticizing the administration of Gov. Rod Blagojevich for "a lack of understanding on the issues important to Western Illinois."

"We need to make sure the administration understands our priorities and begins to deliver for our communities," Tracy said."

According to a December 12, 2005 press release from the Governor office "opportunity Returns" program.

GOV. BLAGOJEVICH ANNOUNCES OPPORTUNITY RETURNS SUPPORT FOR MT. STERLING FOOD REDISTRIBUTOR TO SPUR EXPANSION OF FACILITY AND CREATION AND RETENTION OF 100 JOBS

One of Western Illinois’ Largest Employers is Building New 165,000 Square Foot Warehouse

MT. STERLING – Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich’s Opportunity Returns program today announced the awarding of nearly $800,000 in Opportunity Returns support for Dot Foods in Mount Sterling, the nation’s largest food redistributor, which will allow the company to construct a 165,000 square foot warehouse, creating 50 new jobs and retaining 50 existing jobs. Dot Foods, with more 1,500 full and part-time employees, is one of the largest employers in Western Illinois. Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity Director Jack Lavin joined other state and local officials to make the announcement today in Mt. Sterling.

“Opportunity Returns is about making the kinds of investments in companies and communities that are most critical to fostering a more vibrant local economy and creating and retaining quality jobs. Dot Foods is a prime example of a productive company with a long history in the community who needed new resources to accommodate its growing business and continue to reach new customers. Providing this support will allow Dot to expand its facility in Mt. Sterling, helping the company boost its competitiveness and embark on a new era in the same community where it began some 45 years ago,” Gov. Blagojevich said.

The support comes from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO). DCEO will provide Economic Development for a Growing Economy (EDGE) corporate income tax credits over ten years based on job creation and retention, as well as additional financial benefits, such as sales tax exemptions and tax credits for job creation, resulting from the company’s location within the newly expanded Quincy/Adams County Enterprise Zone.

"We appreciate the support Gov. Blagojevich brings to Dot. This expansion will allow us to maintain a competitive edge in the thriving redistribution industry," said Dot Foods Senior Vice President Jim Tracy. "It will also create important new jobs for area residents and ensure we can service our customers the way they've come to expect."

We would like to take this opportunity to inform Mrs. Tracy that she might want to check with family members before she makes any further statements in regards to criticism of the Governor.

Hare Brained!

2006-06-08T06:18:00.000-05:00

The stupidity of certain former members of the local Democrat party continue. In yesterdays QHW certain former members made statements that they supported a candidate for Congress other than John Sullivan.

"In Adams County, most of the votes went for Sullivan, but a break-away group of committeemen allied with the West Central Illinois Democrats supported Hare. Although the break-away vote was not large, . . ."

"We worked with (Hare) for years while he was working with Lane Evans," said Brenda Goehl, who chose not to run as a precinct leader this year."

Our Questions to these individuals are simple ones. Do you think OUR Senator Sullivan will appreciate your support of his opponent? What have Phil Hare and Lane Evans ever done to benefit the Quincy or Adams County Community? Do you think that Hare will actually change his tune (one that he has carried for 23 plus yrs.) and do something for our area now? Do you think having Hare on the ballot actually benefits local Democrat candidates in any form or manner?

It appears to us that these people are once again more concerned with thier own self interest than our community as a whole.

Brain Fart!

2006-06-06T18:59:00.000-05:00

You have to find humor in this day and age where you can. Today a Republican Candidate that is supposed to represent the Christian Right has decided to have a Formal Announcement of her candidacy for State Representative. One Problem. Todays date is 6/6/06. The Number of the Beast. Now it is our understanding that Mrs. Tracy is a Christian person, but what a major mistake her political advisor made on this one!!

The Ballots are in!

2006-06-06T06:16:00.000-05:00

The postmaster will deliver the ballots for the replacement of Lane Evan's to 17th District Democrat Party Officials today. We should know the results of the committeemans vote soon.

State Republican Party trolling for State Representative Candidate

2006-05-30T13:56:00.000-05:00

A poll to determine which candidate and how they will match up against Chuck Scholz is taking place as we speak. It appears as though the State Republican Party is conducting it. We pose one simple question. If this is an open process as we are being led to believe by local Republican party officials, then why are there only three potential republican candidate names included in this poll? Local Republican officials have named six different candidates in recent press releases.

Either way, we have a feeling they are going to be quite disappointed in the head to head polling results against Scholz.

Kindergarten version for Republicans

2006-05-26T10:32:00.000-05:00

After viewing the comments on our site and other sites, it is clear our post yesterday confused area Republicans. There were two points the post was making:

1. Charles Scholz has no control over the Whig and QNI, he does not even work there; and,

2. The Whig and QNI are not giving "unfairly good coverage" to Charles Scholz, but doing their job. It is the medias job to report on good ideas of politicians.

We will try to be more precise in the future, so our Republican readers can keep up.

Amended to include the story by Rich Miller of Capital fax.

CAPITOL FAX
by Rich Miller
Voice 217.529.6811 Fax 312.896.9456 thecapitolfaxblog.com capitolfax@aol.com
FRIDAY, May 26, 2006

DEMS PRACTICALLY ECSTATIC I didn't have the space on Wednesday to explain more about the Democrats' new candidate in retiring Rep. Art Tenhouse's district, but this is a major coup for the Dems.

Chuck Scholz retired as Quincy's mayor last year after three very successful terms. A Democratic poll taken during the mayor's race last year of 500 likely voters showed that even after 12 years in office, Scholz was very popular. 75 percent had a favorable opinion of him (including 74 percent of Republicans), while 80 percent said he had done an "excellent" job as mayor. 54 percent "strongly agreed" that he had done an excellent job, including 52 percent of the Republicans. 72 percent thought the city was heading in the right direction - a hugely significant result after three terms in office. A Democrat ended up winning the race last year to replace him, beating a former Republican mayor in the process.

