Up, Down and Around Our Town

Dogwood Weekend. Forecast? Rain. Outcome? No rain. Nice combination. So much for the futurecast.

Okay, we get it. The Swine Flu. It seemingly is everywhere on every media outlet that is capable of getting any coverage. Hour after hour of the same message; flu is contagious and is spread by human contact. If you are sick, stay home. If you are not, practice good handwashing skills and try not to sneeze on someone. Repeat if necessary. This is not one of those 24/7 news cycles and frankly, I think the media is sick of it as well.

And, of course, the best part is that "reliable sources indicate that a case of swine flu is now local." That source was more than likely some kid texting another and with that grapevine now firmly implanted in our lexicon, who knows what is real and what isn't. We get it.

Arlen Specter is now a Democrat. Al Franken will soon be sworn in. That means that the Dems will have an overwhelming super majority that can ram through any piece of legislation that is deemed appropriate. Balance of power? The GOP better get their butts in gear and realize that the two-party system will be down to a one-party vehicle if things don't change. Whether or not this is good for the national scene is up to those in power; be careful what you wish for.

The Quincy School Board will now be led by Glen Bemis. The tide has turned; no more 6-1 votes; they will now be 4-3. The majority of the board is now elected to meet the needs of the people. Let's see how this works out - it could get interesting as those who have clamored for less school will probably get their wish. At what price? Stay tuned.

Speaking of the GOP, we lost a good one in Jack Kemp. The former AFL/NFL Quarterback carried a lot of water for the party over the years. I actually had a chance to visit with him at a Cardinal game when he was running with Bob Dole. His recollection was that the turf at the then Busch Stadium was pretty thin and hard during his playing days. Funny what you remember. We'll miss him.

We'll also miss a couple of locals. Nadine Bent, the matriarch of Bent's Red Fox Foods in Camp Point, died last week. This lovely lady never had a bad word and was always involved in things in the community that meant something. Plus, she was a regular reader of this column and would comment many times as to my spin on a few things. She also made a caramel roll that could make your eyes spin because it was so delicious. Those folks are the backbones of communities like Camp Point and they will be missed.

Ron Sprick died as well. This fine Harvard on the Hill alum was an unsung hero for many. Early on in the career of those needing rehabilitation, it was Ron Sprick carrying the torch for those suffering from chemical dependency, alcoholism and other maladies. He knew where all of the buttons were and how to access them for his clients and those served at his kind hand knew that he was very much on their side. Kind and professional. Family man and avid fisherman. We can never have too many folks like Ron Sprick and our prayers go out to Lynn and their fine family. We'll miss him a lot.

100 days of the Obama administration. An arbitrary figure, of course, but one that follows politicians around. His first 100? Very productive in many ways and he has been as non-traditional as any in my lifetime. Granted, he inherited a major fiscal, domestic and foreign mess and all hopes are that the solutions that will be sought will work. Time will tell on the banking side. Chrysler has filed for bankruptcy and we'll see how that reorganization spills out. The housing market is still in flux and people are having a difficult time getting to understand that their golden balloon is not longer their real estate. That was robbed by the barons of Wall Street and those days will not return. However, we can hope that credit will start flowing from bank to bank and that the backbone of this country - the business community - will start producing and folks will start buying. Until that confidence is secure, this will be a very long recession.

All in all, he has done a wonderful job and the Right Wing just can't handle it. Our foreign policy is being adjusted; we still feel committed to fighting wars in the Middle East that can never be won and will continue to drain valuable resources from a country that someday will run out of paper to print money on. However, his representation of this country has been magnificent. To that end, many are very pleased. Others will have to wait.

Mother's Day, Graduation Weekend and the first birthday of my hero Sasha. All will happen this week and we'll just get excited about all three. You'll hear about it first right here; share your opinions on other items as needed. It's a great time of the year - get outside and enjoy it. Till next week, and as always, I remain....