Mayor’s Row…………by Ned Mitchell
Whew! The 50th Sesser Homecoming is now history and what a week it was. First, the weather for the 4 day event was absolutely perfect which allowed thousands of Sesser residents and visitors from all over to enjoy the event. It was a banner year for concession sales, carnival business, and queen candidates. It is just a time of year that the whole community lays down its differences and pulls together to make this event happen. And happen it does. Here I go gloating again. Sesser has the most successful and long running event in our area. We owe that to the fantastic VOLUNTEERS who make this event what it is. Congratulations to all of you on a job well done. You make all of us here in Sesser proud and the service you do to the community is appreciated by city hall!
Ashamed and embarrassed are just two words that immediately came into mind about my democrat party affiliation when I read what Senator Durbin had to say about prisoners of war and their treatment. Because of these cur like people from the Middle East we now have two giant holes in the ground in New York and thousands of innocent people dead. When they capture an American soldier or GI, they do such things as chop their heads off on television, set their bodies on fire, then drag the remains through the streets while everyone in the world watches on television. I assume that prison war camps are not nice places to be, nor should they. We are a country at war with barbarian like enemies who think nothing of lopping off the heads of every American they come across. The sad part of it is if this bunch of wackos ever get a toe hold in this country, look out. So, here I am, a democrat once again apologizing and trying to reason with myself. We are feeding the prisoners more food than they are accustomed to eating, providing them shelter and facilities they have never had, providing them a Koran to worship with and even painting an arrow on the east wall for them to know what direction to pray. I don’t think we are abusing prisoners, but guess what, I don’t care either. We should be lopping off their heads, just not on television. They all are in such a hurry to visit Allah, lets speed up the process, no sense hanging around this old world when there is such a better place to be. My opinion is we should be sending them on their way in much larger quantities than we are. And for Senator Durbin, you’ve stuck your foot in your mouth twice in the last month, its high time you started acting like a national leader. I don’t like us being in war either, a lot of Americans don’t. I don’t think George Bush is doing a good job as President, but he is still my President. Agree or not agree on the war, we all need to show all of the support we can and then some for those brave men and women fighting this war, many of whom have already made the supreme sacrifice. We can do no less and the sooner guys like Durbin get this elementary fact in their head, the sooner we will have to stop listening to Nazi and Hitler like comments coming from supposedly educated and brilliant national politicians. I really do wonder!
Our parade this year was another great on and what would a parade be without politicians. They were everywhere in Sesser and we were glad to have them. I got to vent my frustrations to Senator Forby and Representative Bradley about the things that are important to me in Springfield. I’ve made no bones about it, I think the budget was wrong, the pension raid terrible, and the Rend Lake Conservancy District bill skewed. But they did accomplish medical malpractice reform, worker’s compensation reform, and did toughen up laws on methamphetamine users. As I told Bradley and Forby if you were playing baseball in Marion, you would be batting over 500! I also visited with Congressman Costello who is doing an outstanding job. The Congressman and I talked and thought about past great democrats like Truman, Roosevelt, and here in Illinois Paul Douglas. These men were giants and represented the common person, the democrat. They weren’t constantly off on some tangent about gay marriage, abortion, saving a tree, they looked out for the working people who made the democrat party great. I can see a strong resemblance between Congressman Costello and Paul Douglas, their values are where they should be and they are not afraid to step up and vote that way. And it does not hurt that the Congressman’s wife Georgia is a Sesser girl!