Quincy isn't all the district, or even a majority. It's somewhat less than half. But Quincy TV reaches just about every corner of Tenhouse's district, so Scholz's name recognition is probably pretty high. He also founded a successful regional economic development organization years ago that encompasses pretty much the entire district. Despite being in "Forgottonia," Adams County (which includes Quincy) has one of the lowest rates of unemployment in Illinois. Scholz also deployed city trucks filled with sandbags into surrounding areas during the devastating 1993 Mississippi/Illinois River flood.

And while Tenhouse's district is generally considered solidly Republican, Democrats have managed to win there, including Lisa Madigan, who eked out a 1,000 vote victory over Joe Birkett in 2002. Madigan had lots of help from some influential locals with long ties to Speaker Madigan - and put 200 volunteers on the street for election day - but many of those same people will now be working for Scholz.

This will undoubtedly be a high-dollar, high-impact, Tier One race - exactly what the House Republicans didn't need.

Local Republicans wrong again

2006-05-25T11:15:00.000-05:00

The Quincy Underground has just completed investigation of the latest rumor being spread by the local Republicans. Local Republicans are claiming that Charles Scholz controls the Quincy Herald Whig and QNI. Calls were made to both the Quincy Herald Whig and QNI. Both businesses informed us that there was not a Charles Scholz working for them. They would not even take a message for Charles Scholz. The local Republicans are wrong again.

We did find that Charles Scholz maintains a law practice at 237 North 6th Street here in Quincy. Prior to that he served as Mayor for the City of Quincy for 12 years.

The local Republicans are further claiming the Whig and QNI give Scholz "unfairly good coverage." Perhaps the reason Charles Scholz receives "unfairly good coverage" from the Whig and QNI is that he has good ideas which he expresses clearly and succinctly. Reporting good ideas of a political candidate is part of the news medias job. When a Republican political candidate has a good idea the Whig and QNI report it. It just doesn't happen often in our area.

Instead of crying that the Whig and QNI favor Scholz, perhaps the Republicans should find a candidate with good ideas and the ability to express those ideas. The old "I'm entitled, I'm a Republican, give me my silver spoon " no longer plays well with the majority of voters or evidently with the Whig and QNI. There are Republicans in our area with good ideas and the ability to express them. It is unfortunate that they rarely seek elected office in the area.

Scholz to Run for State Representative.

2006-05-22T06:52:00.000-05:00

Former Quincy Mayor Chuck Scholz is in Springfield today filing the appropriate paperwork to be placed on the ballot for State Representative. Mr. Scholz was the unanimous decision of the County Chairmen involved in the process. Scholz will make a formal announcement on Tuesday at 9:00 a.m. in Clat Adams Park.

Congratulations!!! Charles and Jamie!

2006-05-21T06:59:00.000-05:00

Two of our favorite people were joined in Holy Matrimony Saturday. We would like to take this opportunity to wish the new couple a lifetime of happiness!!

Duesterhaus to Run for County Board.

2006-05-18T06:12:00.000-05:00

In action taken by the Adams County Democrat Central Committee, Todd Duesterhaus will be placed on the ballot for Adams County Board in District 3. The offical paperwork should be filed soon.

Local Young Republicans in Accident.

2006-05-12T06:44:00.000-05:00

From Associated Press
May 10, 2006 5:28 PM EDT

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Motorists approaching the Swedish capital late Tuesday were met with the unlikely sight of three elephants grazing by the highway, Swedish radio reported Wednesday.

Escaping from a circus van towed by a lorry which had suddenly overturned on a sharp bend just north of the capital, the animals dispersed across the field.

A fourth elephant and the lorry driver were slightly injured but recovered quickly, rescue service spokesman Anders Karlsson told the radio.

"I suppose they could have run away but they were very complacent and stayed on the meadow, close to their keeper," he said.

Police initially thought the accident was more serious and dispatched three ambulances and a helicopter to the site.

"They said one person was trapped in the van, but it turned out it was just an elephant," police spokesman Lars Ivarsson said.

After a couple of hours, the four elephants were loaded into a new van and hauled away.

Thank You Art!

2006-05-10T18:36:00.000-05:00

Art Tenhouse has decided to step down as our local State Representative and take another job. We would like to take this opportunity to thank Art for his many years of hard work and dedication. He has done many great things for our area. We wish him the best of luck in his next venture.

We tip our hats to you Mr. Tenhouse!

Georgia's Volm's goal and dream slipped away today.

2006-05-08T06:41:00.000-05:00

Unless she is appointed by Larry Ehmen. Figure it out yet?

A Good Situation Gone Bad Due To Poor Planning.

2006-05-06T06:31:00.000-05:00

The residents of Adams County would normally be thrilled that an Ethenol plant is being built in Adams County. A new manufacturing plant means more jobs and more money being pumped into our local economy. So why are local residents against such a great situation for our community?

Energy Resource partners says the best spot for their ethanol plant is a location on North 60th Street. The Partners state that this is the right location for this plant because it has the existing infrastructure they need for such a plant. The problem lies in the fact that this location is surrounded by eight residential subdivisions. The residents feel that this plant will adversely affect the value of their homes and the quality of life in their neighborhood.

So which entity is wrong and who is to blame? The business owners are going to try to place the plant in the most convenient and economical location for them. Who could blame them? This is what they are supposed to do, make money for their investors. The residents do not want a factory placed in the middle of their quiet community. They purchased their homes assuming that other homes or agriculture would surround them. They don’t want trucks and added traffic in their serene neighborhood further endangering their children. They have every right to protect their neighborhood and investment.

