Mayor’s Row…….by Ned Mitchell

          We hope you had a great Veteran’s Day holiday doing what you like to do but we also hope that you took the time to remember the veterans of all wars in this country.

          In my research on Veteran’s Day I found that the original holiday was started back in 1919 by President Woodrow Wilson.  President Wilson declared November 11^th in 1919 as Armistice Day to honor soldiers who fought in this nation’s honor during World War I.  The word armistice means “a temporary suspension of hostilities by agreement between the opponents”.  The suspension of hostilities stayed intact until the outbreak of World War II.

          Once World War II had ended President Dwight D. Eisenhower signed into law a bill renaming November 11^th as Veterans Day instead of Armistice Day and we have celebrated it ever since.  Tradition has it that any service performed on Veterans Day should begin at the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.

          I am told that as of this writing there is one World War I veteran living in the United States and three living in England.

          Here in Sesser city workers put out 100 large flags along highway 148 North at Maple Hill Cemetery.  This is a site to see either going out of town or coming in town from the north.  We continue to get dozens of good comments for this display of patriotism and recognition of our veterans.  The flags are flown on Memorial Day, Veterans Day and for three days anytime we have a veteran to be buried at Maple Hill Cemetery.  It is the least we can do to honor those who have served us.  We hope that you take time to thank a veteran when you get the chance and to always remember that freedom is not free!

          With the election of Barack Obama as President that leaves a vacancy in his United States Senator office and one that the reformer/unreformer alone will have to fill.  The governor has the sole authority to appoint a replacement for Obama and rumors are knee deep as to who the new senator will be.

          Some political minds declare the governor will have to appoint an African-American to this very important post.  There is no shortage of names and the list gets longer every day.  The governor could even appoint himself if he wanted to.  I don’t expect that to happen.

          One name that has surfaced and one that I believe has to be in the top two or three is that of retired State Senator Emil Jones.  Before you start calling me a whack job though hear me out.  Jones is the retired President of the State Senate and a man that practically everybody loves to hate.  He is also the one and only guy who has saved the governor’s political hide on numerous occasions.  He has ran interference for the governor and bottled up dozens of bills in Senate committees that the governor did not want passed.

          From a political standpoint Jones would probably agree not to seek re-election when the two years left would end.  He could fill the seat and would not have to be trained as to how things work.  If he agreed not to run for re-election that would open the door for a primary battle among those who think they have earned the right to be our United States Senator.

          If the governor gives the job to a person who wants to run for the office in two years that gives a huge advantage to that person.  This way the governor could repay Jones for taking care of him in the Statehouse plus tell potential candidates that the door is now open for each of you take your case to the people and may the best person win.

          Of course this would draw the ire of most of the news media and citizens alike.  But with the governor’s approval rating at a lousy 13% he really does not have anything to lose anyhow.  I’m not saying this would be either a wise or good choice. I am only saying that it makes political sense to me and it is a situation that will be fun to watch as it unfolds.

          The Cavani String quartet performed at the historical Sesser Opera House last Saturday night and put on quite a show.  These four young ladies from Ohio were joined by two SIU faculty members and entertained the guests who attended.  We have some good concerts coming up in December and we will try to keep you informed on those as information becomes available.

          One of the judicial candidates in the election a couple of weeks ago stopped by Main Street Sesser and chatted up local people.  The candidate asked me what advice I would give him.  Along with just do everything Loren “Larry” Lewis does and you will be fine I threw in my two cents worth about the delay of cases.

          I don’t know if this is indicative of justice or the lack thereof in Franklin County but one case in particular just amazes me.  I’m talking about the Billy Sprind case that has been dragging through our Franklin County court system for almost 2 years now since the fatal accident that claimed the life of an elderly woman and seriously injured her husband.  This is the second time Sprind has been charged with DUI.  The first time must have not taught him anything so I suppose everyone will be back in court in the near future.

          My advice to the candidate was make a pledge to do everything possible to get cases on track and moving telling him that justice delayed is often justice denied.  I am of course all for defendants exercising their right to a speedy trial but by the same token I believe that the victims are also entitled to a speedy trial.  This fiasco has been anything but speedy as one continuance after another has been approved by one judge after another.  To be fair our States Attorney Tom Dinn has always been ready and willing to try this case.  It is the defense that keeps requesting more time.

          I’ve always been a fan of federal judge Phil Gilbert and how he runs his courtroom.  If Judge Gilbert sees either side playing with the trial schedule he merely informs everyone that on such and such day we are going to try this case.  Attorneys are instructed to have all of their motions on file prior to the start date and be ready to go to trial.

          I don’t even know who the judge is on this case at the present time but my unsolicited advice to you is give notice to all attorneys involved that we are going to try this case and give them a day in which to appear for the trial.  This has gone on long enough and it is time to give the victims in this case some justice!

          Aileen Kelly is home and back in school after surgery last week in a St. Louis hospital.  We wish her continued healing and recovery in the days ahead.