Speaking of the Rend Lake Conservancy District, you read it here first and by now it has already happened. A bill sponsored by Representative Kurt Granberg and Senator Gary Forby was to be signed by the reformer/nonreformer governor in Benton Tuesday. This bill that was crafted to eliminate two board members, Pete Micheletto of Christopher and Mike Davidson of Mt. Vernon should be law by the time you read this column, unless governor reformer/nonreformer does not show up as advertised. Christopher will lose a seat on this board and Benton will gain a seat. Richard O. Hart, attorney of Benton is supposed to be appointed. Dick Hart is a friend of mine, I’ve got a huge amount of respect for him and he will do a great job, only problem is Christopher is losing a seat out of this and Sesser in the very near future could be next. I don’t buy the argument from Rep. Granberg that an elected board would give large cities an unfair advantage. It would be simple to set up districts where candidates can run, much like school districts or county boards. It is not impossible! In Jefferson County Mike Davidson will be replaced because he is a republican, and that’s fair, its how the game is played. Another board member from Mt. Vernon, Bob Steffy does not want to be reappointed to the board, he is quitting. I am told that Mt. Vernon will name Jere Shaw to one seat and the retired CEO from Continental Tire by the name of Jim Richey, I think, to the other. Those two are purely rumor and speculation and may not be correct, but the bottom line is counting West Frankfort’s latest appointment there will be 4 new board members appointed. One of them will be accountable to the Mayor of West Frankfort, one to the Mayor of Mt. Vernon, one to the County Board Chairman in Jefferson County and one to the Chairman in Franklin County. There still will be no accountability to you and me, the taxpayer. Cities and Villages throughout the west side of Franklin County and some next door to the county seat passed resolutions opposing this legislation but the reformer/unreformer governor ignored our thoughts and did not even respond to mail or email. But guess what, he will be looking us up in the very near future as his election is coming around and some of us local officials can’t wait! But hey, I’ve voiced my opinion to Granberg, Forby, and Bradley and they still voted for the bill. I’m not a sore loser however and we’ll work with the new board members and see what happens. They might be right in doing this and time will tell. One thing for sure we need this Conservancy District and if this will put it on the right track it will be a great thing! My condolences to the folks in Christopher who are losing a seat, we’ve had that happen in Sesser before and it is not a good thing. If you don’t like it, call the people who made it happen and let them know. I can’t be the only one shooting off at the mouth!
Congratulations to the Franklin Hospital who recently celebrated its 50th anniversary. We are fortunate to have this hospital as it serves us around here. I use the clinic a lot and Dr. Resaba and his staff are just the best in my book. When you walk in the lobby the girls out front are friendly and helpful and my lab tests are always done in a quick and professional manner. The treatment there is fantastic and I urge you to give them a try. Their new clinic is open evenings until 10:00 pm, just in case you have a job at the new little league stadium in Marion working an afternoon game. You could still work your shift and make it to Benton for a doctor’s appointment at Franklin Hospital. Seriously though, the late hours are a convenience for a lot of people and I can’t say enough nice things about folks at Franklin Hospital. They are really great people!
Sesser resident Jim Muir and his Sound-Off radio talk show on WQRL-FM in Benton recently won a first place award for radio. The event is sponsored by the Illinois Broadcasters Association and first place is now down this way. Congratulations to Jim and the crew at WQRL for the hard work they did to earn this award. We’re proud of them and doubly so since Jim is one of us here in Sesser.
Visitors that I talked with during the Sesser Homecoming were former residents David Brown, Courtney Mygatt, Scott Ward, Craig Cockrum, Donald Clampet and my wife’s father, Richard Goessman, wife Becky and family from Washington State. It was good to see these former residents and their families as it only makes Homecoming better when they do come home. The sad part of that is they all have to leave and it is even sadder to know they had to leave in the first place to find work to support their families. But they all said that life was treating them well and that is what is important. I hope you got to visit with some former residents also.
In sick bay this week but now home are Hazel Page and Ribella Palada and they would appreciate a phone call, card or visit I am sure. Ruth Cantrell was at Sesser Homecoming as was Wanda Dorris who have both recently had some tough days but it was good to see them out and about. We also need to remember Chesta Sulcer, Ilah Winn and Lois Fred, all of whom are in long term care facilities in Benton. My aunt Marjorie Dame is also home on the farm after a few months stay in O’Fallon with her sons.
If you have a thought, suggestion, or comment feel free to give us a call at 625-3611, 625-5322, or 625-5788 or visit the web site www.sesser.org or email me at nedmitchell@verizon.net One thing about it, you can’t say we’re hard to find. If all else fails drop by city hall, my business or my home, I’ll surely be at one or the other, but I have been known to take a break or two at the Train Rek Grille next door to the Opera House. Anyhow, if you need us, we can be found in short order. We hope you have a really great week and appreciate you letting us serve you to the best of our ability!
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