The fault lies in the past inaction of the Adams County Board. The Adams County Board has decided against setting up a countywide comprehensive zoning on several occasions. A comprehensive zoning plan would have prevented this situation from ever occurring. The taxpaying citizens of Adams County deserve better than the blind eye the Adams County Board has given this issue. Businesses should know that a particular site is unacceptable prior to investing assets into that site. Residents should know that their neighborhood will not be encroached upon by commercial ventures.

At the next County Board meeting, May 9th, a group of affected residents will be there to ask the Board to protect their property rights. The staff at the Underground asks everyone to join these residents at the Tuesday night Adams County Board meeting. Lets ask the current Adams County Board members to show leadership on this issue and give us a comprehensive zoning package so this type of situation does not arise again.

This is a wonderful situation for Adams County that has gone bad due to past inaction by our Adams County Board. Let’s correct it, so we do not find ourselves in this unfortunate predicament again!

Open Thread.

2006-05-05T06:49:00.000-05:00

Weekend Open Thread.

Breaking News . . .

2006-05-04T06:42:00.000-05:00

It appears as though there might be an independent candidate for County Clerk after all. A member of our staff was approached to sign a petition for an independent candidate. This potential candidates voting record reveals that this person is a republican primary voter. Is there some dissention within the local republican party? We will let you all know more as we find out.

Where Were They????

2006-05-02T06:28:00.000-05:00

Immigration parades and rallies took place all over the nation on Monday. We have a small, yet vocal, special interest group in our community that normally beat the bushes when it comes to civil rights issues. They worked tirelessly for placing MLK signs up and down 8th Street. So what happened Monday? Is one civil rights issue more important than another to this group of people? Where is their consistency?

Thank You!!!

2006-05-02T06:15:00.000-05:00

20,000 hits. Thanks to all that stop in and make this site a success!!!

You know you have spent too much time in front of a computer when . . .

2006-04-26T08:35:00.000-05:00

Dad Allegedly Shoots at Son's Computer
By The Associated Press
From Associated Press
April 25, 2006 7:06 PM EDT

DUNEDIN, Fla. - A father fed up with his son for spending too much time on the computer, allegedly fired shots at the monitor, authorities said.

Joseph Langenderfer, 44, was arrested Monday afternoon at his home, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office.

Langenderfer allegedly told deputies he was angry that his son had neglected the laundry and was spending all his time playing computer games. He told deputies the gun accidentally fired and the bullet hit the wall a few feet from where his son, Tim, was sitting.

Tim, 22, called 911 and said he and his dad were arguing and his dad had just shot at him.

Langenderfer was taken to the Pinellas County Jail and charged with one count of attempted murder.

The Oracle Speaks

2006-04-25T06:01:00.000-05:00

As promised, we have set the Oracle up with his own Blog. He will be taking sole possession of it shortly. Please stop in and visit the Oracles new site. The ORACLE SPEAKS

Candidates Forum

2006-04-24T06:16:00.000-05:00

Doug Wilson of the Quincy Herald Whig had a VERY nice article in Sundays paper about the forum of candidates trying to replace Lane Evans. Quincy Herald Whig - Wilson
So we are not going to go the same route. He reported what each candidate position is about and some quotes from each candidate. We have decided to give you an overall impression of how each candidate performed and conducted themselves.

Rob Mellon.

Rob did a nice job. He was well spoken and presented his case in a very knowledgeable manner. We were quite impressed with how Rob handled himself, as this is his first attempt at public office. That being said, Rob has a very difficult message to present. Rob has to try to sell himself as an outsider to political insiders. Not an easy job. You have to walk a very thin line between selling yourself to these committeemen and insulting them for being committeemen. Rob did a very nice job at this. Will the insiders buy his argument? We think it is too tough a pill for most of them to swallow.

Amy Stockwell.

We were impressed with the message that Amy was trying to deliver just not her presentation. Amy, though she appears to be a very intelligent woman is not the best public speaker. Amy seems to understand the financial aspects of the job; she just can not sell it well due to her poor public speaking.

Mike Boland.

We were not real impressed with Mike. He seems knowledgeable but speaks very monotone. Not much to get a person excited. He mentioned opening satellite offices in other areas of the district, just not the Quincy area. That’s a big minus for this staff of writers.

Phil Hare.

Phil wanted to talk about issues only. The problem with Phil speaking about issues is that he is much too far to the left for most members of our staff. This turned us off more than anything did. Phil started his speech and ended his speech by stating that this decision should only be about the issues and not ELECTABILTY. Phil really missed the point. We need both and he does fit the bill for either! Phil has done a great job as an aide/political hack. He should cut a deal and stay there.

Mark Schwiebert.

Now this gentleman was impressive! He spoke about issues and electabilty. He was much more moderate on the issues than most of the candidates. He has an awesome track record of getting elected. Yes, he is from Rock Island and the demographics are tilted heavily in his favor but five terms! That’s impressive. His ideals lead us to believe that he would be a very electable candidate even in our conservative area of the district. When our staff was asking themselves; "whom would you vote for if Sullivan was not in this race?" We all unanimously named Schiebert.

John Sullivan.

John has come a long way since he first announced that he was going to run against Laura Kent Donahue. Yes, our staff is biased, but this gentleman has become a very good public speaker over the last four years. John represents our stance on almost every issue. He has a proven track record of winning tough races. We can't say much about John that everyone else in this area doesn't already know about him. So we won't. John is a rising star in the political field and we look forward to seeing him make the next step!

A special note. We would like to thank Don Johnston and Mary Boland. They both put together a very fair and professional forum. Thank You!

Underground Party.

2006-04-22T06:57:00.000-05:00

The biggest secret in town. If you know where, when or why, then you are obviously invited. If not, then try to find out. Speak to the right person and you are in!

See you all tonight!!!

One shot...Hey! Mas Tequila-

Two shots...Hey! que veneno-

Three shots...Arriba! Mas Tequila!

Wastin’ away again in margaritaville
Searching for my lost shaker of salt

A great BIG thank you to all that attended last nights soiree. Great crowd! Only one noticeable omission from last nights group. What happened to you Senor? We missed you!

Hagstrom Reelected as Adams County Democrat Chairman.

2006-04-19T21:47:00.000-05:00

Verne Hagstrom was reelected by a unanimous vote of the Adams County Democrat precinct committeemen and women.

2006-04-19T06:01:00.000-05:00

Republican George Ryan Guilty!

2006-04-17T12:00:00.000-05:00

Former Republican Governor George Ryan was found guilty of all charges. A federal jury deliberated for eleven days in the George Ryan "Pay to Play" case. The jury found him guilty on 18 counts of racketeering. He was also found guilty of mail fraud, false statements and tax violations.

The Chicago Tribune writes, "Ryan also diverted state resources and staffers to half a dozen political campaigns, including his 1998 election as governor."
Tribune

Automated Phone Calls

2006-04-17T06:20:00.000-05:00

The St. Louis Post Dispatch has an interesting article on "Robo-calls". St. Louis Post Dispatch Political Advertising seems to be moving in this direction due to the price of such calls when compared to direct mail. What do you think of these calls?

Spring Break.

2006-04-14T06:50:00.000-05:00

Comments will be shut off for the weekend while our staff enjoys the Easter weekend with their families. Take an opportunity to step away from the computers for a weekend and get outside and enjoy what looks to be great weather!

Closing Remarks . . .

2006-04-13T06:28:00.000-05:00

Normally we try to stay within the realm of local politics. There are more than enough sources and opinions for people to enjoy on the national political level. We are going to make this exception. With the Presidents job approval rating at an all-time low the comedians are out in full force. Here are Bill Mahars closing remarks from a recent show.

Mr. President, this job can't be fun for you any more.

There's no more money to spend--you used up all of that. You can't start another war because you used up the army. And now, darn the luck, the rest of your term has become the Bush family nightmare: helping poor people. Listen to your Mom. The cupboard's bare, the credit cards maxed out. No one's speaking to you. Mission accomplished."

"Now it's time to do what you've always done best: lose interest and walk away. Like you did with your military service and the oil company and the baseball team. It's time. Time to move on and try the next fantasy job. How about cowboy or space man? Now I know what you're saying: there's so many other things that you as President could involve yourself in, Please don't. I know, I know. There's a lot left to do There's a war with Venezuela. Eliminating the sales tax on yachts. Turning the space program over to the church. And Social Security to Fannie Mae. Giving embryos the vote."

"But, Sir, none of that is going to happen now. Why? Because you govern like Billy Joel drives. You've performed so poorly I'm surprised that you haven't given yourself a medal. You're a catastrophe that walks like a man. Herbert Hoover was a shitty president, but even he never conceded an entire city to rising water and snakes."

"On your watch, we've lost almost all of our allies, the surplus, four airliners, two trade centers, a piece of the Pentagon and the City of New Orleans. Maybe you're just not lucky. I'm not saying you don't love this country. I'm just wondering how much worse it could be if you were on the other side."

"So, yes, God does speak to you. What he is saying is: 'Take a hint.' Amen."

Lane Evans Replacement?

2006-04-11T06:52:00.000-05:00

Here is your chance to sound off for your choice to replace Lane Evans.

If You're Not Guilty . . .

2006-04-07T06:56:00.000-05:00

Recently Republican Inez Totsch had another letter in the Quincy Herald Whig in defense of County Clerk Georgia Volm. It is a well-known fact that the last time a letter from Inez Totsch was in the Herald-Whig that the letter was actually written by Georgia Volm. So we are just going to get right to the heart of the matter and claim Georgia Volm wrote this letter and Inez Totsch signed it. Here is the letter.

QHW 4/06/06
Letters to the Editor

Truth, not Republican crossover, is the reason Volm won

To the Herald-Whig:

The Republican crossover wasn't the reason that Georgia Volm survived. The voters decided themselves who was telling the truth and who wasn't, as well as the best person for the job.

Voteres aren't registered Democrat or Republican. They do have to ask at the primaries for one or the other ballot, but that doesn't mean they have to vote the same way at every primary. The purpose of the primary is to decrease the number of candidates to one from each party in the general election in November.
The voters who care about the candidates and the outcomeof their campaigns are the ones who vote at the primary election.

Inez Totsch
Deputy Adams County Clerk

If you are not guilty of what you were accused, then why the continued defense? Georgia Volm in this letter gave no indication as to which issues she claims were false or any facts to backup her claim. It appears Mrs. Volm is a victim of her own poor judgement once again.

Let the Bickering Begin!!

2006-04-03T06:23:00.000-05:00

The Major League Baseball season is officially underway. The most important argument of the year is about to begin. Will the Chicago Cubs or the St. Louis Cardinals have a better team?

This feud has deep roots in the Quincy community. Quarrels will take place in every barbershop, coffeeshop, and bar in town. Each side will needle the other in a relentless fashion attempting to provoke further discussion. Wagers will be placed and hands will be shook. This year’s underdog will claim just enough victories over the favorite to perpetuate this debate into next year. Either way, we all welcome back our national pastime.

Open Thread.

2006-03-31T06:15:00.000-06:00

Weekend open thread.

Lane Evans Retires.

2006-03-29T23:57:00.000-06:00

Initial information came from Rich Miller at Capital Fax. Here is what they are saying; Capitol Fax

Official Announcement:

This is a tough day for me. I am announcing that I will not run for reelection and will retire at the end of my current term in the U.S. House of Representatives.

When I announced in 1998 that I had Parkinson’s Disease, my doctor said that this condition would not interfere with my work and that I would be able to perform at a high level for a number of years. That window of opportunity is now closing.

I fully expected that I would continue my work for the foreseeable future following this current break from the office. But I have come to recognize that the time needed to address my health makes it difficult to wage a campaign and carry out my work as representative. I will return soon and to the best of my ability complete the important work of this term in my roles as representative and Ranking Member of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

This decision is especially tough because this job means so much to me. I believe strongly in serving people and working to make a positive difference in their lives. Every day has been rewarding and I’m proud of what I’ve been able to accomplish and the fights I’ve made.

I thank my family and everyone who has worked with me — great friends, terrific colleagues, a dedicated staff, fellow vets. And I appreciate the support of people I never met before who would ask how I was doing and tell me to keep up the good fight. I’ll be doing that in the weeks and months ahead and look forward to thanking every one of you personally for all you have meant to me.

To my constituents and veterans across this country, it is an honor and privilege to represent you.

Semper Fi,

Lane Evans

On a side note: The Adams County Democrat Chairman would like to thank all the Republican crossover voters. He will be able to cast THEIR votes for HIS choice to replace Lane at the upcoming caucus!

Independent to File for Countywide Office?

2006-03-28T06:18:00.000-06:00

Today marks the first day that an independent candidate can circulate nominating petitions. Will any Independent candidates emerge for the upcoming County races? The Republicans have still not placed a candidate on the ballot for the Clerk/Recorders office. Their lack of action would make an independent run quite probable.

Proposed FEC rules for Blogs and Political Activity.

2006-03-25T08:24:00.000-06:00

There is an interesting read in the Washington Post this morning. All members of political Blogs should read this article. Washington Post

A CLASS ACT.

2006-03-24T06:11:00.000-06:00

We were asked to post this letter by the Carper Family.

Thank you to the Democrat voters of Adams County for your support on March 21st! We feel that we had a very successful campaign.

Being a political novice it was an enjoyable experience working with such a wonderful committee and members of the Democrat party. We all worked very hard and are so pleased with the amount of votes we received. Being 230 votes shy of an incumbent even with a high crossover makes me very proud to have run for public office. We knew from the beginning that running against an incumbent was going to be a tough. We exceeded our expectations!

We feel we were advocates of the people of Adams County. We felt our issues were legitimate, honest issues that the people of Adams County have with office management in the Clerk Recorders Office. Now is the time to put the issues on the table and work together to make a better Clerk and Recorders office.

We can not thank our family, friends, committee men and women enough for their support emotionally and financially. What a great experience. We have been blessed with many new friends that made all of this possible. We look forward to working with all of you in the future to help elect other Democrats. Thank you.

Sincerely,
Eric and Rita Carper

Carper wins DEMOCRAT vote by 300.

2006-03-21T22:51:00.000-06:00

Eric Carper should be proud. He was the obvious choice amongst Democrats lastnight. Mrs. Volm and her supporters should be ashamed of her totals amongst Democrats. She lost the Democrat vote by over 301 votes lastnight as an incumbant.

So how did we come up with that number? While not an exact science a fairly reasonable estimate can be made as to the Republican crossover that gave Mrs. Vom the win lastnight. There were 3740 total votes placed in the Clerk/Recorders race. The standard bearer amongst Countywide Democrats is Sheriff Brent Fischer. Brent garnered 3209 votes yesterday. (notable mentions, Jesse White 3149 and Lisa Madigan 3100) That is a difference of 531 votes. Mrs. Volm won the race by exactly 230 votes. 531-230=301. Eric Carper won amongst Democrats by 301 votes.

Someone had to say it. The numbers don't lie.

Conclusion. Carper will continue to earn the praise of his peers within the Democrat Party while Volm will continue to lose credibility within the local Democrat party. She did exactly what was accused of her from the beginning.

10,000 HITS !!!!!!!!!

2006-03-18T01:31:00.000-06:00

A great BIG THANK YOU to everyone that has stopped in and made this site a success!!!!!

We have been in existence for 34 days now and are completely overwhelmed by the number of readers we have!!

THANK YOU!

Open Thread.

2006-03-17T16:30:00.000-06:00

We decided to have an open thread again this weekend. Please feel free to open up topics for discussion.

Cameron & Volm hurt Democrat Sheriff Fischer!

2006-03-16T06:06:00.000-06:00

The issue of whether convicted offenders copied vital statistics is an important issue in the County Clerk/Recorders race. Georgia Volm knew she used criminals from the probation office to copy vital statistics in her office. The criminals were sentenced to complete public service work along with other punishments. Paperwork from the probation department shows Georgia Volm was listed as the supervisor of these criminals and even completed a review of their work. Volm listed the work they did as general office work. Current and former employees from the office have confirmed that these criminals copied vital statistics.

Unfortunately for our Sheriff, Volm and Cameron have tried to shift the blame to the Sheriff. Volm and Cameron have tried to say the SWAP workers never copied any records, they only moved trash. Carper and the former employees never said SWAP workers copied records, they allege convicted offenders did. Carper in his brochure states he won't let prisoners in the office; a bright line rule! Three former employees sent a letter stating convicted offenders copied records in the office.

It was a very clever ploy by Volm and Cameron to try to shift the blame to the Sheriff and his SWAP program. Please let all democratic voters know the truth: Volm used convicted offenders from the probation office to copy our vital statistics. The Sheriff and his SWAP program are a great program that should never have been involved in this mess had it not been for Cameron and Volm.

Why are Volm and Cameron trying to hurt our Sheriff? Sheriff Fisher has a contested race in the general election. Cameron claims he is supporting the Sheriff. With supporters like that we may lose our Democrat Sheriff. Shame on you Georgia and Tony!

Our Deepest Sympathies . . .

2006-03-15T16:30:00.000-06:00

On Monday March 13th 2006, Katherine R. Broemmel passed away at the age of 33.

Many of you might not have known Katherine. She previously worked as a legislative aide to Representative Art Tenhouse and former State Senator Laura Kent Donahue. She spent time working on the policy staff of the House Republicans. She was a campaign coordinator for former U.S House of Representaives candidate Mark Baker and had worked as a legislative assistant to Representative Eileen Lyons.

Ned and Reaugh, We are truly sorry to hear about your loss! You and your family are in our thoughts and prayers.

Georgia Volm on the Mary Griffith Show.

2006-03-13T10:03:00.000-06:00

Our Current County Clerk / Recorder was interviewed on the Mary Griffith Show this morning. Enclosed are a few excerpts that the people of Adams County might be interested in.

"I definitely made mistakes".

"I definitely put some strain on employee's".

"We had some mistakes in certain polling places".

"We are more prepared to meet the needs of voters"

Lets see what everyone thinks about Mrs. Volms statements.

Georgia Volm does not represent values of Democrat Party.

2006-03-10T06:20:00.000-06:00

On March 21, 2006, DEMOCRATS will have a chance to decide who represents their values in the race for County Clerk/Recorder. This writer is a lifelong democrat, who has voted in every democratic primary since turning 18. That is the first thing that distinguishes me from Georgia Volm. In 2002 when Democrats were deciding whether or not to put Volm's name on the ballot, it came to light that Georgia Volm had never voted in a democratic primary. Unfortunately, the time was late, and Volm became our candidate.

Since her election, Georgia Volm has proven she does not share our core democrat values and is only calling herself a Democrat for her personal gain. First, shortly after her election, Georgia Volm stated to her employees that she was really more of a republican than a democrat.

Second, Georgia Volm does not treat employees with respect and professionalism. When she was elected, the problem with outgoing clerk George Schrage was that he was not at the office and he failed to file some travel vouchers. The staff of the office was doing a marvelous job of running the office. Georgia's contention that she had to get rid of a "social club" is a lie to mask her terrible treatment of employees. One example of Georgia's poor treatment of employees is when an employee fainted in the office. Other employees were assisting their co-worker, Georgia told the other employees to get back to work. Then when another employee wanted to ride with her co-worker to the hospital to stay with her until a family member arrived, Georgia told her "No! Get back to work." This incident shows Georgia's lack of concern for others. If you are a friend of a person who works in that office, ask them about how they are treated. You may also look at the letter from Carol Means posted on our website. Democrats care for other people and try to operate their offices with their employees to serve everyone better.

The next democratic value Georgia Volm lacks is the desire to provide excellent service to the public. After taking over the Recorder's office, Georgia was made aware that under Larry Ehmen the service to the public had become nonexistent. Mr. Ehmen stated the office is required to record and index records. Under Charlie Williams, an employee was always there to help a member of the general public find their deed or other record they were looking for. That ended during Larry Ehmen's tenure and Georgia Volm has chosen to continue with his philosophy. The employees of the Recorder's office under Charlie Williams were always willing to help. The current employees are excellent and would help the general public if allowed.

Georgia Volm does not respect individual rights. She has made it more difficult for people to vote. Right now our military is fighting in Iraq to give Iraqi people basic rights. One of the most important of those rights is the right to vote. It is a right that we cannot assign a dollar value. Without the right to vote, our whole system of government; by the people for the people fails. Our founding fathers spilled their blood to give us the right to vote. Other service men and women have spilled their blood protecting that right. We do a disservice to their memory when we make it harder for people to vote. We must make it as easy as possible for our citizens to vote. Georgia Volm did not have to reduce the number of polling places when she did. She could have waited until she could purchase the required number of optical scan machines to keep all the polling places open. The "old system" had worked flawlessly in Adams County. The legislation by Congress Georgia cites did not require her to make the change as quickly as she chose to. Of course fewer polling places makes her job easier. In addition, Georgia Volm often claims the County did not have the money to keep all the polling places. Of course her election literature claims she saved $500,000. That is more that enough money to purchase the machines required to restore the former polling places.

Finally, Georgia Volm lacks common sense. Georgia allowed criminals to copy and have access to our vital statistics. Vital statistics include birth certificates, marriage licenses and death certificates. There is a story in the news media at least weekly about identity theft. Many financial institutions now require a copy of a birth certificate when obtaining an annuity, for our protection and to comply with Homeland Security Requirements. Georgia Volm gave access to that important document to criminals. In fact, after reading Tony Cameron's blog site, we learn Georgia Volm was giving prisoners access to boxes full of vital statistics.

On March 21, 2006 we can elect Eric Carper. Eric has voted in democratic primaries. Eric has supported democrats in the past by attending fund raisers, putting up signs and doing literature drops. Eric is committed to providing excellent public service, making it easier for all of our citizens to vote, and treating all people with respect and professionalism. Eric represents the values that we as Democrats admire. On March 21, 2006, true democrats will vote for Eric Carper for County Clerk/Recorder.

Local Republicans try to influence Democratic Primary.

2006-03-08T06:29:00.000-06:00

Recently our staff has noticed a lot of activity by local Republicans trying to influence the Democratic Primary race for County Clerk/Recorder. Mrs. Volm appears to have yard signs in Republican County Board members yards, Snider and Bockhold. There have been witnessed reports of Republican Quincy Precinct 19 Committeeman, Paul Koscielski, putting signs up for Mrs. Volm also. It’s interesting that these members of the local Republican Party would help a Democratic officeholder. The Adams County Republican Party website states that Mr. Bockhold is a member of their executive committee. Is the Adams County Republican Party sanctioning this action?

Former Quincy Rivermen Dies.

2006-03-07T06:42:00.000-06:00

As a kid growing up near Q-Stadium one of the highlights was going to watch the Rivermen play baseball. I fondly remember this scrappy ballplayer for the Rivermen. He played with such passion that his uniform was always in need of repair. The late Mrs. Loren Maddox used to giggle everytime he slid into a base and state: "I'm gonna have to sew up his britches again tonight!"

Just a couple short years later and this ballplayer had jumped up to the Major Leagues. He went on to be a six time Gold Glove winner. He was an Allstar ten times. A Career .318 hitter. He went on the win two World Series and is a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Though I was never a fan of the Twins, I always watched to see how the former Quincy Rivermen did that evening. His passing brings back great childhood memories of heading to Q-Stadium with my grandfather to watch the Rivermen.

Kirby Puckett you will be missed!

THIS JUST IN . . . .

2006-03-06T06:37:00.000-06:00

Our staff felt this post deserved its own space.

Anonymous said...

THIS JUST IN!!!

Please stop in the Hospital and send flowers!

Our friend Tony C. had to be admitted to the hospital lastnight. The incident appears to have happened just after our friend had gotten off work for the day. He sat down with a cool glass of ice tea and his evening copy of the the HW. Some low muttering was heard just prior to him falling off his pulpit. Mr. C. crashed to the ground with his outstretched hand still grasped firmly around the section of the evening paper containing Mr. Bastean's letter to the editor.

An ambulance was called to the scene. Paramedics worked hard for quite some time trying to remove the evening edition of the Rag from his cold clinched hand. They finally gave up and he was wisked away in the ambulance. People on the scene gave conflicting reports of what was being muttered by Mr. C. as he was placed in the ambulance. Some report that his was heard stating, "the bastard has sank us for sure!". Others report that he was muttering, "the rest of the party was right!".

The local hospital reports that Mr. C. seems to be making good progress and they expect him to eventually make a full recovery. They are keeping him in the hospital for further observations and until his symptoms go away. These symptoms include the newspaper still clinched in his hand along with a fowl mood.

Please feel free to send our friend some get well soon cards. Also make sure we all keep him in our thoughts and prayers. We will try to keep you updated as to his progress.

Thanks,
Anonymous

The Staff here at the Underground encourage everyone that visits our site to Send Tony Cameron a get well soon Card! Your in our thoughts, Buddy.

Open Thread

2006-03-03T16:09:00.000-06:00

Thought we would open this up for the weekend. You create the topic!

Raiders AA debut.

2006-03-01T06:39:00.000-06:00

With two Qnd graduates and a QHS Alumni on staff we couldn't come to an agreement on how this article should be written. The only thing that we could agree upon was that we all would have loved to have seen the first match-up between the two Quincy schools in basketball since the 1970's. What we have decided to do is throw the subject out for your comments and opinions. Have fun!

Why was Carol Means Letter Edited???

2006-02-23T21:46:00.000-06:00

Recently our staff came into possession of the original letter sent by Carol Means to our local paper. It appears that a couple sentences were left out when it was published. The text highlighted in red is what was removed from this letter.

February 2, 2006

Last year I retired from the County Treasurer's Office with 23 years of public service. I considered it a privilege to serve the many people with whom I had contact. I also appreciated the efficiency and professionalism I witnessed of many people working in the Courthouse. This includes the employees of the County Clerks Office.

I believe it is regrettable when employees leave their jobs for medical reasons or because the work environment is no longer a place that is concerned about the good of the people who work there. Employees who feel good about their work and their work environment are usually willing to go the extra mile when time constraints seem to be impossible or when new rules or regulations are put in place. The thing I do not miss is the high pitched vocalizing, that could be overheard in the hallways, directed at employees in the County Clerk's Office. Not only is this unprofessional, it does little to encourage a higher level of performance, especially if one has a medical condition. This was the case when an employee passed out in that office and medical assistance had to be called.

It is good that the County continues to update equipment making serving the public more efficient. Updating generally is mandated by Federal and State regulations for the good of the public. All office holders are required to comply with Federal and State regulations whether purchasing new equipment or implementing new regulations. Again I appreciate the opportunity I had to serve Adams County, however, there are certain aspects I can gladly say I will not miss.

Carol Means

Why were the two sentences removed? If anyone has any knowledge of these situations we would love to hear about them.

THANK YOU!!!!

2006-02-19T06:35:00.000-06:00

Our site has been in existence for exactly a week now and we have just reached 1500 hits. We never expected such activity. The writers and staff would like to thank each and every one of you!

744 hits on Sunday! Our Biggest day yet! THANK YOU!

Signs, Signs, Signs.

2006-02-19T06:18:00.000-06:00

Moving this back to the top due to high activity

It's easy to see that election time is near by the number of political signs popping up in yards around our community. Carper and Volm signs far outnumber any other local candidates. If signs are an indication, the Democratic primary for the Adams County Clerk / Recorder appears as though it is going to be a very tight race. The sign war is on!
An interesting note. This weekend, the former Adams County Democratic Chairman's son was seen driving around town in his white pickup truck tearing Carper signs down. Its shameful that a former county chairman's son would be involved in such actions. Mrs. Volm should be ashamed of her campaign staff. They are a reflection on her.

new information . . . It appears that the mysterious white truck strikes again!

"Anonymous said...

What a shame, a White Truck with tool box spotted on Columbus Road by resident herself walking by her Carper sign. Funny that there were posts sticking out of this persons truck and missing signs on same road. I personally know that there was permission given to the Carper committee to put signs in the empty lot that are now missing. I guess the game continues. What a shame!!!!"

posted 7:01 PM, Sunday, February 19th, 2006.

Your tax dollars wasted?

2006-02-18T09:11:00.000-06:00

In this mornings QHW there is an article on the Quincy Park Districts new putt-putt golf course. We are in support of our beautiful parks in Quincy, but I appears that this putt-putt course cost taxpayers $310,000. Sounds like an awful lot for a miniature golf course. The Quincy Park district is one of the highest portions of our property tax bills. This frivolous spending needs to end! Here's an idea for the Park District. The next time they plan to spend money on such a project, they can put this money back for the next year and tax each resident of Quincy $8.00 less on thier coming tax bill.

Voter Confusion and Apathy.

2006-02-16T06:19:00.000-06:00

While most governmental entities are taking measures to make it easier to vote, it appears that in Adams County we are doing just the opposite. We have less polling places than we did just four years ago. Many others have changed locations so many times that we would wager that 90% of our local office holders couldn't tell you where they are currently located. Just this week county authorities "Changed the polling place for Quincy Precincts 5, 6 and 12 from the All Saints Community Room to the Sycamore Healthcare Centre." We actually understand this move due to the sale or pending sale of All Saints but why was it moved from the Salvation Army to start with? In 2004 both these precincts voted in The Salvation Army building. This is the third time that the polling places for precincts 6 and 12 have been moved in the past two years. The people that live in these neighborhoods could be wandering around lost all day come March 21st. This is just one example. There are several others. Please feel free to list them in the comments.

Our Soldiers and Veterans have fought to secure democracy around the world. We should be encouraging the same right here in Adams County.

We can Purchase Hunting and Fishing Licenses at city hall?

2006-02-15T06:09:00.000-06:00

Who would have thought! On Monday the city council "Authorized the city clerk to take certain administrative steps to continue to sell hunting and fishing licenses and permits at City Hall." We guess being from the Midwest does have some advantages! We can stop in city hall, pay our water bill and pick up our hunting license! We wonder how many other members of our fine community were unaware of this service? This just shows how diverse the state of Illinois really is. A few communities in the Chicago area do not even allow citizens to possess firearms within their limits. Daley has been trying to make Chicago gun-free for years. At the complete other end of the spectrum is the City of Quincy which makes it easier for local Sportsmen to legally pursue their hobby. While we are not aware of who started this policy, we would like to commend them for it!

Identity theft in our own area?

2006-02-14T07:11:00.000-06:00

Yesterdays Chicago Sun-Times had an interesting article on identity theft in IL. It stated 11,000 people in Illinois were victims of identity theft last year. It also stated that identity theft was responsible for "43 percent of all Illinois consumer complaints received by the Federal Trade Commission in 2005". Based on the population of Adams County, 58 members of our community were victims of identity theft last year.

Flying High!

2006-02-13T23:34:00.000-06:00

That's what can be said about the American Snowboarders participating in the Olympics. The US has six medals to date and four have come in snowboarding! Just seems fitting for us to tip our hats to the young men and women winning medals in what was once an "Underground" sport! Who can't cheer when a guy nicknamed "The Flying Tomato" wins a Gold medal!

OUCH!!!!!

2006-02-13T08:29:00.000-06:00

It appears that Vice-President Cheney shot his 78 year old hunting partner this past weekend. If you haven't heard about this situation you will. Lets all hope this gentleman makes a full recovery from this incident. Unfortunately, Honest Sportsmen are going to get a black-eye from this incident. It seems that the anti-gun crowd will now have some new ammo.

Revenue Enhancement Reaches All Time High!

2006-02-12T15:42:00.000-06:00

In Sunday's QHW there is an article on the number of traffic citations issued in Adams County. This article notes that 39% more tickets were issued in 2005 than were issued the previous year. This is an alarming increase.
Why the sudden increase in the number of tickets issued in Adams County? Are Adams County motorists driving worse? It appears to us at the Underground that Law enforcement has found a way to pad the local and State coffers. The article states that The Illinois State Police have issued 71% more tickets in Adams County this past year. The Quincy Police Department issued 41% more tickets in 2005. The article points out that a majority of these citations were speeding and seat belt.
This type of increase should raise a lot of questions in local people's minds. If the state police are covering our area this well, then why does the Quincy Police Department need 77 officers? The QPD has one of the highest budgets in city government, could some of these funds be used to fix infrastructure? Is an overabundance of the police department's assets being used for traffic violations instead of fighting real crimes?
Credit must be given to the Adams County Sheriffs department. It appears that they sensed the increased amount of revenue enhancement going on by other law enforcement agencies and decided to concentrate on REAL CRIMES!

Possible Catholic Church closings?????

2006-02-12T13:52:00.000-06:00

Rumors have been flying around town this week about the possible closing of both St. Boniface and St. Mary's Churches. As a good Catholic, I was informed to not further discuss this issue, that Church officials will are working hard to see what the next budget will allow. This is political speak for; "please be good parishioners, keep giving money, don't complain and trust us". As a good catholic, I am impelled to further discuss this matter.

While I do not want to see one Catholic Church in our community closed, I would understand the closing of St. Boniface. This area of town is now mainly businesses. Very few people live downtown as they did in years past.

The potential closing of St. Mary's really strikes a nerve. St. Mary's just recently lost its school and now looks to lose its parish. I understand that the "glory days" of the catholic church in Quincy are pretty much over, but why? QND is in the midst of a 1.2 million-dollar renovation, which includes a chapel. the diocese has given $500,000 for this project. Why would the catholic community or the diocese spend one dime on a chapel for QND when they have a perfectly good Church just 3 blocks away? Its time the church starts making financial decisions like a normal business.

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2006-02-12T13:08:00.000-06:00

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